February 28, 2018 - Memphis

Tuesday we rode down to Millington, TN where we slowed down for a day.  The Tour of the National Quilt Museum from the day before just wore us out.  We drove by a several places where the water is quite high and several fields along the way that are flat, looked like lakes.

Flood water all the way back to the furthest wood line.

 Because of the moist ground, the telephone poles grow taller here.

 Arriving in Memphis today we decided to visit the National Civil Rights Museum.  Although we had visited before we wanted to see the changes, and there were quite a few.  The outside of the Lorraine portion of the hotel has remained the same.

 

  Part of the remains of the Freedom Riders Bus.  Freedom Riders

 James Earl Ray was finally captured 2 months later.  He pleaded guilty to avoid the death sentence.

 Walking in Memphis  (on Beale Street.)  Walking in Memphis song

 Grammie, outside the Fedex Forum.

 We already had a really convenient parking spot, but no tickets for tonight's game.  

The Memphis Grzziles vs the Phoenix Suns

We visited the Rock and Soul Museum, right next to the Forum. It has a wonderful collection of memorabilia from the early Soul music era.  You get a set of headphones and a control device where you can put in a number and listen to information,  or a song from the artist.  It's entertaining watching people move to the music. About the only place you will find these Jukeboxes are either in Museums or in a private collection.

 There was a high energy middle school group that had arrived in Memphis for a 2 day tour of the city.

Sam the Sham's motorcycle.

 Tom was trying to let Grammie know where he wanted to have an evening meal.  When we got there, we discovered that the school group was ahead of us in a long line.  BB Kings it was.

You know who you are.  Grammie looks sad.

Beale street is blocked off to vehicle transportation. This street became busy about an hour later around dinnertime.

These guys got around.  On a different trip, we saw them sitting on a bench on Rock Island.

Thanks for keeping a lookout for Grammie.

February 26, 2018 - Paducah

Today we left Ft Campbell and headed for Paducah, KY.  We decided to take a little tour along the way and headed more west first to see the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.  It is located west of Ft Campbell and is between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake.  It is a popular spot for tourists in the summer season however it was quiet today. 

 One of the popular attractions is the Elk and Bison Prairie.  The area is fenced in, covering about 700 acres.

 A closeup of one of the Bison.  

 Daffodils already popping up through the snow.

 Grammie finally got to the National Quilt Museum.  They don't allow pictures in the Museum.

 The Ohio is quickly approaching Flood stage and expected to peak on Wednesday.  The floodgates have already been installed and will protect the city up to 49 feet.  Whether the city will flood is iffy right now. We will be gone early on Tuesday heading towards Memphis, however more rain is expected. 

 Grammie had a good day.  So didn't Tom.  With all the new fabric, Tom has some golf credits built up.
Tomorrow, we are headed towards Memphis.

February 24th, 2018 - Jim Beam Distillery to Ft Campbell

In the morning we left Winchester and headed to Ft Campbell by way of Clermont, KY, home of the Jim Beam Distillery.  After looking online and finding out that we needed to reserve a tour 2 days early, we took a chance to see if we could get a walk on tour..  We arrived about 10:22 and got on the 10:30 tour of the plant.  First the rules for Bourbon.  The Federal Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits (27 C.F.R. 5) state that bourbon made for U.S. consumption must be: Produced in the United States. Made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn. Aged in new, charred oak containers. Distilled to no more than 160 (U.S.) proof (80% alcohol by volume) 

 With that out of the way, we continued the tour.  The mixture basically is taking the mash mixture and distilling it up to certain percentage standards to meet the US requirements above.   

 Below, Danny explained the process of getting the resulting product into further production.  Before it is put into barrels, it is clear and gets its color from the wood charred barrel.

 They have 15 vats on site each holding 25000 gallons.

 In this building, a "small batch" was created.  Now, small batches are still made although now, the building houses the control center for the whole process.

 The aging process is important to a fine product.

 
After each barrel has spent anywhere from 2 to 15 years, or even more in barrels, the bourbon is emptied from the barrel into a container to measure how much is produced. Some of the alcohol has evaporated over the years and in some cases a 35 gallon barrel may produce as little as 10 gallons (rare).

 

 Because the barrel is charred before the bourbon is put in, there is frequently charcoal in the barrel.

 A sample was poured...to smell only while he held the glass.

In the bottling room we had a unique opportunity.

 Choose our empty bottle, mark it with a colored sticky dot, rinse it with bourbon to clean it...

 put your bottle on the line, watch the bottles being filled, capped, and labeled, ready for pick up back at the gift shop.

