Oct. 4-8 Memphis, TN

From Nashville we headed to Memphis. We only went 10 feet when I knew we had a problem. Our coach has a "air ride" suspension. However, the front end would not rise and a big "hissing" sound came from the front right side. We drove - slowly - to a Freightliner repair shop (our chassie is made by them) and discovered we "blew out our air bag" on the right side. Now, let me make it very clear, we did not blow it out -- the highways of America blew it out. We hit some really bad "pot holes" and on a couple, I thought we would fall apart. Turns out we damaged our air bag. That was a one day delay in getting to Memphis and the new air bag, of all places, was shipped from Memphis. Luck was on our side that this happened in a major city.

We finally made it to Graceland and the RV park right behind the HeartBreak Hotel (yes that is for real). A great park and walking distance to Graceland. Prior to that, we decided to go into Memphis and visit the Sun Studio, the place that was the start for Elvis (not to mention Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash). When you stand in the recording studio and look at the microphone (see photo to right) that was used by these guys in the mid 50's you get goosebumps. Then they played some of the "out takes" of Elvis and these others during their famous recordings - it is as if you are there at that time.

All these year we had heard that "That's all right (Mama)" was the first song Elvis recorded at Sun Studio and he did it for his mom -- not true - you will have to go there to find out the real first song (that he did to for his mom). And "I Walk the Line" by Johnny Cash - that drum that stands out in the background - not a drum at all - that too, you will have to visit Sun Studio for the answer.

The next day we went to Graceland. How many times have you heard on the news that there was an "Elvis sighting?" So we get to Graceland and guess what -- Elvis is dead. Damn what a disappointment. Oh well, after you go to Graceland you will almost believe that he is still alive, until you come to his grave sight.

We could not begin to describe what it is like going through Graceland in this Blog. If you ever get the chance to make to Memphis, take the time to see Graceland. Many people do each year as they make 57 million a year on tourist going to Graceland.

Sept. 28 - Oct. 3rd.

Our week in Jackson Springs, NC was very relaxing. Jerry worked on his book, Mary worked on her business. Then it was off to Charlotte, NC. to see an old friend of 40 years. We had a great evening at her home and another chance to catch-up on families since we last saw her over 15 years ago.
Then it was off to Nashville, TN. and the Grand Ole Opry. We had tickets to the 9:30 pm show. We had a great time and would love to come back again. With one exception. While they call it the Grand Ole Opry, for our night they needed to change that "e" in Ole to a "d." We did not grow up listening to "country, bluegrass, Nashville sound" music. Thus, unless a singer really hit the big time and crossed over to rock & roll or pop chart music (like Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Marty Robbins, etc.), we really don't know much about them. Today, artists like Reba McIntyre, Dolly Parton, Tim McGraw and the many other big names, if they make it big in country music, their music also hits other charts and we most likely have heard them.
Our night at the Opry (see big picture down below), well it was full of a lot of 50's & 60's one (or two) hit wonders that are still hanging on and showing up at the Opry. Two hours of oldies we never heard. The good news is we always love live music and that is what we got. So it was great fun.
We did get to hear an up-and-coming new star (to country) that in time we are sure will make all the charts. His name is Josh Turner (in fact he may already be "up" we just never heard of him before) and this guy had a great voice. Very powerful and dynamic. This guy will go far.
We heard that "sometimes big stars make a surprise appearance." That didn't happen at our show.
What did happen was the first appearance at the Opry by a new singer. Write this name down as she will make it "big time" in country music and will cross over to the big charts. Her name is Ashton Shepherd and what a voice. When you think of what a female country singer should sound like - this girl has it. On a scale of 1-10 her voice was a 12. The whole audience went wild after she sang her songs. She was a little of Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and June Carter Cash all rolled into one. Watch out for this kid. Her performance alone made it a great time at the Grand Ole Opry.
We are here until Wednesday (still more to see) and then it is off to see Elvis in Memphis.

Sept. 14 - 28

One of our goals on this trip is to try to avoid major highways (and freeways) to get to our destination. Leaving Myrtle Beach we wanted to go to Kitty Hawk, NC to see the site of the Wright Brothers first flight. Looking at the map, we could get there via the Outer Banks of N.C which would include taking a ferry from Cedar Island to Ocracoke (2 1/2 hr ferry ride), so we headed that way. We road the ferry and then had to ride another one (1/2 hr) to get from Ocracoke to Hatteras. If you ever get the chance to take that trip - take it. It is great.

We made it a 2 day trip to get to Kitty Hawk camping right along side the Atlantic Ocean. We have now been parked right next to the Pacific and the Atlantic. The Atlantic coast line (at least from South Carolina to North Carolina) is nothing but sandy beach. Unlike the rocks and cliffs of the Pacific is it just flat sand with some roads no more than 6 feet above the top of the water. No wonder they flood so bad in storms.

