Big River and Little Rock: Petit Jean State Park, AR 6/17/08

This is Ned filling in for Debi again. Turns out one of the disadvantages of T.O. Fuller State Park in Memphis is it’s proximity to the airport. Guess who makes (what seems like) hundreds of take-offs and landings around 3 a.m. in Memphis? You guessed it: FedEx, because Memphis is their national hub. Anyway, Debi says she didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. Meanwhile, I apparently slept through all the noise (possibly from my years of training near the Oakland airport?) Anyway, this morning began with us riding our bikes on the pedestrian walkway above the monorail tracks over to the River Walk at Mud Island. The advantage of being one of the first people there after they opened the gates at 10 a.m. was that we got to ride all around and scope out the whole place with almost no one else around. My sister Polly had recommended that we see this place. It’s a half-mile long, concrete scale model of the Mississippi River running all the way from it’s head waters to the Gulf of Mexico. Fascinating! The other fun thing about it, besides being very informative about many geological and historical facts about the river, is that little kids just LOVE to wade in it! There was one group of moms who had a group of about 10 very little kids, every one of them intently wading around the curves of the scale model river with their little Crocs on! While on our bikes, we also checked out the housing on the north end of Mud Island. It looks like a very tastefully planned community with many great looking houses. Debi thought it would be a fun place to kayak from every morning, if she lived there. While we were overlooking the Mississippi we also saw acouple of huge tug boats pushing about 10 barges each up river. It really gives you an appreciation for the strength of the river’s current to watch the mammoth wake churning up behind those tug boats to make very modest progress upstream. After leaving Memphis, we headed into Arkansas, speeding along Interstate 40 past lots of rice, corn, and sorghum fields. It made us appreciate the back roads that we normally drive, since the number of Eighteen Wheelers on this stretch of highway was phenomenal. Most of them seem intent on driving about 75 miles an hour too, which makes it a little difficult, if you happen to be trying for a relatively fuel-conserving 65 mph. Once we arrived in Little Rock, we went directly to the Visitor’s Center, where we got lots of great ideas from a very helpful woman. We then took our bikes and found the Farmers Market along the river. We found a great place for lunch called the Flying Fish where we both had a different version of catfish. (See photo of me in front of their wall of fanciful artwork waiting for my lunch to arrive.) Debi had catfish grilled with veggies, while I had mine fried in a Po’Boy sandwich, accompanied with fries and hush puppies. Both were delicious. Debi says she has missed eating real vegetables! (No, fried Okra doesn’t count.) After that we spent quite a while in the Old Statehouse Museum, which had some really excellent displays, but which the most noteworthy were Bill Clinton’s running shoes (New Balance) and saxophone, along with Hillary’s Inauguration Ball dress, when Bill became governor of Arkansas (really matronly!) We also biked and drove around some of the rest of Little Rock. Debi was especially impressed with what a pleasant looking little town it is, with lots of very stately older homes. We then headed along the back roads toward Petite Jean State Park, passing through some very beautiful wooded countryside, and along some spectacular lakes. Right before arriving at the park we pulled into a little overlook which gave us an amazing view of the Arkansas River meandering below with lots of lush farmland spreading in all directions. This park was the first state park in Arkansas, established around 1928, with the registration headquarters having the rustic look of something made during the 1930’s by FDR’s CCC. We don’t know yet whether we’ll hang out here for just one night, or maybe two. We plan to play it by ear in the morning.

