Vero Beach Florida - Home At Last

Sunday May 20, 2018

Today is the last day of my big adventure. It has been quite the trip and I am ready to be home. My masters skipped the hotel breakfast. We loaded up and my master checked us out for the last time. We have been staying at LaQuinta hotels the last several nights. Today our destination Is LaHoma, get it? 

We get gas before heading east on I10. It starts to rain. I guess if it had to rain on a travel day this is the best one. My master knows these roads. We change to I75 South just north of Lake City where my masters stop for lunch. They had wings and a Philly cheesesteak at Gator's Dockside. The rain has kept it cool. I'm glad they could enjoy a nice lunch on this last day.

I spent some time today laying on my masters lap reflecting on all the things I saw and did over the last 40 days. I have ideas for an epilogue so stay tuned.

It has rained off and on most of the day. We run into backed up traffic from an accident just south of Ocala. From I75 we continue south on the Florida Turnpike then east on 528, Beachline Expressway. We all need a stop so my master takes Florida 520. There is a McDonalds where 520 meets I95. We stop there for our break. My master gets a treat, a snack size McFlurry. After all it is the last day of her vacation. She wouldn't share with me . She said it has chocolate and that isn't good for dogs. Not fair.

We head south on I95 exiting at Malabar Road going east to US1 south. Before too long, we are at the entrance to our development. My master lets me put my head out the window as we drive to our home. Boy does it smell good, just like I remember. My master shouts "Lucy, you're home!"' 

We got home about 6. My masters unload the car while I check out my dog cave and all my favorite places. Yes, they are just like I left them. My masters are beat. Karen gets a pizza for dinner, her last indulgence. Pretty brave of her since she will get on the scale in the morning. We all watch TV. I watch from my most favorite spot. I'm looking forward to a wonderful night sleep in my own big bed.

Tallahassee Florida

Saturday May 19, 2018

My masters and I loaded up and hit the road a little before 10. We stayed in Prattville northwest of Montgomery so we jump on I65 South, cross the Alabama River then head east on I85. My master plays Bonnie Raitt's Angel from Montgomery as we drive through the city. We exit onto US231 headed south which takes us all the way to I10 in the Florida panhandle. We stopped at the Florida Visitors Center after crossing the state line. I am glad to be back in our home state! My masters took a commemorative picture with this dolphin statue. Guess they are glad to be back in Florida too. We cross over into the Eastern time zone. We finally give back that hour we borrowed 35 days ago.

We are staying in Tallahassee tonight. There is a Frank Lloyd Wright house there my master wants to see. It is the George Lewis House built in 1954. It is also called the Spring House. It is one of the few houses in Frank Lloyd Wright's hemicycle series. This style is one of the last and shortest of his career. It is characterized by a series of circles and semicircles. The picture below is from Wikipedia (taken by Swcopeland, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license). In 2014 it was listed as one of America's 11 most endangered historic places according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The goal of the list is to raise awareness and spur interest in preserving threatened sites. The Spring House Institute was formed to try and save the house. They offer free tours on the second Sunday of the month or you can make arrangements, and pay, for a personal tour. 

We drive right to the house. It is off the same interstate exit as our hotel. The driveways are blocked off and it is so wooded you can barely see the house. My master tries to get some pictures. Even though she couldn't see much, Karen appreciates that Bob took her here. Now we can go on to the hotel.

We checked in about 3pm. Soon my masters leave to try and see the Florida State Capital building and have an early dinner. They follow the route from Apple maps and it leads to the official entrance which of course they can't go in. They drive around the block and see the domed building. Bob has to do a U turn to drive where Karen can get a picture. They had dinner at the Midtown Caboose. Good Eats. Some of the streets in Tallahassee are as my master imagined, old homes and moss filled trees, very Suwannee River.

We have a quiet night after my masters return. I for one as glad this is the last night in a hotel. I can't wait to get back in my own bed in my big air conditioned dog house. Gerry gave me this patch. Argh.

Montgomery Alabama

Friday May 18, 2018

We left by 9am this morning. We have a big day. We are going to the Greenleaf Cemetery near Coldwater, Mississippi to find the grave of my master's mother. She passed away 60 years ago when Bob was just 7. She was only 33. We took I240 to I22 South. We soon crossed into Mississippi since Memphis is in the very southwest corner of Tennessee. We exited the interstate and stopped at Darling Flowers in Olive Branch to buy two red roses for Bob to put on the grave for him and his sister Nanci. From there we headed south on County Road 305 South, west on Tate County Line Road and south on Palestine Road. It is a beautiful drive, gentle winding path with overhanging trees. The cemetery is across the road from the Greenleaf United Methodist Church.

