Walking in Memphis

"I'm Walking in Memphis.."

first stop of course...Beale Street!

What a lively, exciting place. even at 11:50 in the morning the place is bustling. Music is blaring out of the blues cafes, streets are filled with all types of people,...

And the food! Everyone around is eating and drinking "Memphis style". There is definitely a culture to Beale, and you can spot the outsiders from the locals. The area has such energy and history. 

After my stomach was full, I headed for a Mississippi riverboat cruise and learned so much about the history of the Mississippi River's impact on the area. One of the largest maritime disasters happened right her on the Mississippi, yet it is not well known. The culture of the river workers was also shared with us and surprisingly, not much has changed over the years. There seems to be a common thread from place to place I stop at: people who work the river love the river. They respect it. 

With time to kill before my cruise, I decided to stop into the cotton museum in the  Cotton Exchange building. I never realized that this was such a protected, regulated crop! The buying and selling is handled just like the New York Stock Exchange. You cannot even purchase cotton seeds! Cotton plants impact the environment and need to be monitored so the ecosystem where cotton grows does not become impacted by its growth. The museum guide chuckled when I compared growing cotton to the growing of hops back home.

On the road

On the road

Now the fun begins....road trip!

What started out as a 2 1/2 hour drive to Cape Girardeau ended up taking well over 4 hours due to all the unexpected stops along the way. The first being Gus's pretzels which has been around since the early 1900's. Forget  your chain pretzels...these were the bomb! And with a constant flow of customers at 10:30 on a Sunday morning, you know I am not the only one to think that way. The little factory is a nondescript building in the factory area is a German part of the city. I happened to stumble upon it as I was getting gas. From there I  hikes  a few state parks almond the way just to take in the natural beauty of the area. Many critters were spotted today including a blue-tailed lizard... I need to find out what it was.

I finally made it down to the riverfront of Cape Girardeau. You coulda tell this was once a bustling riverfront town that is trying to be revived. Sitting by the water listening to a mother explain the river to her young child gave me a good insight into why more people don't use the river for recreation.the are so many undertows and currents in the swift moving water that it is not a very safe place to fish or swim. When people say you need to know and respect the mighty river, I now have a better understanding. I became mesmerized watching the flowing water as well as the people wandering around me. I can only hope that towns like Alton, Grafton, and Cape Girardeau can find a way to be revitalized.

 The morning in St.Louis

 After a relaxing evening and a peaceful night I headed into downtown St. Louis to get to the top of the arch. It was a great morning to explore the waterfront and look over to the Illinois side. It was apparent that Illinois still houses the industry. The arch is an architectural marvel designed by euro serrinan. It really does mark the gateway to then west.  I booked the 8:10 tram ride to the top in order to take in the city early morning and I am glad I did. There was something unique about being around the Cardinals stadium the morning after a game. The solitude of the street sweepers getting ready for the new onslaught of fans brought on a different sense of pride to the home team.

I made my way over to the arch for my scheduled ride and was fortunate to meet up with a father and his 2 sons who shared the capsule to the top with me since this kept me distracted and stopped me thinking of the small space I was in.

193 feet up with an amazing view of the city below. The timing was right to have the sun cast a morning shadow of the arch on the city below...what a sight!

Cahokia mounds and the riverside

Entered my 4th state today and saw Cahokia mounds. What an incredible place which is so rich in history. To think that there was this productive civilization thousands of years ago that just vanished. The comparisons between this civilization and modern day is remarkable. This was more of a whole village over just the mounds. Various archeological digs took place on the site so there were many artifacts on display at the museum.  My mind went back to the Incan and Mayan ruins of Central America. 

Driving up the GRR on the Illinois side brought me to the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The river edges are home to various migratory birds and it was fun watching them in the marshes.

The most famous bird I saw was the legendary Piasa. While talking to the ranger at the locks, I learned that not only was the bird repainted over time, but the stone was actually moved to prevent further damage. This surprised me since it had historical significance.

Traveling further upriver brought me to the small river towns of Alton and Grafton which were both major stations on the Underground Railroad. Factories and refineries are still prevalent,but now tourism is a main portion of the area's economy. 

It was easy to sit back and relax on the docks, watching water skiers and boaters enjoying the river. The limestone bluffs against a blue sky made for a beautiful setting.

Effigy mounds

I awoke to a cloudy, semi-drizzly day....a perfect day for hiking the mounds. I made it over to my third state, Iowa, on the River Road. 

Effigy Mounds is a historical, protected ceremonial burial ground on the bluffs of the Mississippi. There are several types of mounds at this site, conical, linear as well as mounds representing various animals. After a informative talk with the ranger, I took a peaceful hike to the Little Bears. The hike itself was very serene and the weather made it comfortable. I have to agree with people who say there is something very spiritual about this place. Hiking alone let me enjoy the peace and solitude this place is known for. I did meet up with one woman along the way who was part Native American. It was quite interesting listening to her talk about her thoughts on the various mounds along the river. Tomorrow I will visit the Cahokia mounds further south in Illinois.

The Rangers were phenomenal and spent time talking to me upon my return to the station and even agreed to some interviews!  We shared stories and experiences...both Rangers knew about Mississippi Mike from across the river and added more information on the family connections to the area.

Continuing up the river brought me to a little town on the Iowa border names Alma, home of a little country shop and meat store that has been in continuous operation for 136 years. What nice people! After trying several smoked meats and sausages, I was honored with a tour of the outdoor smoker and got an interview with the owners son, who is the sixth generation in the business. With a bag full of smoked jersey and sausage, local soda and candy I said my goodbyes and headed on to the national eagle center.

In Connecticut we are lucky if we see an eagle a year. People along the river, especially around Pepin Lake which is a wide area of the river,routinely see these creatures. A gentleman at the center shared a story with me where several HUNDRED Eagles were seen at one time leaving an area. I find that so amazing. Seeing the pictures of Eagles in this area in such mass numbers was pretty up-lifting. It's good to know that our national symbol is making such a comeback due to the regulations which are now in place.

Traveling down to Prairie du Chien

Travels to Prairie du Chien

What an amazing ride. There were times when I felt right at home...cows on the side of the rode, deer in the middle, bunnies everywhere... But then was awestruck by the beauty of the bluffs, the view of the locks and the charming river towns. I love the population signs...1221, 218, 66!

I met up with a lovely family who lived in a generation house, a family home for 5 generations, and have no desire to live anywhere else. I found this with most people that I met...the ties to family and community are very tight.

One stop that I made was in the town of Red Wing. I knew about Red Wing pottery but was not familiar with the shoes. What a time I had walking around town spotting all the "designer boots". This was and still is a factory town that depended on the railroad. It must have been a bustling town in its heyday if the St. James hotel is an example of high-style living for the prominent and wealthy of the time.

Speaking of the wealthy and influential people of the time...I found out so much about the history of Prairie du Chien and it's connection to the fur trade of the time. The town was once all on the island that is now home to just Villa Louis. Due to flooding and rising water, the town relocated on the mainland but original structures are still standing. I am looking forward to comparing this estate to the plantations further down the river.