Welcome to One America 2012 HIS273 "The Old South"

How are you doing with Gone with the Wind? My iBook version has 2,077 pages. Is anyone bringing the DVD?

Safe and Sound

Back at Bradley Airport. We made it! I know I'm going to sleep well
tonight.

Thank you Bay Path College for helping us have this phenomenal
experience. Thank you for following the blog!

Behind the Waterfall

Corinne and Emily pose for one last photo before we leave. Final stop
for us is Bravo Gelato- award-winning. Bay Path College may be in the
running for this award in the near future. Stay tuned for more
exciting news on this front...

Plan B

The storm closes the Loveless Cafe where we were going to have lunch
and cancels our community service project at Second Harvest Food Bank.
We ask for an earlier flight- nothing better than our direct one. We
ask for late checkout from hotel- can't. Booked solid with a red-
shirted Advanced Auto Leadership Conference that is huge. Instead we
hang out around this massive resort and take a leisurely boat ride on
the blended waters of the "Delta". Water in Jack Daniels bottles from
waterways around the world had been poured in to make this riverway
unique. Including water from the Connecticut River. The flood in May
corrupted the blended water. Asks have gone out for more samples and
an official reblending will take place soon.

Snow in Nashville

I look out the hotel window and see about an inch of snow and yet
three people are shoveling out our bus. I'll be checking on the status
of our flight all day.

Cotton Eyed Joe

One last dance before we hit the road.

Country Music Hall of Fame

In the lobby of the HOF, a few more souvenirs for some. This new home
dedicated to country music stars was completed in 2002.

Wildhorse Saloon

We have a country line dance lesson. Some get a chance to break in
their new boots.

Great Northern Hunter

He was actually quite gentle when he got his chance. This adventure
takes place in the dining room of a restaurant. We do not eat here.
Just stop to pet and run.

Never in Longmeadow...

will we get this chance. Dr. Surbrug sees this sign and suggests the
bus pull over.

Two Rivers Baptist Church

We give an option to attend a Sunday
service or not. Eight piece band of rockin' Nashville musicians
performs along to a multimedia presentation.

Grand Ole Opry

We experience the Ryman Auditorium last night and the live radio show.
Interesting to see how they go to sponsor ads for each segment of the
show. Subliminal messaging works because we decide to go to Cracker
Barrel for a late dinner. Eat. Shop. Relax, as Cracker Barrel's
mission states.

The Cascades

We are staying in the Delta section of the hotel. Just one of many
water elements pictured here.

Our trip sponsor, Pat, joined us for the Memphis segment for the first
time. We loved having her experience the trip with us firsthand. We
cannot thank Pat enough for opening this opportunity to us.

Christmas at Opryland

I haven't talked about community service yet. On Friday, half of us
serve lunch at Union Mission, a homeless shelter for men and a lunch
site for women and men. Nita sings at start of Christian service and
Tobi plays piano during lunch. Guests are very appreciative.

Other half of group delivers art supplies to Girls and Boys Club and
does crafts with children in the afterschool program. Kids give out
hugs all around, ask if they can do it again tomorrow, and say they
will never forget this day.

We are very grateful to the Tuohy Family Foundation and their
assistant, JoAnne for coordinating these opportunities for us.

Opryland Resort

Amanda Larkin, our hotel contact, welcomes us. We pull into this
climate-controlled hotel just in time. It is now 16 degrees in
Nashville with lots of worry about a storm coming soon. We should be
hardy northerners, but it feels so uncomfortable even to us.
Fortunately, this resort is huge and beautiful with lots of things to
do.

Birthday Wreaths

Just some of the flowers placed today in honor of Elvis' birthday
along the Meditation Garden.

Elvis' 76th Birthday Cake

Our mascot, Fiona, and the cake. We all get a piece. The Chilean
miner, Edison Pena, gets the honor of cutting the cake. About 600 join
him in singing, The Wonder of You.

Sun Studio

Clockwise starting on left is Shaneela, Shakira and Nita at the Soda
Shop following our tour of the recording studio.

Celebrities

As we unload the bus at The Peabody, the Utah Jazz basketball team
pulls up behind us. Pictured here is Coach James, our driver ( the
shorter one) and Al Jefferson, former Celtic.

Peer Leader

Molly has done a fabulous job leading evening debriefs.

Here she is heading off for a run on the treadmill in her trademark
Green Day duds.

Off to the Pool

Jenn heading off for an evening dip.

Presentation by Vince Hughes

Several of us just read Hampton Sides' book, Hellhound on His Trail,
in which Vince Hughes is referenced for his largest collection of
digital media related to the Martin Luther King assasination
investigation. He is a retired Memphis police officer who was working
dispatch the evening of this crime. He shares with us the audio
recording of what police heard that night. Chilling to actually hear
the replay of the 4 minutes it took to completely surround the area.
The evidence collected against James Earl Ray is staggering. Vince
believes Ray commited this act because he wanted to be "somebody".
While he believes James planned the crime himself, he does believe his
two brothers aided him in at least his escape.

