tennessee

I love Memphis.


There are so many things to love about Memphis - the music, the civil rights history, the food…

Its no surprise that within hours of arriving in Memphis we went to go find BBQ. I actually think we had planned on making our own dinner that night, but as Guy was looking up restaurants and reading the menus, I do believe I would have lost my mind if I didn’t indulge immediately. Of course there are a ton of BBQ places to go to in Memphis, but we decided on a place called Interstate BBQ. The man who owns the place is the uncle of the well-known “Neely’s” from the food network. Most of the reviews online talked about how incredible the food was, but also mentioned terrible service and how “ghetto” the place was. We experienced nothing but the best on all fronts. We decided to eat a gigantic sampler platter, which included pork Ribs, beef Ribs, sausage, beef brisket, pork shoulder, B-B-Q spaghetti, beans, potato salad and bread. The waitress mentioned that most of the time two people can’t finish the platter. Not only did we finish it, but we each ordered our own dessert as well! Guy had a sweet “sock-it-to-me cake, and I had sweet potato pie. The whole meal was incredibly delicious, and started our time in Memphis on a fantastic note.

The next morning we went to the Peabody Hotel, a beautiful four-star hotel, to see the famous Peabody Ducks. Apparently its been a tradition since 1933 to march a group of ducks from their rooftop “Royal Duck Palace” to the fountain in the lobby by way of red carpet. The “Duck Master” brings them in at 11:00 and then leads them back upstairs at 5:00 everyday. To see more about the ducks click here: http://www.peabodymemphis.com/peabody_ducks/index.cfm It was fun to watch and yes, they were duckling.

After the ducks we headed over to Beale Street to check out the sights. We popped into a few stores, including A. Schwab - a quirky place that sells everything from voo doo accessories to quirky hats to XXXXL overalls. There are many eateries on Beale St, and we landed on Miss Polly’s Soul City Cafe for lunch where I dined on a delicious fried green tomato BLT. Following our lunch, we went to the Civil Rights Museum. It was incredible. The amount of information packed into this place is a bit overwhelming, but I have a particular interest in Civil Rights history, so I soaked it all up. I think we were there for four hours and could have stayed longer just to read through all of the material. Included in the museum (in fact, its built right into it) is the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. It was a very powerful experience to walk by the hotel room where he was staying (they had it staged to look exactly as it did that day) and look onto the balcony to the place where his life was taken. Naturally, the museum emphasized MLK Jr’s role in the civil rights movement, but I was impressed at how comprehensive the material was, from the early beginnings of America, to present day. The museum was definitely one of my favorite things about Memphis. http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/permexhibits.htm

The next day in Memphis was equally packed with Memphis goodness. The day began with a tour of Sun Studio, the “birthplace of rock n roll.” This is where Elvis got his start, and other musicians recorded, such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, BB King, and Carl Perkins. There were several interesting artifacts they had there, including the guitar and jacket Elvis wore when he made his television debut, as well as lots of great photos of many of the early musicians that recorded at Sun Studio. When we went into the actual recording part of the studio, our guide mentioned that the walls, floors, ceilings - were all original to the building - nothing has been changed. The studio itself isn’t very visually impressive or anything spectacular, but…it still was pretty cool to stand where some of the aforementioned artists recorded their music. At the end of the tour, we were allowed to pose with one of the original (of 5) microphones that these musicians undoubtedly used.

After our time of stardom, Guy surprised me by taking me to another fabulous meal of soul food deliciousness at Fourway Restaurant. I had the best fried chicken served with greens, yams, cornbread and sweet tea. And we really toned it down from the BBQ place because we SHARED a dessert this time - lemon meringue pie. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Since never of us were too keen on going to Graceland (not to mention the hefty price of $25 per person just to get in), we decided to just drive by it, take a few pics from afar, and move along.

Later that night, we decided to head back to Beale Street, for a taste of the nightlife. We thought about heading to a club to see a local band play some live blues, but decided just to take in the sights (plus we could kind of hear the music from the streets for free anyways). It was a fun, lively vibe, and since alcoholic beverages are allowed on the streets, lots of people were outside. After enjoying a beverage each, we called it a night - the wild partiers that we are!

