Wednesday June 24, 2009-Moving, Cave City-Memphis TN

We woke this morning on eastern time when it is central time again. Stella made us some pigs in a blanket for breakfast and we both showered and got cleaned up for our trip to Memphis. We got away from the park about 9:30 without incident. We stopped at Franklin Kentucky to take on fuel and coffee. We took 63.25 gallons of diesel at $2.55 per gallon to go 675.0 miles for a 10.6 miles per gallon average.

We made good time and stopped at the welcome center into Tennessee. There we picked up a TN map to add to our collection and then made an easy trip through Nashville and didn't even have to take a loop around the city. We stopped at another rest stop past Nashville to get rid of the coffee and take a quick walk around to loosen up the old knees.

We didn't have to stop again until we got to Memphis and the Tom Sawyer RV park about 3:15, about a six hour drive. This park is on the Arkansas side of the river and could be a very pretty place. As it is, there is too much sand and rock and the dust is everywhere. Stella had called ahead to make a reservation and had asked for a concrete site in shade with a river view. What we got was a site on coleche rock, no shade and right on the river. There are huge logs and trees that have washed up on the bank, giving the park a trashy look. The Mississippi river is huge and flows very swiftly. I watched some barges come by and thought about what this place could be like if Billy and Gwen owned it.

We both were hungry and wanted to get something to eat ASAP. I did a Google search of best restaurants in Memphis and came up with the Central Barbecue as being voted best in the city. We also looked up Dyer's restaurant, a place that boasted to having 100 year old grease that they fried their food in. We had seen it on the TV show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and had wanted to try it. It is on Beale St. which is famous for having restaurants and entertainment. Before we left the park, we went outside to find a couple from Houston with a brand new Open Roads trailer parked beside us. The man had just come from Indianapolis for work and were headed back home. They were going to Tunica to one of the casinos tonight.

We put both locations in our Garmin and made our way into the Tennessee side of Memphis. Beale St. is very commercial, but not only did we find Dyer's, we found B B King's restaurant and several others that were pretty inviting. One section of Beale St. has been blocked off with barricades, traffic in the area was terrible and parking (a block away) was $10.00. We decided to try the BBQ, so we changed locations and soon found Central Barbecue. When we got inside, we discovered why it had been voted best. It is the college crowd favorite. There were two large tables full of college-age young people. Let me just say that if these are examples of the leaders of the future, we are in deep trouble.....

The barbecue was pretty good. I had the beef plate and Stella had a full rack of ribs. My meat was cut thin and pretty tender, but I have had better. They did have some different sauces, a hot BBQ sauce that was very good, a mustard/garlic sauce that was certainly different and pretty good and a vinegar sauce that I didn't much care for. Stella said her ribs were overcooked and tough. They looked good, but I'll take her word for it. She's the rib queen and knows where the best are found.

We used the GPS to find Graceland. Of course, but the time we got there it was closed but there were still probably 20 people standing around the gate and writing inscriptions on the cement walls. We may go back tomorrow to see the King's house.

We also checked out the Graceland RV park, across the street from Graceland. I don't think we saw anything newer than a 90's vintage trailer and it looks like they've been here since they were new. I'm not trying to be so critical of these parks, but they are in need of new ownership and a major clean up.

We came back to the park and drove around. We found the sites that we would rather had. They are in shade, on concrete pads and have a great view of the river. Next time we come here, we'll know.

We came inside and relaxed after our long drive. Today was the longest day that we should have until we get back to Dickinson. We like these 200-300 mile days.

so long