Traveling West (and a Bump in the Road) - September 2007

When last we met our heroes, they were about to head out for a (somewhat) leisurely trip back to the west and home base. Unfortunately, the bad luck troll reared his ugly head in the form of a nasty back injury. As we were getting ready to leave, Ez pulled his back lifting a bucket of water leaving him in no shape to do anything but lay on his back in agony. Anyone who’s had a back injury knows what the first days after the trauma are like – sheer hell! We made a trip to the emergency room and visited two MDs – a family practice physician and an orthopedist. The meds helped some, but time is the real healer for these injuries. And of course, since Ez couldn’t sit comfortably (and I can’t drive our 42-foot coach) we were stuck in Madison, Virginia. Thanks to the nice folks at Shenandoah Valley Campground who pulled strings and rearranged reservations so we could stay in our site!

After six days, Ez had made some improvement. He couldn’t walk or stand without pain, but he could sit – and that’s all we needed for him to drive! We set out to try and make up some of our lost time. As I’ve said before, we’re lazy travelers. We like to travel about 150-200 miles at a time and then stay put for up to a week. On our new schedule we would travel up to 400 miles a day, staying only overnight at each stop. Usually we didn’t even both to unhook our tow vehicle – too much pain and trouble since we weren’t doing any sightseeing on such a short stay.

We did make a couple of exceptions however. During our two-night stay in Memphis, I headed for the quintessential Memphis tourist trap – Graceland! (That's where most of these pictures were taken.) Ez had to pass because he couldn’t stand or walk long enough to make the pilgrimage to the Mecca of Rock and Roll. I’m not a rabid Elvis fan, but touring this monument to 60s and 70s kitsch is not to be missed. I don’t think the formal living room, with its white couch and grand piano, got much use, but I’m sure the “jungle room” and TV room were popular hangouts. It’s also cool to see all the sequined costumes and hundreds of gold records and other awards on display. Elvis, his parents, and grandmother are buried in the “meditation garden” on the property, but I doubt that much tranquil reflection happens with the streams of tourists passing through. And it’s amazing to see the dozens of tributes that continue to be sent by legions of adoring Elvis fans. Long live The King!

We also indulged in a two-night stay in Hot Springs, Arkansas. In days past, Hot Springs was a popular destination for well-to-do folks who came to relax and enjoy the “therapeutic” benefits of the mineral springs. Many of the luxurious hotels, spas and bathhouses that were built to accommodate them are still standing, although only one traditional bathhouse is still in operation. Ez and I decided to sign up for a $50 package at the historic Buckstaff Baths – it sounded like fun and it might be good for poor Ez’s back!

We were each directed to the separate men’s and women’s facilities, but our experiences were pretty similar. After doffing our duds and donning a sheet, we were escorted to a whirlpool bath – basically an old-fashioned cast iron bathtub with a whirlpool generated by a device that looked like a small outboard motor. Ez voted this the best part of his bathhouse experience. After 20 minutes, it’s on to the sitz bath – a small half-tub situated in a curtained alcove. You sit in the tub for about 10 minutes with your legs hanging out over the edge. While Ez then when on to enjoy a steam shower, in the ladies section I was directed to a steam bath. Yes, I sat in one of those metal boxes with just my head sticking out of the top – like you might have seen in the old movies! What a hoot! Next you lay wrapped in hot towels on a padded table for 20 minutes – very relaxing. The bathhouse experience concludes with a 20-minute Swedish massage. Not a bad deal for 50 bucks!

After Hot Springs, we continued our mad dash west. We made quick overnight stops in Oklahoma City and Amarillo and now we’re kicking back for a week in Santa Fe. We’re enjoying relaxing in this beautiful city, and Ez is finally able to get out and enjoy himself a little. He improves a little every day. There's more to come so stay tuned for the next episode in our travel adventure.