Chilean Duckmaster

The Chilean miner who kept everyone's spirits up during their long
ordeal trapped underground with Elvis impressions, is named honorary
Duckmaster. He delights the crowd with some hip gyrations and Blue
Suede Shoes ...and he has blue suede shoes on! He receives an
Honorary Citation, his own Duckmaster cane and gets to lead the duck
parade back to their penthouse for the night. You wouldn't believe the
paparazzi who came out for this occasion.

Fountain at The Peabody

We intentionally look for Have and Have Not juxtapositions on this
trip. This year's was quite a contrast as we move from Shack Up Inn to
the jewel of Memphis. Look closely and you'll see the famous Peabody
ducks swimming.

At the Crossroads

One last photo before leaving Clarksdale. With the class this year
called, One America: Crossroads, we have to take our picture here at
this iconic juncture along Route 61 Blues Highway.

Delta Blues Museum

Next door to Ground Zero Club is the museum dedicated to tracing the
history of the blues. Inside is Muddy Waters house, musician's
tombstones, costumes, photographs, etc.

After a quick tour of the town, we start out of Clarksdale.

Elvis Lives!

One more photo before we board the bus. This place is a photographer's
paradise.

Singing the Blues

Jack Hobin does a spirited rendition of Mule Skinner Blues and gets us
all to do a chorus. We then "treat" Jack to our rendition of Happy
Birthday because today is his 60th!

Delta Donuts

By 8:15 AM, they are sold out, with our help and can put the "Gone
Fishin'" sign out. They are delighted!

Quad at the Inn

In this photo- water tank is in center rear covered in vines. Bottle
tree in middle to keep away evil spirits. The people at the Inn
couldn't be nicer. If you are looking for a truly unique travel
experience, you must check this place out. They do not advertise, no
sign on the road. One of the owners said, "if you can't take the time
to find us, you're not our kind of people".

Morning at Shack Up

Shakira posing on porch of her "home". We all tried to visit
everyone's home for the night.

Electric Blue

Here is an example of one of the shacks. This one is called Electric
Blue.

Shack Up Inn

Our "hotel" in Clarksdale is a series of "bins" or sharecropper shacks
at a former cotton farm. Every room is uniquely furnished with vintage
musical instruments, appliances and kitsch. I think all are pretty
shocked at first look of the place.

Hollerin' Madd Bill Perry

Our blues band for the evening. This is Morgan Freeman and Bill
Luckett's club at ground zero for the birth of the blues. We are
treated to a presentation and welcome by Bill Luckett. He is a
Democratic candidate for governor of Mississippi. Why? Because he is
"sick and tired of MS being #1 in poverty and 50th in the country in
terms of education".

Some journal on the bus

Bus Activities

Three hour trip to Clarksdale.

Gene's BBQ

Just back from duck hunting, owner Gene poses with us after lunch on
Wed. He is open 365 days a year. I had pork sandwich and fried apricot
pie. Delicious.

Road Food

Shakira takes a first bite of Gene's BBQ. You can't believe how many
on the trip are fans of the Food Network. Foodies! My people! We find
this place for lunch about halfway between Little Rock and Clarksdale
because it had been given a positive rating by the Sterns and their
Road Food show and website.

Tobi Trapped on the Bus

We stop for lunch in Brinkley, AR. Tobi is fast asleep and doesn't
hear us leave. After we've ordered, someone notices Tobi at the door
of the bus trying to figure out how to open it. She was determined to
not call us. I can't resist taking this picture of her asking for mercy.

Entrance to Clinton Park

Statue of Harriet Tubman in front of Clinton Library.

Flying Fish in Little Rock

Here's a restaurant that will take that Singing Billy Bass Christmas
gift off your hands and give you a free catfish dinner for it.

Central High School

We are honored to have Spirit Trickey, the daughter of MinniJean
Brown, one of the Little Rock Nine give us the introduction at the
Visitor's Center. She gives us some personal insight to her mother's
experience.

She also tells us about her positive experience as a graduate of the
Clinton School for Public Service adjacent to the Clinton Library.

Oval Office

An exact replica. President Clinton insisted on this point since he
felt so few people get to see the real one.

Rest of President's Cabinet

Madam President

In the recreation of the Cabinet Room we learn everyones place around
the table. We learn that Valerie, on the right, is in the top seat.
You can recognize it because it has a higher back than the others. I
think all walk away from their temporary roles in this room a little
taller.

Lunch at 42

Delicious and ample portions await us at the restaurant at the
Library. Sam is about to tuck into her chicken salad.

Official welcome to Little Rock

Brenda Luebke of the Little Rock Visitors Center meets us at the
entrance to the Clinton Library. She is one of the nicest and most
helpful planners I've come across. She brings us a bag loaded with
Where Do You Rock items.

Biogas

Nita and Angelica following a volunteer's explanation.

Photos from Heifer Exhibit Hall

Emily coordinating so well with the 'green' building.

View of Clinton Library

from Heifer International Headquarters