Saturday, July 31, 2010

Catchup #1: Oxford, Mississippi

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Since I returned home I have been thinking, but not writing, about what to share about my July 2010 Annual Roadtrip - part Deux. Oxford Mississippi, like Savannah Georgia, has been on my list for some time. I have never walked the streets of Oxford, and in fact, I do not think I have even passed by on the highway. I got to check another one off on this trip.

Oxford is the home of Ole Miss, the University of Mississippi, and the surrounding town and county reminds me conceptually of Blacksburg Virginia. But that ends once your boots hit the ground. This is summer, the main student body is elsewhere, so the ratio of locals to students is skewed as it would be in any college town. Lots of local people on the street in the evening, even if it is hot and humid.


My hanging around was limited to the Square and to Rowan Oak,
William Faulkner's home that is now a museum complete with grounds under restoration. Great old trees, brick walkways, out-buildings, and pastures. My favorite feature of the home was his planning tool - a Monday to Sunday list on the walls of the room where Faulkner wrote.






Also, the wedding invitation hand decorated by Faulkner's mother.
According to the card in the museum case, she would hand decorate with flowers invitations she received and give them to the couple as a wedding gift.

Very appealing idea. How does that work with eVites?






Since it was the week of the annual Faulkner and Yoknapatawpha Conference, this year considering Faulkner and Film, a lot of the goodies were taken to town and on the morning I visited the house they were replacing items in cases and re-arranging the furniture a little. This home and grounds is worth a visit and I think 2 hours is minimum if you like standing long enough to feel what the original occupants experienced back in the day. I especially like the pasture area. It was a cool(er) morning and just being in the shadow of a hedgerow was special.

The Square, as always around the courthouse, is a delight. However, it has too many good eating places. It also has at least four independent bookstores, that may be owned by the same people, but are delightful. One is dedicated to young people. Yeah, I did buy some stuff for the grandkids. Keep in mind that my goal on this trip is to help the economy of the gulf coast. Well Oxford is far from the coast, but it was in the spirit of the act. Anyway, hanging out in bookstores is a fine use of time.

But back to eating.

After two complete walks around the square I had no idea where to eat. Too many good looking places. So I began asking local folks walking around the area where I should eat if I only had one chance at dinner in Oxford. The first three people I asked pretty quickly responded "Ajax Diner" which was one of my selections too. So Ajax it was. I did not ask what I should eat there, but afterwards I found the answer to that is Meatloaf, but I had Red Bean and Rice with an Andouille sausage. It was great. It would have been good with a beer, but I was re-hydration mode and drank many glasses of water instead. Ajax comes with my recommendation for atmosphere, food, sound level and location. Comfort food in a comfortable place. I followed that up with frozen yogurt and fruit at another place on the square.


I had already decided on my breakfast place, the BottleTree Cafe, based on the bread rack in the window. Located a tiny bit off the square, it has the feel of my favorite coffee shop in Blacksburg (the EasyChair) combined with the bakery smells and products of my favorite bakery (Bolo's). This picture is the result of not being able to think of anything but eating the cranberry and peach (maybe) pastry and Latte served in a beer mug. So here is the empty mug and plate. It was good! Recommended for food, coffee, good layout and smells. Thanks, BottleTree staff, for the Blues Festival poster off your wall!

Many of you know we really love our dogs and dogs in general. Oxford is a good place for dogs. One bank on the square has a stainless, plumbed water fountain out front. Lots of eating places have outdoor seating for dog people with their companions. There was even a guy with a litter of puppies trying to find homes for them.

And then there is the RSVP office craft shop right off the square.


It is hard to not start with the cutest little dog, but what was really cool was the friendly staff and in the end, it is the Fig preserves and the Green Tomato Relish that I bought. We first tried the fig preserves on vanilla frozen yogurt. It was a winner, for sure. Last night we tried the green tomato relish on hot dogs (actually I started eating it straight out of the jar) and that was all we needed to know. We have now made plans to stop in Oxford to buy more of this stuff later in the month. It is only 1500 miles round trip from home. Yeah, it is that good. I better email them to be sure there is some on the shelf for us.



Sunday, July 25, 2010

Gulf Coast update

I am one day from home, but wanted to post a quick update from the last motel for this trip. I am in Commerce Georgia at exit 149 of I-85 and decide to try another in my long line of "never heard of it" motels, this one called the Dandelion Inn. Owner operated and very nice. I happen to get a ADA set-up room (must have looked like I needed it at 11pm last night!) with a King bed. Best part was it only cost $40. Anyway, got a good nights sleep and I am ready for the last leg of the trip. The Dandelion comes with my recommendation!

On the food front, I found a good one in Eufaula Alabama. The Cajun Corner is one of those places that looks like you are going to get Southern comfort food, but the menu had some surprises including creative deserts. I had North Shore Pasta which is Shrimp, crawfish morsels and Andouille sausage in your choice of a creme sauce or oil and garlic (which was my choice). Came with a surprisingly well built salad, more than any normal person could eat. I met some more friends I didn't know, three sisters that had come down from Opelika (about 1 hour away) to eat there. They invited me to share their table and that made for more fun. Ann and I lived in Opelika in 1974 when we were first married. The good news from them is that the Opelika schools have strong arts and music programs even in this era of tight budgets.

