Tag: Alabama

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1970s Blogging Driving Geography History Music Radio Travel

My American Splendor Cruise – Part 4

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. My journey continues in “The Shoals” – which I wrote about in a previous edition a couple of months ago. That’s the northwestern corner of Alabama along the Tennessee River centered around Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. Just as Huntsville and northeastern Alabama is “The Space Capital Of America” – Muscle Shoals and northwestern Alabama is “The Hit Recording Capital Of The World”.

I booked a premium shore excursion for the morning. Most of the shore excursions via American Cruise Lines are included as part of the cost of the cruise. Some cost extra money – particularly those that are exclusive and limited to a small group of people with transportation provided by a local tour company.

On Friday October 02ND 2026 I was with a small group of 7 music fans on an exclusive tour of three legendary music studios – courtesy of Mavis’s Movin’ & Groovin’ Tour Bus. Let me just state this right now for the record. It was one of the greatest shore excursions I’ve ever been on in my 35-year history of cruising.

I didn’t quite know what to expect, but as a hit music chart nerd of the past 50 years – growing up with Top 40 music in the 1970s – thinking that I would be part of the industry as an adult – this was an absolute bucket list tour. This was fully-narrated – mostly from our tour guide – a seasoned music industry insider who worked with the band Alabama. He led the tour from the time we got in the mini-van until 3½ hours later when we all thanked him immensely for guiding us through 75 years of U.S. music history – originating from various studios in “The Shoals”.

Our first stop was FAME Recording Studios on Avalon Avenue in Muscle Shoals. Over 5,000 tracks have been recorded there over the past 65 years from some of the greatest music artists that ever lived (and still live today). We heard some of them via Spotify and Bluetooth speakers as well as the true stories behind them. I touched actual musical equipment that was utilized in many great hits on the radio.

Our next stop was Muscle Shoals Sound Studio at 3614 Jackson Highway (also an informal name for the studio) in Sheffield. This was my favorite of the 3 stops, and we had a different tour guide – a docent who worked there. It serves as a museum with multiple scheduled guided tours during the daytime (5 days a week – Tuesdays to Saturdays), and as a still active recording studio during the nighttime and on Sundays and Mondays. Over 3,000 tracks have been recorded there over the past 57 years. Most music artists recorded there back in the 1970s so that they could work with The Swampers. Yeah – those Swampers mentioned in the classic song “Sweet Home Alabama”.

Our final stop was Cypress Moon Studios on the banks of the Tennessee River just down the hill from downtown Sheffield. It served as the next home for the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio from 1978 until 2005 when The Swampers retired. Over 4,000 tracks were recorded there during that era.

Tomorrow on Facebook (#FollowUpFriday) I’ll write about some of the greatest hits you’ve definitely heard on the radio featuring The Swampers, and next #TravelThursday I’ll write about Savannah Tennessee. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2026 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Blogging Driving Geography Music Nature Photography Travel

My American Splendor Cruise – Part 3

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. My journey continues in Decatur Alabama on the south bank of the Tennessee River in the north-central part of the state a little over 30 miles south of the Tennessee state line.

We arrived just after 12 Noon on Thursday October 01ST 2026. What a great way to kickoff the first day of October – by arriving at my first port-of-call on my first river cruise. (The embarkation port of Chattanooga doesn’t technically count as a port-of-call since all of my fellow cruise passengers either flew there or drove there from all around the country.)

I signed-up for the shore excursion to the Huntsville Botanical Garden. This was a self-guided excursion, so everyone was on their own to see and do what they wanted to at their own pace. (We got free transportation to and from there as well as free admission.) I think I saw much of the botanical garden walking around, and I was not particularly impressed with it. I’ve been to some very nice botanical gardens in Florida. This was not as nice as any of them. There were a lot of workers there preparing for some type of special social event coming up. There were many tables set up along walkways with lots of party supplies on them. It looks like they were also preparing for the upcoming holiday season. Overall – the place didn’t really look too inviting to me as a first-time visitor.

The trek back to the cruise ship from Huntsville was actually more fascinating than the botanical garden. Due to extremely slow and congested afternoon rush hour traffic headed westbound out of Huntsville, and actually headed towards Decatur – our #ACL luxury coach driver decided to take a detour around much of the mess on I-565. He took the backroads (which is what I would’ve done as well, since I no longer drive any Interstates). He unknowingly took the luxury coach and all of us passengers on a couple of miles of dirty dusty unpaved public roadway. (Our driver apologized to all of us stating that he had no idea his Google Maps detour would eventually take us “off-road”, and he couldn’t back-up once the road suddenly went unpaved.)

It was quite the rocky ride before we made it back onto modern U.S. 31 into Decatur – where we connected with the heavy traffic again (going southbound). As it turns out – it was the opening night of “Rock The South” – a popular 4-day country music festival that was making its debut 7 miles away on the other side of Decatur. (That’s where all of the traffic was headed.)

Fun Facts: American Cruise Lines maintains its own large fleet of distinctive high-end luxury coach buses – at least one per ship, and in some cases 2 or 3. (My American Splendor cruise ship had 3 assigned, as we are one of their largest ships of nearly 180 passengers.) The buses follow or shadow their assigned ships, and they are utilized to transport the passengers to the ship on embarkation day, from the ship on debarkation day, and to and from shore excursions in-between. That makes #ACL unique in that they don’t rely on unpredictable locally-chartered buses. Their own employees drive their own buses around to each port. In some cases – for premium shore excursions – the operator of a local tour company will utilize their own private vans to transport cruise passengers. (I took such a tour the next day.)

