May 30, Graceland, Memphis, TN

The Mighty Mississippi River.

On the bridge crossing the Mississippi River to Tennessee. We came across this bridge yesterday. Our day is in two separate posts since we got so much in today. Be sure to look at both posts.

Here we are in the plaza of museums devoted to Elvis and his career. One cannot do Memphis without doing the Graceland tour. We are waiting to board the shuttle that will take us across the street to he mansion, then bring us back here to visit the group of museums and, of course, souvenir shops. There are also several cafes and an old time soda shop.

Graceland, named for the wife of a doctor who had the house built. Elvis liked the name and retained it after purchasing the place in, I think, 1957. We are supplied with a head set and audio receiver so we can progress through the place at our own pace. there are some areas of the tour where we can listed to additional info if we choose.

This is the Living Room just to the right of the front entrance. This photo is a little blurry because not flash photography is allowed, but with all the white in this room it was worth a try.

The back of the house.

The stables and fenced area for horses. We are told that Elvis' favorite horse was a palomino like this one seen here. He had just about every motorized toy available, which are on display in one of the buildings along with his cars, and of course the pink Cadillac he bought for his Mom. Can't get photos inside the house and buildings because flash photography is not allowed, and without a tripod a decent photo without flash is impossible with my camera.

Monument overlooking Meditation Garden. The garden is to the side of the house just beyond the swimming pool. Elvis had this area built for quiet meditation while he resided at Graceland.

Elvis is interred here with his parents and grandmother. There is also a plaque for his twin brother who died in infancy.

Visitors walking through Meditation Garden.

Our last look at Graceland Mansion before we board the shuttle back across the street.

Elvis' personal jetliner. Plush on the inside. The restrooms have gold plated sinks.

The Heartbreak Hotel. The camp ground we are in is just behind this hotel. We expected the hotel to be more elaborate than this. it is quite nondescript. the lobby is small, but has some rather bold pieces of furniture.

The pool at the hotel, carrying through with the theme.

A vintage TV in the lobby of the hotel. The screen is probably 14" on the diagonal. We remember seeing sets like these. Of course, a movie starring Elvis is playing.

A corner of the lobby of the hotel.

May 30, Mud Island, Memphis, TN

At the entrance of the Mud Island Visitors' Center. Some Easter Egg! The lettering on the egg says it all.

We heard about Mud Island while sitting in a cafe on the Graceland tour visiting with a couple and their daughter who are visiting from England. The island has a scale replica of the entire Mississippi River laid out in stone. We have to get across the Mud River to the island by a bridge. We just missed the tram, but we can walk across on the level above the tram rail. This gives us a chance to really enjoy the views as we cross. Of course, Dan stays in the center of the bridge while I go to the rails to get the photos.


Bronze statue of B.B. King in the Visitors' Center.

Here's the Mud Island Visitors' Center looking from the bridge. The egg shape is at the right of the building in the grassy area.

From the bridge to the north.

Here we see the tip of Mud Island from the bridge. The Mud River meets the Mississippi here.

Looking back at a portion of Memphis from the bridge.

Shot of the island boat docks from the bridge.

Out first sight of the river replica, which runs 3/4 of a mile along the island, from the foot bridge over the Mud River. Children are encouraged to take their shoes off and wade in the water if they want.

This Mocking Bird is perched on the plaque as if he is posing for a photo. I guess this makes him a model. The plaque shows the path of the Mississippi River through the states on its way to the Gulf.

The major cities are laid out including bridges.

This wall, comprised of stone work, is a map of the states the Mississippi River and tributaries flow through. It is also a water feature, one of several on the island.

Here's Dan watching a barge move up the river.

We watched this barge progress up the Mississippi River to this freeway bridge. This photo will give a perspective of how large the barge is.

Memphis Skyline from the footbridge to Mud Island.

May 29, Memphis, Tennesse

We left Arkansas this morning headed for Memphis and Grace Land. The road was narrow, winding and hilly for the first hour or so. There are no shoulders on most of the roads we have traveled in Arkansas, so it has been impossible to pull over to take photos today. We never saw a "Welcome to Tennessee" sign. I had my camera on and was ready to get the shot.

