MEMPHIS

Memphis, what a leg that turned out to be.
We arrived in Memphis around sevenish, got a room at the 5 star (!) Motel 6 since that was all that was available due to it being Memphis In May that week(I never got the memo, honest).
So after bitching out the receptionist due to no hot water and no TP we headed to the Butchers Shop for a steak dinner with all the trimmings.
So on the ride back I keep hearing this sound like an air raid siren that I thought was part of the MIM festival.
Turns out it was the tornado warning system they use for the city for incoming tornado touchdowns.
So that was the beginning of a long night and an even longer next day trying to get to Nashville, which when we discovered that ALL the roads were closed, turned to plan B.
Trouble was, there was no plan B.
But meanwhile, Monday morning on the way to a Starbucks to get coffee for the troops, I passed a really cool looking cycle shop called Super Cycle that had an old 40`s Harley in the front window. I have to go there, gotta take a looksee.
So back I went, Grumpy in tow.
Well, what a blast from the past. Turns out it`s been owned for the last 40 years by Ron and Lew Elliott, and they`ve bought, sold,built and collected some pretty amazing stuff in that time. And when these guys start talking, well, grab your coffee `n a chair son.
                                                         
The Elliot Bros.

 This guy bought alot of bikes from them:

In fact the trike in the picture above was the last bike Elvis got the Elliotts to build before he died.
Like I said, a step back in time here.
So as I`m talking with Ron, he`s telling me the story of the time they got burglarized and robbed, at least attemped robbery. Turns out Ron ended up shooting the would be robber 4 times, he made it about eight blocks before he just lay down `n quit, but not before he got a shot off at Ron.
But in Rons own words, he didn`t get any vital organs, "He just shot me in the head ".
You can`t make this stuff up !!.

Back to the Elliotts shop, they had a lot of old Memphis PD Harley Davidson Servicars that they had restored,

Ron`s first bike,a Triumph

Lews Indian

Reserve Gas instructions

So in Rons back yard outhouse, he had this, I never got around to asking why.

Murph

AUSTIN

I love this town.I always said if you blindfolded someone and dropped them in Austin, they wouldn`t think it`s Texas. It`s such a cool town.Very bohemian and fun. It has a great flavor to it.
Here`s Russ and his Caferaceraustin food Trailer, with his daily driver Royal Enfield.
Great place on 1st street to grab a sammich and sit and watch Austin go by.
His site is here

Then a few blocks down is Sean

and his place

http://www.austinmotoclassics.com/

and this neat `78 Ironhead chopper

Murph

MAY 2nd,CAUGHT IN THE STORMS IN TENNESSEE

Oh man, what a day, we are in the middle of it. We`re stuck.

I-40 is shut down in both directions, rivers are now overflowing their banks, houses are floating away.
It`s really bad here, the traffic on I-40 East was backed up for about 20 miles.
We had to run the shoulder to get out. It`s really a bad situation for the people who live here, very very bad.
There`s already nearly 10 deaths from people getting swept away and drowning.
I wouldn`t have believed it if I hadn`t driven through the middle of it.
Hopefully we can get out of here tomorrow, Monday,and head toward PA.
You can read more about it here

And this is BEFORE it crests....

This is what Nashville looks like now..

Murph

ZEN AND THE ART OF STILT HOUSE CAMPING

So as I`m motoring my way along Hwy 98 West in the Florida Panhandle with a spectacular view of  Apalachee Bay, I eventually end up down in Carrabelle.  It`s about that time of the day that I start thinking of where to set up my tent for the night,so as I leave Carrabelle behind en route to Apalatchicola, I noticed that a lot of the beach homes on the Gulf side were either vacant or in forclosure, with some lots having no houses - thanks to Hurricane Wilma.

Here`s one of the lots that I came across with a campfire ring included in the deal:

So that spot was put under the Plan B column, because I really wanted to keep moving froward to Appalatchicola.   When I got to Appalatchicola, I stopped at Chef Eddies Cass`s place - Magnolia Grill, for a bowl of seriously to die for lobster & shrimp bisque.  If anyone can do a killer Lobster Bisque, it`s Eddie.

MAGNOLIA GRILL

As I`m enjoying my coffee, I get talking to two ladies: one of whom lives on St.George Isalnd (the other is just a visiting friend) and she asks where I`m staying?  So I tell her I`m looking for a tent spot.

So she tells me to go over the bridge to St.George, go down to 7th st and there`s a number of homes on the beach that are empty.

Here`s where I ended up for the night,ocean view,beautifull sunset.

Complete with swing chair.

SUNSET

The St.George Lighthouse

Little did I know that it was the calm before the storm.  The next day I ended up with a deceased GPS, trying to navigate west through the traffic of New Orleans and Houston.

ARRIVAL IN AUSTIN TX.

Well,I got to Austin about 5am Tuesday morning.  I went a little faster than I thought for a few reasons:
- the first being I was being chased by a nasty storm.

...so as I took shelter, I decided to rehydrate.

Therin lay the dilemma: should I be patriotic and go with the Irish Rose,or should I go ghetto and do the Mad Dog ?

Decisions, decisions.

Screw it, I`ll just have a coffee Mr.Pattell - cream, no sugar please......

The second reason was that my new GPS puked, so I decided to navigate the living hell that is Houston by night rather than fight the daytime traffic relying solely on my celestial navigation skills.

Anyway, back to Sunday at 4:30 am - all packed and ready to go.

And a stop in Ocala at the Don Garlits Museum,housing many of Don's record breaking dragsters from the `50`s up to the present.

Don Garlits.

As I was leaving I found Jesus.  I could`ve sworn that he rode a BMW but all things considered, we`re all travellers on the highway of life.

Can I get a hallelujah brother?.

Highway 98 to Appalatchicola.

 Wakulla River Bridge.

Magnolia,  the town that once was.

Highway 98 near Appalatchicola

Apalatchicola, Florida.

End of Stage 1 with Greg in Round Rock.

The Trip Route.

Click Link for larger image

LINK TO MAP

So As The Trip Countdown Begins.......

....I spent the morning with my friend Andy and the Broward County Habitat For  Humanity group on a house project.I met the Roof Dawgs and had a great time.HERE is their website..
Here`s a picture from today.Hi to any of the group checking in on my  blog.
All the best,Murf.
PS,I just noticed that Andy`s not in the pic !!.Sorry Andy !!

Click picture for larger image.

Benini Sculptures near Johnson City,TX.

So Greg in Austin, TX went out on his 2010 Kawi Concours today and sent these pics...
May 1st we head out on a 4000 ml round trip which i`ll be documenting also.
Some great pics, thanks Greg. Bike looks good.

As every biker knows, proper denture alignment is critical to optimal high speed performance.

Before....

After...