We were going from New Orleans to Memphis via the Blues Highway.
First stop was Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, the longest continuous bridge passing over water. It was huge! 24 miles long and for at least 8 of those miles (more on a cloudy day), you can't see any land at all.
We crossed the Mississippi state line and stuck to the interstate until we reached Vicksburg where we came off onto US Highway 61, also known as the "Blues Highway". This was not the drive I was expecting. I had envisioned a Route 66 style drive with blues related shops and memorabilia along the road and a random roadside band every 10 or so miles. Instead, it was a long empty road with mainly farms and farmland.
We stopped off in the town of Leland, birthplace of Kermit the Frog.
Leland was not what either of us were expecting. It was very quiet, fairly derelict and there were not a lot of people around. The 2 things we had been told to look out for in Leland (according to the Blues Highway pamphlet we picked up from the Mississippi Tourist Information Office) was the murals on the walls painted by local artists to honor the Delta Blues and the Blues Highway Markers. The markers are actually found throughout the Mississippi, not just on the Blues Trail and there are a couple in neighboring states too. They tell the stories of the people, places and themes related to Blues.
Next stop was Cleveland known for its Fighting Okra mascot, there is an excellent You Tube video that shows just how angry this 'little' guy is:
Whilst in Cleveland, we sampled a proper Mississippi road side smoke house. Everything was served up in polystyrene with plastic cutlery and the inside had the feel of Freddy's BBQ Joint from House of Cards but the food was excellent!
Next, it was onto Clarksdale where we went to Devil's Crossroads. This is the location where the legend says that Blues musician Robert Johnson sold his soul to the Devil for the ability to play guitar. It features in a number of songs and movies.
We decided to drive into Clarksdale's Historic area which looked a little more lively compared to Leland, but not much! Here are the highlights we had of Clarksdale:
The main high street called Delta Avenue which looks run down but I think that is part of the 'look'
Another Blues Highway Marker
Cat Head is a famous store for buying Blues music
Random but pretty building on Delta Avenue (if you like turquoise and purple)
The Blues club co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman. Outside the front are very worn out mismatched chairs, it looks like a dive bar but apparently that it all part of the look and inside there are top musicians playing awesome Blues.
Another Blues club opposite Ground Zero
Outside of the Delta Blues Museum
A cool mural we went past, no idea why its here.
When we left Clarksdale, it was time to start heading towards Memphis. The journey into Memphis was odd and like no other drive into a big city. There was no multi-lane highway or large industrial or shopping areas, it was a two lane road with run down buildings and a very suburban feel to it. It was like this all the way into the heart of the city. We didn't feel unsafe but I don't think either of us would have wanted to pull over and get out of the car for any reason. Once we finally go into the middle of the city, the high rises, the people and the shops all started to appear.
Looks very different to anything you've seen so far. The photos are great and the BBQ looked good,
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