The southern states in autumn 2004
Into the land of cotton and a strange language!
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Driving along the byways of Kentucky |
Leaving Knoxville, Tennessee we drove along the back roads to visit historic Rugby. Founded by the author of Tom Browns Schooldays the buildings have been preserved.
The route into Kentucky wandered through lovely farmland, rolling hills and small towns and pumpkins growing everywhere.
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At the Mammoth Cave National Park the Ranger took us to a hidden door in the forest.
It was the way into just one of the cave systems. Reputed to be the longest system in the World the caves are still being explored. Another World Heritage Site that we have visited on our travels. |
Our next stop was at The Land Between the Lakes, an area formed when two hydroelectric dams were built. This is a recreational park about one third the size of Wales and has facilities for every type of activity.
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We came across a fishing contest with prize money of $2000 and some very serious boats.
Hiking or mountain bike trails with primitive camping are well marked and there are places for horse riders to camp alongside stables.
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All the wildlife is protected and the park has cleared an area of trees to represent the prairie.
We took a drive through to see the bison and elk which are bred here before being re-introduced into the wild. |
Another area is set aside exclusively for off road vehicles-bikes, quads and 4x4's.
Here we met the Thorpe family from Nashville who looked as though they had just stepped off the pages of the Yamaha catalogue. |
It was too hot and dusty for our liking and the mix of machinery, ages and ability made us think twice about riding here.
But it was good to see people enjoying themselves getting stuck in the only bit of mud!
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Next stop was Paducah on the banks of the Ohio river. Dot enjoyed a visit to the Museum of the American Quilters where some very intricate quilts were displayed.
Jim called in the campaign centre for Bush and was nearly sold a bottle of the Presidents ketchup.
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The flood wall has been painted with some very interesting murals depicting the history of the town. The old buildings in the town are being restored in an attempt to revitalise the Main Street.
They carry allsorts of things on trailers here-this huge cow was no surprise!
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Home and birthplace of 'The King' |
Onward to Cairo and across the Mississippi river again into Missouri. South along roads bordered with fields of cotton. Jim admired the skills of the pilots as they flew low over the cotton to spray defoliant prior to cutting.
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Then a short drive into Arkansas before we turned back to cross the river into Memphis, Tennessee.
On the old trolley tram ride around the town centre we saw how much work has been done to revitalise this Main Street and preserve the clubs and cafes for the tourists. |
ELVIS Next stop was at Graceland where we joined all the other Elvis fans.
The campground is behind Heartbreak Hotel and as we climbed into bed it seemed almost like a dream to be sleeping just across the street from the home of 'The King'! |
The State parks have some lovely campgrounds and this one at Trace Park, MI was our home for quite a while.
The setting was perfect and there was an extensive system of vehicle trails marked out through the woods. Mainly sandy but some steep climbs in the trees over the exposed roots proved just right for a ride on our Yamahas. |
We learned a new game-disc golf-where you throw a Frisbee from the tee to a basket using different types of discs- just as golfers use clubs.
Championships are held and the game is taken very seriously. We managed to do nine holes before getting lost in the dark! |
Tupelo is the birthplace of Elvis and the signs are everywhere to make sure you do not miss the house and chapel.
Wherever we park the bus attracts a lot of attention.
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Also at Tupelo is a private motor museum with a fine collection of vehicles from all across the globe.
This Lincoln belonged to Elvis and the display includes the cheque he wrote for the purchase.
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It is not difficult to guess to whom this car belonged!
This tool kit is fitted into the boot of a magnificent Jaguar. The registration was DOT 157 |
The owner of the Domino Pizza chain had an idea for a fast delivery vehicle!
It never got started as there was a problem getting insurance for young delivery boys! Now we know why they use mopeds!
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Cars were not the only thing we saw whilst riding around Tupelo. This field full of buffalo was just across the road from the shops!
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The town of Columbus has many antebellum houses restored and preserved, This fine example was the home of author Tennesee Williams and is now the visitor centre.
All the street corners had harvest displays.
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This deck was part of the pitch at an Army Corp of Engineers campground. It overlooked the waters of West Point Lake and wooden steps lead down to a fire ring beside the water ! Never before in a lifetime of camping have we been provided with such grand facilities-mind you it was a mile long walk to the shower block. Just proves you cannot have everything! |
The Barber Vintage Motorsports complex, Birmingham Al. |
The next state we visited was Alabama where we headed towards Tuscaloosa and the Mercedes Benz visitor centre.
