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USA
MEMPHIS TO
LAKE ERIE
“My mama was right, there's blues in the night.”
by Ken
Rudine |
| As
we cross the Mississippi River we arrive in Memphis, Tennessee.
During these last weeks of spring we are headed to a Lake Erie Lighthouse
photo shoot. To get there we will pass through Tennessee, Kentucky
and most of Ohio. |
Memphis Egg in
front of the Welcome Center
Photo courtesy Melanie Eastep |
| At the Memphis
welcome center we took photos of the statues of Elvis Presley and
B.B. King. No rooms were available in Memphis due to a barbecue cook-off
so we continued on to Jackson. |
Elvis Presley
statue in the Welcome Center
Photo courtesy Melanie Eastep |
B.B. King statue
in the Welcome Center
Photo courtesy Melanie Eastep |
| In Paris,
Tennessee we found the replica Eiffel Tower in Memorial Park.
At a convenience store we bought pig T-Shirts where many bikers were
refueling. We were seeing pink elephants in front of some convenience
stores. Finally we found out that has to do with having sold a big
winning lottery ticket. We also passed many interesting or scenic
looking barns while others looked in a dangerous state of deferred
maintenance. |
The Eiffel Tower
replica in Memorial Park, Paris, Tennessee
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine |
| Bowling
Green, Kentucky has a National Corvette
Museum. There were more Corvettes there than during the time I saw
a Corvette Rally Club parked in formation at Lost Maples State Park.
|
Corvette Museum,
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine |
| Resting overnight
in Somerset, Kentucky we drove to Renfro Valley the
next morning. This Hillbilly Show started in Cincinnati in 1937. Known
as The Gatherin’ it was moved to Renfro Valley in 1939, a location
more closely resembling a country “Barn Dance” atmosphere. At least
half a dozen Texas radio stations still carry this radio broadcast
although it is more popular in the north and east. The most famous
stars associated in the beginning with the show were Red Foley and
Whitey (Duke of Paducah) Ford. |
Log cabin in
Renfro Valley, Kentucky
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine |
| Next we headed
to Lexington, “The Horse Capital of the World”. The horse farms
were really well kept pretty places – some had natural stone fences
with stones laid vertically on top that went for miles. |
A horse farm
at Lexington, Kentucky
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine |
Outside Lexington,
we passed a sign directing us to Transylvania University. I decided
that must be where learning to create Frankensteins or Dracula-ism
is taught. Actually a real university, the name translates to “across
the woods” (I was told.)
From Maysville we left Kentucky by crossing the Ohio River
on the Clyde T. Barbour Bridge. We stopped in Ripley, Ohio
to sample “famous Ohio chili”. They offered what was called
3-way chili – chili and cheese over spaghetti noodles while we considered
4-way – add beans, and 5-way add onions. Frankly, I thought it was
a long way from the Texas Chili I have made and loved. (Did I ever
mention how I was “next to the Winner” at the Chilympiad back
in 1976?) |
Clyde
T. Barbour Bridge over the Ohio River
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine |
| In
Washington Court House (a strangely named town) we saw an Amish
sign advertising Shoefly Pie. That reminded me of Ella Fitzgerald
singing the song, Shoo Fly Pie. |
|
Shoo Fly Pie
and Apple Pan Dowdy
Makes your eyes light up,
Your tummy say "Howdy."
Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy
I never get enough of that wonderful stuff.
|
| Just north of
Columbus we visited Delaware State Park and lake where
we took photos of bluebirds at their bluebird box trail. We also spotted
Martins, Robins, (not Marty Robbins) Cardinals, and a pair of Cedar
Waxwings. Many groves of trees were labeled and included walnut, hickory,
buckeye, and sweet gum. Buckeyes are the state tree. |
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