Elvis Has Left The Blog

9266 - 9715

Tuesday I was to go to Memphis. Unfortunately I was struck by a form of Ernest Angley disorder (see Ernest Angley Makes Me Sick), so I slept in and consequently did not get to Memphis in time to visit Elvis's Graceland. Oh well. Maybe I will see him at a truck stop enjoying a fried bologna sandwich.

On my way out of town, I spotted a billbord featuring Lindsay Boling, captain and star of the University of Louisville soccer team. Lindsay is the daughter of my high school friend Brenda Shearn Boling and her husband Skip. I could not get a photo, so proud momma Brenda was happy to send me one.

I stopped briefly at the Jim Beam Distillery in Clermont, Kentucky, primarily to get this shot. That's the Clermont Baptist Church, nestled in among bourbon aging barns. I particularily like the guys rolling out barrels from the barn on the left.

Several years ago we brought our adolescent nieces here (nice job, Uncle Ted and Aunt Cheri!). They were grossed out by the black mold that grows on the barns. See, an alterior motive, get them turned off of bourbon. Wonder if it stuck...

In Jackson, Tennessee, I stopped at Casey Jones Village. I liked the elevated caboose. Kinda like the elevated VWs I saw earlier (see Leicester, Vermont and Amsterdam, New York).

I spent the night at the Horseshoe Casino in Tunica, Mississippi. I won enough to pay for my room!

Wednesday: down the Mississippi to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to see my college friend Tim Stoll.

A Big Bat and A Big Bat

9205 - 9266

Monday I spent in Louisville. First I paid a visit to the Hadley Pottery factory and picked up a few pieces with patterns that Cheri and I do not already have (Hadley is our everyday dishware).


Then downtown for some real blog-worthy shots. Here the handle of the World's Largest Bat pokes above the five-story brick edifice of the Louisville Slugger Museum.









Then, just down the street, there is another World's Largest Bat. It hangs upside down and clings to the brick wall of Caufield's, a costume and decoration store.

BTW, the world's biggest bat is actually the Malayan Flying Fox. Click the link to see one at the Columbus Zoo. Just a fun fact from your favorite zoo dude.


On the same street as the world's two largest bats is a strange monument. A plaque on a small concrete pedestal remembers the writers of the song "Happy Birthday to You" -- two sisters who published a book titled Song Stories for the Kindergarten and altered the lyrics to one song to create the immortal HBTY. No mention of the equally immortal "You live in a zoo" version.

The plaque claims "the song has since become one of the three most popular songs in the English language." Poll: What would the other two be? (cuz I do not know). I am guessing one is "Row, Row, Row Your Boat."

The song is still protected by copyright and will remain so until 2030. If you hear the tune belted out in chain restaurants or in a movie party scene, someone must cough up a royalty payment to the current copyright holders.

Local beer report: Actually out of Boulder, Colorado, but plenty good: Ellie's Brown by Avery Brewing Company. Who can resist a brew featuring a choclate lab?

Tuesday: Memphis and Tunica, Mississippi.

Cousins Round VI

I spent a terrific evening with (left to right) my Uncle Ned Lawrence, his wife Maryanne, and my cousin Bill Lawrence (Ned's son).

Ned is 88 years young, and regularily shoots his age playing golf. Bill is president of an amazing company, CRS Reprocessing, that recycles industrial lubricants among other things. He has been "green" long before green was cool.

We got caught up on all of our family news (I am now a font of knowledge), traded heart health stories, reminised on old times (especially surrounding Ned's pool, a wonderful magnet for memories) and even had some good ole political discussions (or rants, in Ned's case).

Ned said I should write that he is "the same old SOB he has always been." I would be dismayed if it were any other way.

I received an email from my friend Sloane Graff:
"In response to the 'Hummer Flipping' Project, I have started the 'Prius Flipping' Project. The inaugural flip is attached. This is for people who enjoy the effects of global warming and own Exxon stock."

A day in Louisville with my sister Ellen, then off to Memphis.

Tennessee Parthenon and Kentucky Stonhenge

8966 - 9205

Saturday I spent in Nashville before heading to Louisville. Burkley and Newton Allen were determined to make sure I got a blog-worthy shot of a Nashville icon. As we did not know any country music stars, we decided on the Parthenon.

The Parthenon stands proudly as the centerpiece of Centennial Park, Nashville's premier urban park. The re-creation of the 42-foot statue Athena is the focus of the Parthenon just as it was in ancient Greece. The building and the Athena statue are both full-scale replicas of the Athenian originals.

Naturally, we got a shot of me posing with Athena.

We dodged rain drops and enjoyed a crafts fair in the park. I am hauling back a couple of treasures in the CRV.






As I have visited a variety of "Stonhenges" in my adventure (see Foamhenge and America's Stonhenge), a visit to Kentucky Stonehenge seemed appropriate. It is on private property in Munfordville, Kentucky. Though not to scale or an exact replica, it was pretty cool. It was built from stone in the area.

This self portrait missed the most prominent stone formation, but caught the abandoned tennis court on the left. Remind you of anything, Sloane?


I made another stop in my pursuit of the "World's Biggest..." Here is the World's Tallest Crucifix. It stands 60 feet high in the St. Thomas Cemetary in Bardstown, Kentucky. It is an abstract piece meant as a memorial to four priests. Art or Not Art?

