Where is Jack, Day 4?

Well, today was kind of an odd day.  It's been on the warm side but is cooling off.  We were out walking very early this morning.  We went back to take a picture of "flood wood".

This is all along the banks along with big chunks of cement (probably from the roads).  The trees remind us a little of the Oregon Coast where the Tsunamis and "sneaker waves" toss huge trees around like toothpicks. We're going back on another trail a little later when it cools off even more.  When the flood line gets to 31, the park closes.  According to their website, it's a constant battle with mother nature.  They are always busy--the park is immaculate.


We sat outside for a while.  Nancy was reading and watching the tugs and barges and I took a snooze.

The strength of these tugs is simply amazing.  There's one going by right now that's pushing 6 count 'em 6 full barges against the current.  They have to make a turn in the river in both directions--amazing how they maneuver them.


Then Nancy decided that we couldn't be in Memphis and not go see Graceland.  So, off we went.  This has got to be, without a doubt, the ugliest city there is.  We turned on Democrat Street and we practically hit our heads on the roof because of all the potholes and generally bad condition of the road.  Nancy said it's enough to turn anyone Republican.  We've never seen so many abandoned buildings. This was a beautiful building--Army Reserve.  Just left sitting there, rotting.  We went to see Congressional of Honor Park, thinking it might be the only place that was well taken care of.  Not.  There wasn't even anything to indicate why and how it got its name.

And, the highways--they are crazy. You get on an entrance to the right and within a 10th of a mile have to exit to the left.  Nuts!!


Well, we got to Graceland.  It's surrounded by ugliness.

Nancy pulled up to the little house by the parking gate and the lady told her no dogs allowed and she said, "But, he's always wanted to see Graceland." The lady started to laugh, and asked her if she was going to take me in the house.  Of course old smart alec had to say, "Well, I'm sure he'd be very disappointed if he couldn't go in after traveling all this way just to see it."  The lady said hold on a minute.  A man came from the other chair on the other side, and he was laughing. He said, "Tell you what. Park right next door here, and go ahead and take him on the grounds.  I can't say whether they'll let you in the house or not."  Well, we did, but then Nancy said, it's not even worth the walk to the house--too hot.  So, we took a picture of Heartbreak Hotel, and left.

On the way home, she thought she'd get herself a cone from McDonald's.  Usually she asks for a large cone and they say they only have one size and she says, "That's okay, then make it a large. Thanks." I say 50% of the time she gets a cone that's overflowing.  Well, I was pretty annoyed that I wasn't getting any so when she was making a left turn out of the parking lot and holding the cone with her right hand, what else could I do; I grabbed it.  Got the whole thing, too!  So there.  It did make her laugh.  Good thing it was vanilla and not chocolate.


To put things in perspective, three much bigger RVs that were beside us left this morning.  These replaced them.  We're the one on the right.

The park is nice, but the surrounding area is not--Deb was right.  Tomorrow, we're going to go downtown and see if we can find anything or anywhere that is nice in Memphis! That's a little harsh. What we meant was if we can follow a map to get to them.