RogersSpring 2015

Graceland, Memphis, TN:  After our 99 mile drive to Memphis we immediately drove down Elvis Presley Boulevard and found our camp site at the conveniently situated Graceland RV Park.  As if we were on a mission, we quickly walked across the adjecent parking lot to the big sign that said Graceland Tickets.  We were still in the parking lot when the Elvis music started, he said, Don't Be Cruel.  I listened to Love Me Tender as I paid for our tickets.  With Heart Break Hotel on the thousand speaker PA system (they were every where), they herded us cattle on to buses and drove us across the street to beautiful landscaped grounds and the building behind the trees.  We drove through the music staffed gates and finally saw the mansion known simply as Graceland, Graceland, Memphis Tennessee as Paul Simon refers to it.  

The made us wear headphones, the music was now in stereo and we didn't need the PA system.  No worries if you removed the headphones as there was still music coming out of the walls.  Elvis was everywhere, Blue Hawaii, Jail House Rock. Folks, we were being been Elvis'ed every which way possible.  

They sure saved a lot of his stuff.  Along with the three hours of non stop music there were movies, photos, memorbilla, gold records, news articles, receipts, charity checks, posters, cars, airplances, toys, guitars, tvs, way too many Elvis performance suits, capes and other evidence of money well and not so well spent.  There was Hawaiian Elvis, army Elvis, movies Elvis, rock and roll 50's Elvis, Las Vegas Elvis, 68 Elvis and Graceland Elvis.  Tons of behind the scenes footage, photos and storys about the king.  What a day!  Even Hound Dog followed me when I visited the bathroom.  Sheesh!   Yes, we spent a little extra time in the Hawaiian Elvis Museum where they showed the 73 Aloha From Hawaii concert non stop on 4 monitors while you checked out the memorabilia.   Pretty awesome for two pineapples riding in a coconut across the US.

At the day's end we walked across the now empty parking lot, totally exhausted, back to the RV park.  Unconsciously, I was humming, Rock, Rock a Hula, I curled my lip.  But it's true my friends, you gotta see it if you get a chance and pay respect to the man we called the King.  Yep, he's was the KING, no two ways about it.  Uh-ah huh, I'm All Shook Up.  Thank ya, thank ya very much.