Our Smoky Siesta kicked off on Friday afternoon as we drove from Chicago down to Indianapolis and spent the night with my cousins, the Huston family.

Steve loves road maps!

On Saturday we drove across town and visited with another set of cousins, the Carpenters. It was great to catch up with these extended members of our family that we don't see that often.

The Carpenters... minus two boys, who went... somewhere

We then pointed our car south and headed towards Nashville, one of our favorite cities to visit.

Makin' lunch at a Rest Area

Like many other road trips we've taken, we've packed food and a cooler to keep costs affordable. There's nothing wrong with making lunch at a Rest Area on the side of the road! Plus, you get to see how the trash cans of different state Rest Areas stack up!

Indiana Rest Area Trash Can

Kentucky Rest Area Trash Can

Tennessee Rest Area Trash Can

North Carolina Rest Area Trash Can

One of our main reasons for stopping off in Music City was to hit up our favorite barbecue restaurant, Jack's Bar-B-Que. It's truly amazing every time we eat there and well worth the visit.

Jack's Bar-B-Que in Downtown Nashville

We first discovered Jack's in 2003 during a previous Smoky Mountains road trip… and rather by accident.

View of Flying Pigs Sign from Jack's 2nd Floor

Since then the food establishment has inspired repeat visits, word-of-mouth from us, and even a Tanner Christmas Village theme!

Play the Jack's Bar-B-Que Jingle!

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• Jack's Bar-B-Que Jingle
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Amy ordered ribs!

There are actually two locations in Nashville, one downtown on Broadway and another on the edge of town on Trinity Lane.

Steve picks up 4 of Jack's 6 sauces!

We hit the flagship which was quite busy, with lines out the door. I guess that's what happens when Keith Urban is in concert right down the street.

Seriously?

Speaking of which, I think Nashville is one of the few places where women go nuts and buy cowboy boots to walk around town in a stylish fashion. Don't they realized that they'll be mocked and shamed once they return to their respective cities?

The World Famous Station Inn

Our Saturday evening was capped off by live music at the world famous Station Inn, located in The Gulch neighborhood of Nashville.

It doesn't look like much...

It's pretty much a hole in the wall establishment, but has one of the strongest reputations for Bluegrass and Roots performances.

... but it's what's inside that counts!

We caught the Tina Adair Band, which featured the namesake performer on mandolin, along with acoustic guitar, upright bass, and banjo (played by a guy from England… interesting). Some solid playing, that's for sure.

The next day we spent a little more time in Nashville before heading east, but I'll leave that for a future update!