April 15, 2014.  We got a late start today — luxuriating over breakfast and pondering last night’s sobering event.  After a relatively short and very pleasant drive through the rest of Alabama and into Mississippi, we arrived midafternoon at the prettiest camp site I have ever seen — Site 011 at Whitten Park Campground, just 18 miles east of Tupelo MS.  We have discovered in our three trial camping runs that we strongly favor state and federal parks over commercial campgrounds.  Perhaps it is just our age — little need for organized activities, play grounds, spas, cement ponds and the like.  Give us a healthy copse of trees and a lake or river and we are cool.

Here, it paid to reserve a space early.  We managed to score the BEST spot in the whole beautiful park.  The dining room of our trailer loomed out over the Tombigbee River, with a Southern exposure, which provided perfect afternoon filtered light, a breathtaking sunset and a sunrise with the moon setting over the river as the sky bloomed into a blue and gold miracle.  This is why we camp.

But that is not all!  Late in the afternoon, we drove into Tupelo to check out the Elvis hoopla.   Tupelo is a great little town.  Doris was welcomed into a charming antiques store (His Hers Antiques), where I bought more vintage linens for the Airstream (one of my weaknesses).  We had dinner at a bar/restaurant (Fairpark Grill) that was just perfect for the occasion.  We shared crab cakes and fish tacos — both very good.  In the morning, we went back to visit Elvis’  birthplace and the museum.  I learned a lot about E and his inspirations that I never knew.  His father borrowed $180 to build a two-room shotgun house with no electricity or running water.  A few years later they lost the house because he was unable to repay the loan.  The one-room church Elvis attended as a child has been relocated to the museum property and there is a great reenactment of a typical service with lots of gospel singing.  Well worth visiting, but Doris gave it a thumbs down as she had to wait in the truck.  Bought a couple of CDs and DVDs.  Headed to Memphis!

View from bedroom window

Our spot on the Tombigbee

a walk in the woods