Southern path - Cross Country on the Harley

The Wild Hogs!

 

What a great trip we had with Larry and his brother Rudy traveling cross country on the bikes! Larry and Rudy shipped their bikes to Crystal River then flew out to join us for this cross country adventure! We left Crystal River on the morning of May 1st.  And the only rain we hit during the trip - was in Florida and on our first day.  Go figure!  First stop Dothan, AL where we stayed in this old golf course/country club that basically had fallen on bad times.  But not totally dilapidated!  The guys did get to hit some balls on the driving range.

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 Next stop, (after a visit to the Waffle House) was Montgomery, AL.  We got a little taste of the Confederate history and the Civil Rights Museum with the stunning fountain dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr.  Around the rim of the fountain's edge are listed the events in chronological order during the civil rights movement era.  The water skims the top and slides down to the base.  The museum was very moving.

 Day 3 - (after a visit to the Waffle House) Columbus, Mississippi.  I had to see an antebellum home.  Oh goody - found one!  It was off the beaten path and charming.  Huge live oaks and magnolia trees.  The Waverley Plantation.  We had a private tour with the caretaker.  He was strange.................

No, not the caretaker.  That's Rudy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 


Then a beautiful drive on the Natchez Trace.  A must ride for those with a motorcycle.

Graceland, Graceland, Memphis Tennessee..........love Paul Simon AND Elvis!  

A little history.  Graceland was once part of a 500-acre farm that was owned by the S.E. Toof family. The land had been part of the family for generations and was named after one of the female relatives, Grace. According to Graceland history, in 1939, Grace's niece, Ruth Brown Moore and her husband, Dr. Thomas Moore, built the mansion, which became well-known to the locals of Memphis. The Moore's daughter, Ruth Marie, was musically accomplished and became a harpist with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. Classical recitals in the front formal rooms were common, just as rock 'n' roll and gospel jam sessions would be after the next owner moved in.

In the spring of 1957, when Elvis Presley was 22, he purchased the home and grounds for just over $100,000. The previous year had been a whirlwind - it was Elvis' first year of super-stardom including historic network television appearances, record-breaking live performances and armloads of gold record awards. At the time he bought Graceland, Elvis was working on his second motion picture, "Loving You," with "Jailhouse Rock" to follow, just the beginning of a long film career for Elvis Presley. 

I took a lot of pictures there....................but you are just going to have to see it for yourself.

Beale Street - music central for Memphis.


After another damn visit to Waffle House (I just can't do it anymore!  I'm going to weigh a ton!), we drive on to Little Rock, Arkansas to see the William J. Clinton Presidential Library located on the Arkansas River.   I was always a fan of the Clintons, and even more so after visiting that Presidential Library. There are binders with their daily schedule broken down to 15 minute increments!  They were busy and did some awesome things for this country and the world. www.clintonlibrary.gov

The William J. Clinton Presidential Library, a part of the National Archives, has been designated as one of the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly places to work in the United States by the U.S. Green Buildings Council under its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Program.
The 153,779 sq. ft. Library, designed by architect James Polshek, is the first federal building to receive a platinum rating, the highest in the LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) Green Building rating system. Only 29 other buildings in the world have achieved the LEED platinum designation.


Eureka Springs, Arkansas - what a charming Victorian-era town.  Lots of turn-of-the (other)-century homes line the hilly streets.  Big touristy destination.  It was established in the late 1800's when a local doctor claimed his blindness was cured by the waters in the springs.  The Crescent Hotel below was originally a "medicinal spa" - to cure all that ails you.  

  

                          Many of the 27 springs throughout town are located in a cave.

                                                   Had a great Mexican dinner here.

                                Another springs' entrance - some are more elaborate than others.

On my destination "dream list" was the Thorncrown Chapel.  Nestled in a woodland setting, Thorncrown Chapel rises forty-eight feet into the Ozark sky. This magnificent wooden structure contains 425 windows and over 6,000 square feet of glass. It sits atop over 100 tons of native stone and colored flagstone, making it blend perfectly with its setting. The chapel's simple design and majestic beauty combine to make it what critics have called "one of the finest religious spaces of modern times."  www.thorncrown.com

This chapel took my breath away.  Designed by E. Fay Jones, an appreciator of Frank Lloyd Wright's style.

After our visit here, we continued on our trip through the Ozarks which are soft rolling mountains.  Next stop Tulsa, Texas, New Mexico, the Four Corners, and then Arizona.

Catching up!

I recently realized I have not updated by blog in 9 months!  So I have some catching up to do.

