Especially with that side trip to Wyoming!
22:00 Central Memphis Day10
Probably the most enjoyable day of the trip so far.
From the overnight stop at Livonia, LA I travelled to see the Morganza Spillaway and the work the US Army engineers do trying to keep the Mississippi on it’s current course through Baton Rouge and New Orleans rather than taking the steeper and shorter channel via the Atchafalaya River.
On the way we passed Pointe Coupee (which methinks has at least 2 two many e’s) and False River. An interesting parallel for me as False River is an oxbow lake of the Mississippi. Very nice stretch of water, actually. An oxbow is formed when a meandering river cuts through it’s banks and takes a straighter course. My family’s home property is Thule and it contains the Thule Lagoon which is an oxbow of the Murray River. Thule Lagoon was formed 45,000 years ago. False River was formed around 1720.
Have wetted my irrigationist’s whistle we headed east on the old I-10, crossed the Audubon bridge then hooked up with I-61. Things are so lush and growing like topsy in these parts I am surprised the roads aren’t green too. Making good time I pulled into the visitor centre at Woodville, MS where the adorable Kathleen charmed me pantless with her Irish/Southern voice with still the slightest anti-northern perspective. I was lavished with coffee, map, brochures and a bit more charm. “Have you had lunch yet?”. “No? then you must stop at Mammy’s Cupboard and get some of their banana carmel pie. Tell Lorna I sent you.”
So on that recommendation, what else could I do? Mammy is brick/fibreglass figure and the restaurant is under her whalebone skirt. Holds maybe 30 patrons.
I told Lorna I was on a mission from Kathleen and the charm barrage continued. I had arrived too late for a serving of the and missed the chicken pot pie, but had a very good shredded chicken salad and did get the last half slice of banana caramel pie. Lucious.
Next stop Natchez, which is the oldest settlement on the river, predating Europeans.
As it happens the first non-mainstream band which I got into in my teens was Pavlov’s Dog. So I had some familiarity with Natchez Trace. The town is picture postcard standards with several exceptionally grand mansions like Stanton Hall. Shows how much ostentatious wealth you can accumulate when somebody else does all the hard work.
Spent some time on the Natchez Bluff near the sandbar where a duel was fought which made Jim Bowie’s reputation before the Alamo. The duel itself (Bowie was a second for one of the protagonists) was an exchange of fire without injury and with honour served that should have been the end of the matter. But a gun and knife brawl broke out amongst the supports/lookers-on leaving two dead and several wounded, none of whom were the protagonists.
From Natchez I stayed with I-61 up to Vicksburg and took another walk around the river banks. I thought that Vicksburg would be much more substantial city but having being bombed to oblivion in the Civil War (Natchez quietly surrendered and retained it’s architecture) and the arrival of rail line moved people, industry and progress to Jackson.
I would have liked to continue on I-61 to Greenville and Clarksdale but there was a pending Dopefest gathering with @fepptyweed in Memphis to get to and Kate directed me onto I-20 and I55 for the run in. I thought I was beetling along really well doing 75 vs the 70 limit, but according to Kate I was slowly losing time over the 3 hours. Dunno how that works out.
Made the @feppytweed digs in East Memphis around 7:45pm. And we solved a fair slice of the world’s problems over BBQ ribs and washed them done with a damn good drop of red. Then to add the icing on the cake LSU go and win the college baseball title. They might reckon I’m their lucky charm down in Livonia, LA.
Staying in Memphis tomorrow. I need a bit of a break. Even developing callouses on my hands from Rog’s steering wheel.
One hopes that you two got to exchange shot glasses in person!
When you’re a day or two out from heading through Oregon shoot me a text and well see if our schedules can jive. I’ll be on the Oregon coast most of the week of July 4 and can meet up pretty much whenever. I have no work commitments between June 30 snd July 10 so will be free to meet.
I did work out that shot glasses can be procured in a vast array of colors and themes along Beal eSt and much more easily sourced than when home.
Available on Beale St
Q. Who would by a pair of Trump socks?
MAGAs 'cause it’s a sign of 100% dedication or
DEMs 'cause you can put the boot into Trump or vice versa?
Michelle Obama footwarmers?
20:00 Central Memphis Day11
(no WhatThreeWords, if you want to know where @fepptyweed is located you’ll need to ask him 
)
Stopped over a day in Memphis. I was due some downtime from the drive. Went into town. Got a park behind the Hard Rock Café. A young guy Lonnie was working as the attendant. After he got Rog safely parked and the paperwork done:
Q: “How long have you been in Memphis?”
