1982 Summer ~Family trip to Memphis, Tennessee

My husband drove our 1980 Camel Brown Chevrolet Malibu to Memphis Tennessee where we visited the Memphis Zoo, Graceland, and the Memphis Airport.

Description of what our children were wearing that day.

My oldest son was wearing a white pullover shirt, Levi jeans, and a Brave’s cap. My daughter was wearing brown jeans, a white tee shirt, and brown sandals. My middle son was wearing Levi's jeans, a yellow tee shirt, and blue tennis shoes. My youngest son was wearing a Dallas Cowboy jersey, Levi jeans, and white tennis shoes.

We visited the 76-acre Memphis Zoo, which has more than 3,500 animals and over 500 different species. 

In the Northwest Passage, we saw polar bears and sea lions.

In the Central Zone, we saw giant pandas, otters, blue magpies, hogs, and deer, cranes.

In the Primate Canyon, we saw the gorillas, orangutans, and siamang gibbons.

In the Cat country, we saw lions, cheetahs, leopards, meerkats, lynx, cougars, and tigers.

In the West Zone, we saw Komodo dragons, toucans, fresh and saltwater fish.

In the farm area, we saw ducks, a donkey, a mini pig, a Jersey cow, goats, a prairie dog, a rabbit, and a Caspian horse. 

In the herpetarium, we saw alligators, lizards, and frogs.

Memphis Zoo 

We visited Graceland's home in the late Elvis Presley.

Graceland is a large white-columned mansion that opened to the public in 1982.

In 1982, you could walk around the grounds and they did not charge you a fee.

We walked through the front music gates that were open to the public. The gates were designed for Elvis by Abe Saucer and custom-built by John Dillars, Jr. 

We walked around the Meditation Garden, which was constructed in 1964-1965 and was built for Elvis as a place for contemplation. 

The garden’s centerpiece is a circular twelve-foot fountain pool with five single jets of water and a larger one in the middle all lit by colored floodlights. 

Graceland

Graceland Pond  

The  Memphis Airport 

The kids standing outside at the Memphis Airport

Memphis Airport Postcard 

Our next stop was the Memphis Airport located at 2491 Winchester Road suite 113 Memphis, Tennessee 38116. 

We walked through the airport terminal to watch the different jets take off and land. 

We saw jets from Delta Airlines, Northwest Airlines, United Airlines, Continental Airlines, and American Airlines. We even got to walk inside and tour one of the planes.

On our trip home my head started to ache. I said to my husband that it sure would be nice to get a hotel room for the night but his idea was to drive home and sleep in his own bed.

I climbed into the backseat to lie down to relax my head and the boys moved up front.

The next thing I knew I heard sirens and a State Trooper pulled us over.

He said my husband was speeding, and he gave him a ticket.

How ironic he did not save a penny by speeding to get home. We could have spent the night in a very nice hotel for the cost of the speeding ticket. 

It would have been a great trip and to stay the night in a hotel room would have been relaxing. 

We had fun at the Memphis Zoo, the Memphis Airport, and Graceland.

Getting a headache and my husband getting a speeding ticket was not the way I would have liked this adventure to end. 

Some adventures are fun, some not fun, but what is life without some sort of adventure. 

What will my next adventure be?

🚗2015 ~Tuesday, June 30, Day Trip to Loretta Lynn's Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee

We traveled up 43 Highway to St Joe, Tennessee we turned left onto Iron City Road 227/326 turned right onto Old Railroad Bed Road to Highway 13, we traveled couple miles North on  Natchez Traces. We got off the Trace in Collingwood, taking highway 13 to Waynesboro.
In Waynesboro we stayed on highway 13/Waynesboro Highway, we traveled through Smith Hill, Linen, (Squirrels Hollow Drive), Lobelville, Lobelville Highway, crossing into Perry County Buffalo. We stopped to use the restrooms and fill up with gas at Pilot, the price of gas $2.49 per gallon, we had just crossed I-40 the interstate between Memphis and Nashville Tennessee.