We were a little anxious traveling in the city of Memphis, but managed to find the Grace Land RV Park. We are camped right by Grace Land and will do the tour tomorrow.

Today we are just resting from the traveling and doing the laundry. At least we had some blue sky and sunshine when we got up this morning and had a cloud cover for a small portion of the trip. It is 84 degrees here in Memphis today, so we are using the air conditioner. At least the sky is blue and it's not so humid as the past week had been.

We had our first meal at one of the diners featured on "Drive-ins, Diners & Dives", a Food Channel program we like to watch. This one is Jim Neely's Interstate Bar-B-Que. One of their dishes is Bar-B-Que Spaghetti. Dan had the spaghetti and I had the pork ribs. The ribs and cole slaw were delicious, The spaghetti...interesting.
Look for photos tomorrow,

Mountain View day two, May 28

We are spending most of the day at the Ozark Folk State Park today. It is a little village where the workers dress in period costume and practice the crafts of the 1800's. Part of their job is to explain the process of their particular craft. Leather craft, blacksmith, cooper (wood crafter who generally makes barrels, butter churns etc.), broom maker, lye soap maker, doll maker ( this lady is making dolls from corn husks today), wood carver, candle maker, and there is a musical group consisting of two fiddles, two guitars and a mandolin. One of the fiddle player is a young girl who can't be older than 10, and she is very good. No one had a single sheet of music to refer to and she knows all the songs.

We are getting in the van to return to the camp ground and I realize I have been so engrossed with the place that I have forgotten to take any photos. Back at the trailer I discover that the website has very few photos. I had hoped to be able to link everyone to the site to see what the place looks like.


This group is gathered behind City Hall. The man on the right, in the cowboy hat, and the man seated next to him compose most of the songs they sing.

The group outside the Music Store has more musicians that last night. The lady on the left is staying in the same camp ground as we are. Her name is Alma and she spends a month here every year just so she can jam with the other visiting and local musicians. She is good and has a nice singing voice. Our banjo playing friend is on the right. Most of the musicians are older, probably 55+. Hope there are young musicians to take their places when they get too old or are no longer here.

While listening to his group we are enjoying a fried peach pie a-la-mode. Just what we need, calories, fat and sugar.

May 27, to Mountain View, Arkansas

Welcome to Arkansas. We are traveling off the freeway now, using the highways and getting into some minor road. We are using a GPS system, but since there is construction on the main highway we are one the path of the highway has been changed ant the GPS shows us traveling off to the sides of the highway. This really confuses the GPS which wants us to "make a U turn as soon as it can be done safely. At the Visitors' Center we get some good help. With a map of Arkansas having the rout we need to follow highlighted we can now turn off the GPS and find the place we are headed.

Today we are heading to Mountain View where the Ozark Foll Center State Park is. This is a place where several huts house artisans doing things the way they were done in the 1800's and early 1900's. The craftspeople demonstrate and explain their craft. This should be very interesting.

We are hungry and happen to be driving through a town named Marshall. We stop in front of a little drug store. There are no shoulders on the roads in Arkansas, and the parking lots in Marshall are small with narrow driveway entrances. The drug store is the first that seems to have a big enough parking lot to accommodate our rig. After we finish our lunch we head for the van to get back on the road. Across the street is this True Value hardware store, and we just happen to need a few things that can be found in a hardware store. For those of you who are not family, the significance of the name of this town and the name on the store to us is that Linda's mother's maiden name is Marshall.

We have finally arrived at the Fiddlers Valley RV Resort in Mountain View, Arkansas, proclaimed the Blue Grass Music capital of the U.S. The office looks like a backwoods home one would consider typical of the Ozark Mountains. The proprietor is very cheerful and friendly, and so is he dog, Pumpkin. She says to take our pick of any of the available space and come back to the office at our convenience to pay for the space.

You just can't resist sitting in the rocker and living the relaxed life of the local people. There really are people sitting on the porches of the houses and in front of some of the shops visiting and enjoying the evening in a relaxed manner. We are on our way to Main Street to have dinner in a cafe that is a local favorite. The atmosphere of such places is more friendly and relaxed.

