Friday

I got up early this morning and drove about three hours to Memphis. What a good choice. This town is awesome!

I checked into the hotel and headed out to explore the area. I tried to eat at a local soul food restaurant that was featured on Food Network, but the service was horrible. After 15 minutes without be asked what I wanted to drink or provided a menu, I walked out. I went to Westy's Bar & Grill down the road and had a pretty good sandwich.

I scoped out Beale Street. It's like a combination of Austin's 6th Street, Old Pecan Street, and Warehouse District. I visited some of the stores but didn't buy anything.

Afterward, I made my way to West Memphis (back across in Arkansas) and went to Southland Park Racetrack. I've done horse races a few times, but never greyhounds. It was a lot of fun. They are so fast! I won back most of my lost bets on the 10th race and decided to leave while I was only about $15 down.


Being Halloween, I figured I would go back down to Beale Street. It was absolutely packed. They have done a really good job putting everything together. I thinks it's actually better than our 6th Street.

There is a small city park with an open-air stage and seating in the middle of all the clubs and stores. The band Egypt Central was playing a free concert this evening. A little heavy for my taste, but still good. There was a local jazz and blues band playing there earlier in the day that was really good. Of course, the Halloween people-watching was the best part.


I think I may spend another day in Memphis. I'm not due at Lake Catherine until Sunday evening. Besides, I haven't eaten at Rendezvous BBQ in a back-alley basement off 2nd Street or seen the famous Peabody Hotel ducks yet. I also haven't purchased Karen Sparkman her Elvis shirt from Graceland.

http://www.peabodymemphis.com/peabody_ducks/

Thursday

I ate breakfast in Talihina, OK at Pam's Hateful Hussy Cafe. It was a really good small town diner where I got eggs, hash browns, biscuit and gravy, and a Pepsi for $4.

Sardis Lake Dam in Oklahoma.

From there I headed down the Talimena National Scenic Byway. It starts in Eastern Oklahoma and ends in Western Arkansas. At breakfast, the locals said I had good timing for the drive. Apparently the trees were just changing color, which is two or three weeks later than normal. I have decided it must be due to global warming. I guess this are will be a desert or beachfront property in a few years. (Had to stop and fill up my as tank so my giant V8 engine could make the trip).

On the Arkansas side of the Byway is Queen Wilhelmina State Park. They have some old cabins and a train. Didn't have much time, so I headed on down the trail.

I spent the night about 30 miles south of Hot Springs at Lake DeGray Resort State Park. The park has these yurts that you can rent for about half the cost of a room in the resort. They are about 16' around and have insulated canvas walls.

After checking in the yurt, I headed to Hot Springs to look around. There is a neat shopping district in the National Park area. I bought a hat and other stuff at the local stores. There's not as much to do in Hot Springs as I would have thought.

I also visited Arkadelphia. It is the most boring town in the world. The only good thing there is Arby's. I can't imagine why anyone would live there.

Went back to the yurt and watched the movie War, Inc. It was about the only thing left in the Redbox. Don't waste your time. What a horrible movie.

Wednesday

I dropped Parker off at the Kennel and was out of town by 7:30 am this morning. I met Garret Lee (a friend that works at Ft. Worth Fire Dept.) for lunch. Thanks for the FD t-shirt! We ate at the Ol' South Restraunt near downtown Ft. Worth. Great food.

I stopped by the Fort Worth Treasury Office and took the tour. Security was like visiting the CIA. Standing above a room containing hundreds of millions of dollars sure has a way of making you feel poor.

Apparently, I have a long lost family member in north Texas that sales and repairs boats . . .

As I crossed the border to Oklahoma, I stopped at one of the casinos. Walked out $10 down. I spent the first night in Atoka, Oklahoma. A small town with nothing exciting to do.