Memphis

Today started much as every day does, exercises and stretching to keep us in shape.

stretching feels so good

the kiss

Dave reminded me that last night's campground, Lakeside RV Park and Marina was just a stones throw from Talladaga Speedway.  Had we stayed more than overnight we probably would have taken a tour of the track.  As we passed by on the highway, we were surprised to see that it  sits out in the middle of acres of flat ground, it looks huge!

On our way to Memphis, we drove west through Birmingham, Alabama, then north west on route 78 through Tupelo, Mississippi (Elvis' birthplace) and on north  through Memphis, across the Mississippi to our destination for the next two nights, Tom Sawyer's Campground, on the shores of the mighty Mississippi river in West Memphis, Arkansas.

I'm always amazed at how the topography changes as we drive across the country.  A few days ago we followed I-75 through an area that was so populated with billboards that it triggered a terrible headache.
Being the compulsive sign reader that I am, I absolutely couldn't keep up and not reading them was not an option....I was on overload.  I think I cut my teeth on Burma Shave road signs with my mom and dad, remember Judi?
At any rate, this days drive  between Birmingham and Tupelo  took us through exactly the opposite surroundings.  Not a sign, a fuel station, restaurant, house, barn, rest stop, nothing as far as I could see. Miles and miles of forested hills, some being logged, some not.  I guess it might be expected driving through Texas, but it surprised me here.

As we approached Memphis, the sky started changing...I got out the weather radio and listened for alerts.  Just severe thunderstorms were forecast, so we drove on.  The last time we were in Memphis, a tornado went through, not far from where we were camped - deja vous?

Uh Oh

The sky opened and it poured the rest of the trip to the campground, but we just took it slow and finally arrived as the rain tapered off.

Up over the levee and down a narrow, heavily forested road.  Through these gates and into a wide, flat area right next to the Mississippi River.   How cool is this!

The campground is quite large, but sectioned off into a number of smaller areas.  We got an end site in one of the more empty sections overlooking the river.  Perfect.  I'll take more pictures tomorrow when the weather is nicer.

Barges are working the river right in front of us.  We can hardly keep our eyes off the swiftly moving waterway.  We'll stay over another night, Dave thinks this is a good place to spend his birthday.   The sky started looking bad again, and pretty soon the storm returned.  Tomorrow is another day to explore this interesting place.