Next: My return to Louisville to see my Uncle Ned and cousin Bill Lawrence (and my sister Ellen).

Chicamauga, Chattanooga, and Nashville

8715 - 8966

Friday morning I took blue highways north from Rome, Georgia towards Chattanooga, with the ultimate goal of reaching Nashville.

My route took me right through the Chickamauga Battlefield, an important battle in the Civil War. My focus in my history studies at Davidson was on the Civil War, so I stopped to soak in some of the almost palpable history. I had not problem picturing infantry charging out of the trees into the teeth of cannon fire.

I got a kick out of this historical marker, not because of what it said, but because it clearly had been under water recently with the flooding in the area. You can see grass hanging on one corner.

On to Chattanooga and the superb Tennessee Aquarium. I really enjoyed this visit, not only because of the well laid out exhibits and animals other than sea creatures, but because of the large number of staff and volunteers around that I got to chat with.

Here was my favorite staff person at the Aquarium, Anne. She has worked there five years -- started as a volunteer. She was pretty tired, telling crabby tourists that the otters were sleeping in the back.

I wonder if I should have been worried when I found buckets catching drips in the Aquarium.

Here we got to feed shrimp to sting rays. Very cool. Hard to believe one of these got the Crocodile Hunter.

On to Nashville, where I stayed with college friends Newton and Burkley Mann Allen. We went out to the home of Carolyn Watt Cantwell and Jeff Catwell for dinner. Carolyn served dessert on napkins instead of plates, and warned me not to include that in the blog. So I won't. That's Carolyn about to choke me, with Jeff on the left, and Burkley and Newton on the right.

We had a fabulous time catching up, trading barbs, and freely giving our opinions on how to make the world a better place. Carolyn and Jeff are deeply involved in a non-profit to help East African refugees in the area, and doing great, if frustrating, work. Newton is an internist and accomplished musican, and Burkley is a recently laid off engineer, so we commiserated on deciding on what to do when we grow up.

Carolyn was concerned that we did not spend enough time talking "life philosophies." I beg to differ... seeing and hearing how my friends and relatives live, react, and interact, as well as what makes them tick, is the kind of life philosophy collection I have richly enjoyed.

Carolyn was bound and determined to make the visit blog worthy. She said "I want you to write that this was the best stop in your whole adventure!" As requested, I have written those very words.

Soup For You!

8599 - 8715

Thursday I headed out of Atlanta to Rome, Georgia.





But first I was a "soup dude" at Clyde's Kitchen, part of Crossroads Ministries for the homeless in downtown Atlanta. Fontaine is a regular volunteer there. Here we are right afterward, smelling of soup, various body odors (not all our own), and good feelings.

I really enjoyed spending time with the volunteers and the homeless folks. Despite my Atlanta Braves T-shirt, I was asked about my Seattle Mariners cap more than once, and one guy hit me up for a ride to Seattle. Sorry, dude.

I then headed up the road to Rome, Georgia, and the home of Jim and Brenda Crane. Jim and I were roommates one year at Davidson, and I had the pleasure of being part of his first wedding. He has since divorced and married Brenda, and is enjoying life as a urologist and avid sailor. Catching up with Jim and hearing his tales of personal struggle was enlightening. And we enjoyed watching The Office (just like we used to watch M*A*S*H back in college). You know, important stuff.

I got another puppy fix there too. This is Zeke, Jim and Brenda's Jack Russell.

Friday I am off to Nashville for another Davidson mini-reunion with Burkley Mann Allen and her husband Newton, and Carolyn Watt Cantwell and her husband Jeff.

Land of a Thousand Golf Carts

8555 - 8599

Have you ever wondered what a town would look like if electric cars were the rule rather than the exception?

• Picture a town with 7500 electric cars registered...


• Where the high-school has special parking designated for electric cars...


• Where most all the households have at least one electric car...


• Where the kids do their first driving behind the wheel of an electric car (safer!)...


• Where the moms run them to school and soccer in the electric car (saving money on gas)...

The town is Peachtree City, Georgia... and the electric cars are golf carts. There are some 90 miles of golf cart paths connecting the residences with the businesses and parks and churches and libraries and schools, and - oh, yeah, the golf course. You never have to drive your regular car if you don't want to, as long as you don't leave Peachtree City.

My friend George McKelvy teaches at McIntosh High School in Peachtree City. It was amazing to see the hundreds of golf carts at the school. As 15 year olds can drive the carts in Peachtree City, nearly every student has one.

Catching up with George, as well as his wife Julie, was great. George taught with me at Woodward Academy, and later moved on the earn his Phd and teach at Georgia Tech before returning to the high school ranks. Despite publishing text books, he is a true teacher and loves the classroom and the students. He doubles as annoucer at all the school's sporting events.

And look at George... the perfect Santa Claus. He does that too, at church functions.

I do believe George either knows everyone, or knows someone who does. And he is a huge repository of tales of both humor and wisdom. Thanks for sharing, George.

For those hankering for more beer reports, tonight I had Red Brick Pale Ale, from the Atlanta Brewing Company. They were out of the Blonde, which I really wanted. Overall good; nothing special.

Tomorrow: Rome, Georgia to see college roomate Jim Crane.