Bikes on Beale

How about this for a manly bike. Love the eyelashes. Told K I would buy her one.

Bile night on Beale

Ever Wednesday night over 500 /600 bikes gather on Beale St.

Edmund, Oklahoma to Memphis, TN

Quite a bit has happened to the Foll's in the last few days since leaving Amarillo, TX. We spent 2 nights with our friends Linda and Boone and their 6 four legged children in Edmund, OK. Linda worked with Gary almost 20 years ago at IBM in San Francisco before she moved to OK. She and Boone kept us entertained with good conversation, food, wine and amusing tales (tails ) of their pets, Sophie, Jake (Dogs), Jessie, Snickers (cats) and Beauty and Bonnie (horses). Each has a personality and a few quirks including Snickers the cat who sleeps in the fireplace flue. (go figure) Jake is a rambuncious 4 year old dog who thinks he can leap over chairs and sofas with a single bound, trying to give out kisses as he passes by wagging his tail. Linda gave us a wonderful tour of the town and surrounding area and then headed out to the stables to visit Beauty and Bonnie. Of course there were a few more animals to see including 3 more horses and 4 or 5 burros, one of which impregnated Bonnie. Being a city girl, that doesn't make a lot of sense to me but remember, I think milk comes in a carton not from a cow.

On Tuesday morning we headed toward Memphis, only 488 miles away. We ate at Silk O'Sullivan's on Beale Street, known for blues music. There's a long story to tell about Silky O'Sullivan that I'll try to keep short. G and I traveled to Ireland in 1991 and stayed in Killorgan where they were having the annual Puck Festival. Silky was there cooking BBQ for the fair goers and we struck up a conversation with him. Blah, Blah,. Blah.... A few months later after returning to the States, we met Silky AGAIN standing in line at K Paul's in New Orleans. We talked again and he invited us to travel around the world cooking BBQ but we declined. So.......20 years later we're on Beale Street and see this bar with a goat. We go in, sit down read the menu and see that Silky STILL travels around the world cookng BBQ. Weird. Imagine if we had gone with him and the tales we'd have to tell. Kinda of like being in the circus.

To keep you up to date, here's what we did today. Jammed packed with activities and more tales to tell. We started out touring the Martin Luther King, JR Museum (NAACP) about a mile away. The museum documented the Civil Rights struggle starting in 1619 to MLK's death in 1968. Quite a moving living museum that is set on the site of the Lorraine Motel where he was assassinated. After spending 3 hours there we headed to kitchy Graceland. Now some of you might be Elvis fans so please don't be offended. He had a love of green shag run that was just a little tooooo much. We really enjoyed to tour of the 1970's decorated home but were glad to return to 2011 later that afternoon.

From Graceland we went to the Cozy Corner Restaurant for the "best ribs in Memphis" according to Guy Fiori of the TV show "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." Before leaving Ashland we saw the show that visited this rib place. Man oh man, were the ribs GOOD and HOT.

The day is not over yet. We decided to take one more walk before returning to the hotel so decided to head to Beale Street again. Low and behold if it wasn't Wednesday night which is Bikers on Beale night. I don't think I've EVER seen so many Harley and bikers, about 500-600, in one place. Two blocks of Beale Street are blocked off for bikers to come and park their bikes and do whatever bikers do on a hot Memphis night. There were also many police cars and a couple of BIG fire trucks in attendance, just in case something happens. Lots of blues being played in various venues and people strolling up an down the street drinking beer. What a wonderful sound to hear ALL of those Harley's as the bikers step on the peddle.

We're in the hotel now listening to the rumble of the Harley's as they cruise from Beale to Third to Union to Second and back to Beale again. It might be a little noisy tonight but thanks heavens for some Tequila and Margarita mix and ear plugs.

Tomorrow onward to Nashville to see a high school friend. Good night and sleep tight!!!