Kitty Hawk is something to see. To think that in all this time of people on this earth, just 104 years ago man, under his own power, took to the air for the first time. Then within 60 years we flew to the moon.

What was really interesting was the fact that the Brothers not only build the first airplane, but they built every part. Obviously they could not go to the store to "buy airplane parts." In fact, they could not find an engine for their plane, so they built that too. They did not go with the traditional view of a propeller (for a boat) being an "air screw." Instead they saw it as a rotary wing and hand carved those also.

Their first flight --- 12 seconds and 120 feet (Bob Newhart had a great joke about flying coast to coast with the Wright Brothers but was concerned that it would be a long flight if they had to take off and land every 120 feet). They flew 3 more flights that day with the longest being 59 seconds and 852 feet (that would shorten that coast to coast flight).

While some people had made gliders (including the Brothers) no one made a "machine" that under its own power could take off and fly - they made it happen and WOW look what happened as a result.

Form Kitty Hawk we went to an "out of the way" resort in Jackson Springs North Carolina and will be here for a week. No driving, just relaxing. Next week we head for Nashville, Tennessee and the Grand Ole Opry -- So long Y'all

Sept. 6 - 16

Everyone has been to the zoo. You stand there looking at the animals and think to yourself "gee, it would really be something to be able to pick that little tiger cub up." Well think no more. As you can see by the photos to the right (and the ones under the map below) today you can hold many of these animals if you just travel to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and visit my niece, Kheria, (my sister Pat's daughter) at her Tigers Preserve. You can take a 3 hr guided tour and see some of the most exotic animals on this earth. You will get to sit in an area in which the trainers bring out Lion, Tiger, Lynx and Ligar (cross between a lion and a tiger) cubs and let them just walk around and all over you. It is really something. You can hold them, feed them and just play with them. Some just want to sit on your lap and relax.

If that weren't enough, then you move on to another area and play with a chimpanzee and a gibbon (Mary is holding Mia and I am holding Yogi in the first photo to the right). How about sitting pool side while tigers go swimming with their trainers. These cats just loved playing in that water. So much for "cats hate water."

When was the last time you held an Owl? Petted a wolf? Had a falcon fly so close his wings brushed across your chest? Watched a lion sprint past you? Had your picture taken with a Ligar (they have one that stands 10 feet tall - see big photo below).

They video tape your whole tour and take hundreds of photos delivered to you on a CD at the end of your tour. This is no petting zoo with a goat - this is the real deal - wild animals. Protected and raised to help prevent extinction. If you ever plan to head to SC this is a must see.

Prior to arriving in SC we went to Cumming, Georgia. Jerry spoke again at another ISS convention in Atlanta and we stayed with our long time friends Donna and Stu. Stu took us out on his pontoon boat to a nice place for Sunday brunch. Our dog Chanti met their dog, Nikki (that Donna bought after seeing our dog). We had a great visit with them.

We leave Myrtle Beach on Monday and have a few "free days" that are not planned until next weekend. We will throw the dart on the map tomorrow morning and see what it hits.

Labor Day Weekend

From Gettysburg we headed Northeast to spend the weekend at the mountain cabin Mary's sister Lavern and husband Bob had just purchased in the Northern part of Pennsylvania. On the way we stopped at the Hershey Chocolate Factory. This was a real experience in more than one way. First, you get to take a "Disneyland" type ride that shows how they make chocolate. Then you go to the food court which is really a candy court. They have a store that has nothing but racks and racks of candy (see photo to the right). This is the ultimate "Kid in a Candy Store" set-up. From bags of miniature Hershey Bars, 5 pound Hershey Bars, 25 pound Kisses and everything and every kind of candy that Hershey makes, there they are all over the place. At one of the 6 check-out counters our mouths dropped as we watched people buying $40, $80, over a $100 worth of candy.
The really kicker was trying to understand why some parents, at lunch time, would let there kids eat nothing but candy? You haven't lived until you are in a great big building full of hyper/whacked-out kids on sugar highs. One mother with 3 boys suddenly grabs her 11 year old and screams "what in the world has gotten into you - will you calm down and stop acting like this." Duh.
After a short stay in "Hyperville" we headed North to Lavern and Bob's cabin. In actuality, it was not a cabin at all. It was a very nice house. Two bedroom with a guest cabin out back. Just 25 feet from their porch was a private pond (see photo to right and below under Map) full of fish. With about 11 acres of privacy, it was a beautiful spot. The weather was perfect and each night we built a nice fire and just sat up into the early morning hours solving the world's problems.
Lavern caught fish from the pond one night and we had a fish fry. Bob brought a big bucket of clams and we had steamers another night. We relaxed and ate well. It was a fun time and we look forward to going back next year.
From Pennsylvania we headed South to Cumming, Georgia to spend time with some friends and Jerry was speaking again, this time in Atlanta.

