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I had a good sleep and a good breakfast. I loaded up the car and headed south on 50 to catch up on 231. I took 231 to 278. 278 is a fine road and I had fun taking the car around the corners. I wish I knew the roads better around here; I'm sure I could ride many miles of similar roads. Alas, 278 became 78, and 78 wasn't much less than an interstate. 78 goes through Tupelo, Mississippi, where Elvis Presley was born. I don't have anything against Elvis, and I find some of his music to be fine, but I'm not nuts about him. My girlfriend, Wendy, is into Elvis so I stopped in for some pictures and souvenirs.

I got back on 78 heading west. I stopped and hit a rest stop partway across the state, and boy did it open my eyes. I had noticed that there wasn't much in the way of business along 78, even though as far as I could tell it had everything an interstate does except the fences that surround them. However when I pulled over at the rest stop several things jumped out at me. There was plenty of parking but no lights, no power, no buildings, no water, just dirt trails leading into the woods. Well I did my business and moved on.

I hadn't looked too far forward on the map and as it turns out 78 goes through Memphis, home of Graceland. When I got to Memphis I couldn't very well pass up Graceland. According to the info I saw the tours would close in about 30 minutes so I skipped the mansion but did see the auto/motorcycle collection and the airplanes. Pretty cool.

After then it was past 6, had been raining hard, and I wanted to get some miles under my belt. The break-in period was pretty much over so I hit the slab and took I40 west. I40 is still plenty scenic. Little Rock looked to be a fine place to stop so I did. I found a nice inn (Country Inn & Suites) and checked in. I asked the person on duty about what sort of place had good fairly local food and wasn't a chain. After some thought and some wrong answers (like Chinese, steak houses, etc.) he remembers Granpa's Catfish house.

It was a little fun to get to but it was just what I was looking for. All sorts of catfish and catfish dinners, many all you can eat. On the walls are hanging all sorts of caps and on the floor are lots of hulls from roasted peanuts (no salt, just the way I prefer it). They were great. While the all you can eat meals were tempting I went for the broiler sampler. Cajun, Blackened & simply broiled catfish, served over brown rice, with a couple of hushpuppies. It was very good. I'm glad I didn't get the all you can eat; I would have gorged myself. I quickly finished my meal and left.

Back at the hotel I unloaded, including all of the souvenirs from Tupelo & Graceland. Keeping the car neatly loaded is a daily chore. Fortunately I am reading quite a few newspapers; they often provide the space I need to fit the stuff I buy.

Tomorrow I'll look a little closer at the map and head towards Houston or College Station (home of Texas A&M, where Debbie Furey lives). If it's raining, I'll slab it. Otherwise I'll look for more interesting roads.

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