Goin' down the Music Highway

Our first two days after leaving New York State were spent driving.  We spent the first night in a Walmart parking lot outside Pittsburg, PA and the the second night in a Walmart parking lot in Louisville, KY.  The third day we arrived in Nashville, TN and stayed in a campground for two nights.  Wednesday, the 12th of October we drove in to Nashville to see the Country Music Hall of Fame.  I was here in 1977 but a lot has changed since then.  The Hall of Fame was exceptional.  It has three floors, with a Tammy Wynette venue on the third floor and a Hank Williams is featured on the second.  Even if you don't enjoy country music, the museum exhibits connect country music to the greater history of American popular culture.  There is an entire room full of plaques honoring the Hall's inductees.  Pete's favorite is the Statler Brothers.  Mine is George Strait.

The Statler Brothers

George Strait

You can also see Elvis' gold plated Cadillac and numerous musical instruments, dresses etc.  We drove out to Opryland but because of the flooding of the Cumberland River last spring, we were unable to get close to it.

When we left Nashville, we drove down to Memphis.  We have always wanted to see Graceland, Elvis Presley's mansion.  It is quite an operation.  For one ticket you are able to tour the house, including the Meditation Garden where Elvis and his family are buried, his two jets and a museum display of some of his vehicles, including a pink Cadillac!  The mansion has been kept exactly as it was when Elvis died.  The upstairs, which includes his bedroom and bathroom are not open to the public.  The whole experience made us feel very sad for him.  For all of his fame and money, he seemed to be a very lonely person.  It was really quite moving to stand before his grave and contemplate the life he must have led.  And yes, Carol I cried too.

Graceland

Livingroom at Graceland

Some of his costumes

Meditation Garden where Elvis is buried

Elvis' grave

Pink Cadillac, one of Elvis's many cars

We stayed one night in Memphis at an RV campground right next to Graceland.  We didn't even unhook the car.  We both wanted to visit the National Civil Rights Museum, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated but we were anxious to move on.  We plan to return to the South at a later date and will see it then.

We drove straight through Arkansas (with one stop for groceries) and entered Oklahoma.  We will spend 4 or 5 days here visiting my son, Eric and his family.  We are both very excited because we haven't seen them in almost a year.

The weather has warmed considerably from what we had in the North.  We have put away our sweaters and long pants and taken out the shorts and sandals once again.  Good thing we packed for two seasons.  Cheers!