LIFE: observed: American Roadtrip: Day 2 - Picking My Way To Memphis!

Monday, August 22, 2011

American Roadtrip: Day 2 - Picking My Way To Memphis!

After waking in a very comfy America's Best Value Inn (I concur) in a gunshot free Carlisle, AR, I possibly got connected to the slowest Internet in history. One page took 37 minutes to load. I know, because I sat and counted the minutes! Giving up I loaded my car I noticed that I am across the street for a picker store named Pickers Stop! Being a fan of American Pickers, a reality television series on History Channel, I HAD TO stop and pick as commanded by the shop's sign!

After a few hours drive I made it across the mighty Mississippi River into Memphis, and a new state for me, Tennessee!

Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers.

Memphis had a population of 646,889 making it the biggest city in the state of Tennessee, the third largest in the Southeastern United States, and the 20th largest in the United States.

Memphis grew into the world's largest spot cotton market and the world's largest hardwood lumber market. Into the 1950s, it was the world's largest mule market.

During the 1960s, the city was at the center of civil rights issues, notably a sanitation workers' strike. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel, the day after giving his prophetic I've Been to the Mountaintop speech at the Mason Temple.

Memphis is well known for its cultural contributions to the identity of the American South. Many renowned musicians grew up in and around Memphis and moved from the Mississippi Delta. These included such musical greats as Elvis Presley, Three 6 Mafia, Jerry Lee Lewis, Muddy Waters, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Robert Johnson, W. C. Handy, B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. Jones, Al Green, and many others.

Tonight, I am hitting Beale Street looking for good music and good food.

I found both at BB Kings... Although part of a chain, it has been recommended for its good music and the best dry rub ribs in town. True dat! The ribs fell off the bone and melted in the mouth. Very, very good! I also fell in love (as I do) with the local brew... Ghost River Brewery. Will have to go check them out tomorrow.

If you want to hear the music of The King Beez, click HERE

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My ramblings might not inspire you.

You might not be emboldened to attempt anything more than making a fresh pot of coffee. There are plenty of blogs out there written by very courageous souls who have poetically broken away from main stream society to achieve their goals.

I am a South African serving with Mercy Ships currently stationed in the United States. Mercy Ships, a global charity who has operated hospital ships in developing nations since 1978, is following the example of Jesus, by bringing hope and healing to the forgotten poor, mobilizing people and resources worldwide, and serving all people without regard to race, gender or religion.

This blog is simply the ramblings of a middle aged man viewing life from the sidelines and might not always be about my work with Mercy Ships.

Disclaimer: I serve with Mercy Ships. Everything here, however, is my personal opinion and is not read or approved before it is posted. Opinions, conclusions and other information expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercy Ships.

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I will put some things "up," so to speak, on some days, and on other days, I will not put things up. Whether or not I put things up will depend largely on whether, on a particular day, I have anything to put up. For example, let's say that on Monday I have something which I want to put up. On that day, I will put that thing up. On Tuesday, though, I might not have anything to put up. I will worry for a moment about not having anything to put up. "Oh no," I might say, "another day has come, and I have nothing to put up. What will happen if someone visits this site and there is nothing new to look at? Will people be angry?" But then I will realize that, chances are, people will not be angry -- that, chances are, people will understand. Most people are pretty understanding. Then again....