Trace, Tupelo and Blues City

We decided that to avoid some of the heat, we would leave early today so it was kickstands up at 7 and headed west to get onto the Natchez Trace Parkway. The Natchez, another national parkway runs for 440 miles northeast out of Natchez La. and intersecting at about mile marker 250 with Tupelo Miss. We rode about 80 miles of it today before getting off to pay a visit to the birthplace of Elvis in Tupelo. While we were on the parkway it was really nice and comfortable because of the elevation and canopy but when we got off---HOT!

House that Elvis was born in

The birthplace is made up of the house that Elvis was born in, the Church that he and his parents worshiped in , a 1939 Plymouth that replicated the car that his family moved to Memphis in and a museum. Unfortunately, the museum did not open until 1 and we were there at 10. We did talk to some people that have been there as well as Graceland and they assured us we would see much the same stuff there.

This is the church Elvis and his parents attended. It seems that over the years it was converted to a residence but when it was abandoned the museum bought it and restored it to it's original condition after moving it to the museum. Notice that there is an outhouse to the left. It was locked but we wondered if when you opened the door, there was a sign that says Elvis sat here? (sorry, I couldn't help myself)

   Pretty nice 1939 Plymouth, not the actual one that the family owned.

After we left Tupelo we went to the nearest Harley dealer as Skip had a signal light bulb out and O'Canada broke her sunglasses and needed a new pair. There are 5 Harley stores between Memphis and Nashville and there will be a drawing in Cleveland. If you name is called and you have a stamp from 4 of the 5 dealers, you win $1000, so we want to visit all of them anyway.

From there it was about 25 miles to our hotel but right through the city of Memphis in 101 degree heat. By the time we arrived we were drenched and tired but, a good shower and a nap later we headed to Beale St. for dinner. Now many of you know that I love Barbeque and Blues music so this is my kind of place. We ate at The Blues City Cafe and had some of the best ribs I have ever eaten. After that we walked the length of Beale St and listened in on several really good blues acts. 

On the way to Beale St on the trolley, we passed the Lorraine Motel where Dr Martin Luther King was killed. It is now a museum and we expect to return there tomorrow. We are also going to Graceland and to check out Beale St a little more. My co pilot flies in tomorrow morning. Patti has never been on one of these trips and she plans on riding from here back home over the next 6 days.