Going to Graceland: T.O. Fuller State Park, Memphis, TN 6/16/08

We headed out of Nashville and onto the Natchez Trace Parkway early this morning, around 8ish. If you haven’t checked this little gem out, I encourage you to google it and read about it. It is a remarkable National Parkland that is actually a road that goes for 440 miles from Nashville to Natchez, Mississippi. It follows the original trace or trail that the Buffalo/Indians/Traders used. (Check out the photo – it’s pretty typical of the drive). There are no towns, billboard signs or anything commercial on the parkway. The history and the way it is laid out are really well done. We were on the parkway for 100 or so miles and saw: an Old Tobacco Farm, the original trace (and took a couple mile drive on it), the Gordon Historic House, Merriweather Lewis’ death and burial site, and even checked out some campgrounds. Ned and I had read the book “Sea to Shining Sea” about the Lewis & Clark expedition. It was somewhat bittersweet seeing the site of Lewis’ mysterious death. We made a vow to come back someday and do the entire scenic parkway. (I feel another road trip coming on…) While we drove this stretch of road for several hours we saw maybe a dozen cars and about 10 bicyclists. It was like having a beautiful private road to ourselves. This experience definitely goes to the top 10 list of our trip. At the very southern part of the state we left the trace and cut across Tennessee hugging the Alabama and Mississippi borders. Most of the way was dotted with Barbeque joints, Baptist Churches and small towns. We eventually arrived in Memphis after a very long day in the car. We are staying at T.O. Fuller State Park, which is in Memphis, not too far from Graceland. (It’s surprisingly nice considering that as we approached it we drove by several refineries on the Mississippi River. However, the park is tucked in several hundred acres of lush woods. Go figure). The first thing we did after checking in was to drive by Graceland. It’s in a really tacky area and costs about $64 to tour. We did the obligatory photo shoot from the outside and decided to spend the evening exploring downtown Memphis and of course, tasting the barbeque - after all, Memphis is known as the barbeque capital of the world! We ate at “Interstate Barbeque” and had the best ribs of the trip so far. (This entire city smells like barbeque, as does our campground). We then made a tour of Beale Street, checking out the Blues blaring from every bar and perusing tacky Elvis chatchkas. Ned bought me this amazing tshirt that has a picture of Martin Luther King and Barack Obama on it. It says “The Dream…one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. The 2008 Democratic Presidential Nominee.” How fitting to buy this in Memphis. We can’t decide whether to head for Little Rock, AK first thing tomorrow or head back to downtown Memphis for a tour of the Gibson Guitar Factory and Mud Island. P.S. Big Happy Birthday to Polly!!

Singing the Country Blues: Bledsoe Creek State Park, Gallatin, TN 6/15/08

Before we left the Smoky Mountains for the flatlands, we thought it would be fun to visit the Clingman’s Dome, the highest point in the park at about 6600 ft. (Yes, I know, nothing like our Sierra’s). It was a cool morning, about 60 deg., and it felt good to stretch our legs on the trail to the dome. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to see the 7 states or the advertised 100 miles because we were in the clouds! It was still a gorgeous walk and it was fun to see some backpackers come off the Appalachian Trail. According to the park literature the visibility in the summer is down 80% from when the park first opened in 1948 - thanks to pollution. Even on a clear day it is supposed to be extremely hazy. How sad. As we drove down the mountain, we descended thru breathtaking beautiful broadleaf forest and suddenly emerged into abject tackiness. We’re talking Dollywood, and the town of Pigeon Forge that has every conceivable carnival type amusement for miles. It’s really bizarre. The North Carolina entry to the park is kitschy Cherokee trading posts gone berserk and the Tennessee entry is just amusement park on steroids, and in-between is some of the most gorgeous mountain forest land you’ll ever see. Thank you federal government and park service for keeping it this way! In fact there is no cell phone coverage, electrical & water hook-ups or showers available. This seemed to attract a much more down to earth crowd. We continued thru Knoxville (didn’t see much) toward Nashville, our destination for the evening. At the last minute, we picked a different state park than originally planned because we thought it would be easier access to Nashville. It’s a small, quiet park, but feels more like a county park than a State Park. We picked out a site and then headed for Nashville. (We also gained an hour back so it was nice having that extra time to play). We toured Music Row, checked out Opryland and “The District” (see photo), ate a bar-b-que restaurant and for the first time in weeks saw beef on the menu. (It’s been fried chicken or pork for ages!) We also had two choices of sauce, mustard and molasses, and we were given toasted bread, not plain white bread. Times they are a-changing. Upon arriving back at our campsite, at about 9:30, we noticed that our camping chairs were missing. In all my 50 years of camping, this is only the second time that I’ve had something taken. Maybe I should write a Country Blues song about our chairs being stolen. (Ex. “How can I get buzzed, when my buzz chair is gone…”) Tomorrow is the Natchez Trace Parkway. Really looking forward to that!

Coming Home to the Mountains: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC 6/14/08

