Hilton Garden Inn Tupelo,

... some clever mechanical advantage techniques from his Yosemite search and rescue days, the anchor finally emerged, woven tight amongst some steely fishing line and about a dozen hooks.

Despite the delay in setting off, we nevertheless passed through three locks that day (Nov 7), the tallest being the Jamie Whitten Lock and Dam at 84 feet.

Hello all! 

I think it finally set in that I was leaving tomorrow when I saw the jets on the runway.  My family decided to beat the traffic and head up to Memphis tonight for an early flight tomorrow.  We went to an Italian restaurant tonight, thanks dad!  
Anna Kate and I leave at 9:30 ish tomorrow for ATL, and then we will meet up with everyone in ATL to Tokyo.  My bags are packed, and I am ready to go on a long flight!  Im so excited!

 Yorushiku (Best Regards),  
 Casey

... miles to get to a restaurant, grocery store, or fast food place, and then biking back onto the Trace Parkway! Whew! In any case, we enjoyed getting acquainted, and were both amused by the people who have been concerned about each of us traveling alone, and telling us to be careful. We both agreed that we have had nothing but good experiences this whole trip; and decided that the people who are telling us about danger are feeding into their own fears!

... store patron. I would have thought that since I purchased a relatively new version it would have updated maps. Yeah, no. So I was supposed to follow 78W. I passed the sign for it but the lady never said to turn. I gave it a few miles to right itself, to no avail. So I turned around, because I sure as hell will trust a sign before I fully trust technology ;) (still a ludite at heart). Welp ...

Today we were told we were going to ride 70 miles. We have very specific maps and "turn sheets" so it seems we can rely on these things,but nooooo..... We rode and extra 12 miles which is very difficult on a bike at 86 degree weather. We had problems with the Hotel we booked. Somehow we were all confused because there are 3 buildings. the building we were to register at was in the very ...

... Everyone is amazed to see a BMW bike. They thought there never was such a thing!! These states are poor. Rural southern living is still tough. People are scared out here. Worried about the economy and their futures. These times hit the poor the hardest. They don't have a cushion. Took some photos but the camera is in my bike outside the tent...in the insect realm.Photo uploads will have to wait for another entry. Until tomorrow...

... we have happened across - both in terms of landscaping and hospitality, though it was 11 out of 10 for convenience on Elvis Presley Blvd, we journeyed to one that was the complete opposite and it was just a few miles to the humble home where Elvis was born. Standing in this tiny two roomed, wooden building, in the actual room where he was born in 1935, it wasn't hard to see what a struggle it must have been for ...

... but you have to admire what he did....... Long live the King. Also went to SUN Studios where Elvis made his first recording, it was also the studio where Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and many more famous artists launched there career. I used the original Microphone and stood on the spot where Elvis recorded his first song....... Thank you, thank you very much !!..... Oh and finally.... and seriously this was because we had a few hours ...

... fried up crisp and brown, served on a plate of southern hospitality, come on in. I stopped at Holly Springs, a few miles off the highway, a county seat. Parked by the courthouse square and walked around the block. The buildings are two stories high, painted, clean and neat, some white, some yellow, one teal-blue green. Shuttered windows, porches over sidewalks, a little bit of comfort here. Drove past the houses, yards so deep and wide, room to run and play ...