A: “I was raised and born here”
Q: “What are your plans”
A: “Working to get out of here as soon as possible”
Spent most of the morning wandering the river foreshore. Nice stretch of river there including the service channel and Mud Island. Grand and warm too. Herman de Soto is an impressive bridge. Conversely the Pyramid is kitsch. All the natural wildlife you can shoot.
Then perambulated down Main St which was very quiet. The Cotton Museum at the Cotton Exchange was good. Called into Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous to restock my supply of their dry rub seasoning.
Next did a couple of laps of Beale St. Now to be totally fair it is a night spot and I’m there about 1pm and it’s 100F and the tarmac is threatening to melt. So was not a happening place.
I didn’t want a beer and it was too hot to eat. Went into A Schwab, thought I’d pick up a much needed cool drink. There were just six of us around the soda fountain. There was family of five who were tucking into their sodas. The attendant walked past me three times without trying to make eye contact. Am I supposed to throw something at him or doesn’t he want the business? Walked out thirst unquenched. Got a good cup of iced water from another place because they didn’t have iced tea.
Last stop was the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, which was informative but I don’t have much of an itch for either the blues or soul.
@feppytweed and I had Thai for the evening meal which was top shelf. Then he took me on tour of the spots he thought I need to see of Memphis like Cooper&Young Sts etc.
I think the batteries are recharged.
Next stop Lynchburg, TN for a tour of Jack Daniels.
21:00 Eastern Lynchburg, TN Day12 diary.fleets.humanists
The trip along the “Musical Highway” was completed without major, or indeed minor incident for that matter.
Went past the sign for the Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park. Forrest, “The Wizard of the Saddle” is described by Shelby Foote as one of two genuine geniuses of the Civil War. Cotton planter, cattle, real estate and slave trader. Confederation cavalry general. Imperial Wizard of the Klu Klux Klan. The park was established in 1963.
Called into Franklin, TN, site of two Civil War battles, the second being the Union victory in Nov 1864. I walked about the position held by the Union on Fountain Branch Carter’s farm. I don’t have a military man’s sense of topography but it looks like a long upward slope to reach entrenched positions. None-the-less there were plenty of confederate flags flying from buildings.
Lynchburg, TN is a one traffic light, one company town for the Jack Daniels distillery. There was still a steady stream of visitors though it was after 2pm on a Sunday. You are mustered and moved along briskly, the tour takes over 90 minutes and I think they do it rather well.
Bob our tour guide took the group around with well honed aplomb despite a mad burst of an electrical storm which threatened then passed to the south. The process is fascinating. From the charcoal burning, the malthouse, fermentation house, distillery and the Lincoln County charcoal steeping process. The story of “Nearest” Greene is also engaging and I take it at face value.
I enjoy my Scotch single malts, but must confess that the globally renowned Old No.7 doesn’t really work for me. Sorry. However their rye whiskey has distinct possibilities.
Overnight stay here then on to Mountain City, TN.
23:30 Eastern Mountain City, VA Day13 dice.baker.crooner
Very pleasant drive across from Lynchburg, TN into the Appalachians. Have been making sufficiently good time that I’m a day in front of schedule. So I have extended my Washington stay by bringing it forward to arriving on 29th June. Have also got these diary posts back on schedule.
My quest to find an acceptable iced coffee continues. Today from Manchester, TN I tried “SuperCoffee”, apparently this is “enhanced coffee” ie includes MCT ie palm oil, gellan gum, and stevia as thickeners and also added caffeine. Should have thunked that out more carefully. All that’s been achieved is to reduce the biodegradability. Blewah.
There is a distinct change in the roadscape, if such a term exists, between the west of Tennessee to the east.
West-side the roads I followed are all lined with a towering, unbroken grove of trees. The view outside the highway corridor is almost totally obscured.
East-side, as the road starts the climb into the Appalachians the arbor curtain lifts and you see much more of the surrounding countryside.
After following I-40 and I-81 I turned off at Mosheim and completed the trip on B/C roads. After the brutalist efficiency of the interstates it is refreshing to wind Rog past Watauga Lake and for Kate to ask me to leave Doe Creek Road and turn onto Roan Creek Road
Staying here two days. Next stop after that is Appomattox Courthouse
Old No. 7 seems to be the whiskey of choice for the military, at least Navy, Marines, and Army. Dunno about Coasties and Air Force. I lost interest in it when they reduced it from 86 to 80 proof some years ago. They put out a statement about how some jurisdictions were requiring it or something but since they already had green label at that strength I suspect it’s a crock.
