Another dead post

From 1-4-2012

one other thing we did was visting my relatives. Thankfully, all the Lingos are at Memorial Park
The hard part is the since there are no unique markers here, it make navigation hard. I drove to where we thought they were. No luck. Mom and I thought they were in two different sections. Mom got out of the car, and promptly fell. we gave up that day.
The Next day, we went back and asked the office. Most helpful
Grandfather:

Grandmother:

Aunt:

Mom stayed in the car, unless I escorted her, and I came up with some ideas for computer projects -good day indeed

Southern by the Grace of God

I woke up on the 29th, It was 9 degrees here in Albany.
I started up my car and Drove over the Berkshire Extension of the New York Thruway (toll $.84),the Mass Pike (toll $.00), and I-91. at 0900 I got to Bradley, and checked in. I used the E-boarding pass, which promoted me to the "Trusted Traveler" status in the eyes of the TSA.
I wandered around for an hour and a half, until n645ae pulled up:

No First class on this bird, Port side is as good as it gets:

I had an 2 layover at o'hare. Strangely, My E-boarding pass would not work here. I had to resort to the old fashioned paper.


Before getting on N820AE, which is an Embraer 140, Inside, it looks about like any other ERJ:

But it only holds 45 passengers, versus 50 for a 145. The reason: American can pay the pilots less money. It's also rumored to be headed to the desert for conversion to coke cans as part of AA'a Bankruptcy.
Soon, we were crossing old man river:

Picked up my Kia soul from Alamo:

Which worked out pretty good, although the Hip-Hop Hamster are probably mad at me for hauling a walker in the back:

and headed off to have supper with Mother:

Coming back, I went to Beale Street, and stopped to say hi to the King:

and a parting shot:

So ended my walking in Memphis:

I really like Marc Cohn's video the best. I realize that it's a oft-coverd song, but his seems to capture my Memphis more the others, with out getting too Elvis-sy.Several good touches- the river boat, Lots of African-Americans(who seem to disappear on the numerous covers), shotgun houses, and the Boy wearing the Cardinals cap.
I dropped the Car back at Alamo, getting lost a couple of time along the way. What do you mean, they tore down the Mall of Memphis? Next thing, they'll bulldoze Stax studios:

Oh wait, they did that. And the Air Force repossessed the Memphis Belle, so all that's Left is this:

From 1-4-2012

and the pedestal where it stood on Central Avenue.
Anyway,Once the shuttle bus driver picked me up , she asked what airline I was flying.
"American." I responded
"American?! She replied "You talk like that, you should be flying Delta, like us. You going to Dallas?"
"New York State. Via Chicago."
This really threw for a loop, almost as bad as some of the folks living at the Parkview. Having tried and failed to convince her that New York State and New York City are two different things, I reverted back to more easy conversation.
And yes, my next trip down there will be on Delta.

A joke.
A Man dies in the Southeast. When he wakes up, He realizes that he is at the local airport, at the Delta gate, Saint Peter is standing behind the counter.
He approaches Saint Peter, who hands him a boarding pass.
"I noticed the arrival time has been delayed." The man says. "Is there anything I did?"
"Nah" Saint Peter answers "The Plane's coming here from Atlanta. There's thunderstorms there today. Delta's Chairman stubbed his toe and said something the Lord didn't like."
A little out of date, now that Delta and Northwest merged and Delta took over the Memphis hub. In case you're wondering Northwest got to Memphis by buying the original Republic, which in turn was a merger of Southern, North Central, and Hughes Airwest. Delta is not named for its logo, but for the Mississippi Delta, as it started out as Huff Daland Crop Dusters of Monore, La.
and, The king runs the Airport, too:

I was composing an e-mail, when I noticed the flight for Dallas was operated by N984TW. Can't get away from TWA.
My Flight to ORD was on N610AE, another ERJ145.
My future hometown (with the Grace of god):

Back at O'hare:

My Flight back to Bradley was not on the ERJ, but on the CRJ-700. Nice riding plane for a regional, despite the odd window arrangement(maybe picks next time).
Got back, and it was still cold. Still, it beats unemployment. That's what I keep telling myself.