A number of our friends have asked about Patty and Doug's wedding that was at the start of our trip. For many reasons it was the best wedding that we have attended. Have you ever attended a wedding where that attendees cheered and played kazoos during the ceremony? Well, that was what happened. As many of you know, Patty loves to play the kazoo so many of her friends decided it would be fun to play kazoos as the newly weds walked into the reception BUT someone started playing DURING the ceremony so everyone joined in. Of course, we were all off tune but that didn't matter. After Doug said his vows, the audience cheered and did the same after Patty's vows. The judge later told the newly weds that he had never conducted such an interative wedding. Their marriage is off to a good start!

The food was wonderful and dancing after the meal went on for 2-3 hours. Gary and I missed a few dances but danced "most of the night away". Doug provided the DJ a 400 song playlist and he played all of them and added 2 of his own. Of course, Doug did notice the extra tunes but it didn't matter.

Here are a couple of pictures of the newly weds that Gary took at the reception. Enjoy.

Our camping adventures, all 6 nights, have ended so now it's visiting friends or moteling it to Cape Cod. Tonight we're in Amarillo, TX and heading toward Oklahoma City on Sunday to see friends. Y'all have a good time, now!

This is the little dog we adopted in the campground..There were about 4 that seemed to be wild that hung out around the campground. They were not aggresive just hungery.

Last night was low rider night in Santa Fe. The whole plaza was lined with customised low rider cars and the plaza rocked with music. Wild....

On to Amerillo today..

Here we are in Santa Fe NM , air conditioned room ,pool, great restaurants and lots of good art. We were here13 years ago and the art in Santa Fe was awful,, Just did Canyon Rd and saw wonderful contempory art. Leaving tomorrow for Amarillo TX on our way to Oklahoma City.

We made it to Flagstaff from Yvonnes and spent two nights at a campground. Wind was awful and really wipped the tent about the first night. Solved that by moving into a teepee the second

night. Another first.. Also a first we had the best fish tacos in the world in a Mexican restaurant in Flagstaff.

After Flagstaff was Monument Valley for one night. Toured the valley and then went to a John Wayne movie that had been filmed in the valley, "She wore a yellow ribbon" Does it get any better..teepee, fish tacos and a John Wayne movie..

On to Cayon De Chilly for two nights at a free National Parks campground. The first day we drove the south rim and stopped at all the look outs. The next day we took a guided tour on the valley floor and had close up views of the Anasazia ruins. There are over 1300 ruins in the canyon. Some Navajo still live on the canyon floor. We adopted a dog while at the campground, fed it peanut butter sandwiches. Sweet little thing.

On to Santa Fe for two days and a hotel room. We stayed at the El Ray Inn which was for us a trip back in time ,13 years ago when we used to come to Santa Fe for the opera, Very New Mexico in decor. Do you how nice a shower is after camping out for two days in the dust?

Visited a gallery that displayed Albert Handels work. My friend Roni was a student of his.

Photos are from Monument valley and Canyon De Chilly

Roy's on Route 66 in Amboy CA. This is a roadside cafe and motel from the 50's that was owned by the same family for decades. After the old man passed away at the age of 92, the busienss was bought by a Fast Food barron. The gas station is open 7 days a week but the cafe and motel aren't open any longer. The office has some of the 1950's light fixtures, furniture and POst magazines thataa can been seen through the large windows. one of the motel cottages was open but empty. Quite a travel through time.

Later that day we were caught in a 15 mile traffic jam for almost 2 hours on I-40 just outside Kingman, AZ on the way to Flagstaff. Pretty sad sight of a totally burned out pick up truck hauling a camper. It looked like it may have run into a tanker putting had a hugh hole in the left rear of the tanker. Not sure if there were fatalities. The accident made no sense since it was on a straight stretch of the highway with clear visiblity. Good thing we had Sirius satellite radio and smart phones to keep us busy while waiting in traffic.

Arizona had named some of their gullies or washes with some funny names like Holy Moses Wash. Wonder if there is a OMG Wash?