City Hall

The music store, full of stringed instruments used by Blue Grass, Country and folk musicians. There is also a nice selection of song books, instruction books, and CD's of the above mentioned music genre.

this is our space for two nights. We are way off the beaten path and it will be nice and quiet here at night. We can walk to Main Street where most of the shops, cafes and activity is. We have been told by the proprietor of this park that people come to Mountain View from all over the U.S. to sit in with other musician and play Blue Grass and folk music.

Lukas Pool, an exceptional musician, his lesson on the "three finger" and "claw hammer" banjo techniques is very interesting. He plays in a group called "Out of the Blue", a Blue Grass band. He is 17 year old and will be attending the Berkley School of Music in Boston, the MIT of schools for Musicians. So, let's buy one of his CD and get his autograph since we enjoy Blue Grass music and follow his career. He also gives banjo lessons at the music store. This place is full of stringed instruments used in Blue Grass music.

A couple of pics of Main Street Mountain View

An impromptu group of "pickers" (as they are called in this genre) in front of the music store. There are chairs and benches in groupings in several places in town for listeners to sit and enjoy the music. Many of the people are bringing their own chairs so they can be ensured of a comfortable seat. The musicians sit facing each other and jam. It is amazing how they can play along even if the selection is not familiar to them. Every genre has it's set of chord progressions, rhythm, harmony patterns, and rules, so any one well versed in the genre can easily join in on a number they don't know. This is the fifth group of musicians we have listened to tonight. One group that played at the other side of the music store included a hammered dulcimer, a very interesting sounding instrument. If I had the space and time at home I would buy one for myself.

The Music Store at sunset as we head back to the camp ground to retire for the night. On the walk back we see a fire fly hovering above a bush in someone's front yard. Linda has never seen one before, but Dan saw them when he was in Brazil many, many years ago. It is only a single firefly, but it is still exciting.

May 26, More of Branson, MO

The Bear sits on the porch of the office of the Best American Camp Ground and enjoys the morning with one of the camp ground staff. He seems to enjoy this place. We are in the Ozark Mountains, and what a beautiful place. This camp ground is several miles off the freeway away form busy streets. It is secluded and quiet. A great place to get some rest until the lightning and thunder disturb one's sleep.

A family we met this morning at the RV Park told us we should come to the Historic Old Town of Branson. We planned to have breakfast out today and found this cafe. After breakfast we walked around a little then discovered that there is a Free Trolley to take us around this place. This is where is all started many years ago. All the big name performers and actors came her for relaxation and to participate in a community type theatre for their friend Mr. Owens.

A look at the interior of the cafe.

Our waitress, Ginger, Dan just can't leave until he documents the sign hanging just above his shoulder. The Breakfast was delicious, and the Cafe quite quaint, a pleasant experience.

One of the corners in Historic Old Town.

No exaggeration! This place is filled with all kinds of clocks. What an interesting shop.

Wow! Can't even imagine the hours of work that went into this one. Obviously, a hunting theme. The sale price is pretty hefty, too.

The "Five and Dime Store" in Historic Old Town still carries many of the same items as when there were such stores in every town of reasonable size across America. The inside is huge and packed with merchandise. It would be possible to get lost in there.

A restaurant on the river bank. It would have made a better photo if the scaffolding and banner were not surrounding the entrance.

Here is another Bass Pro Shop "Outdoor World" store. This one just as spectacular, but not as large, as the one in Oklahoma City. This old truck caught our attention.

The south end of the Historic Old Town Mall. This is an outdoor mall, not huge building enclosing all of the shops, so it is more like a street in a town.

Lake Tanneycomo at Historic Old Town Mall.

The paddle wheeled river boat which takes tourists for a tour of the lake.

This is a nice camp ground, but we leave tomorrow. The Bear takes in a last view of the area before retiring for the night.

Finally some glimpses of blue sky, and the rays of the sun pushing through the clouds, but we still haven't actually seen the sun unobstructed by clouds. The storm clouds have come rolling in again and it is raining again as we go to sleep.