We started looking for Polly Ann Sowden's gravestone. Her maiden name is Sowell. Bob remembered her grave being near a road so we started looking in the southwest nearest the road. We soon saw gravestones for various Sowells including some of relatives Bob met the summer he stayed in Coldwater. As we worked our way to the small entry road, we spotted many gravestones for Sowells. Then we saw the gravestone for Fred and Millie Sowell, her parents. Polly Ann's grave was to their left after her brother Standly. Her grave is by a road just as Bob remembered. Bob put the roses on her grave. He thought about how his mother had died so young. He wondered why he had waited so long to do this. They took pictures which Bob shared with his sister. Karen took pictures of the Sowell gravestones in case anyone in the family would ever want to trace their ancestry. The cemetery is very proetty and serene. We heard birds singing the entire time we were there.

After a time, we left the cemetery and plotted the course to our hotel in Montgomery, Alabama. After a series of back roads, we headed south on I22. We stopped in Tupelo, Mississippi so my masters could have lunch at the Neon Pig. They have the best burger in America according to Trillist. They both had the award winning Smash Burger. Karen enjoyed it very much; Bob not so much. Then we were back on the road headed southeast. The interstate is tree lined over rolling hills. We cross the state line entering Alabama. Bob spied a small teardrop going north. This makes 5 of the cute little campers seen on the trip.

Road construction slowed traffic to a near halt near Pelham, Alabama. I didn't mind because my master let me get some air time.

We fuel up before going to the hotel, arriving about 5pm. After my walk and kibble, my masters walk over to the Mexican restaurant. The food was good but nothing like what they had in Amarillo. They may be ruined for Mexican like they are for crab cakes. The margaritas were very good and huge. The hotel room has a couch and two comfy chairs and an ottoman. When my masters try to move the chairs side by side they find one is missing a leg. It makes a wacky spot for me.

Memphis Tennessee - Day 2

Thursday May 17, 2018

We all slept in this morning. My masters have a big day doing things in Memphis. I get to a day off from riding in the car. It is a win win day. My masters leave around 11:30. Before heading to Graceland they pick up some provisions, get gas and have lunch. They get this all done within a few blocks of the hotel and in under 30 minutes. They  had lunch at the VGM Foods and Deli. It is a Filipino store with a small selection of daily entrees. The items aren't labeled so they just picked a couple and shared the plate. One item was a pork stew, might have been menudo, over rice. My masters liked that one best. They also had rice noodle with vegetables and chicken plus a BBQ pork skewer. The owner said they didn't have to pay until after they ate in case they didn't like it. He also gave them a sample of chicken adobo. Everything was delicious so they gladly paid.

They got on the highway to Graceland about 12 and arrived just at 1pm. Their tickets were at the Will Call window. They watched the pre-show, received headsets and iPad and boarded the bus for the mansion tour. Graceland is a classically elegant building.  The property has a serene feeling even though it is off a busy street. The grounds are groomed yet casual. It looks like a place where someone still lives. The bus driver said Priscilla, Lisa Marie and family do come to Graceland a couple times a year.

Inside, the mansion is frozen in time, just as it was in 1977 when Elvis died. These pictures provide an idea of the look of the house, albeit some of the more interesting rooms. My master said her family home had some of the antiqued gold and black mirror as in the dining room. Both my masters grew up with shag carpet. It seems Elvis was the force behind the decor, changing it many times. The tour is very well done and includes all the property expect the upstairs which was and now remains private. It is clear how much Elvis loved his family, giving his parents a lot of credit for his success. The pictures of Elvis, Priscilla and Lisa Marie show how much they all loved each other. It must have been very hard for them to retain any sense of normal family life. My master said she was surprised how moved she was seeing his grave. His parents and grandmother are buried next to him.