Pilot in Buffalo TN 

Arby's, Cinnabon at Pilot in Buffalo

We saw a sign that said Loretta Lynn's Kitchen and a huge statue of a Buffalo sitting outside of the restaurant, also some old farm equipment, so we stopped to take pictures.

Buffalo at Loretta Lynn's Kitchen in Buffalo 

Antique farm equipment at Loretta Lynn's Kitchen in Buffalo 

Loretta Lynn's Kitchen in Buffalo 

From Buffalo, we were just six miles to Loretta Lynn's Ranch.
We arrived at the ranch, we toured the free doll museum, the Old Grist Mill store, some of the gift shops and we purchased tickets to tour the home, Butcher Holler House, The #5 Coal Mine and Loretta's Museum.

Old farm truck at Loretta Ranch Park 

Bank at Loretta Ranch Park 

Land Office at Loretta Ranch Park 

Wanted Dead or Alive 

The tickets for the full tour was $25.00 each.

Loretta Lynn Park Information 

Tickets and Colton's coaster 

Loretta Lynn Park Information 

Our tour guide Brooke, took the group up the hill, up several stairs to the replica of Butcher Holler Loretta Lynn's childhood home in Van Lear, Ky.
The house had two bedrooms, with two small beds for the eight kids, kitchen with a wooden table with four wooden chairs and a bench, there was a coal stove for cooking, an outhouse, on the back porch was a small washtub where the children took baths.
When Loretta's mother washed cloth she hung them inside to dry to keep them from getting coal dust on them.

Replica Butcher Holler Home

Replica Butcher Holler Home

Walking down long wooden stairs, Indian on the hill

We walked down a long line of wooden steps onto the street, we crossed the street, we walked up to the simulated # 5 Coal Mine where Loretta's father (Ted Webb) worked until his death. As we walked through the simulated coal mine tunnel, we saw the tools used by the coal miners, the coal & the rail carts they filled with tons of coal that had to be pulled to the top by a donkey, he never saw daylight.

Coal Mine # 5

 Coal Car at Coal Mine # 5

Coal at Coal Mine # 5

Coal Mine # 5

We loaded into the tour bus and was taken to the former home of Loretta Lynn(The Anderson Plantation Home).
As we were getting off the bus we saw several carriages, a huge barn with two beautiful horses, in the background we could hear a peacock. We all walked inside to the kitchen which had a large fireplace, chandlers in every room downstairs. We saw the green bathroom, Loretta's collections inside a cabinet built by her husband, her many albums that were hanging in the hallway and all along the stairway.
We saw her bedroom, and the room with her family pictures, we were not taken upstairs.
The house is said to be haunted by the former owners the Anderson Family.
They were plantation owners with slaves, the mother lost a child at birth and she walks the rooms looking for her baby. Many ghosts have been spotted thought out the house.
We exited out the front door, we all walked back to the paved drive.

Standing on Loretta Lynn's Ranch Porch 

Loretta Lynn's Ranch 

I walked over to the horses, I took many pictures of the horses with my cell phone.
I did not bring my big camera because we could not take pictures inside the house or any of the museums.

Loretta Lynn's Ranch Horses

We loaded back onto the bus, we were taken to the Museum where Loretta has all kinds of memorabilia.

Loretta Lynn's Ranch Museum

After touring the museum, we stopped to take pictures of the tour bus outside.
We stopped at the gift shop to purchase a couple of postcards and we left.

Loretta Lynn's Ranch Postcards I purchase

It was very hot and humid so we had enough of walking outside.
We stopped in front of Loretta's Ranch Home to take pictures and pictures of  Hurricane Creek.
We rode behind Loretta's Ranch house where we saw a couple of donkeys, Loretta's present home, and The Anderson Family Cemetery.

Standing on steps of Loretta & Mooney Lynn Hurricane Mills Home 

Hurricane Mill Falls 

Loretta's Home 

Anderson Family Cemetery 

Mules

We left the park, taking I-40 stopping at Colton's Steak House & Grill in Dickson Tennessee where we ordered a full order of Ribs, one baked potato, two Caesar Salads, Tea, Water, Rolls, and butter.

