Day 7-Hunka Hunka Memphis

......before you read, read day 6 post

The home of the Blues. What a town! Rented a car from a guy who had his '09 Street Glide there. Great looking bike, but he explained to us that he was having problems with the local Harley dealer who could fix his air gauge. So, taking a page from LA Harley, they just put in two fuel gauges! (funny stuff, check out the pics)

We went over to Graceland, but first we at at Marlow's, a Diner, Drive-In's and Dives location (cooking channel). Wasn't planned, just the first place we could find to eat. Turned out to be a crazy decorated Elvis themed (go figure) BB cue. I though Cozy Corner (also a DDD restaurant) was better, but everyone else seemed to like Marlow's. Mr. Marlowe was a very nice host, in his jean shorts and knee high socks, funny, and would not stop talking as he explained everything from the Elvis phenomenon, local economic downturn, and race relations (all this from one question of "why did you decide to open here!")

THE KING IS DEAD! We visited Graceland, the "Lisa Marie" (Elvis's airplane) and all the Graceland shops including Graceland Harley! Graceland was funny, true americana southern wealth........only circa 1977. From the green shag carpet (on the walls and ceiling as well!) to the cheesy Formica and wood grain walls, they even had the original Zenith small 20" TVs playing Johnny Carson and showing news clips from '77! We visited his grave site right their on the grounds as well. I think everyone should go at least once, Steve was thinking "This is a day I have lost forever."

We then drove 75 miles to the home of the Blues, Clarksdale, Mississippi at the "Crossroads" where the I61 and I49 meet. Legend has it that this was the place where the great blues guitarist, Johnnie Johnson, sold his sole to the devil to become the greatest blues guitarist of all time! It is a small, partially abandoned city, that appears to generate all of its tax base from the blues and alcohol. We visited the Blues museum and the Original Ground Zero Blues Bar. Again, everyone should visit it.....it has a certain feel, hard to describe, almost like you can feel the "spirits" of past blues greats sitting on their porch, jammin and singing......

That night we went to dinner at the Blues City Cafe....Debbie ate Catfish, I took a bite (not bad, taste like chicken), and Steve ordered what turned out to be the largest double shot of Makers Mark in history...it had to be at least four shots (check out pic)......we walked around with about 3,000 other people on Beale Street. Each and every person going into the street (closed off like Fremont Vegas) was carded (except Steve...it's the hair bro!), and I found out that Memphis PD doesn't like when you take pictures of them jacking some dude up against a patrol car (the po po made me delete the pic....I feel violated!) We all went to a blues CD store and purchased some rare CD's you can't find anywhere else. I ran into a drunk Zombie at the store (no shit, it was Zombie day in Memphis!) who turned to me, uninvited, and said, "Memphis-where you can come and be treated like a King, and buried like a hamster in ur backyard!" This was his drunk joke in reference to Elvis being buried at Graceland. Not funny Mr. Zombie man, not funny......

Elvis has left the building.....and he's on his way to the Big Easy tomorrow, New Orleans!!

Thank you, thank you very much..........