Wander the Blues

[buckland]

Thinking ahead... love to do a slow step wander ... traveling no problem...sleeping is. Anyone do a crawl and found places to park the FWC while visiting the splendor of the blues triangle? Links below to see what we seek. Don't need any frills just safe sleeping.

Some call it the Americana Triangle.

http://www.camping.com/hit-the-road/2139-road-trip-blues-and-bbq


http://www.pbs.org/theblues/roadtrip.html


http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/road-trips/blues-highway-road-trip/


http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/aug/17/chicago-memphis-soul-blues-country-road-trip-us

 

[Durango1]

Looks like a fun trip. I mean, what's not to like? Blues and Barbecue!

I grew up in Kansas City and there are a lot of state park campgrounds within an hour or less of the city.

If you go to K.C. be sure to hit B.B.'s Lawnside BBQ. A true dive place for sure with decent BBQ and great, intimate blues six days a week.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Well heck, when I saw the title, I thought you were coming out to NE Oregon to explore the Blue Mountains. Regardless, it sounds like a great trip. Music and BBQ!

 

[buckland]

I'm a woodsman by nature but can't ignore the call of the blues. Don't usually head towards population with thew camper but there is no doubt that the best places are usually out of the way and a surprise discovery. Perfect fit for a FWC way of living. Thanks Durango for the K.C. idea... Lawn side is on the list!

 

[Foy]

The third link above is to a Nat Geo page which includes listings for some attractions in and near Clarksdale, MS. The wife and I stopped by Clarksdale enroute from a wedding in Houston, TX back home to Raleigh, NC, via Memphis and Nashville. We overnighted at the Shack Up Inn's Robert Clay shack, had beers in their bar (a converted cotton gin building), and admired the Hopson Commissary (closed that Sunday night, but adjacent to the Shack Up Inn, albeit operated separately). Next morning we went "down to the Crossroads" at the edge of Clarksdale. Red's Lounge was on a list of "Best 50 Bars in the South" and we wanted just to see the place since we were in town, but needed to leave early in order to see Graceland and meet a friend in Nashville that evening. The directions in the magazine which published the list read something like "turn on to Sunflower Ave and continue until you see an enormous black man cooking barbeque chicken on a gas grill parked on the sidewalk--that's Red". Sure enough, that's exactly what we saw, only Red wasn't cooking at 8:30 am on a Monday morning.

It would be easy and totally enjoyable to spend a couple of nights in Clarksdale. There is a campground about a mile from downtown-Coahoma County Expo Center and RV Park. The reviews are spotty but it's the closest place to park and walk or snag a cab into the downtown where the clubs are. Actor Morgan Freeman co-owns the Ground Zero club right in town, by the way. The Shack Up Inn and the Hopson Commissary are about 5 miles to the south, out in the midst of immense fields of soybeans and cotton.

Foy

 

[Stalking Light]

+1 on a visit to Clarksdale. I think the Great River Road SP is not too far, as is the Natchez Trace.

 

[buckland]

Wow...I just google mapped the Natchez Trace... that looks like a wonderful road. Where does it start and finish? Looks like there might be camping along it? Looks like the old Taconic Parkway in NY. from a different era of motoring.

Update ...just downloaded the 4 maps on the trace. This looks real good.
Always a drag getting out of the Northeast... on the slab. Basically south of DC a lot opens up.

 

[Stalking Light]

I've only driven the part of the Trace from Tupelo to Natchez, but it goes all the way to Nashville. I especially like the parts of the Old Trace in MS where the pathway is worn down into a trench by the many feet that walked it.

 

[billharr]

Natchez Trace is a great drive. We did Natchez Trace, Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Trail on our last trip east. You can read my report here scroll down to Saturday 4-4-2015 .

 

[buckland]

Whoa that looks inviting. Is that a "metal' road? I figure 16-18 hours straight on the slab gets me to Nashville.... then nice and easy. My wife's from KY so we have done the Skyline and Blue Ridge both in camper and on a motor cycle... almost heaven.
We are now thinking in April.... Herself being a teacher has a week off and could fly home....while I a woodworker could take a bit more time and ...after doing the 444 Natchez swing on up to Memphis.... winter time dream/planning... can't wait.

 

[Foy]

The Natchez Trace Parkway is a unit of the National Park system. It runs from Natchez to Nashville. It's paved all the way, bars commercial vehicles of any type, and holds 50 mph speed limits. There are 3 NPS campgrounds along the way, one within around 50 miles of each end and one at about the midpoint (Jeff Busby). Like the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Skyline Drive, much of the right of way is landscaped. April might be a fine time to drive it--you might see the azaleas and dogwoods in bloom.

Foy

 

[pawleyk]

Well heck, when I saw the title, I thought you were coming out to NE Oregon to explore the Blue Mountains. Regardless, it sounds like a great trip. Music and BBQ!

Me too..

 

[buckland]

From what I've been told I should get out to Oregon and see the the "Blues" too!