going Back thirty-fouty years

Well, I 'm sitting here at Mom's place in The Parkview on Poplar here in Memphis:

The parkview started out as the Parkview hotel in the 20's,and now is paying hosts to folks who can remember when it competed with the Peabody for the Elite traveler. Inside, it still can run with the Peabody:

But, no fountains and no Ducks(and more impotantly, no downtown), so the Parkview becomes assisted living, and the Peabody:
>I took my Mother there to see the ducks. Was too busy with Liberty Bowl fans, so we went down to Beale Street:
and had lunch:


Next to Robert Johnson's: But it was little too busy, and Beale has gotten more touristy. I smiled at the "Vintage" Pepsi ad in the background here:
considering the generic term for soft drink here is "Coke"
Anyway, let's leave the king On Bellvue at the Jungle Room and head over to Overton Park.

That's E.H."Boss" Crump. Unlike most folks from swampeast Missouri, my first visits to an Art Museum weren't at Forest park in Saint Louis, but Overton park here in Memphis.
Brooks Museum.

and the Zoo:

The Solider's memorial.

and The Memphis Belle.I can remember it sitting in front of the Armory on Central

Back to the parkview, and some Black-eyed peas and Corn bread. I need some luck, If I'm going to do everything that's been set before me for 2012:

blue chirstmas

Well, last week I as sick on Sunday,sO I didn;t post.
I mailed my packages at the Rensselaer Amtrak station/ post office:

From 12-24-2011

.
Just like an airport, but no TSA.

From 12-24-2011

The reason why it new is that the tracks for the old Albany Union Station were torn up to build Interstate 787. The Building is still there:

From 12-24-2011

,but is vacant. It was renovated into office space.
despite the cold, I did get in 9 miles:

From 12-25-2011

, but ,other than that. I'm packing. Gotta get to memphis and TCB

too cold to ride

Well, I could if i had the clothes.
Instead I wrote Java and ruby surfed info about Memphis.
one of the best places is MallofMemphis.org, which,I admit, is a strange name for History.
The Actual Mall Of Memphis was a Star-crosssed place -It started out in 1981 as the "the" mall but neighborhood demographics (only Mall with Prison Guard Towers in the Parking lot!) caught up it, causing to be stuck with the nickname "Mall of Murder". I can remember going there right after I got my Bachelors and it had opened during the early 80's - another difficult economic time

It was finally torn down about 2003

A Wal-mart was going to go there, but it still a vacant lot.
At least some thing do get re-used, like this former auto dealership and of course, where My mother is moving, The Parkview, used to be the parkview hotel. At first I thought the dealer was the old Oakley-Keesee ford, where dad insisted on buying his cars despite the fact that we lived in the Bootheel. I thought I could remember it being on Poplar, not Lamar. And I was right. The Dealers has moved out to Bartlett, but the building is now a self service facility.
Maybe next week I'll get out

Riding with dead

It was 28 degrees at 8am on Saturday, so I decided to put off riding until the afternoon. I headed to Albany Rural Cemetery.
The Big Star here is President Chester Arthur:


The brown beauty has turned into a boon Companion. want to buy a Bacchetta strada?

Philip Schuyler - Revolutionary war general:

America's Longest serving mayor Erastus Coring:


I was thinking this trip was ironic, as this week was the 10 year anniversary of the TWA shutdown, and my last flight on them was coming back from burying my dad in 1999,

Of Course, now that mother is moving to Memphis, it looks like it be a while before I make another trip to lambert field:

pedal the blues away

at least that's why I tired to do :

did it work? maybe, I did try a different route and found the uncle sam bike path in Troy:

I also found cohoes falls:

I even got brave and made it up the hill to the Cathedral:

and since it was small business Saturday:

bought a tube, and got a reward:

and I did stop at the Empire state plaza:


and as far as Memphis - I've been trying to put a happier song (at least in tempo) on my mind:

well, until you listen to lyrics. I always wondered about who wrote this song, as Johnny Rivers did seem to be a southsider , I can still remember the looks Dad got when he mentioned he went to Southside HS. Turns out, it was written by Chuck Berry, Ahh, makes sense (and a Saint Louis Connection)

Keep the rubber side down until next week