Days 135

Nashville TN - Clarksville TN

• Start 7:02 AM
• End 1:05 PM
• Underway 5:45 Hours
• Distance 55 miles
• Total Miles on Trip 2544
• Av Speed 9.5 knots
• Locks 1
• Weather Cloudy, 80 Degrees, Wind 8Kn S

Goodbye Nashville, as fun as it was it was starting to get a little too crowded. I cannot imagine what tonight is going to be like. The city dock is right at Nissan Stadium and the Rolling Stones are playing there tonight.

We headed back down the Cumberland River today with Mark & Karen (Kay Dee). We got a great push from the current. Mark & Karen normally travel around 7.5 knots and today we averaged 9.5 knots. To get to Clarksville we had to go back through the Cheetam Lock, and yesterday Nick & Ginger had an hour delay at the lock. I called the lockmaster when we were about 15 miles away to check on any delays today. His response was if we could get there in an hour to an hour and 15 minutes he would lock us through between to two tows coming up the river. If we did not make the window between the tows, it would be a two hour delay, and to call him when we were 20 to 30 minutes away. It took us 90 minutes, and as we approached the lock the first tow was leaving the lock. The timing was perfect!

We arrived at Clarksville around 1pm, and as we finished tying up the boats, Dave one of the permanent slip holders invited us to their party on the dock. They were having a Tennessee Shrimp Boil, cooked right on the dock. When the spread it out, it covered to 8' tables. It was delicious. After eating way more food than we should have, they brought out the homemade banana pudding and two different flavors of homemade ice cream.

They did warn us/invite us to come back over later. After they go out boating they would be back to party on the dock until 12 or 1 in the morning. I am just glad their choice of music is pretty good.

The rest of the afternoon consisted of a nap, boat chores and a bike ride. (FYI electric bikes are only electric bikes if you remember to turn them off when you are done) Even without the battery it was good to go out for a ride. We rode around the park until the police came and politely chased everyone out. The park closes at dusk.

Tomorrow we are going to go to Barkley State Park Marina. We had planned on staying in Clarksville for two nights, but Monday's weather does not look good for traveling and we do not want to spend three nights here.