Lincoln Presidential Museum

We spent the afternoon visiting with the Lincolns. Really. The Museum has figures so realistic you expect them to blink any minute. It is truly the most impressive museum we've seen--a wonderful way to experience history. The two theatres have presentations worthy of Speilberg. And as you walk through the exhibits, you feel transformed back into the 1800's.

Lincoln Land

We're making our way from St. Louis to Michigan, with some stops along the way. One is Springfield, Illinois, the adult home of Abraham Lincoln. We actually started at the end--Lincoln's Tomb, an impressive 117-foot structure with a soaring obelisk. The base is flanked on each corner with huge bronze sculptures depicting each of the four Civil War Services--infantry, artillery, cavalry, and navy. Abe, Mary, and three of their four sons are buried in the Tomb.

Grant's Farm

While back in Missouri for a month or so visiting family, we decided to take in some sights. Drew and I both love the famous Budweiser Clydesdales, so we wanted to see where they're raised. Anheuser-Busch is the largest owner and breeder in the world of these beautiful creatures. We were able to see a new foal romping with it's mother as well as nuzzle up to some "big boys" in the stables. The Busch family purchased the acreage near downtown St. Louis originally owned by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and opens the grounds free of charge to the public.

Graceland

Elvis is in the house. PICTURES of Elvis! The two of us helped Graceland keep the distinction of being the most visited homesite anywhere. Not only is it a step back in time to the 50's and 60's era, but also some insights into "the King" when he was out of the public eye. By today's pop star standards, Graceland is rather modest, but it certainly has Elvis's aura about it.

Memphis BBQ and Blues

With the weather turning a bit warmer, we left Florida and headed to Memphis, a city we'd passed through several times, but never stopped. Our RV park is right at Graceland, with good eats and shuttles just a walk away. We couldn't visit Memphis without sampling their renown BBQ. Drew's favorite: pulled pork sandwiches. My favorite: ribs. We strolled Beale Street and not only sampled the BBQ, but the blues music that spilled out onto the sidewalks. BB King's Blues Club was one of the highlights of our Beale Street experience.

Not ALL Work

NOMADS work hard M-Th, but after that, we get to play. And play we did. . . From checking out local restaurants, to the awesome strawberry shortcake in Plant City, to the local Oakhurst theatre production "Broadway." We rested on our days off, but we certainly weren't idle.

Fencing Expert

Drew is quickly becoming known for his fencing expertise. No, not the sport of fencing, but the task of fencing. Drew and two other NOMADS tore down and reinstalled a new fence all in one day. Nice work, guys.