2/14/2005 10:54:00 AM|W|P|Jackson|W|P|This weekend's trip to Nashville was a study in extremes. It was supposed to be an quiet weekend getaway for myself and my ladyfriend, but it was anything but quiet. I'll spare you the gory details, but I came down with one of the most violent episodes of food poisoning I've ever had about 45 miles south of Louisville. The necessarily frequent stops turned a normally 2.5 - 3 hour drive into a 6 hour tour of unpleasantness. We stayed in a place called Montgomery Bell state park, about 30 miles west of town, in a nice little cabin, with all the amenities. It was a comfortable place in which to curl up into a ball and die, which is what I felt like doing after arriving. Saturday was spent recovering, for the most part. Having spoken with my friend Stu before the trip, I knew that he would be MC'ing an event that night in Nashville. A 'Valentines Girlesque' show, sponsored by the namesake and proprietor of Katy K's Ranch Dressing western wear store. Stu's girl's Burlesque group Panty Raid was to be prominently featured, along with the legendary Tempest Storm. I probably should have done a little Google research before we went to the show, because I had no idea who Tempest Storm was before the show. If I had known, I might have pushed my way closer to the stage. The show was great, all around. Lots of good lookin' ladies, striped-down to their panties and pasties. Lots of good music. Stu probably had the hardest MC job ever. Nobody was there to see him, and yet he had to fill the time while Larry the stagehand arranged the props and collected the boas, bras and gloves tossed randomly around the stage. Stu did a hell of a job keeping the night rolling, and the crowd happy. The headliner, the aforementioned Ms. Storm, was a sight to see. At 76 years old, she looked better than most women 30 years her junior. Or maybe 20. Or maybe it just looked that way from the safe distance from which I viewed the show. I'll leave it to Stu to comment further. He got the up-close look. Either way, I'll say honestly that I was straining to get a good look. But so was my girlfriend, so I didn't feel quite so creepy. The rest of the trip was nice and quiet. We did some Nashville sight-seeing and made many trips up and down Broadway. We also made one slightly-too-long trip to the Opry Mills Gaylord Ultra Mega Shopping Complex, or whatever it is called. I'm glad I've gone, so that now I can never go back. From the violently ill trip down, to the nearly naked 76-year-old Burlesque legend, this past weekend felt more like an excerpt from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas than a quiet weekend getaway with my lady. But sitting at work now, back into the workweek, I can honestly say that I feel refreshed. My batteries have been completely recharged.|W|P|110839656426044430|W|P|Fear and Loathing In Nashvegas|W|P|jacksoncooper@gmail.com