Memphis

We were excited to join the Pistoias in Memphis to see Tulsa play The University of Memphis in the Liberty Bowl.  Joe and Joyce picked us up at the airport and we settled in at the Beale Street Westin.  We spent plenty of time on Beale Street, eating delicious ribs and taking in the entertainment, the best of which was "the blues" played at B.B. King's.  Prior to the game, we spent time at Graceland, Elvis Presley's home.  We toured inside the house, viewed his gravesite, his car collection, and his jet planes he bought for his daughter, Lisa Marie.  We then headed over to the Lorraine Hotel and museum, where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated.  Our hotel was across the street from the arena where the Memphis Grizzlies play.  The team was staying at our hotel so we were constantly in elevators and the lobby with players including Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, and others.  We even enjoyed a conversation with Lionel Hollins, head coach of the Grizzlies!  Sampling Ribs was an everyday activity, but someone had to do it.  We also managed to visit Sun Records, where Elvis cut his first song.  The game, itself, turned out to be a blowout win for Tulsa. Under his jersey, Tyler wore the same t-shirt Joe had worn under his jersey when he played for Tulsa!   On the day after the game, Joe and I drove Gail and Joyce to the airport for their return flight and then we drove home, covering about 2,000 miles over four days.  Our road home took us through Arkansas to Tulsa for a visit with Tyler and a tour of the campus and city.   We passed through Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona on our way back to California.