Walking In Memphis

Remember this post? When I gnashed my teeth about the conflict between going to Memphis and my choir concert? Well, I stopped gnashing and wrote an email to the choir director saying I'd be unable to sing for the Christmas concert but I'd love to rejoin the group in January if it was alright with her. Her response? Sure! So much drama for nothing. That director sure plans to keep me on my toes with her unpredictable reactions.

Jay spent the week leading up to his marathon in Chicago for RSNA (Radiological Society of North America) conference and flew to Memphis from there so when I made the decision to go to Memphis, I planned on keeping it a secret and surprising him.

Well, that plan lasted all of two days when I blurted out my change of plans to a fellow choir member right in front of him. With the surprise botched, we made our plans for the weekend together. Obviously...the marathon was a big part of the weekend but we got tickets to see Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley, as well.

Thanks to the kindness of my friend, Michelle, and in-laws, Vaughn and Patty, who graciously watched my boys, I left for Tennessee early Friday morning. Jay and I flew into Memphis within a half hour of each other and picked up our rental car. It is the second time we were given a Chevrolet HHR.

I'm sorry, but that is one ugly car. If you have one, I have one question for you: How do you stand the little windows? I felt like I was driving around in a clown car. Still, it was nice to have the freedom that comes with having access to your own means of transportation.

That evening we went to the marathon expo, found a PEI WEI to eat at so Jay could carbo load, and figured out where the best spots might be for me to cheer on the marathon course.  I also finished Crow Lake by Mary Lawson.  I love flying because I almost always get to read a ton with all that uninterrupted boredom.  Great book!

Jay jogged down to the start line early Saturday morning and I slept for an extra hour because our hotel was right next to mile four and all I had to do was walk a few blocks to see him run by there around 8:30.  Right on schedule, the runners started coming.  First, I saw these elite runners:

They finished almost exactly like this too.  The finish was neck and neck.

I was right across the street from what is known as The Pyramid.  Memphis's name comes from a city in Egypt along the Nile.  Thus...the pyramid, I guess.

Not much long after, I spied Jay and his easy-to-spot-turquoise shorts.  As a near professional running spectator, I have learned to appreciate any effort made that makes my job of finding him easier.  These shorts do exactly that.  

After Jay ran by, I headed downtown to where I could see him at mile 13.  As I walked along some of the race course, I saw the hoards of marathoners and half-marathoners who were making their way along.  This was at about mile 3 and I was a little shocked to see so many participants already walking.  

Jay chose the Memphis marathon for a variety of reasons (timing, Saturday schedule, different state, positive reviews), but one was that it was a supposed flat and fast course.   He had a soft goal of breaking three hours and knew that he had a chance on this course.   He said he wouldn't consider it a very hilly course but every time I saw him, he was running up a hill.  At least, this is a hill in my book.

He made a turn into downtown and I walked two blocks to where I could see him at mile 14 and a half.  Again, another hill.  But, clearly, he's feeling good at this point.

Then it was wait time.   The finish line was in the city's minor league baseball stadium so I found a spot around first base close to the finish line.  At the 2:50 mark, I started to feel really nervous.   This was Jay's fifth marathon and you never know what's going to happen.  If he's going to hit a wall, or get hurt, or....whatever else can happen, you just don't know.  It's a frustrating sport to cheer for because they need your cheers (I think having me there helped) but you don't actually get to see them to cheer for them that much.  When the three hour mark came and passed, I felt bummed for him but also less anxious because now I wasn't willing him around that corner every passing second.

Only a few minutes later, those turquoise shorts appeared and he made his triumphant entry into the park.  I was so happy for him because he ran a great race.

His official time is 3:03:43.  He finished eighth in his age group and thirty-fourth over all.  Seriously proud of him!  And, for good or for bad, there will be other marathons to try and beat that three-hour barrier.  

Doesn't he look like he's having fun?

We walked the mile back to our hotel and I was impressed with how well he was doing physically.  He was less than impressed.  He said, more than once, "Shoot.  I feel too good.  That means I didn't run hard enough."  Whatever.  I was just happy that he felt good enough to spend the rest of the day out and about.  I know if I had just run 26.2 miles, I would not be saying, "O.K.  Let's go!" at anytime.  I'd be more likely to demand that someone carry me and rub my feet.