Gettysburg, PA Aug. 24 - 29

There have been many book and movies about the Civil War battle at Gettysburg. Until, however, you walk the grounds, see the battlefields, understand what and how that battle was played out, well, they are just books and movies.
Words on this blog could not begin to explain what it is like to visit the Gettysburg National Military Park. It is an 18 mile auto tour that traces the three-day battle in chronological order. Starting on July 1, 1863 to the turning point of "Puckett's Charge" when the Confederates made their last attempt to break through the Union lines (and failed) and General Lee retreaded his army.
Each of the 16 stops has monuments and memorials for the different regiments from both sides of the war. There must be over 1000 markers for something that happened, a particular soldier or group/command/flank (L or R), etc. What we found interesting was the sobering atmosphere of everyone present as you walked around the battlefield sites. Even children could tell that something really bad had happened here and seemed to really take it all in right along with the adults.
While it was very interesting to read the scriptures on all the memorials, the one that caught Mary by surprise was the Minnesota Memorial. She remembers the history lessons in school about the Civil War but she never remembers anyone talking about the Minnesota regiment that helped play a very decisive roll in the final days of battle. It seems that when the Confederates made that last charge (Puckett's Charge) it was the Minnesota regiment that cut through and separated the left flank. This put some of the Confederates (to the very far left) isolated and under fire from the Minnesota regiment and the rest of the Union flank still holding their line. This is even mentioned in a presentation at the Visitor Center as a big decisive move of the battle.
A tour of the National Cemetery also has a memorial for Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address given on November 19, 1863.
If you ever have the time, make sure you visit Gettysburg and give yourself 3 or 4 days to really see it all.
You will want to also go to President Eisenhower's home and ranch. By today's standards for a presidential retreat, the house is not that big. The kitchen is very small and very 50's.
Included in our trip to Gettysburg was a visit from Fred & Sally, real estate clients of ours and a visit from a high school buddy of Jerry's, Elek and his wife Dorris who toured the area with us one day.
From Gettysburg it is off the the mountain cabin in Northern Pennsylvania to be with Mary's sister Lavern and husband Bob. We will be "dug in" for the holiday weekend.

Aug 14-22

OK,OK,OK -Sorry - seems some folks get up-set if we don't up-date our blog every week. We did try last Saturday, but we were in the middle of a storm and everytime lightning went off, our "wireless internet" cut off. Then of course you have the fact that we are having a great time. And that makes us feel guilty. We figure that somewhere, someplace there is a couple sitting in their living room looking at each other and saying "Gee - we are just not having any fun at all. I think Jerry and Mary are using up our fun." Maybe - but we are not giving this up - we are just having too much fun.

We left IL and went to Ann Arbor, MI. It was the first time in 45 days that the temp. at night was in the 70's. It was so nice to finally have a night that we could sit outside and enjoy the area.
We saw some friends that moved from California 17 years ago. Had a great time catching up on life, family and careers. We then went to Cleveland, OH to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (see photo to the right). It was a big suprise. We thought we would see some old run down building from the 20's that was converted to a museum for rock & roll. Wow - this place was first class. They have 4 movie theaters, and 6 floors of displays. The first film you see starts out by saying "believe it or not but there was a time when there was no such thing as rock & roll." Which of course is true. Prior to the 50's there was no such statement as rock and roll. Following the history (and knowing that we lived in that time) was really great. Mary liked the history of the different singers (groups) and the fact that they had report cards and notes from teachers for some artists. Very interesting what the teachers saw in their students. Some saw complete failures while others knew they would not achieve high academics, but could tell that they would go places other students would not. If you ever get to go to Cleveland, go see the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and spend the day. By the way - no cameras allowed, you have to check them in. When you go you will see why. We saw pictures (on loan to the Hall) never seen before. They belong to collectors (or families) and they don't want folks to take photos and copy them.

Something they do not have back in CA are the Service Centers along the Toll Ways. These are rest stops, however, they have gas stations and full food courts, including Starbucks and all kinds of foods. Really great. You can relax and have lunch, get gas and something for the road. The toll part (instead of "freeways" ) is not so cool. Image getting a ticket as you enter the state and then when you get to the other side, the toll booth guy says "that will be $52." Man oh man - what if you don't have it?

From Cleveland we went to Pennsylvania to visit Mary's sister Lavern and Bob. Had a great time. Parked on their front lawn. Then we left and drove to Cape Cod. We went to Plymouth to see Plymouth Rock. When Mary saw it she laughed so much her side was hurting. After all we all know the size of the Rock of Gibraltar, and of course we have Morro Rock in Morro Bay back home. So to see what made Mary laugh scroll down to the big picture below (under the map). We took the tour of the Mayflower (replica 1957) and it was interesting. See the photo of Mary sitting on one of the beds (to the right). We went to Boston to visit Jerry's uncle and cousin. Had a great time and they took us to see two of the homes Jerry was raised in.

From Boston we go back to Pennsylvania to stay at Gettysburg for a week. Then off to a mountain cabin that Lavern and Bob just purchased. We will be there for the Labor Day weekend.