Leaving Florida and heading to Colorado via Memphis

As you probably know we left the warm sunny confines of central Florida and were joined by Dick and Karen in sunny north Florida and the white beaches of Destin.  We managed to visit with George's brother at his friend's very very nice condo on the white sandy beaches of Destin.  We were able to get in a couple games of cards, a round of golf , and a few really good meals.  It was a whirlwind week in Destin before leaving for points north and west.

Karen, Pat and Dick on the balcony overlooking the Gulf at Destin

Eglin AFB has the 3rd best military golf course in the country and we all enjoyed the course and the weather.  This is Pat teeing off one of her monster drives of the day.

Pat and Donna are enjoying a relaxing evening outside of our motor home at Destin's Army Recreation Area which is also on the beaches at Destin.  The weather was a little cooler than in central Florida but very tolerable and no bugs to bother us.  Bob, Donna (our close friends and traveling companions for the last three years) and Pat wanted to see Graceland before we headed back to the Colorado Mountains so we put our jacks up, our satellite dishes down, and headed north to Memphis.  We arrived in Memphis during a heavy rain storm but managed to get set up in a beautiful state park just 7 miles from Graceland to start our backyard adventures in Memphis.  The weather cleared the next morning and off we went to see Graceland, Beale street and of course the Peabody ducks.

Beale street was an adventure during the day and we could only wonder what the night time activity might behold for its visitors.  We don't venture out much at night so we decided to partake in the famous Memphis ribs while we were on Beale street.

The famous BB King Rib restaurant on Beale street is just one of the many places to dine and listen to the Memphis Blues.

Just around the corner from Beale street is the famous Peabody hotel and its famous ducks.  At 11:00 o'clock sharp the ducks come down the elevator from their penthouse and walk the red carpet to their fountain where they remain until 5:00 when they go back home.  Rough life!!  By the way, the ducks don't walk they run to the fountain so if you don't look quick you would miss them.

The real reason we all wanted to go to Memphis was to visit Graceland.  If you are an Elvis fan or if you are our age, this is a must to see.  We spent an at least four hours touring his home, cars and airplanes while learning of his music, the many awards, and a great deal about his personal life.  He truly was an inspiration to many singers and a generation of adoring fans.  We took over 40 pictures during our visit but the one below says it all... he was the king of rock and roll and this was his mansion.

Graceland

Before we left Memphis, we had to go down to the mighty Mississippi River and take in the power of nature that is the River.

Paddle boats along the Mississippi go back to pre Civil War and they are as beautiful now as they were during that period of time.  The bridge in the background is I-40, our road west to Oklahoma City and to the panhandle of Texas. our next backyard adventure.

This has been a wonderful summer (oops Winter!) to visit the southeast with the rich histories of South Carolina and Georgia,  the beautiful shores of  east, west and north  Florida, and the lush beauty of driving through Alabama and Mississippi to the mid south region of this wonderful country.  The backyards of the southeast are enchanting and it has been our fortune to have travelled them this year.   We need to thank all the people we visited with, the new friends we met, and of course thank God for being so kind to us.  If you get a chance, take off and explore this region of the country and you will see it for yourself.  As we sit here in Oklahoma City we can only wonder what our next backyard adventure will be but rest assured we will find beauty no matter where we travel in America.