One final stop we made before heading out of Memphis was stop at the Juneteenth celebration to see a few acts perform and grab a quick bite. Due to the extreme heat (little did I know that would be nothing compared to what we have since encountered) it was a rather quick encounter, but glad we stopped.

By the way…are you wondering what we’re doing in Memphis after Niagara Falls? Hmmm. Well, let’s just say that we had a bit of “falling out” that led us quietly back to Minnesota for a short period, where we re-evaluated things and decided to give it another go - this time towards the south. As wonderful as our travels have been, life on the road certainly isn’t always easy! So, I’ll leave it at that, and hope to have many more stories to come. :)

niagara falls

After we left the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in South Dakota, we stopped in Minneapolis for a brief visit with family and friends. It was a bit abrupt and strange to be home, especially since we weren’t planning on it and stayed such a short time. It was really wonderful to see everyone, as brief as it was. From there, we decided to head to Niagara Falls, by way of Canada. We were quite underwhelmed by what we saw on our drive through Canada. I was really hoping for some beautiful scenery, but instead what we saw consisted almost exclusively of pine trees and concrete. I’m certain there are a lot of stunning places in Canada, but we unfortunately didn’t get to see any. After camping one night we made it to Niagara Falls the following evening. I had read somewhere that the falls were lit up at night, so we decided to check it out. I really enjoyed it, probably more than when we looked at them again the next day in the light. It was a very magical, mystical, almost eerie feeling as we walked along the dark paths looking at the rushing waters in the changing colored lights. It went from misty to sprinkling, to full on drenching rains as we wandered around…an unforgettable experience.

The next day we visited the falls again, this time with full sunlight. We started out on the U.S. side, then headed down to take the “Maid of the Mist” boat tour. The ride was definitely worth it, since it brings you right to the foot of the falls, complete with wildly rocking boat, water splashing in your face, and most importantly, the beautiful blue poncho that all passengers don. After our tour, we ventured to the Canada side of the falls, which had a much better view. Also on the Canada side was a whole sub “city” that I would quite frankly like to block out of my memory. It is quite possibly every pre-teen’s dream (and there were plenty of them present there) and the equivalent of a giant fun house, with blaring music coming from every building, wax museums and cheesy tourist gift shops. I told Guy I didn’t want to take any photos there because I didn’t want to remember anything!

Overall, Niagara Falls was a fascinating site, and would definitely recommend seeing it from a different vantage point, especially at night.

standing rock

South Dakota, Part 2:

When it came time to head to McLaughlin, SD to do our volunteer stint, I was beyond ready to get there. Since both of our computer’s batteries were dead and we had no access to the Natural Law Institute’s (the place we were volunteering at) phone number or address, we asked some people in town where Robert White Mountain (the Institute's leader) lived. The city is so small, the kids we asked knew right away where he lived. We had no idea what to expect of the facilities we would be residing in or what type of activities we would be doing as part of our volunteering. As we drove through town we spotted the red house on the corner the kid described to us. When we knocked on the door, a friendly woman named Beth answered the door and asked if we were Guy and Heidi. She welcomed us in, and shortly thereafter Robert came home.

The afternoon was spent with Robert telling us what the reservation was like, some Native American history, and allowed us to get to know one another. I think every American is aware of the fact that over a century ago Native Americans were stripped of their land and either killed or forced onto tiny Indian reservations. And most people are also aware of the poverty and less than desirable living conditions that presently exist on those very reservations. But it certainly was eye-opening to learn more about and be surrounded by these depressing circumstances. Robert shared with us that in the year 2009, there were an astonishing 21 suicides in 24 days. Or was it 24 suicides in 21 days? Either way, the suicide rate is off the charts on the reservation and was referred to as the suicide capital of the U.S., second only to the rate in Japan. 85% of the residents are unemployed, and 90% are alcoholics. 100% of the people are certainly affected by alcoholism. There are high rates of crime and poverty, and many young people are involved in gangs. As one might imagine, there is a general atmosphere of hopelessness and despair. After listening to all of these disheartening facts, I certainly felt that way as well.

