Business Travel and getting to see a little more of the USA

Over the past two weeks I had to take business trips to Memphis TN, Nashville TN and then out to Portland Maine on the East Coast. Needless to say that once work was done for the day I took the opportunity in the evenings to visit some of the legendary areas of the towns I was visiting and had a great time, each town with its own character and vibe.

First stop was Memphis Tennessee, home of Rock N Roll and the legendary Elvis, I got to go to the Graceland Mansion and then to some of the famous land marks down town, like the original Sun Records studio, Beale street and the Peabody hotel. Memphis is known for its BBQ and there is no dispute that they may great BBQ ribs. I had a full rack of ribs down in Beale street and they were fantastic fall off the bone ribs. I got to walk Beale street and listen to live bands playing in each pub with a lot of the bars playing classic blues music which was a treat.

Then it was off to Nashville Tennessee home town of Country music. In the evening I headed down Broadway Nashville and stopped in to several of the bars each with a different artist playing country. I settled in at the bar at a place called Rippy's and got to listen to some chilled country whilst enjoying a local beer. When all the business was said and done at the end of the week we had to wait 8 hours for the next flight home and so we decided to get a round of golf in at the The Hermitage Country Club. With rented Ping clubs and a dozen Pinnacle golf balls I managed to shoot a 76 first time out on the course. Then it was off to the airport and a short flight home.

The following week I was headed out to Portland Maine and flew from Columbus to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and then onto Portland Maine. The east coast has so much character and reminds me of European fishing towns. I went into the famous LL Bean stores out there too and got some gear ahead of the winter settling in for 2011. The flight home was delayed and very bumpy from Portland to Washington DC and then back to columbus OH.

The trips were exciting to venture to new destinations but it is always great to come back home and sleep in your own bed.

Next trip is destined to be Iowa and need to get this one completed before the winter snow sets in as the plant I am going to visit out there is really in the middle of nowhere.