We left Modoc around 9:30 and decided to continue on the Heritage Corridor Nature Trail until Clemson. We still weren’t sure of our exact plans, but were leaning toward heading for Asheville to see the Biltmore Estates. The drive thru the South Carolina foothills is stunningly beautiful. It’s hard to compare all the back roads we have been on, but this particular stretch of road is truly picturesque. We traveled up and down rolling hills, thru broadleaf forests and really quaint southern towns. We passed a Dairy Festival (I couldn’t believe Ned didn’t want to stop for free ice cream), a couple of Black History Festivals, a Scottish Festival and several other small town celebrations. Most of the time we were hugging the Georgia border. We were on a quest to fill up our propane tank in the Winniemobile, and after several false stops finally came to a small campground run by two woman who had the propane AND the right nozzle. While striking up a conversation with them, and discussing where we were headed, they suggested an alternate route to the Smokey’s. Basically our choice was to turn right and visit Biltmore, or turn left and go through some remote areas, including the river spot where the movie “Deliverance” was filmed. Well, you probably guessed our decision. We scrapped the house tour and headed for Bluegrass Country. We were definitely not disappointed in our choice. The benefits were incredibly beautiful mountains and wildflowers, mainly daylilies, and the weather cooled down immensely- 70’s. We stopped for lunch at a roadside diner, and this time, were pleasantly surprised. It was the usual selection of one meat and several “vegetable” side dishes. We choose ham, black-eyed peas and cantaloupe (Ned also had mashed potatoes and gravy). It was delicious! (Note: the vegetable side dishes are usually a choice of fried okra, collard greens, macaroni & cheese, potato salad, coleslaw, black-eyed peas, and an assortment of fruit cobblers). Yesterday I mentioned that I was a little sad about our return journey. However, upon reaching the mountains this afternoon, and experiencing the absolute joy of being IN the trees and seeing the endless mountain ranges, it made me nostalgic for home. I realized how much I love living in Nevada City and having the Sierra’s in our backyard. We expected the most visited National Park to be packed with people, especially on a Saturday night. We didn’t have reservations and really didn’t know what to expect. Apparently, the North Carolina side is less visited than the Tennessee side. We really lucked out and have a gorgeous creekside campsite. BTW - Did you know that this National Park is free? We spent some time visiting the Mountain Farm Museum at the park. A light rain fell most of the day in the Smokey’s, so we decided to eat inside. We popped a bottle of red wine and munched on cheese & cantaloupe that we bought from a roadside stand. It’s beautiful sitting here listening to the creek and being surrounded by this luscious forest.

Days of Discovery/Nights of Thunder: Hamilton Branch State Park, Modoc, SC 6/13/08

Today officially begins the migration back home. For the first time we began looking for road signs that said “West”, it made me a little sad as I don’t want this trip to end. Before we left the campground this morning we looked at the mileage and noticed that we have traveled 5050 miles and biked 110 . We decided to drive the “Discovery Trail” thru the heart of South Carolina towards the Uplands. The South Carolina Tourist Bureau put together a series of discovery roads to learn about the local history. One can either do the “Discovery Route” or the “Nature Route.” They issue a map with corresponding events or sites for suggested viewing. One can choose to see the African-American Heritage, Civil War Memorial Sites, Plantations & Gardens, etc. We spent the day seeing a combination of most of the above, including the first “company town” in the South. The adventures of eating our way thru the South was a little too, - how should I say - “real” for me today. Within the first hour of our drive, about mid-morning, we stopped at a roadside stand selling fresh green hot boiled peanuts. They were okay. Glad I tasted them, but won’t be craving them anytime soon. They were hot, salty, wet and a little mushy. About 1:00 we decided to stop at Duke’s Bar-b-Que, an all you can buffet. There was fried chicken, chopped pork, fried gizzards, fried okra, hush puppies, black-eyed peas, pork skins, cracklins (hard & soft), mac n’ cheese, collard greens, rice & hash. I’m still cracking up at Ned. After being much braver than me and trying a small sampling of everything, he said, “What do you mean that was hash? I thought I was eating Brunswick Stew!.” He scrunched up his nose and said, “What do you think I ate?!” He then went on to list all the ingredients in what he knows is in hash and couldn’t recognize anything in what he had eaten. Can I just say that I think I will officially be done with tasting bar-b-que when this trip is over? We eventually worked our way to the Piedmont area of South Carolina and camped on Strom Thurmond Lake. It’s in a remote area right between the Georgia and South Carolina border. We have a beautiful campground right on the lake. (See photo taken at sunset). We did our usual floating in the lake to cool off and hanging out in the hammock. We popped a Bacardi “mojito”, nibbled some left-over fruitcake (weird eating day for sure) and were becoming one with nature when all of a sudden the sound of cars revving their engines jolted us. Soon after the national anthem began playing. We assume stock car racing is happening close-by. Perfect end to a very southern day. Ned really wants to check this car thing out. – gotta run. Addendum: It’s about midnight and we just got back from the “Modoc Friday Nights of Thunder”. It was a BLAST!! Stock car racing on a dirt track. The stands were filled with mom & dads, little kids with blue snow cones running down their faces, and lots of beer guzzling. It was so much fun watching all the posturing, car spin-outs, fan cheering and ear splitting noise of the cars while hanging out on a warm night. I’ve decided to embrace the southern culture and become a Nascar fan!