After the tour was over, they turned in the equipment and the bus took them back across the street where the Elvis Experience and restaurants are located. They looked at his cars and other various vehicles. Turns out my master and Elvis had similar tastes. They each owned MGA 1600s. Bob's was a 1961 and Elvis had a 1960. They also both owned Honda Dream 305 motorcycles. Karen toured the other exhibits while Bob enjoyed a beverage and a soft comfy seat. The movie posters reminded her of watching numerous Elvis movies with her sisters and the Hansohn girls in the basement on Brookside Drive. It started pouring rain so Karen joined Bob for awhile. It didn't seem to be stopping so they bought rain ponchos in the gift shop and braved the rain. Sure wish I had seen them. Bet it was worth a good laugh. 

From Graceland they took BB King Boulevard downtown to Beale Street, home of the Blues. They found a parking garage. A section of Beale Street is blocked from car traffic so it would have been nice to just walk the street. Unfortunately it was still raining so they went directly to BB King Blues Club and Grill. My master is a big fan of BB King. He was her favorite blues artist. Listen to this to see why. There was a band playing, the King Beez. My masters said they were very good, especially the woman vocalist. Boy could she belt it out with feeling. Karen had a great time. It was so nice of Bob to take her there. They stayed quite a while enjoying the music. After a trip to the gift shop for shirts, they headed back to the hotel.

My master researched BBQ spots in Memphis and found that the Tops BBQ chain was considered one of the places to try. Since there is one right by the hotel, it was an easy pick to go there. They each had the quintessential Memphis pork sandwich with coleslaw on the sandwich. Very tasty and cheap. You have to love a town with good drive thru BBQ. It was just what they needed after being at BB's. I got my dinner after they returned along with a walk. Sure glad they didn't listen to any more music. It was a fun day for them. I'm glad they enjoyed it so much. Tomorrow we head for Montgomery. We will be home Sunday.

Memphis Tennessee

Wednesday May 16, 2018

We get on the road shortly after 10. We didn't need gas so we hop right on I270 which takes us to I55 South, a direct line to Memphis. We're headed to Graceland. I think my masters are also planning to take in some live Blues music tonight. Memphis is the place for Blues; Beale Street, BB King Boulevard, Memphis Music Hall of Fame, Rock'n'Soul Museum, the list goes on.

We are generally following the route of the Mississippi River but we can't see it from the interstate. Like Route 6, the road follows the path made by nature. Now it is a really big creek that charts our course. I don't see any sign of a railroad. On Route 6 we had all 3; river, railroad, and road together much of the way.

The Mississippi has many twists and turns. It would be fun to take a boat trip on this river. My master has always wanted to take a trip on the Delta Queen. Unfortunately, it is not running now, just used as a floating hotel. It was purchased by a company interested in restoring her and returning her to the mighty Mississippi. Maybe my masters will go someday if that happens. Sure hope they take dogs.

The terrain is hillier than my master remembers. It is pretty. I like the look of hewn rock and green trees together. I think we are all glad to be back where it is green. There is some haze in the distance which doesn't help the picture quality of the distance shots. The terrain flattens out shortly after we pass Benton, Missouri. We stop at Arby's in Sikeston, Missouri. My master has been craving their roast beef sandwich. He said it hit the spot. Karen sees there is a Walmart nearby. She is running out of coffees so we go there next; success on both coffee and lunch for her. 

Back on I55 South, we make our closest approach to the Mississippi in the area of New Madrid and Howardville. It is there that we spy railroad tracks. Turns out, the railroad has been taking a similar path but too far away for us to see it. We haven't seen any wind farms. We cross into Arkansas, because I55 runs along the west side of the Mississippi, hence why we are in Arkansas instead of Tennessee. We see more farming and irrigation equipment but no wind farms. When I see this tanker truck I can't help but think my master should have one follow her around as much coffee as she drinks.

It sprinkles off and on as we near Memphis. We exit I55 onto I40.mm We are heading due east again, for a short time anyway. My master tries to get some pictures of the mighty Mississippi River as we pass over it into Tennessee. Unfortunately none come out. She did get a few of the bridge, Memphis skyline and this Bass Pro Shop.

We arrive at the hotel around 3:30. My masters decide on a change of plans. They are only up for dinner, no live Blues tonight. Tomorrow they will go to Graceland then head for Beale Street to look around and catch some Blues music. They had planned on going to my master's mother's grave tomorrow morning but now they will stop there on the way to Montgomery, Alabama. 

