guzzi in the south, part deaux.........

[Dave Bell]

My GPS was set on "Curvy Roads".  I ended up going through the heart of Nashville.  At noon.  In 95 degrees.  I did see Vanderbilt, but when I got to the Opryland Marriot I was not in a mood to sight see.  I went across the street and walked through Ernest Tubb's record shop which has his tour bus inside. I was tired.  Next day I went to Memphis on some curvy roads and stayed at the Peabody for 2 days.  I'm glad I did, it's an experience and it's close to many interesting things.  I could walk to Beale in 5 minutes, civil rights museum in 20. 



.  I lucked out.  It was bike night on Beale.  Quite the zoo.  Drank two "big ass beers" and saw a cool BMW 

[Dave Bell]

...and this former CHIPS bike, according to a random guy standing there  Just my opinion, Beale Street is better than New Orleans, which is way too intense.  Beale is maybe 5 blocks long and if you leave, you are out of the chaos in about a 100 feet. 

[Dave Bell]

BMW 

The best museum, in my opinion as a 66 year old guy who grew up in Texas, but whose liberal democrat parents did a lot of civil rights activism, and who remembers with horror the fate of the freedom riders and the assassination of Dr. King, is the Civil Rights Museum.

It is in the Lorraine Motel, where MLK was killed by James Earl Ray.

[Dave Bell]

Room 306.  Inside the museum, you end up looking directly into the room, with Dr. Kings bags open, a book he was reading propped up, and the bed unmade. 

[Dave Bell]

I almost forgot to go to Sun Studios.  Here is a microphone that was used for all the recording.  It was sung into by Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Bono (U2's Rattle and Hum was recorded there), Carl Perkins, and countless others.  They let you touch is with a warning not to kiss or lick it (?)> 

[leafman60]

Dave, I'm glad you made those attractions!  Awesome!

[Dave Bell]

Oddly, Jerry Lee Lewis, who married 7 times but only got divorced 5, and was married to his 13 year old 2nd cousin once, has survived to open a club on Beale at the age of 79.  Here is his car.....

[Dave Bell]

I really loved the tour of the Gibson Guitar Factory.  I have owned some good Gibson Guitars, including this one that I first played in my band the Whirlwinds  . 

[Zoom Zoom]

Cool pics Dave! 

I have to ask, THAT very guitar, or one just like it?

PS: I hope to see you in Ohio.

John Henry

[Dave Bell]

Here's Jerry Lee and the Cuz.....  it is said that the parents of the 13 year old were upset, but forgave the killer pretty quick.  It is also said that Lewis couldn't visit England, not because he was defined as a child molester but because he failed to divorce an earlier life and was a bigamist. 

[Dave Bell]

Cool pics Dave! 

I have to ask, THAT very guitar, or one just like it?

PS: I hope to see you in Ohio.

John Henry

Not that one.  One like it.  I also wasn't very good and just used it to play the top four strings for our cheap version of a bass guitar.  Later, we got some good stuff, including a Model 55 Shure Mic like that one in the picture and a Fender Stratocaster, which I bought in 63 for $125.

[Guzzistajohn]

Thanks for the tour, looks like fun. Been to Hot springs yet? The Buckstaff is nice, mineral bath, needle shower, massage oh yea!

[Zoom Zoom]

Good grief, I don't know much,(if anything), about guitars, but I know you got the deal of the century there. Of course hind sight is 20/20.

John Henry

[Dave Bell]

Well that's sort of it.  I went to Hot Springs and got a killer massage at Thai Mi (so far, not one person has quipped "Thai mi up, Thai mi down".  However, the massage was totally legit by a woman named Jeanette whom I highly recommend and can make you weak in the knees.

Note on the performance of the little Guzzi:  I love the v7 Stone.  I weigh 270# and am 6'1".  I can do 400 miles in a day on the bike.  It runs rough for a few minutes, when cold, but is totally reliable so far, and I deliberately did some 80 mph on the slab home.  Mileage was 50+ on the Parkway, down to 41 when slabbing.  The only problem was that the aux lights I mounted vibrated loose and I lost one screw so I zip tied it and got home. 

I'm going to do the 6000 mile maintenance as soon as I get the plugs and oil filter, so I'll be anxious to see how the plugs look. 

[decotriumph]

Thanks for the tour, Dave. It looks like you had a great trip.

[oldbike54]

 :1: On the civil rights museum . Thanks for the tour Dave 

 Funny story about the pyramid . I was taking a trip to Charleston SC for work after Hugo smashed up the SC coast . My traveling companion , now known to be a BS artist of the 1st degree , tried his best to convince me the Pyramid was a modern trash incinerator 

  Dusty

[balvenie]

Who would have thought to see a car like that with the twin spares?

Bikes were good too