Sunday in Memphis

Cool Sign!

Our hotel had a pretty good breakfast spread! And we really had no right to feel as perky as we did by 8:30 a.m. after walking 10 feet of of Beale on our way back to the hotel the night before...



ducks display mach 1 speed

But by a little after 10 a.m. Sunday we were on our way to the  Peabody Hotel, where the team and all the important ISU people were staying. That hotel has a ducky tradition - literally. Twice a day they parade ducks down the elevator and through the lobby to paddle around in the fountain. We weren't the only ones wishing to view the ducks. Thousands of our Cyclone brethren were also there. Before us. Evidently they weren't out late the night before - party poopers! Some had kids, so they get a pass. The ducks, despite having clipped wings, are super quick! They went by so fast...all I got was this blurry photo. Paul later got the fountain shot.

We heard crowds were even larger for the evening viewing. The story goes that years ago, duck hunters with Peabody connections, got into the Jack Daniels, so they never got out to actually hunt. Instead they snuck their live decoys into the fountain - and a tradition was born.

The Trolley was very cool!

I would like to go back and take some time at the museum near here

Next we decided to walk a block or so and hop on the Trolley for a fee of $1, and take a lap around town. The sun was shining and it was the warmest the city would get. We hopped off at the Lorraine Hotel where Martin Luther King was assassinated. It's being refurbished. There is a museum across the alley, but we didn't want to take time at that point to go through it.  We walked several blocks back to Beale - noting police presence along the way. There were some sketchy areas around there...

Along the way we came across Elvis. He was "in the house". Of course we had to get our photo with him.

Not a huge Elvis fan, but I did get a kick out of this pic

We located a bar along Beale with a view of the street for the upcoming parade - perfecto! Bloody Marys all around (with little beer chasers thanks to the thoughtfulness of DC). Then we ordered food. Not great, but okay. Our friends Kevin and Carrie caught up with us, and later Phil Conover stopped by. The front of the bar was open air and it was a bit chilly - I wandered out to shop and warm up, and bought a nice little Memphis print as a momento.

A band started playing in the back of the bar - pretty good. The parade - NOT. Lots of beauty queens, bands and a few floats all spaced out unevenly. The VEISHEA organizers could give them lessons! Of course they put the ISU band, cheer squad and Johnny Majors at the end.

Our view for the parade. We didn't miss much...

The pep rally was right after the parade - again, not the best venue. Sound system was bad and the amphitheater was set so we couldn't even see. Our band sounded great though! I was thoroughly cold by then. DC and Marilyn had a date to attend the Memphis U college bball game. McKims, Paul and I went back to the hotel and warmed up.

If I lived in Memphis, I'd join the Boll Weevil Society - those dudes look like fun!

Later we ventured back out to Beale Street - thoroughly taken over by Cyclones - a sight to see! I just love neon signs, and this street is a delight. We went to a pretty generic Canadian restaurant where I had a good salad. Then we just wandered down Beale - plenty of police presence once again. We enjoyed talking to some locals outside one bar. We made our way through Coyote Ugly where beer coated the floor about 1/2 inch deep and people were shoulder to shoulder. I might have enjoyed that at 25 and single...We ended up back at Silky's, watching the piano show, but retired pretty early. Monday there was a game to play!

Bras at Coyote Ugly. Mine was under about 5 layers of clothes and did not join...