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MEMPHIS TO LAKE ERIE

“My mama was right, there's blues in the night.”


by Ken Rudine

As we cross the Mississippi River we arrive in Memphis, Tennessee. During these last weeks of spring we are headed to a Lake Erie Lighthouse photo shoot. To get there we will pass through Tennessee, Kentucky and most of Ohio.

Memphis Egg,  Memphis  TN
Memphis Egg in front of the Welcome Center
Photo courtesy Melanie Eastep

At the Memphis welcome center we took photos of the statues of Elvis Presley and B.B. King. No rooms were available in Memphis due to a barbecue cook-off so we continued on to Jackson.

Memphis TN - Elvis Presley Statue
Elvis Presley statue in the Welcome Center
Photo courtesy Melanie Eastep


Memphis TN - B. B. King Statue
B.B. King statue in the Welcome Center
Photo courtesy Melanie Eastep

In Paris, Tennessee we found the replica Eiffel Tower in Memorial Park. At a convenience store we bought pig T-Shirts where many bikers were refueling. We were seeing pink elephants in front of some convenience stores. Finally we found out that has to do with having sold a big winning lottery ticket. We also passed many interesting or scenic looking barns while others looked in a dangerous state of deferred maintenance.

Paris TN - Eiffel Tower Replica
The Eiffel Tower replica in Memorial Park, Paris, Tennessee
Photo courtesy Ken Rudine


Pink Elephant - Lottery Winning Symbol
Pink Elephant
Photo courtesy Ken Rudine


Scenic Barn
Photo courtesy Ken Rudine

Bowling Green, Kentucky has a National Corvette Museum. There were more Corvettes there than during the time I saw a Corvette Rally Club parked in formation at Lost Maples State Park.

Bowling Green KY - Corvette Museum
Corvette Museum, Bowling Green, Kentucky
Photo courtesy Ken Rudine

Resting overnight in Somerset, Kentucky we drove to Renfro Valley the next morning. This Hillbilly Show started in Cincinnati in 1937. Known as The Gatherin’ it was moved to Renfro Valley in 1939, a location more closely resembling a country “Barn Dance” atmosphere. At least half a dozen Texas radio stations still carry this radio broadcast although it is more popular in the north and east. The most famous stars associated in the beginning with the show were Red Foley and Whitey (Duke of Paducah) Ford.

Renfro Valley KY - Aunt Polly Store
Log cabin in Renfro Valley, Kentucky
Photo courtesy Ken Rudine

Next we headed to Lexington, “The Horse Capital of the World”. The horse farms were really well kept pretty places – some had natural stone fences with stones laid vertically on top that went for miles.

Lexington KY - Horse Farm
A horse farm at Lexington, Kentucky
Photo courtesy Ken Rudine


Lexington KY - stone fence
Stone fence in Kentucky
Photo courtesy Ken Rudine

Outside Lexington, we passed a sign directing us to Transylvania University. I decided that must be where learning to create Frankensteins or Dracula-ism is taught. Actually a real university, the name translates to “across the woods” (I was told.)

From Maysville we left Kentucky by crossing the Ohio River on the Clyde T. Barbour Bridge. We stopped in Ripley, Ohio to sample “famous Ohio chili”. They offered what was called 3-way chili – chili and cheese over spaghetti noodles while we considered 4-way – add beans, and 5-way add onions. Frankly, I thought it was a long way from the Texas Chili I have made and loved. (Did I ever mention how I was “next to the Winner” at the Chilympiad back in 1976?)

Ohio River  - Clyde T. Barbour Bridge
Clyde T. Barbour Bridge over the Ohio River
Photo courtesy Ken Rudine

In Washington Court House (a strangely named town) we saw an Amish sign advertising Shoefly Pie. That reminded me of Ella Fitzgerald singing the song, Shoo Fly Pie.

Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy
Makes your eyes light up,
Your tummy say "Howdy."
Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy
I never get enough of that wonderful stuff.

Just north of Columbus we visited Delaware State Park and lake where we took photos of bluebirds at their bluebird box trail. We also spotted Martins, Robins, (not Marty Robbins) Cardinals, and a pair of Cedar Waxwings. Many groves of trees were labeled and included walnut, hickory, buckeye, and sweet gum. Buckeyes are the state tree.

Bluebird in Delaware State Park
A bluebird
Photo courtesy Ken Rudine

We try to avoid big cities like Cleveland so about 3:30 we arrived in Mentor, OH. Now 1375 miles from Houston we felt it was best to spend the night resting and begin our lighthouse quest on the Lake Erie Coastal Trail, tomorrow.



© Ken Rudine
Published August 30, 2009



See An Erie Story - Lake Erie Lighthouses by Ken Rudine



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