This new assembly factory is where the 4x4ML models are built. The museum had a good display of vehicles and showed a time line of the development of the marque. |
This motorcycle was built in 1895 and made of wood!
The first car off the production line is on display along with some of the cars used in the Jurassic Park movies!
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Driving past old derelict steel works, along flyovers and underpasses as we crossed Birmingham, Alabama it was only the warm sunshine and clear blue sky that helped us remember we were not back in the Midlands. We took the exit for Leeds-it is so confusing here in the US as we keep driving through towns with familiar names! Later we would pass through Chester and arrive at Dublin! |
Our destination was the motorcycle museum at the Barber Vintage Motorsports complex where three of these fine statues wait to greet your arrival.
Motorcycles park in a special circular black and white chequered area closest to the entrance-privileged parking. |
Once inside this purpose built museum the sight that greets you is awesome!
Everywhere are motorcycles in all their glory and you just do not know where to begin!
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The motorcycles are expertly displayed and in fantastic condition. The museum is manned by enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteers who are happy to talk bikes all day long!
A Moto Guzzi ISDT model.
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With almost 900 models in the collection there are bikes of all sizes, colours, makes and ages. In 1999 when we visited the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao many of the exhibits in the Art of the Motorcycle exhibition were provided by the Barber collection.
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We just had to return next day and so we parked overnight at the local Walmart!
Every biker should visit this complex and once they get the dirt bike section it will be perfect!
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The race circuit can host a GP and vintage racing. Porsche run experience days both off road and on the track.
Another beauty!
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Next stop was the Speedway at Talladega and a walk around the hall of Fame. Most of the exhibits were Nascar models and we found this naked car on display. Strangely they also had lots of crashed cars in the museum!
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This more sedate form of transport is in the Franklin D Roosevelt museum at the Little White House, Warm Springs, Georgia.
Here the President had his home where he could be treated for polio. The house is kept just as he used it with his personal belongings. |
Campfires are a MUST and we were now expert at collecting wood and dodging the smoke. These cheeky racoons raided our cold
box and ate all our fruit.
They also managed to take the wrappers of Dot's supply of chocolate caramels and left all the paper outside our door! |
Small town America and a WW2 air force base. |
Time now to meander through the small towns as we crossed Georgia towards Macon. Here we had to have a new front tyre fitted before we could visit the museum at Warner Robins air force base!
The B52 bomber was so huge it did not seem possible that it could ever get airborne!
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This old phone box reminded us of home. Warner Robins AFB is a supply depot for Europe.
At Unadilla we stayed on a campground full of friendly travellers. Our bus seemed small alongside the big rigs!
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Linda, the campground activities volunteer, organised a trip on the 1940's SAM train from Cordele to Americus.
This is the buffet car which served hot dogs! After lunch at the Windsor Hotel, a lovely old traditional building, the journey continued to Plains.
It was difficult to understand the accent of the buffet staff! |
Plains is a very small town and is the home of President Jimmy Carter.
We visited his old school and walked along the main street which is serving the needs of the tourists!
This is peanut and pecan country and Jim cannot decide if this is for real! |
This covered bridge houses a water driven grist mill that is still in working order. The trees growing in the lake provided lots of photo opportunities!
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We headed north into South Carolina as we wanted to see the ocean! We stopped for a visit to Beaufort ( pronounced Bewfort) where this old fort now houses the museum!
The shops were very trendy and the local estate agent drives a nice new Range Rover!
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Hunting Island is one of the many barrier islands along the coast and here we stayed in the state park under the palm trees beside the Atlantic Ocean.
All we did was walk along the beach for hours in the warm sunshine. After all the humidity it was good to catch a sea breeze. The storms are taking away the island and the lighthouse was moved half a mile inland to its present position. Soon it well need to be moved again! |
The salt marshes are a wonderful habitat for sea birds and animals and the channels provide access to the sea for the many shrimp boats. On October 4th there was a total eclipse of the moon and we sat on the beach to watch the spectacle at latitude 32deg
On 9th January 2001 we watched an eclipse of the moon at 29deg latitude on the other side of the Atlantic in Tiznit, Morocco. |
After our seaside break we visited the resort island of Hilton Head for lunch at a marina. Full of golf courses and neat manicured estates it was a complete contrast to the natural and wild island we had just left. As we pulled into the car park of a bike shop our brand new tyre expelled all its air! Jim just had time to get the jack underneath and we had to unload the bikes and fit the spare wheel! Another visit to a tyre fitters would be needed! |
Back into Georgia we went along the coast to Jekyll Island where once again we were forced to spend time walking along the beaches!
