Racin', theater and more music near Bristol

On Monday July 14th we made the short drive from the Asheville area to Bristol (Tenn & Va).  It was a dreary afternoon and drizzly evening, so we headed to State Street (main street), which divides Tenn from Va.

State St. divides VA & Tenn

The Pickin Porch Show was playing on the 2nd floor (why do they call it a "porch") of a museum in town.  The bluegrass entertainer didn't show up, so the host and a couple of volunteers picked.  They were good.

The Pickin' Porch Show in Bristol, Tenn

After the show we noticed this display on the exterior wall of the Quaker Steak Restaurant.

Wall display in Bristol, VA

The Bristol area claims to be the root of country and bluegrass music.  A large museum opens next year.

The next day we scheduled a tour of  Bristol Motor Speedway (about 2 miles from our campground).  The speedway hosts 2 major NASCAR races each year.  The track is the shortest (half mile) on the NASCAR circuit, but is located on huge grounds.

Bristol Motor Speedway

Tim in front of one of the gate entrances at Bristol Motor Speedway

Bristol Speedway picture taken half way up the stands

World's Fastest Half-mile, Bristol Motor Speedway

Nick named: The Last Great Colosseum

The speedway is nick named: The Last Great Colosseum.  At NASCAR races it holds 160,000 fans in a stadium that is almost bowl shaped.  Luxury boxes almost completely ring the top of the stadium.  The half mile track is banked completely with very little straight away.  At the race start, the last starter is already a half lap down from the leader.  Imagine driving a race car and turning right almost the whole race.

Tim on the Winner's Circle

We took a paid tour of the speedway in a Ford Econoline passenger van.  Our driver made a couple of fast laps (50 mph) on the track.  Tim ended up in the Winner's Circle, ha, ha.  The Winner's Circle isn't a circle.  It's actually a raised checker board square the winner drives up a ramp to access.  The infield of the track is so small, there is no room for a traditional winner's circle.  Take a look at a picture about 4 up in this blog that shows the infield.  You'll notice there are markings for a football field.  September 2016 Tenn will play Virginia Tech.  They expect the largest crowd to ever watch a football game....150,000.

Race trailer advertising Battle at Bristol football game

The grounds of the speedway are extensive.  It includes huge parking lots and campgrounds as well as a top notch dragway: Thunder Valley.

View of Thunder Valley dragway at Bristol Motor Speedway

Thunder Valley drag strip at Bristol Motor Speedway

Bristol Motor Speedway

Our driver ended the tour at the speedway ticket office and gift shop.  There was a beautiful garden in front.

Hibiscus blooms at speedway garden

After our morning tour on July 16 of Bristol Motor Speedway and mixing it up with gas and grease, we headed to Abingdon, VA about 20 miles away for some refinement in the afternoon and evening.  We had tickets to two shows, The Wizard of OZ and Welcome Back to Ivy Gap at the historic Barter Theater.

Barter Theater in Abingdon, VA

Everybody has seen the Wizard probably many times.  This production was very good combining pro and local actors.  The 2 p.m. matinee was sold out.  There were a ton of kids attending the show and they were well behaved and loved the show as we did.  We doubt you've seen the second play, Ivy Gap.  It is a story of recently widowed Southern Baptist preacher's wife return to the church of her late husband.  It stars 6 women mixing it up with the former preacher's wife and each other as only small church folk can do and the newly appointed, single preacher who moves from Texas to the small town Ivy Gap in Tennessee.  This show was well done also with great comedy.  The older actor who played the deceased preacher's wife was great.

Tim with some of the main characters of The Wizard of Oz

In between shows we traveled 10 miles east to the metropolis of Meadowview to have dinner at the acclaimed Harvest Table Restaurant.  The dinner was good and we headed back to Abingdon to show two.

Harvest Table Restaurant in Meadowview, VA

Glad we didn't take Big Red to Meadowview.  Check out the sign below next to the restaurant.

Big Red would have "high-sided" the RR crossing in the background

1 block from the restaurant was a building with something that caught our eye.

The window a/c took priority over the bike and kid's pedal car

We had done some shopping earlier.  When we got to Big Red below is what we found: guard cat.

Muffin guarding bags in Big Red

Big Red at our campsite at Shadrack Campground in Bristol, VA

Our visit to the Bristol area ended on July 16 and we left the next morning for Fries (pronounced freeze), VA. and 4 days.  See our next blog coming soon.