We arrived in Portland last October and a few days later I received the call I dreaded.  It was from Lee, Faye’s husband, telling me that the cancer she had been battling for 5 years had finally taken her away.  Faye and I became best friends in high school – and our relationship remained that way for 50 years.  Lee, I hope you don’t mind me quoting you, “I knew she was dying, I just never thought she would be dead.”   There isn’t a day I don’t think about Faye – funny times and sad times.  I know she lived her life the way she wanted, surrounded by her children, grandchildren, family, and her loving husband.   Thank you for your friendship as it was a wonderful journey.  And thank you for the fuzzy slippers. I wear them every day. Cheers my friend.  I miss you.

 Paddy joined me in Crystal River right before Thanksgiving week - in time to pig out on all the turkey and fixings and friends.  After the holidays we joined the New Smyrna Beach Ski Club for a week of skiing in Copper Mountain, Colorado.  The weather was lovely with "blue bird" skies.

  The Breckenridge Cannabis Club!

Paddy and our roomie Brad.

Woodson having the ride of his life - cracked ribs and all!

                                                                        Tandem!

 Here's Karen and The Terror - she owns a great art gallery in Crystal River called the Franklin Anderson Art Gallery.  I worked there to help her out - it wasn't really work though!  My pay was "store credits" - now that was dangerous.

A weekend with the High School gals - we couldn't stop laughing.  Yes, we are in jacuzzi!

Had a visit from the Nauti-Nauti gang - Allen and Patricia.  Gave them the tour of Crystal River.

Visited the Salvadore Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, FL - that man was a TRIP!  His art work style varied during his career.  Not all his works are on huge canvases.  The architecture of the building was also an interesting visual.

Bike Week in Daytona!  Jan and Charlie Lyons let us stay in their comfy "Rolling Ritz" in New Smyrna Beach, close enough to enjoy all the events in the Daytona area.

                    New Harley!  Now I have a barclay lounger that's very comfortable!


 Girls day at the spa with Jan, Wanda and Becky (taking the picture).

                                             Main Street, Daytona Beach with our host, Jan.

The night before we left Florida was spent with Karen, Joanne and her husband Dave.  We went to Carrabba's for dinner then to a Mavericks concerts at the Capitol Theatre in Clearwater. Thanks for a great farewell!

                                                    Next chapter - Our cross-country trip!

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I left my heart.......

in San Francisco!

Our time has come to leave the beautiful city by the bay and the city just north of there, Sausalito.  But we have had a fabulous summer making new friends and visiting with "seasoned" friends.

Jim and the Le Chat Beaute-ers.  Jim came several times with friends to visit and watch the Americas Cup races.  Always with tons of foods and drink and flowers!

The races brought all the gorgeous yachts out to show off .  Below is the Potomac, origianally Franklin D. Roosevelt's Presidential Yacht.

Tasty, tasty food all over town!  Do you know what these are?

Dinner at Salito's with Jim, Bonnie and Bill.

Day at the Races!!  The winning AC 72, Oracle Team USA!

Pretty private scoot-around!  This water craft came off a mega-yacht!

Another classic yacht design.  Many of these older boats are chartered - probably to help pay for the restoration and upkeep!

First thing on our agenda now that the races are finally over is to get the Red Hottie Harley to Palm Springs where we will keep it for now.  Had to drive through King's Canyon National Park where the giant sequoias grow. 

Just a perspective as to the size of these big girls!  It was freezing up there.  Luckily Paddy had his leathers on and I don't own any.......yet.  They had snow flurries earlier that day.  Brrrr.

The road coming down from the forest was filled with hairpin turns and spectacular views.

Coming down to the desert offered a change in scenery and weather. 

With warmer (hot) weather comes the change to rocks, dry, and crusty vegetation.

Other then the need to enjoy the warmth of Palm Springs and leave the motorcycle, we were able to visit Larry, and his brother Rudy.  They all went to high school together.  

 

Snacks and champagne on the patio.

Rudy treated us to a trip up the Palm Springs tram.  In the winter they have snow up there and you can horse-shoe and cross country ski.

View down the tram with Coachella Valley in the background.

Lunch at the top!

 Larry joined us for a motorcycle day trip up to Idylwild which is a 1-1/2 hour trip into the mountains from Palm Springs.   

The air is cool and the terrain reminds me of Europe.  This past June there was a big fire in the area, so here is some damage. 

Larry enjoying the ride!

Lunch at Lulu's...................gotta eat!

Here's Marilyn - 29 feet tall!

Celebrating Doug's birthday with his wife Linda at the Black Angus in Vallejo, CA.

Last hurrah with Wayne and Elly.  They left the next day to return to French Cay Harbor on Roatan (Honduras).  They extended their trip by a week since the first week was ALL Americas Cup.

We left the bay Friday evening and sailed for 2 1/2 days.  Now in Brookings, OR waiting for the weather window to continue our trip to Portland, to store the boat for the winter.