Day 10 Memphis

Posted August 11, 2012 by joebowker
Categories: Travel
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After we finished our pitiful breakfast at the “Americas Best Value Inn” we were off for the day.

First stop was the ATM at a local BofA. Then we headed off for Graceland on Elvis Presley Blvd. Things are hopping at Graceland this week. This is the 35th anniversary of Elvis’ death.

Graceland is one amazing money making operation. We did the tour through the mansion, then the cars (especially liked the pink 55 Caddy), then the airplanes. We bought a few postcards and other Elvis memorabilia. This week is Elvis week in honor of the 35th anniversary of his death. Here are a few pictures.


Then we had lunch at Marlowe’s Ribs. We found this joint using the “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives” app. Paula had ribs and I had cajun chicken with a bottle of Guinness. Not the same as Ireland, but was okay. Here’s the picture.


Then we looking for the apartment complex where I lived in 1973 working for Raytheon. Found it. Back then it was nice, now it’s a dump.

After an afternoon rest, we headed up to Beale Street for an evening stroll. First we made a brief stop at riverside park for a picture of the mighty Mississippi.


Things were hopping on Beale Street on Saturday night. We had a drink at a bar then had dinner at the Blues City Cafe. Great steak.


Tomorrow we head for St. Louis.

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Location:Memphis, TN

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Day 9 Houma to Memphis

Posted August 11, 2012 by joebowker
Categories: Travel
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Started off the morning on US90 from Houma to New Orleans. We ran into a nasty thunder storm. Luckily it didn’t last long. We didn’t want to be driving all the way to Memphis is this rain.

When we crossed the Mississippi state line, we stopped at a rest area that was one of the cleanest and nicest so far on the trip. Nice lady even offered free cup of coffee. Also Free WiFi.


We stopped for lunch someplace south of Jackson MS. We ate at a Sonic Burger. The burgers were good but the service was a challenge. Sonic Burger serves everyone in their cars. We decided that we needed to get out and walk a bit. We sat at a table outside and tried to order from the kiosk. It felt like that we were speaking a different language. We were speaking English, the lady on the sqawk box was speaking southern. Almost unintelligible.

We finally arrived in Memphis. We had called a hotel from a rest stop in MS. Turns out the hotel is one of the worst we have experienced so far. Supposed to have free breakfast. The free breakfast was donuts and coffee. Sign said “limit of 2 donuts per person”. Next time we will check out the place before we make reservation.

Finally we went searching for dinner. We ended up eating at an “Olive Garden”. We used a $25 gift card from our friends at Billerica Chapter. Then we found a CVS to refill one of Paula’s Rx’s. Then back to the hotel to bed.

Next post will be on Graceland.

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Location:Memphis, TN

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Day 8

Posted August 9, 2012 by joebowker
Categories: Uncategorized

Not much planned for today (that I know of). I just need to find the local CVS to pick up Rx and then buy gas.

Tomorrow we head for Memphis, TN. It’s a bit over 400 miles. This is the longest leg of the trip. Our next destination is Salt Lake City, UT to visit Neil and the family. This will probably take 4 or 5 days.

It turns out you can’t take the diagonal northwest to Utah. One either must go west to Dallas and then north through Oklahoma and Kansas, then west to Denver.

So we will head north to Memphis on I55 then on to St Louis. The we turn west on I70. Short visit in Lawrence KS to see one of Paula’s relatives.

So I70 to Denver, then I25 to Cheyenne, WY, then I80 through Wyoming to Utah.

Without further ado here is a youtube clip of Paul Simon.

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Location:Houma, LA

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Day 6

Posted August 8, 2012 by joebowker
Categories: Travel
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Running a little bit behind. Yesterday, we travelled from Opelika, AL to Houma, LA.

Mileage yesterday was 475 miles and trip to date of 1675 miles. We pretty much cruised at 65mph the whole distance except for some areas under construction.