 At one time, they used to bottle the bourbon in special containers to increase sales.  Although no longer done, some of the containers have become collectables, demanding a good price.

  The Rainbow Trout container...

 and the PGA container.

 Although Jim Beam sells different bourbons, they all start from the same recipe, and leave the final results up to the temperature and amount of years that it is stored.  In this chart as an example, the bourbon sold under the Knob Creek label is taken from the locations in the lighter X shaped area.

 The 13 million and 14 million barrels produced. (April 2014 and May 2016)

 We finished the tour in the tasting room.  After viewing the different varieties sold, we were given a card with a chip in it that allowed us to taste up to 1.5 ounces in 3 different pours...and a shot glass.

 Yes, Grammie went back to school and received her Mixology Degree...or was it just a bartender?

 Alice and Jim Beam, the 4th in a line of 7 Master Distillers.

Over the years, production has resulted in 80 buildings for storage in the process.  They are not in the same location as a fire in a building would only take about 7 or 8 minutes to destroy the building.

Thanks for following Grammie.

February 23, 2018 - Charleston WV Capitol tour.

What started as a quiet day had it's ups and downs.  We left Morgantown in a little bit of rain and reached Charleston, WV to visit our 33rd State Capitol.  When we arrived, the city looked busier than usual...and it was.
Trying to find a parking spot near the Capitol, we drove down Kanawha Boulevard and were greeted by hundreds of teachers, many whom were holding signs.  Of course we had to come back through the same street to continue looking for a spot. 

Finally finding a spot several hundreds of yards away, we met up with 3 teachers and found out they were there protesting the negotiations with the PEIA (Public Employees Insurance Association) One of the first posters we saw was... "don't hurt me, I covered by PEIA".  Tom asked if this was their vacation and the answer was No, we are on strike.  The schools in West Virginia were closed for 2 days because of the strike. Still planning to visit the capitol building we saw a line of teachers at the security entrance for the building.

 Not wanting to stand in line, we went into the West Virginia State Museum right next door.  In what might seem like a timely display,  Tom noticed this quilt.  To those who might initially look and turn around, it wasn't what you might think.  This quilt was done by Ella Martin in 1933 and presented to President Roosevelt as her appreciation for his policies for Women  through the National Recovery Administration. (NRA).

Once we crossed to go into the Capitol, the previous line was gone and we quickly got through security.  Once we got to the Rotunda area, the noise had greatly intensified.  Both chambers of legislature are on different sides of the rotunda, but still on the same floor.  There was someone up front, near the door to the chamber, who was leading the cheering and jeering aimed at the legislators.

 Tom took a picture of one of the posters while Alice introduced to one of the ladies.  

  Once they found out we were teachers, she turned and told a cameraman for channel 59 news who immediately wanted to know if either one of us would speak into the camera for the news.  Nope, even though we supported the teachers, this story wasn't about us.

 Down the hall, outside the other chambers, more teachers, and more noise.

 The people that we talked to agreed that the building was beautiful, but were also agreeable that the people who worked there were not for teachers needs.

Outside was a statue commemorating West Virginia who was the first of 2 states that entered the Union during the Civil War.

Back out in front of the building where we first saw the crowd, there were more cheers for those that drove by with horns blaring and thumbs up in a show of support.

 Close to noontime, many were taking a break on the stairs or headed somewhere for lunch.

 An inscription just below the dome.

 More teachers supporting their cause.

 Although there were many teachers from all over the state, there were also children there as they had no school also.  Tom's vote for the poster of the day done by a child.

Across the Kanawha River is the University of Charleston. Would you believe that they offer Undergraduate Degrees in Elementary, Secondary, and Special Education Programs. You don't suppose they got the idea that their education doesn't matter to legislators do you.

 Although not quite the Capitol tour that we envisioned, we did see education happening.

Oh yeah, Where's Grammie? We'll try for a good picture tomorrow.

Teachers at the State Capitol

February 19-20, 2018

Yesterday we left home is search of warmer weather to run some errands.  Pick up some suntan lotion in New Orleans, catch a few suns rays in Texas and visit another National Park or 2 or 3 or 4. 
We stopped in Danvers and Joan and Tom started in earnest, the planning of a future trip to the ancestral motherland.
Today we ended up in New Jersey where a small family gathering of cousins occurred. By the end of the afternoon we managed to get a picture of all of the "double troubles".  Pictures were shared...as well as family stories, and history.  A fun day.  Thanks for sharing.