Tomorrow on Facebook (#FollowUpFriday) I’ll write about the Irish entertainer that sung for us on that 2ND night on the ship. Oh – and I’ll tell you all about one of the greatest shore excursions I’ve ever been on – next – #TravelThursday. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2026 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Blogging Food Geography Travel

My American Splendor Cruise – Part 2

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. My journey continues from the Hotel Indigo in downtown Chattanooga to the American Splendor cruise ship on the Tennessee River about a half-mile away. The American Cruise Lines (#ACL) owned and operated luxury coach buses picked us up in 3 groups to take us to Ross’s Landing (on the river). I was in the middle group (2).

I walked on the American Splendor cruise ship just after 12 Noon on Wednesday September 30TH 2026. I was 1 of 176 passengers on the ship. I thought about heading straight to my stateroom on Deck 3 port side, but instead I headed straight ahead to the restaurant right there on Deck 1. I wanted my first river cruise meal (lunch) immediately !

A lady eventually joined me for lunch who was on her 25TH #ACL cruise. We talked about many of them, and she gave me advice since it was my inaugural #ACL cruise. A couple from 30 miles southwest of Fort Worth Texas eventually joined us, and I chatted with them about my family who lives caddy-corner from them in the vast DFW Metroplex – 30 miles northeast of Dallas Texas. I’d encounter (and sit and chat with) that couple a few more times that same day.

After lunch I headed to my stateroom, and I was impressed. It met my expectations. My single balcony cabin was everything I expected it to be. I especially appreciated the modern digital Honeywell thermostat that controlled the temperature and fan. I’ve never had one of those in a cruise ship stateroom before. It’s the little things that matter.

We pulled away from the dock several minutes early, and we headed downstream on the Tennessee River towards the Central Time Zone and northern Alabama.

After dinner (which started at 5:30 PM) I headed back to my stateroom, went out on my balcony, and enjoyed the sights, sounds, and smells of the Tennessee River. We went through our first of 6 locks at Nickajack Dam. I watched most of the operation as we slowed down, pulled-in, stopped, attached ourselves to the walls of the lock, and dropped down about 39 feet from the higher lake level to the lower lake level. It was quite impressive to watch how it all worked from three decks up. It was my first such experience ever. Gravity is amazing !

Fun Facts: Out of the 176 passengers I was – believe it or not – not the youngest of them all. I saw a few women who were definitely younger than me – perhaps in their 40s (maybe even 30s). But the other 170 or so were definitely in their 60s, 70s, 80s, and even 90s. That’s my type of crowd ! I live in a 55+ neighborhood where I’m one of the youngest residents. I serve with the Sebring Historical Society where I’m one of the youngest volunteers. I attend Highlands Community Church where I represent the youngest one-quarter of the congregation. I’m in my element onboard the American Splendor cruise ship !

Tomorrow on Facebook (#FollowUpFriday) I’ll write about our entertainer on that first night, and next #TravelThursday I’ll write about our first port-of-call in Decatur Alabama including my shore excursion to the Huntsville Botanical Garden. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2026 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Blogging Food Geography History Military Nature Photography Travel

Catfish Capital Of The World

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. Last week I wrote about Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia Alabama – collectively known as “The Shoals” locally.

Downstream the Tennessee River from The Shoals by about 66 miles is Savannah Tennessee – “Catfish Capital Of The World”. It’s the next port-of-call on my upcoming American Cruise Lines paddlewheeler ship cruise. It’s about 55 to 60 feet lower in elevation than Florence Harbor, so less than a foot every mile on average. But nearly the entire drop actually occurs at the lock at Pickwick Dam – 17 miles before (upstream from) Savannah. That will be an early-morning 45-minute drop in the “elevator”, as we are scheduled to arrive in Savannah by 7:30 AM – about 40 minutes after sunrise.

I’m booked on a couple of shore excursions that day in Savannah. In the morning I’ll be touring the historic Shiloh National Military Park about 10 miles southwest of Savannah. It was the site of the American Civil War Battle Of Shiloh (AKA Battle Of Pittsburg Landing) on April 06TH and 07TH of 1862. It was established as a National Military Park 32½ years later on December 27TH 1894. President Grover Cleveland signed it into law. It was transferred from the Department Of War to the National Park Service effective August 10TH 1933 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

So you’re wondering about the catfish. The stretch of Tennessee River adjacent to Savannah is known for its abundance of various types of catfish of all sizes – including some really big ones in the 60 to 80 pound or more range. Catfishing anglers come to Savannah each Fall (September and October) to participate in various tournaments. The locals welcome the visitors, as the city celebrates with pageants, parades, and fish fry gatherings along the river.

As for Savannah itself – it was settled 200 years ago during the 1820s. It was originally named Rudd’s Ferry – named after – well – James Rudd (an early settler) – and his ferry across the Tennessee. His wife was Elizabeth, and she was originally from Savannah Georgia. In 1830 – Rudd’s Ferry was renamed to Savannah Tennessee so that Elizabeth could still live in a town named Savannah. Nowadays over 7,000 residents call Savannah home, and over 28,000 residents live in surrounding Hardin County (including Savannah).

Next #TravelThursday – I’ll write about Grand Rivers Kentucky – where two rivers almost but not quite converge. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2026 Christopher M. Day, CountUp