In telling us about Native history, Robert brought up the fact that Native Americans culture included following, respecting, and gaining life through the buffalo. When the white man came to live in America, buffalo were over-hunted and reduced from millions to about 1,000. Coupled with the fact that Native Americans were held captive, no longer allowed to roam and follow the herds to hunt them (in a manner than never exploited the buffalo), their way of life was suffocated, and both the Natives and the buffalo suffered. The beautiful balance had been destroyed, and Native Americans literally starved, and were forced into a restricted and cruel life on what was, and still is, a concentration camp. Robert referred to his city as “Bear Soldier.” It is technically the town of “McLaughlin,” named after the man who killed Sitting Bull, a great Lakota leader. How sick is it that these Native Americans have to reside in a city named after the man who killed their revered leader? Not only that, but there is an “Indian curfew” siren - originally put in place decades ago, letting folks know that any Indian still on the street after that point could be “fairly” shot. It still sounds every night. It made my stomach churn listening to it. Really, it felt like a concentration camp. How is it possible that this still exists today? How can people think that racism still doesn’t exist today? But then I think back home to North Minneapolis, and remember that the ghettos across the country are all living this same terrible reality.

It was fascinating to listen to Robert talk about his culture, Lakota history, traditions and leaders. What a beautiful way of life the Lakota people had, before it was destroyed. Well, almost destroyed. It seems as though Robert and his wife have really taken it upon themselves to turn things around…not just for their city, but their reservation, their tribe and the world. They started the Natural Law Institute as a place for people to learn about Native history, culture, and traditions. A place for people to come to feel safe, connected and positive about their future. They bought their house a few years ago for $7,000, in hopes of one day using the entire building as their community center. Until then, they use it as both a gathering place and their home where they live with each other, their one year old baby Cante, Robert’s adult son, and daughter with four small children. The extended family took a few days to really warm up to me and Guy, but once they did they were all as warm and affectionate as could be. Cante was adorable and already adopting his culture; any time mom or dad put on Native music he would grab hold of anything near to him, and “dance” by stomping his right foot up and down.

Back to the Institute…they currently have an internet station for anyone who wants to drop by and use a computer, beading classes, their own personal library for people to use, a sweat lodge, a recording studio for community members to use, a large orchard with fruit trees, a community garden, and a large organic garden for use by their family, as well as for community feeds (and as a general example of sustainable living). They hope to expand their services to creating earth homes - inexpensive housing made with dirt and sticks that is supposed to be warm in the winter, cool in the summer. They dream of having the orchard grow into a bigger sanctuary, as well as their own garden; “places people can come to heal” Robert says. Beth also plans on a place with horses, where kids can learn to ride and care for their own animals. They are just oozing with dreams and positivity the entire time we are there. In fact, they have gained the attention of human and animal rights activist Jane Goodall, who has offered her support in various ways to the Standing Rock Reservation. Robert is a strong believer in the power of his Lakota heritage, including the use spiritual ceremonies. He also is diligent in his writing, and wants to spread the word to world about stopping the “Indian Wars.” I am in awe of Robert and Beth’s very real, very natural optimism, and find it infectious. How can people living in this environment feel this hope and have such incredible vision? Robert says he is not an activist. I don’t care what he wants to call himself, he is an incredible person and leader. For more on The Natural Law Institute, visit http://www.thenaturallawinstitute.com/

So, beyond the beautiful vision that Robert shared with us during our visit, we were able to participate in some practical things to help out (which really didn’t amount to much, but we hope we at least put a dent in their “to do” list). We were asked if we’ve done a lot of gardening when we arrived, which of course we’ve done NONE of, but said we were happy to learn! We did quite a bit of weeding, and some planting of vegetables in their garden, and got their sweat lodge cleaned up for a new season. Another young man, Orion, arrived while were there (he’s staying for the entire summer), who was quite the gardening expert, and helped guide us with planting.