Once he was showered, we hopped in the rental box and drove to Graceland.  Yes, we did sing Paul Simon's song the entire way.  In fact, it's still stuck in my head. "Graceland, Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, I'm going to Graceland.  Poor boys and pilgrims with families and we are going to Graceland."

I've never been a big Elvis fan but found a tour of his life and home fascinating.  Really fascinating.  You should definitely go should you ever been in the Mississippi Delta, that shines like a national guitar.  There I go again.

The front of the mansion, which is surprisingly kind of...well...modest.  I mean, it's a mansion and totally gaudily decorated as befits someone who is a star and can do whatever he wants with the place, but it also had a definite "home" feel to it.  Like it was obvious he enjoyed actually being there.

The living room. The entire home is permanently stuck in 1977.   Probably not the most fortunate year in terms of color and style to be remembered but Elvis certainly had fun with the trends of the time.

The kitchen.

The family room aka Jungle Room.  The ceiling is also carpeted in green shag.  

In the basement is his mirrored TV room.  He was so fancy he had three TV installed so he could watch the three networks all at once.

And this pretty room had the same fabric from the couches on the walls AND ceiling.

The stairs from the basement back to the jungle room.  Elvis really loved carpet and mirrors.  Or somebody who was a real smooth talker did.

The backyard of Graceland.

In the trophy room are all of his Gold Records.  He really had a lot of hits.

Priscilla and Elvis's wedding clothes.  

He got really into raquetball and had a court built that has since been converted to another museum of sorts.  It housed several of his (in)famous jumpsuits.  The suits are all cut exactly the same with the different embellishments setting them apart.  Replicas could be bought in the gift shop for a mere $1500, in case you were interested.

He is buried outside next to his parents, stillborn twin, and grandmother.

After our Graceland and surrounding grounds tour, we went and ate some of the best barbecue food I've ever had.   It was at a little hole in the wall called The Barbecue Shop and I'd never have gone in had I not read great reviews online.  Jay got their famous ribs but since I typically avoid eating meat that comes attached to bones, I ordered the pulled pork sandwich.  Yummo!

The we drove and drove and drove trying to find some University of Memphis basketball shirts or mementos for the boys.  I have found that when I have a specific thing in my mind that I want to buy, it is almost impossible to find.  We jokingly called it Our Quest.  We finally found some.  In a suburban strip mall that had a Sports Authority.  But we did get to see a lot of Memphis with all our driving!

T-shirts purchased, we headed back downtown to walk through a famous hotel next called The Peabody (think Davenport for you Spokane folks) and then walked down to famous Beale Street, where many famous musicians have come to hang out and play.  It also happened to be Drunk Santa night which wasn't really our scene.  So, we stepped into the Hard Rock Cafe and ordered dessert.

Self portrait on Beale Street.

A little Bob Dylan display that caught Jay's eye.  To the left of his head is the drum head used by Larry Mullen Jr. when U2 recorded several of the songs for their Rattle and Hum album at Sun Studios in Memphis, where Elvis, Johnny Cash, BB King and others recorded albums.  

I was so tired that night.  I was a little embarrassed to admit to Jay that my feet hurt since they had covered about 25 less miles than his but we made it back to the hotel and both crashed.  

Did you know that Memphis is right next to the Arkansas AND Mississippi state lines?  Well...I didn't but once I did, I was determined to include all three states in my weekend stop.  So, over the Mississippi river we went!

Such a magnificent river.

Now, we drove through West Memphis in Arkansas and stopped to buy a soda to legitimize our visit and that is one sad little town.  Wow.  That is poverty USA.

Next, we headed on over to Mississippi!

We filled our rental car up with Gas in this state to make it official and then headed back up to Tennessee and the airport.



It was a great, great trip.  Definitely the right decision to go and be with Jay instead of running around singing, "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch."  I think I had a smile on my face the entire weekend.  It was that fun.