Around Tupelo, MS.....to Muscle Shoals, AL.... and music history

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"He says," We had grown tired of the constant moving; seems a little odd to arrive at this conclusion since our whole purpose of this trip is to be on the move seeing new things and places.....but it was time to stop and relax in one spot. We chose Tombigbee National Park and decided to stay in this beautiful setting for 6 days. The park is about 8 miles outside of Tupelo, MS. To reach this lake and forested paradise you travel out of the oddly slow pace of Tupelo City ( this small burg had a decidedly layed back atmosphere), enter an open rural area dotted periodically with farms and houses to eventual turn and drive up into the hilly, heavily wooded countryside.

Pulled the 5th wheel through canopied oak and maple trees which create roadway tunnels of shadow and peeking sunlight along a curling narrow road which passes few houses and twists and turns sharply as it follows the various hillsides and contours. The Tombigbee Park contains a small lake created by a large earthen dam that you cross at the entrance way; this man madelake is supposedly good for fishing......here I come fishinf rod in hand!!! The area is heavily forested in mostly leaf trees with the odd spruce or pine; all of which necklace the lake which has small rental houses nestle periodically here and there amongst the trees.

The RVs and tent area was next to an open area which offere a small playground and a Frisbee golf....had never heard of this sport until we watched people play this game. The pictures enclosed will testify better than my words; each player had a bag of various Frisbees, just as you would have various golf clubs for diferent distances. Each hole is layed out in yardage and the cup you throw to is a standing rod with a chain curtain ( see picture) that acts to catch the tossed Frisbee.

We happen to be staying over the weekend of a tourneyment and enjoyed watching the various practising; very impressed by the accuracy and distance they tossed these things. The players include amateurs as well as professionals players and they participate in tourneyments all over the states. Prizes vary but the winning dollar amounts is relatively small.

I finally inflated my pontoon boat and tried it out for the first time.... very impressed with it overall and the versatility of the unit is amazing how shallow of water you can go in. I got up early one morning and loaded my rod and lures.....the lake and its surroundings of reflected colours was breathtaking in the early morning mist. Fished here, fished there, fished overthere, fished around the corner.....fished everywhere ......fished and fished and fished.... but did not get one bite!!! This was the same story for two other attempts; decided the fish didn't like me!!!!! Only my little boat likes me....Mexico here we come!!!

Journeyed into Topelo for Sue to do some work for her boss and we found a very cool restaurant called Kermit's Outlaw Kitchen that offered the service needed as well as the absolutely BEST hamburger we have ever tasted on this trip. Sue spent 3 1/2 hours typing away as i wandered around the town and took pictures of this and that. Wandered into a small gallery displaying an artist's show of what I thought was black and white photos of various things, then realized they were all done in charcoal...amazing capture of reflected colour. Amazing talent.

The town is fairly large with a lot of history relating to Elvis as his birth place; his statues and related memorbilia are everywhere..... the building and areas in the old sections are a step back in time of extensive brick work and columns, huge old southern style mansions that we've seen in movies. The people I meet on the street and everywhere are so friendly...truly old southern charm.

Visited the car museum which held some 300 cars and was a very extensive collection worth some 3 million dollars; rare one of a kind cars; old and cumbersome first of a design, and power house beasts in that age was truly remarkable. Well laid out display of autos with automated commentary in front of each car. Made me want to buy one of these beauties and sell the RV...Sue isn't very understanding and won't let me...she just doesn't understand what it means to be a "car guy"!!!!

Sunday arrived and we decided to attend a church; driving the back wood roads we had previously passed a small sign noting a local church nearby and decided to see what this small church would be like. We arrived to a parking lot full of cars and entered to be greeted by around fifty people..very surprising for such a remote location. The people were extremely friendly and the minister's sermon excellent as it related to the very recent death of a 12 year old boy. The family was in attendance and seemed to be coping as best they could considering the circumstances. We extending our condolences along with others prompting the mother to respond that only her faith was getting them through this ordeal.....all very sad and we can very much relate with our experience in the loss of a child. Far too much tragedy and loss in too many lives...thy kingdom come....

"She says" The Muscle Shoals area was very interesting to me. It had a vibe about it where everything had something to do with music. It was really cool to go to the building that started alot of the music we listened to. I loved going through the building beside the original recording studio, where Cher and Rod Stewart recorded in. The pictures on the wall were very interesting. We were very surprised how small this building was. The woman how ran the information booth was very informative. We were very glad to have experienced all this.

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Photos

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Entrance way to a hidden gem

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relaxing in Tombigbee Park;

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the river rat tries his pontoon boat

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These few pictures show little of the awe inspiring beauty of area

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fish off the dock or paddle my "raft" around

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Sue doing some remote officework in this great restaurant we found; the "man" quietly whispers to her and oversees her work......

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Restaurant called " Kermit's Outlaw Kitchen" served the BEST burgers

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took a step into the past and walked around a hardware store that has remained the same since 1921.....incredible collection of the tools and things of yesterday

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an "artsy shot" ....maybe a painting in the future

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Tupelo car museum....incredible cars and interesting things from the past....you could walk as fast as some of these cars went

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around 300 cars arrnged in a gentle stroll through the past

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I took so many pictures but realized there is a limit and only show a few of those cars that truly were a work of art

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Anyone my age remembers George Barris who was the king of customization; the batmobile and many others were his creation including this customized corvette

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BB Kings cars

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for the untrained this thing sitting in a field would leave you puzzled !!!! It is the "flag and Hole" for Frisbee golf

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course marker and distance to hole

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pad or green from which you toss your frisbee

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Found a small church in the middle of no where to attend and were suprised by the number of people from babies, teens, parents and old people like us. Was going to take a congregation picture but decided not to when an attending family had just lost their 12 year old that week...very sad

Comments

[Donna little]

Blog
It sure sounds like you are having a great time. So glad for you two. We are home now from Phoenix . Had a great time. Birthdays were great. Just so nice to touch with the kids. Now into winter. Love you.