04-09-11 - Momma said there’d be days like this

04-09-11
Momma said there’d be days like this
140,8 Miles
I leave Merriweather Lewis park along Natchez Trace planing to go to Florence & Muscle Shoals, Al and maybe even Tupelo, Ms today. (I may stay the night short of Tupelo at a campsite along the Trace called Tishomingo).
I take the Trace about 40 miles and see a turnoff for Florence just past Collinwood. It’s Highway 13. I should have known better than to take it. Less than 2 miles down the raod I pass a car , the front seat area of which is fully engulfed in flames. People observing from both the front & rear of the sedan. Like a cookout. I leave it to their capable hands and drive forward towards Florence. As soon as I cross the state line from Tennessee into Alabama the road designation changes to Highway 17 and I follow it. I pass a sign saying I’ve entered Florence, but it still seems a bit “rustic” for what I was expecting. I stop at a General store and ask the older woman behind the counter wearing adenim shirt with the sleeves neatly cut off and denim shorts just below the knee about where I could find a place with wifi - a McDonalds or Chic-Fil-A .
She says that if I just follow the road I’ll find it.
I do.
I get connected to the internet and find David Hungate has given me people I can contact about the studios there and get an interview for Alabama (which I have missed along with New Mexico).
I attempt to contact Roger Hawkins, but find my phone is no longer in service. I guess I waited too long to switch to a different phone provider. I DO own them, But I have been trying to select a replacement “Pay as you go” phone that was not on a contract or connected to AT&T. Plus funds have been difficult to generate lately and I had to choose between a place to sleep or gas money and paying last months bill, the phone lost out.
And now I’ve lost out - of a great opportunity to talk with someone who was directly involved with both studios in their prime.
I’m going to at least get pictures of the studios before I go into Mississippi.
I ask the people in the McDonalds how to get across the river to Mucle Shoals from here. I get directions, but they are heavily dependant on landmarks and pretty vague on street names.
I try to get google maps to help out but for some reason everything on the computer is going slow or my inverter shuts off (I’m presuming because of heat and humidity).
I take wood street and try to follow the directions I was given but also remember a brief glimps of the online map that showed I could take Tennessee St. which was a block or two before the Dr.Hicks Street, so I do that and that takes me to Court St.
As soon as I make the turn, mid block is a sign for the W.C.Handy home & museum. (At first I think it’s directing my to go thru the bank drive thru. I drive down the street indicated by the sign (I think) and eventually (they could have used another sign to assure people it was still ahead) I get there. I take a few pictures and think maybe I can get a brochure or something while I’m there. I can’t take the tour because of Mischa and the cost and I’m already “On a Mission”. The door is locked, thought the sign says it should be open. I walk back to the car and the dor opens and the woman says she forgot it was still locked. I guess I was the first visitor of the day. I get a few items to read about and then head across the wide Tennessee River. The Muscle Shoals Recording studio is closest…and it’s not in Muscle Shoals. I actually drive past it but come back and catch it. Two guys (carpenters) are working on it. I confirm that it is (or was ) the Studio location.
I head into Muscle Shoals proper and down to Avalon and it’s RIGHT THERE! One business off the corner and touting “where it all began”. It looks fully functional and surprisingly out of place amidst all the retail businesses and traffic out the front door. It’s like a freakin’ Jack in the box!
I try to fix the phone problem by getting a phone at the Walmart. I go there and ask questions and am told to go to the Florence lacation for a better phone than they had to offer at this store. I get two sets of directions from the salesperson and a customer who was standing by waiting. I get lots of “Directions by landmark” and not streets. The woman says to take “this street all the way to “Willard” and go over the bridge. Take the first right. Follow that road till it curves by the water treatment plant - follow it up till you see it on top of the hill on the left. You can’t miss it”
People often discount my ability to “Miss it”!
First I confirmed the one street name she gave me W-I-L-L-A-R-D? No Wheeler!
Ah.
I drive down “that road till it dead ends. No Wheeler. There’s a Wilson and a Webster that might have looked like they could at some point have lead to another bridge across the Tennessee river than the one I came across (from Court St in Florence.)
So I give it up and head back to get to the Trace and head into Mississippi to begin that week.
I take the wrong road. Oh, it will get me there, but instead of joining the Trace in Mississippi, I have gone back to the Road that takes me into Tennessee.
Oh Well, I get to cross the state line and Tennessee River for the third time today.
I decide to just pass thru Tupelo tomorrow on the way to Clarksdale and stay the night in Tishomingo State Park.
I pick the spot. It’s lovely and close to the Bathrooms with a shower (I can shave!)
I pay for the site, go back and put up the tent and as I’m settling in…a couple with their very young child take the spot just next to me. Groovy.
The very young child is prone to temper tantrums which both parents indulge.
I go into the small town of Tishoming, a little over 3 miles from camp. It is a very small, very old town. Maybe 3-6 intersections. The general store has wifi…and a reasonable rate for gas ($3.54) I get 15 gals and pay for a bag of ice that I’ll pick up before I leave. Fine. But I want to get $2.00 in quarters because the soda machine at camp is dispensing sodas for only .50c. Unheard of! I get my soda refilled for FREE at the general store, but they can’t give cash back. I’m directed to a store I can’t see. “See the silver truck over there? Its’ beyond that!) “Sunflower market” And they will give cash back with a pruchase. I buy an orange and a reduced bottle of Simply Fresh “Limeaide”.
I have my internet, a short drive, Ice - I’m a happy man!
Back at camp I return and the neighbors are gone - the tents are still there, but no ones home. I put things away, get a little meal for Mischa & Myself and start to type up past notes. The neighbors return with another couple and their child. The other child is slightly older and better behaved. The toddler is a terror.
I end up going in to write as the kid’s baying is jut too much. Eventually they take the kid away in the van to hush him up. I guess it was past his bedtime and he was jut cranky (good - two of us!)
The adults stayed up talking till after 11pm by the fire. (I clocked ‘em.)
Next morning I was prepared to pack up early and go. Just finish off the writing from the night before and head off. But the brat is up early too. And roving (mostly) unrestrained.
The car is packed I take the shower and shave and off we go. (Thankfully!)