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Mark, Dan, and Michelle drove down to Huntsville, Alabamato visit us in April 2008. We braved the severe weather and drove up to Lynchburg, Tennessee to tour the Jack Daniel's Distillery. In fact, while eating lunch in town after the tour, an EF-2 tornado occurred just 20 miles to the north in Shelbyville (as confirmed by a National Weather Service ground survey team). View storm reports here.

We were greeted with more pleasant weather the following day and drove through downtown Huntsville, visited Big Spring Park, feasted on BBQ at Big Bob Gibson's in Decatur, walked along the Beaverdam Swamp Boardwalk, and stopped by the the US Space and Rocket Center, where the new Davidson Center for Space Exploration was recently opened, which houses a restored Saturn V launch vehicle.

Group Shot
Group Shot
Our House
Our House
Mark Deere
Mark Deere
Mark plans on getting one of these and upgrading to tricked-out gold rims, yo!
Mark John
The entrance to the Jack Daniel's Distillery Visitor's Center
Jack Daniel's Distillery Entrance
Barrel of Laughs
Barrel of Laughs
Visitor Center
Visitor Center
Charcoal is produced in the rickyard
Rickyard
Our tour bus driver took this group photo of us.  Dan, Michelle, Mark, and I are on the far right.
Tour Group
Every drop of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whisky is made from spring-fed water flowing out of this cave.
Cave Enterance
Mark and Jack
Mark and Jack
Our tour guide was paid by the hour, so we took things nice and slow.
Tour Guide
Our tour guide was paid by the hour, so we took things nice and slow.
Tour Guide
The distilery has had only 7 Master Distillers over the years.  This photo was shot before the portrait of the 7th Master Distiller was hung on the wall.
Master Distillers
The fermentation process is taking place inside this large vat.
Fermentation
Cave Rinse Water
Cave Rinse Water
Bottling
Bottling
Despite the operational distillery, Lynchburg's home county of Moore is a dry county.
Downtown Lynchburg
Despite the operational distillery, Lynchburg's home county of Moore is a dry county.
Downtown Lynchburg
Michelle and Dan pose near the enterance to the Beaverdam Swamp Boardwalk west of  the Huntsville Airport.
Beaverdam Swamp Boardwalk
Beaverdam Swamp
Beaverdam Swamp
After a harsh Michigan winter, Mark enjoys the warm Alabama sunshine
Alabama Sunshine
Huntsville was founded around the Big Spring, which is a typical karst spring, and many caves perforate the limestone bedrock underneath the city, as is common in karst areas. The headquarters of the National Speleological Society are located in Huntsville.

Source: Wikipedia
Big Spring
An ugly duck...or is this a goose?
Ugly Duck
Saturn V at the US Space and Rocket Center
Saturn V
The F-1 engines of the S-IC first stage
Main Engines
I Have a Dream
I Have a Dream
Yup, the Saturn V is BIG!
Saturn V
I love this place!
I love this place!
The third stage
Third Stage
Catching some z's in the International Space Station mock-up
Catching Some Z's
Ha, I knew the moon landings were staged!
Moon Landing
SR-71 Blackbird
SR-71 Blackbird
     

 

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