Colton's Steak House & Grill 

Colton's Steak House & Grill 

Colton's Steak House & Grill 

We got off I-40 traveled through Spring Hill, Columbia, we stopped at CVS in Lawrenceburg, then home.

🚗1981 ~July 1-4, Family trip to Homosassa Springs, Florida

We traveled ten hours to Homosassa Spring, Florida, to visit relatives.

We traveled to Florida in our new Camel Brown 1980 Chevrolet Malibu, which could seat six people comfortably.

My fifteen-year-old son rode upfront with my father-in-law(who smoked a pipe)and my husband (who smoked cigarettes).

Most of the time, the front windows were rolled down, and some smoke went outside while the rest encircled our heads.

My mother-in-law, two younger sons, daughter, and I sat in the back.

My four-year-old daughter spent most of her time on someone's lap or sleeping in the back window. 

What I remember about the trip was the way the car rode, especially through Montgomery. It felt like we were in a boat being tossed about by the waves. 

Up and down, Up and down we went!

We were greeted with a warm welcome & teddy bear hugs from the Henson Family.

Mildred had prepared a large meal, and we all ate.

After dinner, we sat around talking while the kids played outside.

When bedtime came, my in-laws were given the extra bedroom, and we

Slept on quilts, blankets, and pillows to spread out on the living room floor. 

Day 2: Thursday, July 2, 1981

The next day, we walked through the 14-acre archeological site in Crystal River Park, which dates back to 500 BC.

We returned to the Yules Sugar Mill Ruins, the pre-civil war sugar plantation. 

The once-thriving sugar mill owned by David Levy Yulee is now a State Park. 

The park contains a forty-foot limestone masonry chimney, iron gears, and a cane press.

Indian Camp in the Magic Kingdom

It's a Small World in the Magic Kingdom

Micky Jamming Parade Magic Kingdom 

Ferry Boat at the Magic Kingdom 

Group Picture at the Magic Kingdom 

Day 3: Friday, July 3, 1981

We spent all day Friday at the Magic Kingdom.  

We rode on Hwy 44 over to I-75 to I-4 to Disney World. 

At the Magic Kingdom, we stood alongside rails to watch the Magic Carpet I MAX ride, which made my youngest son seasick. 

We visited the 20,000 Leagues under the sea in Tomorrow Land.

We watched the colorful Macaws  in the Enchanted Tiki Room singing in "The Tiki, Tiki, Tika Room."

We climbed the giant treehouse of the Swiss Family Robinson in Adventure Land. 

We walked into the Haunted Mansion, watched a show, and  took a ride-through tour in Omni-moving vehicles called "Doom Buggies."

We walked through a long corridor to take the Pirates of the Caribbean boat ride, which told a story about a band of pirates.

We took a Jungle Cruise boat in Adventure Land, which simulated a cruise down the Asia, Africa, and South American rivers.

We watched the Country Bears Jamboree Show, where audio-animatronic figures sang country music.

In Liberty Square, we visited the Hall of Presidents. 

We rode a boat in "It's a Small World," where dolls sang and danced in different languages worldwide. 

We rode the Space Mountain Roller Coaster.

We rode the Ferryboat to the Magic Kingdom. 

We purchased passport tickets with holes punched in them and a large string attached.

The tickets were collected at the gate and retained by Disney's Magic Kingdom.

Disney was working on building EPOC; it opened in 1982.

Day 4:  Saturday, July 4, 1981

We rode to Cape Kennedy/Cape Canaveral, taking the KSC bus tour and visiting the museum.

During the KSC bus tour, we got an up-close view of the space shuttle launch pad and the 363-foot-long Saturn V moon rocket. I took pictures of the kids in front of the Space vehicle. 

We walked through the Space Museum, where we saw the US Astronauts Hall of Fame and Early Space Exploration. We walked through the Robot Scouts exhibit of unmanned planetary probes. Each kid climbed up and put their face inside one of the many spacesuits for a picture. 

We also saw the rocket garden with early space flight rockets Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo.

What a visit with the Henson Family! They showed us how to have fun at the Magic Kingdom, and we learned the history of space travel at Cape Canaveral.

