So our trip begins, as we loaded up the car with our camping gear. See we are cheap bastards, in the sense that we wanted to not spend all our money on accommodations, we wanted to really enjoy everything. So we decided we would camp in this state park which was bordering the Mississippi River. We hit the road and got the music going, our playlist consisted of all things from Stax Records, Elvis and Sun Studios so we could really get into the whole weekend. What a trip, I drove through three states which was cool I have a running list, I can tick off Missouri and Arkansas, and Tennessee. After a while you have no idea what state you are in. I think we were about four hours into the drive (6.5 hour total), and there was something crossing the interstate, and I am practically on top of it thankfully no one was around, and I realized it was a turtle crossing the INTERSTATE!! Four lanes of traffic and he made it through 3, so I swerve a bit to make sure my tire didn't hit him. He was cruising for a turtle. That was a first for me. Finally we make it to the campsite, it was humid. I would imagine if felt a lot like the amazon would feel like. It was that humid but the air smelled sweet. We got our site all set up, and needed firewood. So we find out there is a general store down the road. Now we are in the stixs for real. We pull up and there is a bunch of cars out front but it looks like a hunting lodge. There are signs up about hunting and such on the door and weapons. By now we are wondering what the hell we got ourselves into.
This is the farthest south I have ever been, so to me it feels like I am in another world. I walk up the front step and there is the biggest rooster I have ever seen! It looked like it could eat my cat! He was just chillin looking in the window at everyone. I was sure he was what was for dinner that night. Then I noticed there was a cat bowl full of feed for him and he was just trotting around checking out all the cars. We open the door to the store and on the left there is a guy playing the banjo! This is too cool. On the right the counter and the lady hollers over the banjo something about how many. The man next to her, we find out her husband, tells her we were there for firewood. I was thinking how did he know?! Likely the fact that we stood out and our tourist tags on our car. So he tells us it's steak night and the place was packed!!! There were snake skins hanging from the ceiling, deer heads, Bass, and jackalopes mounted on the walls. We politely decline and tell him we needed some wood and such. They were super nice. They told us they have breakfast at 6am if we decide to come back. Paul was all about it. From there we drove down the road to see the Mississippi River up close and personal.
I was able to get down to the boat launch and stick my toe in the warm muddy waters. It was pretty awesome when you think about how vast this river is. From there we got back to camp and it was so buggy we ended up hiding in our tent for the rest of the night. See we knew the mosquito's would be bad, but we didn't think it was going to be that bad! We had Deet, long pants, two layers of long sleeves, it is hot!!! And we were still getting bitten like crazy. I think our sweet northern blood got to them! We were right in the swamp areas, which we should have known it was going to be ugly, but nobody else seemed bothered by them!The next day we got up early and headed down for some good eats at the general store we pull up and the rooster was no where to be seen. I thought for sure he was a goner. Then all of the sudden you here him at the top of his lungs from the roof doing his rooster morning call! Inside there was no one else there but these 5 old men, sitting around, and when we walked in it felt like all conversation stopped, and all eyes were on us. I got the biscuits and gravy...man it was good. You could taste the lard, and I knew I was going to suffer for eating it, but I just couldn't come south and not have biscuits and gravy! As we were leaving there were people sitting out front, smoking and said good morning.
Paul was telling me to take a picture of the rooster, and the guy over heard us, and he told his name was Jay Jay and in this thick southern drawl, tells me how he thinks he is a dog! They have a box for him and he climbs up there to sleep so nothing will get him. I was worried as I was backing out I would hit the bird. The guy was like "Oh he's alright, we will move as soon as you start up." all I kept thinking was please let the bird move, as he was calling the bird like a dog. Sure enough he went back toward the porch. Hilarious. From there we drove toward Graceland. The sun was coming up more now, and we were way early for our tour was at 9am, and it was now 7:30am. I asked a security guard where I could park, and he told me that he highly recommended that we park right in front of the gates and do the early walk through of the gardens which is free. So that is what we did, and there was only about 20 other people there with us. We got to walk the grounds, and through the meditation gardens where Elvis and his family are buried.
Garden was there first, then after Elvis passed away his father had his body and his mother's moved there for security reasons. It was really beautiful . The sun was rising and it was so quiet, and yet Graceland faces a busy street, but once you get up to the house you can't hear anything.
It was really amazing. We stayed there for a bit. There was a couple of people who brought flowers to lay on his grave. For a moment you really felt like you were at a funeral, even the brick wall that surrounds Graceland was signed not a blank space anywhere, felt oddly like a grieving wall. So we paid our respects and headed for a walk around the neighborhood.
Once the tour time came and we got to walk into his house I had goosebumps! It was so surreal. When we walked into the dining room there was a beautiful portrait of Priscilla and Lisa Marie when Lisa Marie was maybe 2 years old, and that's when it hit me that , we were in his private home. Nothing had been changed or moved since the time he died. Except for the living room which they did remodel. All the other rooms were as he left them in 1977. If you ever get a chance I highly recommend going. It really is something to experience. From there we toured his airplanes and across the street is a mecca of souvenir stores and small exhibits about parts of Elvis' career. It really took us all day to see it all.
After that we took a free shuttle to Sun Studios which is where Elvis cut his first record along with many many famous names. Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and other recent artist such as U2 have recorded there. We got to stand on the "X" where Elvis stood, Paul got his photo taken with the mic that he used. We got to see a rare photo of Jerry Lee Lewis,Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Elvis doing a jam session. That for many years was thought to be an Urban legend in the music industry. I can't describe what it feels like to be surrounded by that kind of history! It was a great weekend, and it left a huge imprint on us. There is so much I want to share! To be continued!!!
1 comment:
Can't wait for the TBC.... although loved the beginning of trip. The picture of you on the banks is great, all I can see is a bubble above your head with the caption "where the hell am I?" No worries though, if there are still men in tights, you haven't gone too far South!
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