GRACELAND

On our dash across Arkansas, we stopped off at Hot Springs for a couple days. Hot Springs is the boyhood home of William Jefferson Clinton, 42nd President of the United States. We stopped to tour the hot springs, but the tour guides all feel a need to point out where Wild Bill ate a chile dog or a burger and other less than flattering moments in his boyhood. Here the T-shirt shops all sell t's with the president's likeness and degrading and insulting comments, the likes of which I will leave out. In contrast to Crawford, it was a night and day display of what the hometown crowd thinks about their guy. I can't help think about the irony of it all. Hot Springs! Bill Clinton! How perfect is that?

Our last night in Arkansas we camped on their side of the Mississippi River. And I do mean ON the river. The campground is named Tom Sawyer- and that sure works! This time when I say I could throw a stone into the river from the campsite- I mean it! The campground is wonderful in all aspects that matter to us: proximity to water, plenty of space, easy in and out for big rigs, balance between trees and open spaces, good cell reception, and closeness to area attractions that caused us to select the campground in the first place. For friends who are camping- mark this one down! Just how close is the river to the campsite? Well, the office says most of the time they are on the river, but occasionally they are IN the river! Non stop barge traffic up and down the mighty river was great entertainment. We could have spent a lot more time here and been happy about it.

From Tom Sawyer, a day trip to Memphis, TN to visit Graceland, home of the King...Elvis. To be sure, no other home of any individual, be they politician, sports hero, or otherwise famous, bears such a recognizable name and is so identified with its owner. Elvis breathed and sang life into this stately southern mansion and it was quite the experience touring and touching where an icon of our generation put his mark on all our lives. Buried there on the grounds with his parents and twin brother (who died at birth) he still moves the masses who visit and pass by and cry by his gravesite by the thousands daily. Thank you....thank you very much!