Cape Kennedy Space Center 

Cape Kennedy Space Center 

Cape Kennedy Space Center 

Cape Kennedy Space Center 

Lora at Cape Kennedy Space Center 

Cape Kennedy Space Center 

Mike, Ronald, Andy, Lora, and Little Bill at Cape Kennedy Space Center 

Day 5: Sunday, July 5, 1981

The travel home was long but not eventful, considering eight people were riding in a six-passenger car. 

My four-year-old daughter rode most of the way home, lying in the back window of our 1981 Malibu.

Life is an adventure, and we definitely had an adventure.

🎄🎄🎄🎄1965~ Christmas Holiday trip to Chicago, Illinois

Winter of 1965 my Dad, Uncle Harry, Vicki, and I traveled to Chicago, Illinois in a 1961 Green Plymouth.

I can still see my dad driving through Nashville, Tennessee. 

It was the Christmas holidays, everywhere we looked we saw twinkling lights, manger scenes, and homes beautifully decorated. 

A warm glowing feeling came over me as we passed through other smaller towns that was also beautifully decorated for the holidays.

The drive took about ten to twelve hours, there were not many direct highways or interstates from Florence, Alabama to Chicago, Illinois. 

I  don’t remember the route that we took, but I do remember going around a lot of curves and squealing tires. 

It was late at night everyone had fallen asleep except dad, who was doing the driving. 

We had come to a place called Turkey Run in Indiana,  it was an area known for lots of curves on the road. 

Dad came upon the curves too fast, the tires squealed as we started around the first curve. 

The sound of the squealing tires woke everyone up, we stayed awake for the rest of the trip. 

Early the next morning we crossed the Kingery Highway Cal-Sag Bridge into Cook County Illinois, I can still remember that awful smell of sewage as we crossed the bridge. 

Kingery Highway Cal-Sag Bridge (Copy from the Internet)

There was a song playing on the radio as we crossed the bridge into Chicago, 

“Five o’clock World” by the Vogues in 1965 a single, which reached #4 on the charts.

It is funny the things you remember from your childhood.

Aunt Betty lived in an apartment on the fourth floor, there were no elevators, we had to walk up and down four flights of stairs.

We had a great time visiting our cousins, their friends and playing cards on the stairway.

I can still hear the laughter of my cousin's friends Iggy, and Freddy as we played tag.

I had a kind of crush on Iggy. 

Our stay was a short dad and Harry had to get back to work.

My dad is an adventurous person, he never plans anything.

My dad can fix anything, he is a great mechanic, he never worries about his car breaking down when traveling.

I am adventurous like my dad, usually after a long winter, and spring is near I get the urge to travel. 

It doesn’t have to be a long trip but a trip it must be!

I am waiting for my next adventure.

Song by the Vogues

“Five o’clock World” by the Vogues in 1965 a single, which reached #4 on the charts.

Up every mornin’ just to keep a job

I must fight my way through the hustling mob

Sounds of the day poundin’ in my brain 

While another day goes down the drain (yeah, yeah, yeah)

But it’s a five o’clock world when the whistle blows

No one owns a piece of my time

And there’s a five o’clock me inside my  clothes

Thinkin’ that the world looks fine, yeah

(Scat:oh-de-lay-ee-ee, yeah, yeah)

Hey!

Tradin’ my time for the pay I get

Livin’ on money that I ain’t made yet

I’ve been goin’, tryin’ to make my way

While I live for the end of the day (yeah, yeah, yeah)

‘Cause it’s a five o’clock world when the whistle blows

No one owns a piece of my time

There’s a long-haired girl who waits, I know

To ease my troubled mind, yeah

(Scat:oh-de-lay-ee-ee, yeah)

Hey!

In the shelter of her arms, everything’s ok

When she talks, then the world goes slipping’ away

And I know the reason I can still go on 

When every other reason is gone, (yeah, yeah, yeah)

In my five o’clock world she waits for me

Nothing else matters at all

Cuz every time my baby smiles at me 

I know that’s it’s all worthwhile, yeah

(Scat:oh-de-lay-ee-ee, yeah)