I’m leaning more towards rye anyway.
21:30 Eastern Mountain City, VA Day14 charge.proverbs.cheesecake
The search for a serviceable iced coffee to my taste continues. Tried in Manchester, TN which is located in Coffee County, so you’d think I would be in with some chance. The selection was Dunkin Ice Coffee which was better, still too syrupy and sweet but managed to drink it. Won’t get another of those, but my hope springs eternal…
What is it with USA hotels/motels that they don’t provide means to boil water? Or even have some UHT milk in the fridge if the fresh stuff is too much of an indulgence? At a pinch I can repurpose the coffee percolator but over half the establishments don’t even provide that. Do they think guests are going to nick the $15 Birko but leave the 50” digital TV?
This morning’s expedition was a visit to Little Oak campground on the foreshores of South Holston Lake. The dashcam vision of the 30 mins of steadily winding down from North Shady Drive (H421) along Little Oak Road, oscillating between half lock left and right is mesmerising. If I can splice the vision and overlay it with an appropriately enviromental mood soundtrack I could sell it for quids. Would have been better if I’d got the windscreen cleaner first. For added excitement a wild turkey was on the road ahead at one stage, close enough for a good photo.
You might think that cruising through a tree vaulted corridor with 15mph hair pins as rather MEH. But you need to review my profile image or remember that about a week ago I was on the I-15 doing 80mph with only different shaped rocks to change the field of vision.
Little Oak is an RV camp, which was about half full with all the prime spots on the peninsulas occupied by some seriously well-equipped camping types. The perspectives across South Holston are positively bucolic.
Next stop was to trek up the to Elizabethton and then the Bristol Caverns. The Caverns are 400 million years old carved by the Underground River. Given that amount of time they have been slowly growing, some of the stalactite and stalagmite are very impressive.
Then I made a diversion into Kentucky. As you got near to the state line you could sense it was becoming horsey country by the sudden appearance of property lines marked by timber fences … but there weren’t any horses to be seen. In fact, the number of livestock seen from the road is minimal. There was a paddock of black cattle (Angus) on a steep incline and a paddock of goats outside Abington. The diversion destination was Pikeville, KY Hatfield & McCoy territory. Did the historic tour of feud sites in the town and then headed back to Mountain City.
Bearing in mind the advise pro-offered by Dopers on the intricacies of tipping hospitality worker providing services, when I left this morning I left a small note on the dressing table. On return the note was still there and housekeeping hadn’t attended to the room. Which makes life simpler.
Tomorrow we continue on to Appomattox.
It’s Hernando de Soto but now I kind of want to call it Herman. 
I’m glad you had a good time in Memphis. It looks like you hit up some cool places. And it’s always fun to have a native show you around.
Thank you.
Proof readers and corrections are welcome … if nothing else this stops Discourse from growling at me for monopolising the thread, which is an occupational hazard in this case.
OK, I’ll comment:
How small was the “small note”?
I’ve traveled a lot for work over the past year, staying mostly in mid-price Hilton hotels and most often, maid service has not been daily. Usually, their practice is only every four days.
The last time I stayed in a hotel, which was several years ago, there was a choice between daily service and less often – I don’t remember whether the “less often” was alternate days, after you left, or something else. I just remember saying that I didn’t need daily service.
– come to think of it, now I’m not sure whether that was about service in general, or just about how often you wanted the towels and/or sheets changed.
In-room things like that are, alas, pretty uncommon. The mid-range hotels that I stay in usually have a small, single-serving coffee maker, with enough ingredients (including some shelf-stable creamer) to make a couple of cups of coffee, along with an empty mini-fridge, and maybe a complimentary bottle of water, but that’s it.
Most Americans who drink hot beverages favor coffee over tea. And, UHT milk is pretty uncommon here.
Pre-COVID, the norm in hotels, IME, was daily housekeeping service, which included fresh towels, new bed linens, emptying the trash, etc., though some hotels started giving the option to not get fresh towels (i.e., they’d only replace towels that you left on the bathroom floor).
From what I’ve seen in the last year, the norm now seems to be that, if you are staying more than one night, you won’t get housekeeping during your stay, unless you specifically ask for it.
I have used a hotel coffee maker to boil (or at least heat) water by not putting coffee into it. Not ideal, but it works.
For those of us who don’t drink coffee, the resulting hot water still tastes of coffee.
I don’t drink coffee and I generally haven’t found water boiled in a hotel coffee maker to overpower the taste of strong black tea (but then again, I’m not a hypertaster). I agree it’s not ideal, though.