Friday, April 3, 2009

Little Rock, Ark. to Fayetteville, Tennessee

Today was the best ride of the whole trip to this point. The weather was perfect and the country is extraordinary. I took a bit of a tour around Little Rock then headed east to Memphis, across the Mississippi river. I went and saw Graceland, and it is not to be believed. This thing seems to have a life of its own and its growing. I have seen tourist traps but never on this scale. I should have seen it 25, or 30 years ago.

The ride east from Memphis was on route 64 which is good country roads, it was nice to be off the super slab but after 150 miles I wondered if I had done the right thing. I am going mostly due east 50 miles north of the southern Tennessee border. I’ve been through the center of all the towns along the way, lots of stop and go. One town proclaimed itself the center of Dixie. I saw several Confederate flags flying on some personal flagpoles. The gentle rolling hills with the dogwood and red bud trees blooming is really beautiful. Several times when I came over the top of a hill it looked like Disney’s Happy Valley, like some perfect world, really beautiful.

Tomorrow is continuing on to Chattanooga, and then to Franklin, North Carolina…..

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