This old ruined house was built by Mr Horton from Hereford who brought his family here in the eighteen century.
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The island was once privately owned before being sold to a group of rich gentlemen who formed a club! They built a fine clubhouse and holiday cottages-well that is what they are called! The preserve of the wealthy the island was a haven and many of the buildings are preserved now! |
The island is flat and the best way to get around is on two wheels-no engine but pedal power.
We quite enjoyed it and have decided to carry two mountain bikes on the front of our bus! Well on most campgrounds you need transport to get to the facilities and the office! |
In this part of USA are many reminders of the Civil War and along the coast are lots of old forts.
This is the view of the interior of Fort Pulaski on Tybee Island, Savannah. The Mighty Eighth Air force has a museum, on land provided by JCB, where we wandered around displays showing their bases in Britain in WW11.There were many veterans visiting the Garden of Remembrance. |
The old sea port of Savannah has an historical district with many of the old houses preserved or restored. These riverside warehouses are now being made into trendy homes and shops.
Jim spent all his pocket money in the store where they made tuffy!
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We took a ride on the tour bus around the town and then we walked along the river front as this huge container ship sailed by.
The Queen of Savannah riverboat looked more elegant!
We also visited that famous square where Forest Gump told his story! |
A weekend trip to Las Vegas - by air. |
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The campground at Skidaway Island State park provided a good place to sort out our plans and spend time walking the trails amongst the salt marshes.
We decided to fly from Savannah to see the first ever indoor Enduro cross in Las Vegas being held over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. |
We were not sure that we had arrived at Las Vegas as the scenery looked too familiar. This is Paris and next door was Venice.
We were staying at New York which is next door to Excalibur and Luxor!
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However at nighttimes there was no mistaking the famous Strip!
Even the Harley store was interesting.
This street was inside Paris.
At our hotel a big indoor rollercoaster gave thrilling rides-Jim can vouch for that! |
The Indoor Endurocross was the first to be held in the USA and a technical track had been built in the Orleans Arena.
The two promoters found time for a bit of fishing at the water splash!
In the afternoon the riders had a practice lap then one timed lap to determine the starting order. |
In the evening all the riders were introduced to the crowd and they gave the European riders, many of them multi times World Champions, a great welcome. Paul Edmondson from Gt. Britain talks to the commentator with David Knight from the Isle of Man and Bart Obluki from Poland in the spotlight. |
The fastest time had been set by American MX champion Ryan Hughes on a Honda but he didn't have it all his own way during the first heat.
This pile of rocks proved to be a real hazard and caused lots of traffic jams.
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The European riders would not let the Americans have it all their own way.
Mikka Ahola from Finland had been victorious at the indoor enduro in Barcelona and he won his heat and stormed around in the final to finish in third place.
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The final was an exciting race and after loosing his heat to Knighter, Ryan Hughes was riding very skilfully and the crowd cheered him along. Knighter rode fast and looked good on the KTM
But in front of his home crowd Ryan Hughes did just enough to keep David Knight in second place.
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This first indoor enduro in America had been a great success and was enjoyed by the crowd, riders and officials.
The winners now had some dollars for the casino! |
After all that excitement we had two more days to go sightseeing in Las Vegas. The sun was shining but the hills were covered in snow and the wind was cold.
So back indoors to the Venetian where gondolas took shoppers along the canal inside the mall!
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Here in the mall Jim met up with Elvis!!!
On Sunday night we enjoyed the show 'We will rock you', written by Ben Elton with music by Queen. Jim was generous and allowed Dot ten dollars to gamble in the casino.
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We did enjoy a leisurely lunch in the indoor piazza where the musicians entertained everyone and this lovely lady sang from the balcony!
It was much more fun watching other people losing money at the tables or slot machines. This has to be the most unusual city we have ever visited - not our usual choice but in a strange way we enjoyed the experience!
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----------------------Now it is time to go to Florida for the festive season in the sun----------