The beaches I visited had lots people on them, having fun and in the water. I saw no signs of oil except the signage. More details later, but here are a couple of photos...

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Yes, I am alive and moving...

I have been having too much fun to spend time on the computer, so here is the quick report on what has happened in the last week. I did go to Baltimore and visit family for my birthday, had a great dinner (seafood, of course) and hit the HOT road to Vintage Motorcycle Days near Lexington Ohio at 7AMish on the 8th of July. Since I volunteer for the Motorcycle Hall of Fame I get in Thursday night. I camped in my regular spot in the infield Thursday night, alone. Kind of weird. Friday started early as always at the showers right next to the flea market area. Got to see folks as they set out their goodies, and bought some items including a small folding chair for traveling.

Friday at 9:30pm while three of us were talking at our camp-sites, a track employee notified us that the infield was closing and we'd have to leave. I begged, but it didn't work. Packed the tent and was out before dark - about 15 minutes - and on to a motel. Set up the next morning in the worker area that was not too bad.

For the first time I worked on Saturday (usually Ann and I take the last Sunday shift and help take down the displays) and had the pleasure of hearing great riders from the past tell what it was like "in the day." Malcolm Smith and John Penton were the people that brought European style off-road competition to North America, and Craig Vetter told about his passion for design and innovation.

Craig Vetter designed the sidecar I drive, though his company did not produce it under his leadership, it was produced after he sold the firm.

The next group of speakers were 4 of the 5 members of the of the US ISDE (International Six Day Enduro) team. Again, more great stories of the effort it took to travel to Europe to compete in this very difficult event. They also told the story of Edison Dye, the father of motocross, the event that made all of the other off-road events happen here. He was quite a character from what was said!

The Observed Trails competition was moved to Sunday morning this year. This is a 'race' in which the objective is to not put your foot down, and not stop forward motion (don't roll backwards, but you can stop as long as your feet stay off the ground). Well with all the rain Thursday and Friday, it was somewhat muddy.

Oh, and you have to go over downed trees and piles of rocks and climb stream banks while following paths marked by ribbons.

Yes, this is a prewar, tank-shift Indian motorcycle being ridden by a vintage fellow in the mud of the Ohio woods! And he was pretty good at it. I am not sure if he was older than the bike or vice-versa.


In addition to listening to these guys talk about memories I spent a long time watching the road racing. After a few hours of watching I began to understand what is going on. The little chair I bought enabled the long term sitting. The last race of the day on Sunday was the sidecar race and my favorite couple won! So I did another first - I went to the winners circle where all the prizes were awarded. Immediately after that everyone leaves. Fast. In only two hours the place looked like a pristine farm instead of 30 acres of flea market and parking. It was so quiet, all I heard was birds chirping. I stayed over Sunday night to get a good night's sleep before hitting the road. I was alone in the worker camping area, no problems. For those who have been there, even the shower floors were dry by the time I went there at about 9pm.

As I got up early in the morning, with rain predicted for the afternoon, I could smell rain. Got the tent packed as the rain just started and hit the road. Rained all the way home. I arrived at about 3pm instead of Midnight if I had left after the races on Sunday. I decided that riding in the rain is actually easier then riding in 100 degree temperatures.

Tomorrow, Sunday, I start on Part II, a seafood-free trip to the gulf coast via Atlanta, Oxford, MS (Thirty–Seventh Annual Faulkner & Yoknapatawpha Conference), Greenville, MS (Doe's Eat Place), Clarksdale, MS (Ground Zero) Baton Rouge, Coastal Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and home via Georgia and the Carolinas. That should keep me busy for two weeks. I am taking the BMW convertible for this part of the trip so I will likely have more time for photos and story-telling. I've been wanting to take the car on a road trip and this is the time for air conditioning! Top down may be a possibility at night. In packing I find that the sidecar has more cargo space than the car!

I will be running the tracker again, so if you like you can see where I am if there are any hams in the areas running digital repeaters.

Life is good!

Stay tuned.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

On the road - tracked

After a few delays I got on the road yesterday at about 9:30 and traveled directly to the Frog and PenguInn in historic and romantic Onley. I took US 460 and US 13, the Bay Bridge-Tunnel (which is really nice on a bike) and had an interesting experience only at the toll booth. The toll taker asked me how much a motorcycle with a sidecar had to pay. Having no idea she called her supervisor on the phone to ask that question. The answer, in case anyone is interested is $12, the same as a car. The crossing was nice, perfect weather and sea birds flying along at about 40 mph just above my eye level.

It took 10:30 to get here, 6:30 moving the rest goofing off. Got lost once in Norfolk, just a few minutes of backtracking to realize it was a signage issue.

Had a great dinner outside with the Inn keepers, followed by too much remembering the old days. Makes the old neurons ache!

Today was the USA Birthday parade, a great old fashioned town event with kids riding bicycles and people walking their dogs. I did not see any cats or sea-creatures on leash. There are a lot of characters here, and my hosts knew them most-all of them. Then we went to the library book sale and few thrift stores. Got more books I'll likely never read - some are for gifts.

If you want to follow my travels electronically I am tracking my self via ham radio. Clicking on the red dots give you a little more info like speed, temperature and even the battery voltage on the bike, as well as little messages I may change from time to time. Not everyplace I will travel will have a repeater to relay my little signal to a station that gets it to the internet, so I may disappear from time to time and reappear miles down the road.