Memphis - Music and Motorcycles!

We got to Memphis TN yesterday and visited the Gibson Guitar factory first. This photo is for our good friend Dave Enos! 

We got an amazing tour at Sun Studio, where Elvis, Jonny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and others got their starts in music. This is a fuzzy photo of a photo of Elvis at age 18. The tour guide told incredible stories about the lives these musicians led before and after they became famous. 

Every Wednesday night is motorcycle night on Beale Street. There are hundreds and hundreds of 'em. All kinds, many tricked out in amazing ways. Lots of flashing colored lights and music blaring from huge Harleys.

Of all the motorcycles we saw, only ONE was driven by a woman on her own bike. That says something. Won't speculate as to what.

Today we visited this museum - it was amaaaaaazing. If you're in Memphis, you have to go there. It's actually a Smithsonian museum. I didn't realize the Smithsonian had museums outside DC.  

A great quote on a t-shirt in the gift shop. Sam Phillips was the founder of Sun Studio and Sun Records in Memphis. 

We also took a tour of Stax Recording Studios - another institution in Memphis. It's hard to get your head around the massive influence Memphis has had on American music.

This is the gold and blue Cadillac (with white fuzzy carpeting) that Isaac Hayes' bought after getting an Oscar in 1972 for the theme for "Shaft"

In addition to soaking up tons of Memphis music facts and fiction, we have managed to eat BBQ ribs 3 times in 2 days. And delicious pecan pie. Tomorrow is a long-trek day across Arkansas to Oklahoma City. We hope to catch some of the famous sights along sections of Route 66 along the way.