Time for a little B, B, & B...

Barbecue, Blues and Barges!  One of the perks of being on the road full time like we are, is that after awhile you end up circling around again and the next thing you know, your rig just somehow finds it's way to some of your most favorite spots again!  That happened to us this week when we decided to take a different route to Texas this time, we just seemed to find our way going right through the heart of Memphis TN...one of our most favorite stops!  And the time of day, well, heck just right when we needed to spend the night, well two actually, since it had been a long drive and we needed a break, right?  So, where else to stay, but at our favorite resting stop, Tom Sawyer's RV Park of course! 

So, en route there, I give them a quick call...can you believe it, they were almost full and I had to practically beg for a site along the river?  Yikes!  Seems "rally folks" have caught on that this is a great place and have taken over, one group after another!  Dang!  Anyway, she gave us a site that they normally save for the big 5th wheels, that actually turned out to be the best one there!  A clear shot straight at the river, yea for us!  Now, this place is not fancy by any means, and not for everyone, but we just love it here.  It's just a bunch of sites all along the Mississippi River,  but quiet and peaceful and best of all you get to sit and watch barges being pushed up and down the river by big ole' tug boats all day long!  The sun shines, the breeze blows, there's nice grass & space between each site...it just makes me smile.

Then, the very best part is...Memphis and Beale Street is only 20 minutes away!  And that means barbecue!  Not just any barbecue, but the best barbecue we've found across the country...and trust me, I've eaten more than my share of ribs from California to Maine and this small cafe on the corner of Beale St has the best ones going!  It's called Blues City Cafe and all they really serve are ribs & catfish and the stuff that goes with them.  It's all good.  The meat falls off the bones, there's just enough sauce to give it flavor without drowning them, and for us, a half rack leaves your tummy so full (along with the beans, coleslaw & fries) that your moaning when you leave.  I start missing them the minute I leave, knowing it will be a long time again that my mouth will have such a treat again...

As we walk down Beale Street, blues eeks out from several of the restaurants, and you hear it as well when you go into some of the stores, it's it soul here...you can just feel it.

To soon we had to leave...but we'll be back, our rig knows the way!

...on the road to Texas,  Marie

If you wish to view the rest of the photos from this trip, you can at my Flickr account at:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/74905158@N04/

Back on the road again!

It was time we left Nashville and headed east toward Indianapolis, our next destination.  We decided to take a slower highway, and use the 41 & 37 instead of the Interstate, to enjoy some of the country scenery, and we weren't disappointed.  I love to look at old barns and small towns with "ghost ads" on the old buildings, along with lots of corn fields, soy crops and even an Amish carriage or two to see clopping along side of us instead of billboards, fast food eateries and gas stations.  The roads can be a little rough sometimes, but it's fair trade off, we think. 

When I looked for a place to stay the night, I noticed that there was a state campground in Henderson KY named for John James Audubon, one of my favorite artists, so how could I resist?  We pulled in, and it was practically empty!  What a beautiful campground it was too!  Just as you would expect, with lots of trees, trails and birds.  Next door was a wonderful museum built by a woman that grew up with him & his family that felt it was important to preserve his history and his work.  He had lived there in Henderson for almost a decade.  She contacted his family (he had two sons) and explained what she wanted to do and asked them for anything that they may have kept (very little, sadly enough) of his.  Luckily, she was able to get donations from various members all through his family.  They have a complete set of his American Bird Books, which are only 8 known left, and of course, a number of his beautiful original drawings.  All in all, it was an amazing place, well worth the stop!

Right across the bridge was Evansville IN where Jack enjoyed visiting the USS LST-325 Ship Memorial.  He likes that sort of thing.  I, sat out on their patio and enjoyed the sun and watched the barges move "stuff" up and down the Ohio river!  Fun!  ;-)

The following day we made it into Indianapolis!  Vroom, Vroom!  "The Speedway!"  The whole reason we were there!  We have some long time friends who have been involved in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in one way or another, for many years, so it carries some "extra" excitement for us to see it in person, after all the years (of hearing their stories).  No races taking place, which, actually was a good thing, because then all you see is the race.  This way, you get to take a tour and see the whole Speedway, inside and out!  And what a tour it is too, wow!  They take you on a mini-bus and drive you around the whole track, stop at various parts and explain things, then you get out and go inside the Media Center and see what they see, etc.  We also saw Gasoline Alley, the Garage area, the Emergency Medical Center, where the driver's park their RVs (a bit more fancy than ours!) the "Victory Stage", etc.  Then afterwards you have the museum itself.  All pretty impressive.  Oh, and while we were there, there was a couple of guys practicing for the up-coming motorcycle race, so we were able to watch them for a bit too!  Fun afternoon!

A quick drive through "downtown" Indianapolis with a nice Canal Walk, murals and some pretty incredible statues, then off we went again!

...on the road,  Marie

If you wish to view the rest of the photos from this trip, you can at my Flickr account at:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/74905158@N04/