During our final day at Robert and Beth’s, Robert planned on taking us on a trip to the Grand River, for a special “project.“ One of the that they want to do is make clothes from animal skins for their son, and hope to make and sell clothes in the future (they hope to celebrities!). Last fall, they put out a sign asking for people to donate their deer hides in hopes that they’d get a few. They ended up getting about 25. Robert explained to us that the old tradition of preparing hides to make clothes includes soaking them in the river so that the hair falls off and the fish eat any membranes or fat remaining on the hide. Do you see where I’m going with this story? Well, we agreed to participate in this process in any way that we could, and said we were here to help.

Robert led us into the back of the yard, past “Dirty White Boy” (their dog), to the place that the hides had been residing since LAST FALL. He mentioned that they had salted the hides in attempts to preserve them, but honestly didn’t know what condition they’d be in since they’d be in plastic garbage bags all winter and thawed out this spring (not to mention it was now the end of May). As we approached the large mound, a terrible odor permeated the air, and I saw swarms of flies hovering over the garbage bags of which I did not want to know the contents thereof. Guy and I exchanged nervous glances and began hauling the bags over to the family’s mini-van. As Orion and I stood next to each other waiting for our next instructions, I noticed him staring at the ground with a disgusted look. As I followed his gaze, I discovered, to my horror, what he was looking at. Maggots. This was distinctly what I had been fearing. A clump of maggots sat on the sidewalk, taunting me, leaving me to wonder how many more there would be when we opened the many bags of deer hides. As we were loading the bags into their mini-van, I noticed Guy popping in and out of our own van, where he was frequently applying sanitizer to his hands. I laughed. When all of the hide bags were finally loaded into the vehicle, we covered them with a tarp, baby Chante was tucked into the back seat, and we were off. I can only imagine the smell in that van.

When we arrived at the Grand River, Robert told us that we should collect some strong sticks in order to create stakes to which we would attach rope to hold the hides. After we got a good pile of branches, Orion began sharpening the ends so they could be driven into the ground. Guy grabbed some of the sticks to hammer them along the river bank. And that left me to…well, assist with the hides, I guess. I couldn’t very well just stand there and do nothing! So I stood alongside of Robert and told him to instruct me what to do. Of course I was terrified as I took the first hide out of the bag, fearing the large clump of maggots I saw earlier, picturing them falling on my lap. Fortunately, this hide was maggot-free. “You take the thickest part of the hide where there is a lot of fat left - the neck - and make a small cut through it.” Fat? Neck? Cut? Sure, I can do this, I thought, I just can’t think about what I’m doing. So after struggling to make the cut (yes, it WAS thick, and not as easy as it sounds), Robert then showed me how to tie the rope to the hide and to the stake and toss it into the river. And there you have it. I did it! As we went along the river, we were running low on rope, and decided to string three hides together at a time. It was also becoming increasingly difficult to climb up and down the river, so the boys were just dropping the hides down to me to tie up. I don’t know if you’ve ever had the opportunity to throw deer hides in the river, but let me tell you if you haven’t had the pleasure: trying to throw three deer hides in one few swoop is no easy task. In fact, they’re pretty heavy. As I tried to swing them back and forth to gain enough momentum to propel them into the water, they were flapping against my entire body repeatedly, leaving chunks of hair on my clothes. Needless to say, I smelled like rotting deer hides for awhile.

I definitely found some humor in the fact that neither of the boys so much as touched a hide during this experience (no Guy, holding them by a rope to lower them down to me does not count as “touching"), but I think Robert found even more humor in it and referred to me as being like one of the old fur trappers...or something like that.

Since we left shortly after our deer hide encounter, I don’t know what ended up happening to the hides. Did they float away? Are they hairless and fat-free? Will they be used to clothe Suri Cruise? We will have to check in with Robert and Beth to see what the current status is, but regardless of the outcome it was certainly an unforgettable experience for me!