After 400 miles we stopped in Metaire LA to visit with Paula’s cousing Jan. Then had dinner with Jan and her husband Tom. We ate in local seafood restaurant called “Charlie’s Seafood”. Had boiled shrimp and other seafood dishes.


Finally finished dinner and returned to Jan’s house. Then we made the final trek to houma that took about an hour. Finally pulled into Houma around 2100.

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Location:Houma, LA

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Day 5

Posted August 6, 2012 by joebowker
Categories: Travel
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Don’t have the exact numbers for today’s travel. It’s about 450 miles today and about 1250 miles since start of the trip.

We are about 50 miles east of Montgomery, AL, the home of Maxwell AFB. We visited Maxwell about 8 years ago for Mike’s commissioning in the USAF.

We have about 350 miles to go tomorrow to get to Houma, LA.

Our trip was uneventful. We hit some heavy traffic going through Atlanta.

So here’s some food for thought. We are all bombarded with political ads and commentary from pundits exhorting us to buy American. Right?

So how can you tell whether something that you bought was made in America? You can look at the label inside a piece of clothing. But how about cars? On the way down here on I85 we passed three car production plants. Two in Spartanburg, SC. And one just up the road in AL. The two in SC are BMW and VW. The one in AL is KIA. These plants are huge and they employ a LOT of Americans.

So the next time you are thinking about buying an “American” car think about where it might have been built.

And oh by the way, my iPad was “Made in China”

Good night y’all.

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Location:Opelika, AL

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Day 4

Posted August 5, 2012 by joebowker
Categories: Travel

Short drive from Cary to Mebane today to visit with the Wedges.

We had lunch at a fast food joint called Moe’s. Tacos and burritos, not bad eatin.

Then we went to downtown Greensboro. We went to visit the International Civil Rights Center & Museum. See http://www.sitinmovement.org/

The museum is at the original sit-in at FW Woolworths lunch counter.

Tomorrow we head for New Orleans. Probably we’ll stop at Montgomery, AL. or thereabouts.

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Location:Mebane, NC

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Goober says hey

Posted August 4, 2012 by joebowker
Categories: Travel
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While we are on the subject of NC, I found this video on Mount Airy, the boyhood home of Andy Griffith.

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Location:Cary, NH

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BBQ

Posted August 4, 2012 by joebowker
Categories: Food, Travel
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Hi y’all,

We’ve had a fun day in sunny, hot North Carolina. We first went to the town of Apex. Paula and Jennifer did a little window shopping while John and I sat in the coffee shop and had a coffee.


Then we went to the Ole Time Barbecue for lunch. First up was a batch of hush puppies. Then we had some pulled pork, fried okra, collard greens, and mac’n’cheese. Very tasty.


Then we did a drive around the Capitol building. Then we went to the Museum of Natural History.

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Location:Cary, NC

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Day 3

Posted August 4, 2012 by joebowker
Categories: Travel
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We arrived yesterday afternoon at our destination in the lovely city of Cary, NC. We drove a total of 400 miles yesterday for a trip to date of 775 miles. The trip was uneventful except for heavy traffic going through Richmond,VA.

We will be in the NC area until Monday morning when we leave for New Orleans. We are the guests of John & Jennifer Fisher. John was one of my coworkers at HP working on storage arrays.

Here is the view out John’s back door.


We had an excellent home cooked dinner of chicken and noodles. Today we will do some touring.

Sunday we will go visit the Wedges. Later.

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Location:Cary, NC

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Day 2

Posted August 3, 2012 by joebowker
Categories: Moving, Silly Stuff, Travel
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Getting to hit the road again. Today we will be heading to Cary, NC. GPS says 320 miles. This is a bit less than yesterday. We should be off a little bit earlier than yesterday.

Free breakfast downstairs. then we get going.

We will be traveling through Baltimore, around DC, then VA, then NC.

Now for something silly.

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Location:Newark, DE

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