Onward to Flagstaff for 3 nights. Saturday Gary and I will head to Sedona to see if we remember it from our previous trip in the late 80's. Sunday we'll meet our friends, Mary and Jon Bagshaw, from Ashland who will travel with us through the Navajo Nation for a few days.

Leaving Hesperia today and heading toward Flagstaff. We realized yesterday that we have traveled over 1000 miles and are still in California. Will be camping for the next with John and Mary. Weather looks good so until the next blog Ciao.

Going to try and print and publish photo.. Eureka Patty and Doug in her RED dress. The disc jokey was really good, Doug gave him a list of 400 songs to play and I believe he played them all plus a couple that he threw in.

The pictures are of Patty and her Mother and Karen and Doug. Have not mastered the art of combining photos and words on the same blog.
Left San Simeon this AM and and after traveling through lovely high desert towns such as Boron and Mojave we arrived in Hesperia. Hot, windy and sandy.
Went to see my daughter and her 95 year old aunt. Yvonne is her caretaker. Met the family dogs and had dinner at her house.
Back in the hotel room using the hotels wi fi. Technology is grand. Met a motorcyclist at the campground on his big Harley and he said "if someone would have told him two years ago that he would be traveling accross the country with a lap top and cell phone he would have called them crazy" Another amazing thing is that at this campsite above San Simeon we had cell phone coverage. WOW.
The camping gear worked almost fine, our air mattress leaks air. Not good. Do have cooking down to an art. Did shopping in Cambria and what we remembered of it was a small art community. Not any more. Took Rt 46 out of the coast to Paso Robles and beyond to Rt 99. Went past the intersection of Rt46 and Rt41. So you say "what" that is the intersection where James Dean was killed in 1955.. A little bit of movie lore for movie buffs.
More tomorrow..

Monday evening at San Simeon State park camping. No wi fi so no photos tonight. Drove 101 to Carmel had lunch and then came down Rt 1 big sur. Lots of road rebuilding going on but it was a beautiful drive. K and I bicycled this road in 1980. Hard to believe.
Warm evening so we are sitting outside watching the sun go down. Tomorrow it is on to Hesperia and a motel

So we're at Starbucks trying to setup our flakey laptop that just was discharged from the hospital with a virus. Laptop is still limping along so we may start posting using our iPhones which means we may not post too many pictures. Maybe our friend Neale will be able to help us this afternoon at the wedding with a few minutes of techy help.

Gary forgot to tell you about the friendly bird that caught our eye at a reststop on I-5. A baby starling was underneath a water fountain waiting for people to turn on the faucet so he could get a bird bath. He wasn't afraid of people getting within 2 feet of him, but his parents were swooping over our heads and squaking telling us to keep away. Very amusing site.

Yesterday we went to the San Francisco's de Young Museum to the Balenciaga exhibit. Fabulous silk fashions from the 50 and 60's. My favorite is the red and black polka dot dress with yards and yards of ruffles. Can't post a picture since photography was not allowed and strictly enforced.

Ta ta for now K&G

Saturday in Pleasant Hill, wedding day for Patty and Doug. We arrived in PH Thursday about 4:30. Dinner that night at El Fornaio in Walnut Creek. Had a Tuscan style dinner, all three courses with wine. Not as bad as it sounds since it was a sampler menu.
Friday Karen and I went to the De Young museum in SF for a exhibit by a famous Spanish fashion designer from the 50s 60s. Dinner that night with members of the wedding guests at Zio Fraedos.
Today is wedding day we are staying with the bride, having breakfast cooked by the breakfast queen Karen.

Counting down to the big summer trip.. Notifications sent out to many friends of this addresss. The trip is beginning to take shape as far as the general direction which is East going through the southwest to Oklahoma then Tenn. and N. Car. and then up to Boston and Cape Cod.
We are leaving Thursday for Pleasant Hill and our friend Patty's wedding on Sat. Story and pictures will follow..