All in all, the time we spent at the Standing Rock Reservation has definitely been the most meaningful for me. I really enjoyed learning everything we did, and wished we had more time there. I hope to visit there again some day soon.

south dakota

For the first part of our stay in South Dakota, we did the typical tourist-y type things. The first night was spent at the Black Hills National Forest, followed by a day of full of attractions. First we went to the town of Deadwood - where gunslingers Wild Bill and Calamity Jane had a short stay during the Gold Rush in the late 1800’s. The town has capitalized on that to the nth degree, where every casino, bar and gift shop either has “Wild Bill” or “Gold” in the title. I’m sure the town is a little more lively in the summer, when they do re-enactments of Wild Bill’s murder. We went into one museum focusing on some of the Wild West history, and went on our way.

Next we made a stop at Wind Cave National Park, where we were able to join the last tour of the day. The cave’s only natural entrance has huge gusts of wind rushing in and out due to the changes in the pressure outside of the cave, and the day we were there it acted as a natural air conditioner. The cave tour was very interesting, and its known for its “boxwork” which looks like honeycomb lattice covering the walls of the cave.

After the cave we took a drive to the Crazy Horse Memorial, an unfinished sculpture of the Native American warrior Crazy Horse, known for his refusal to sign treaties or live on government ordained reservations. This grand work of art was started decades ago, and still has a long way to go until it is finished, but it was fascinating to see, even from a distance (we didn’t want to pay the steep entrance costs!). Upon completion, it will be the world’s largest sculpture (all four heads of Mount Rushmore could fit in Crazy Horse’s face). Speaking of those famous heads, our last stop of the day was Mount Rushmore National Memorial. I had visited this memorial for the first time when I was seven years old, and it was raining - causing the faces to look as though they were crying. As we walked towards the memorial, it immediately started raining - just like stepping back in time! Although it was neat to see the sculpture, I think Guy and I had more fun taking “creative” photos; one to make him look as though he were another president, and one of me puckering up to George.

The next day brought back more memories for me as we headed towards Wall Drug. This place is so hilariously kitschy, and definitely unforgettable. Though it had been 24 years since I was last there, the same oversized jackalope (as well as several statues) was there for posing and photographing. For those who haven’t been there, this is the essence of Wall Drug - to pose by these hilarious props and take pictures. There are also gift shops, lots of historical photographs, as well as the free ice water (that’s what got this place on the map during a time that ice was a luxury), and the unbelievable deal of 5 cent coffee! The same trip that brought me to Mount Rushmore when I was seven also included a stop at Wall Drug, as well as the Badlands. And when I think about the times the van seems a little small for two, I imagine the four members of my family crowded in a vehicle of the same size and wonder how in the world my parents tolerated it!

The Badlands were even more beautiful than I remembered. While they resemble other colorful rock formations we’ve seen at other national parks, I love the softness and give these rocks have when you walk on them - almost like a cushioning effect. We took a scenic drive through the park and hiked on a small trail through the rocks themselves. Our final stop for the day was at the Minuteman Missile silo launch site. For several decades, the Great Plains stored thousands of gigantic missiles headed at the U.S.S.R., in order to detract them from shooting their missiles at us. It was a bit eerie when Guy and I went to the launch site where no one was around for miles, knowing that had we been at this exact site years ago, we would have been in BIG trouble (as the sign warned “deadly force” could be used against us).

At this point of the trip, we were supposed to be heading to the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, where we were planning on volunteering with an organization called “The Natural Law Institute.” When Guy checked his email for the address and directions, he got a message from the leader saying his mother died, and he would need us to wait several days before we could come over. We were sorry to hear of his loss, and decided we would wait in South Dakota a few days rather than skip over this part of our trip. Unfortunately, we were in the dowdy town of Pierre for a few nights, which doesn’t have much to offer, but went to the city of Mobridge to camp by the Missouri River for a few days (which was much more pleasant).

The second half of our South Dakota visit will be up next…soon.