Bob suggested southern fried chicken for dinner. Yelp suggested Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken. They confirmed their choice by a Google search for "best southern fried chicken in Memphis". They asked me if I wanted to go, when I declined they headed out. They ordered green fried tomatoes as an appetizer in addition to the chicken and sides. The green tomatoes were crunchy sweet on the outside and sour inside, delicious. The chicken was wonderful, maybe the best they ever had. The staff T shirts say "If you haven't eaten at Gus's, you haven't had fried chicken". My masters agree. The skin was spicy and so crispy. The meat was juicy and full of good chicken flavor. Boy would they eat there all the time if we lived here. I had to smell their chicken breath all night.

St Louis Missouri

Tuesday May 15, 2018

This morning didn't start so well. My master was giving me a quick brushing when she found a tick. It was behind my ear. Yuck! Bob did the dirty work and pulled it out. I had my kibble and my masters had the hotel breakfast so they can skip lunch again. We hit the road after 10. We sure are getting lazy. We take I435 to I70. There is quite a bit of traffic in Kansas City. We are headed for St Louis, Missouri for one night to break up the travel to Memphis, Tennessee. I70 takes us there. We cross the Missouri River near Boonville. There's a cool bridge there. My master snapped some pictures and this video.

My masters stop at an Applebee's for a break. There is a teardrop in the parking lot, that's the fourth one we have seen. It isn't too hot in the car but I wish I could take a stroll on the grass that is right out the window. Not nice making a dog sit inside when I can see and smell grass right under my nose.

We crossed the Missouri River again just outside St. Louis. It meanders south while the interstate runs due east. We arrived at the hotel about 3pm. We checked in and relaxed. My master booked hotels for the rest of the way home. We have been staying in La Quintas. They are nice and very pet friendly. I hear my master say we are getting one of our nights free. Yippee. My masters have steak dinners at Fredericks Steakhouse and Pizzeria. They should have split because they had way too much steak. Do you think they brought any back for me, noooooo. Hey, what about doggie bags. We watch some TV. I work on my blog. My master and I take a nice evening walk. Then it is time for bed. Tomorrow we're going to Memphis.

Kansas City Kansas - Day 2

Monday May 14, 2018

No plans for this morning. We are staying two nights here so my masters can go to Oklahoma Joes, now Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que, and then to a Royals baseball game. My masters were first told about Oklahoma Joes when they went to New Orleans and attempted the Diane Gabik tour. The bartender at a hotel bar in the Garden District said it is the best barbecue in Kansas City. It has been on their list of places to eat ever since. Kaitlyn and her family ate there when they flew in for her graduation. They agreed it is a "must go" spot. Evidently the restaurant changed names a long time ago but everyone still calls it Oklahoma Joes. They started as a competition BBQ team called Slaughterhouse Five. They win BBQ Grand Championships year after year. Their story is interesting. You can read it here.

My master worked hard getting the new wiper blades on the car. He said the hardest part was getting the old ones off. I worked on my blog. My master gave me a hair brushing. It has been hard to keep all this hair detangled while traveling. We haven't been doing the best job. There may be a doggie salon visit in my future.

My masters head out about 3pm. They wanted to have plenty of time to eat before the game starts at 6. They hear it can be an hour wait or longer to get into Oklahoma Joes. The restaurant is in an old gas station. In fact, they said it looks like they could still be pumping gas. Karen snapped a shot of Bob before going in. Doesn't my master look cool? 

There was only a very short line. Bob ordered the Z Man sandwich. It comes highly recommended. It is beef brisket with provolone cheese and onion rings. Karen ordered the 3 rib and pulled pork dinner with Kansas caviar. The food came right away and they dug in, completely forgetting to take any pictures for my blog. There was plenty to share, the 3 ribs were more like 6, so they both had a chance to taste everything. Everything was delicious, moist, with the perfect amount of smoke, and great flavor. It is clear why they are Grand Champions. My masters said the brisket is probably their favorite but don't ignore the ribs if you ever get to go there.

They made it to Kaufman Stadium early. The gates were open so they bought tickets and went inside. They were so glad the rain held off so they could go. A major league ballgame in a ballpark they hadn't been to yet was part of the "To Do" list for this trip. They had great seats behind the 3rd baseline dugouts near home plate. Kaufman is a real nice stadium. Bet my masters would go to the games if we lived here. They stayed until the end of the 5th inning. They left early to beat the rain. I am glad they weren't out too late. After my walk and some TV, it was time for bed. Tomorrow we head for St. Louis, Missouri.