Great Smoky Mountains to Hot Springs Arkansa March 10 - 14

March 10
We are in central Tennessee. Emma had some internet work to do so she visited  the MacDonald's in Murfreesboro while I drove the  short distance to the Stone River National Battlefield. Historic military sites hold no appeal for Emma but I was happy for the opportunity to see the landscape of this critical Civil War battle.

More than 81,000 soldiers fought over this land in January 1863. More than 24,000 were killed or wounded before Confederate forces abandoned central Tennessee and regrouped further south. It was sad and thought provoking to walk where so many had perished.

We circled around Nashville and heade southwest to Meriwether Lewis Monument.
This small park is on the Natchez Trace and commemorates the untimely resting place of a great American hero.

To get to the monument, Magellan lead us on a merry chase through some beautiful rolling Tennessee countryside. We were shuffled from one small country road to another. It was slow going but quite beautiful.

Natchez Trace

The Natchez Trace is an historic trail taken by First Nations and early pioneers to go from Nashville Tennessee to Natchez on the Mississippi River. Meriwether Lewis was traveling along this route when he died in the small cabin below.

March 11
Our troubles with the hot water tank had gotten worse and we started the morning with cold showers. Quite an invigorating jump start to the day.

Maneuvering through freeways, we drove all the way into downtown Memphis. Once we found a place to park the RV we booked a city tour of this famous blues city.

Street murals added a flare of colour and fun to the City.

We loved Beale Street. This three block area is the historic centre of the Memphis blues scene.

Beale Street

Street musicians were playing, cool busking acts were happening and blues memormabilia was everywhere.
We sat down in Handy Park for half an hour and listened to outstanding music. 

 

Sidewalk plaques commemorated great blues artists and bands.Famous blues clubs and restaurants were everywhere.

Neat statues were sprinkled about the city.

Emma soaking up the sights.

Jim in two-fisted celebration. You get to walk around Beale Street with beer in hand. How cool is that? The bartender made the mistake of recommending two excellent ales and asked which I would like. He got my usual answer. Both. 

The restaurant food was also great and you got to listen to world class blues as you ate.

The Gibson Guitar Factory

The Fedex Centre is home court for the Memphis Grizzlies. This one hurt because the Grizzlies basketball team originated in Vancouver before it was moved to Memphis. I mentioned to our tour guide that many Vancouverites are still smarting from the loss of the Grizzlies. Big mistake!
Our tour guide found occasion to mention the MEMPHIS Grizzlies about 20 times as he showed us the sights of Memphis. Also known as home of the MEMPHIS Grizzlies.

Elvis Presley's Car

Graceland

Cool Old Memphis House

Sun Studio - Site of Elvis's First Recording Session

The Lorraine Motel

 Hernando De Soto Bridge over the Mississippi

 We crossed over the Mississippi into Arkansas. The terrain changed quickly and became very flat with few trees. There were a few wooded areas but for the most part land had been cleared for farming. We spent the night in a run-down RV park east of Little Rock.


March 12
The  terrain leading up to Hot Springs became much more treed and hilly. Hots Springs National Park is unique among national parks because the park is largely in the middle of the city of Hot Springs. The primary attraction is the hot water that bubbles out from the side of the mountain.

Over the years. many bathhouses were build to tap into the hot therapeutic spring water that flowed naturally from the mountainside.

Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs, Arkansas

The Maurice Bathhouse

Quapaw Bathhouse

Behind Bathhouse Row is the Grand Promenade where bathers would exercise before and after their therapeutic sessions.

The Grand Promenade

Emma and I arrived late in the day and just had time to tour around the outside of Bathhouse row. After a nice stroll along the Grand Promenade we went to Fat Jacks for supper. A local at the restaurant suggested we take Black Snake Road for a bit of a thrill.

Parking the RV in downtown Hot Springs was a challenge but getting out of town was worse.  It turned out that Black Snake Road was like a small goat trail over a mountain. Thrilling in a sports car no doubt but out of this world in a 28 foot RV. It was narrow and so windy we had to back the RV up twice to get around the mountainside switchbacks. We ended up on the other side of the mountain and had no choice but to retrace our path back up and over the switchbacks. Emma threatened to walk.

On returning to Hot Springs, we found the correct turn and ended up in the Hot Springs National Park Campground after dark.

March 13

It was a beautiful warm spring morning without a cloud in the sky. We decided to walk the two miles around the mountain to bathhouse row. Towels and swim suits in hand we set out. 

The walk was beautiful and, as usual, Emma set a brisk pace. I hustled along as best I could while trying to take pictures and commune with nature.

Emma slowly motored off into the distance.

After two miles we emerged from the forest onto the Grand Promenade behind Bathhouse Row.

Emma on the Grande Promenade

We went to the  Quapaw Bathhouse for a truly refreshing time in the hot springs. Inside this grand edifice, the hot springs were flowing into three large marble wading pools. Each pool was at a slightly different temperature and we lounged about for a few hours. You really got a sense of the grandeur of the place and what it must have been like during its heyday in the roaring 20s. Babe Ruth and other famous celebrities must have had a blast. We sure did.

Fordyce Reading Room and Lounge

After the Quapaw baths we visited the Fordyce Visitor Centre. This venue no longer has functional baths but all of the other facilities have been restored You get an excellent sense of the grandeur of the original bathhouse experience. Hot Springs was a popular vacation retreat for movie stars and professional athletes. At one time, the bathhouses were like medical rehab facilities with gymnasium, massage rooms, reading rooms, treatment facilities and baths.

Stained Glass Windows at the Fordyce Bathhouse

 After our bath experience we did the tranquil two mile forested hike back to our RV.

Our winter vacation to the deep south was at an end and it was time to pack up, head to Dallas and catch our flight back to Vancouver, BC.

On our 2014 winter vacation in the southeastern United States we visited six national parks,  three national seashores, one national monument, one national memorial, one national military park, one national battlefield, one National Preserve and seven National Wildlife Refuges. We saw 138 different bird species and 16 animal species.