Old World Charm: James Island County Park, SC 6/12/08

Ned here, filling in again for Debi tonight. We decided to take the coastal road to Charleston. Our big challenge this morning was to locate a restaurant for lunch that Debi and I had seen on the food or travel channel called Gullah Grub. It’s located on Saint Helena Island. Gullah is the name of a group of people unique to this coastal area of South Carolina and Georgia who have maintained a strong connection to African cultural heritage, including their own language, due to some interesting history of the African slaves which were brought to this area in the mid-1700’s. Debi ordered crab soup with collard greens. I had catfish chowder, with lima beans. We both had red rice and corn bread with our meals, washed down with “swamp water”, a blend of sweet tea and lemonade. Both of our meals were good, and quite spicy, and we particularly enjoyed the welcoming attitude of Dot, who runs the restaurant. She was very sweet and patient in explaining to us about her Gullah culture. After lunch we headed toward Charleston, along some very beautiful back roads that crossed through lots of wooded and marshy lands. We found the county campground at Saint James Island (complete with splash park, climbing wall, but great biking trails) and then headed into Charleston to explore. Debi had seen Charleston before, and remembered loving all the beautiful old houses and gardens. We parked along the sea wall and took our bikes on an eleven mile tour criss-crossing all the beautiful old historic neighborhoods. I had to agree with Debi that this town has by far the most fascinating and beautiful historical housing district we had seen on this trip, compared to both New Orleans and Savannah. The well preserved architecture, gorgeous and fragrant gardens, and rustic brick and cobblestone streets dating from as early as the late 1600’s were truly amazing. (See the photo of Debi and I toward the end of our bike tour.) We had planned to eat at another recommended restaurant in Charleston tonight, but we realized that both of us were still really full from our Gullah lunch, so we settled on stopping at a little café where Debi ordered a decaf mocha, and I had a Reggae Rum Runner. We reviewed the map and decided on some interesting spots when we got back to the campground, but now we’re ready to get some sleep for the night and head out tomorrow on the South Carolina Discovery Heritage Trail.

Living the High Life: Skidaway Island State Park, GA 6/11/08

It was such a gorgeous morning and this flora is so different than we are used to, that we decided to take a bike ride thru one of the park’s nature trails. We rode under palmetto trees, and gigantic live oak trees draped in moss alongside salt marshes. (See photo). We saw a variety of birds, read about civil war battles that didn’t work out so well on this island and saw the remnants of an old moonshine still. We even climbed up an observation tower to see a nice overview of the marsh and slough area. Even though it was close to high noon about then (and hot) we decided to head into town and ride our bikes thru the Bonaventure Cemetery. For those of you familiar with the movie “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”, you can appreciate how fun this was! We checked out lots of old and exotic headstones and monuments, some of them dating back to the late 1700’s. I believe the entire cemetery is about 600 acres, so we had quite a lot of fun zig-zagging about the different lanes and reading about those of nobility, and celebrities such as Johnny Mercer. We then decided to head to the historical district and continue to ride our bikes past all the grand old homes and garden squares. Savannah is really a gorgeous, genteel city. Well, by this time, about 2ish, we had ridden close to 13 miles and were famished! We decided to head for Tybee Island and check out the Crab Shack. It’s supposedly a local favorite and is highly recommended for the “Low Country Boil.” We each ordered up a plate along with some beers and margaritas and settled back on the deck, overlooking the marshes and ocean. We both agreed, this is the best meal yet that we have eaten on the road!! It’s a plate heaping with fresh wild Georgia shrimp, red potatoes, corn on the cob and sausage. Apparently, it’s all boiled together then some kind of “special” seasoning is sprinkled over the top. The tables all have big holes in the middle wherein you peel and shuck your shrimp, crab legs, oysters, etc. At this point, feeling nicely satiated, it was close to 4:00 and we decided why not go swimming in the ocean? The great thing about traveling with your home is that you can be quite flexible. We changed into our swimsuits (in the van), parked at the beach and played in the ocean for several hours. We even blew up our swim rings and had a blast being silly in the water, trying to “catch a wave”. When we finally got back to the van, we were hot, salty and sticky, but never fear Winnie is here!! We used our shower off the back of the van, stood out in the middle of the street and took showers. I think everyone dealing with the sand getting in their cars were quite envious. When we got back to the campsite, Ned whipped us up some mochas and we are having a quiet evening at home: Ned is swinging in the hammock, I’m writing blogs (yeah wi-fi here) , and we’re catching up on some much needed laundry. (Yep, the campground has a washer/dryer located near the showers). There is hardly anyone around us at the campground so we are enjoying our home of the great outdoors - Loving the high life. The question is will I ever be able to sleep within 4 walls again?!