Apr 165 min read

warranty work.

Updated: Jul 22

It's spring, the best time of the year to RV. Of course the RV (5th Wheel) has been in the shop for a couple of months now, having warranty work done. Two of the hydraulic jacks stopped working, the AC only works in the ALWAYS ON (not auto) setting, meaning it's ALWAYS blowing. A window was installed upside down so it leaks into the loft when it rains. So, here we sit, RV-less during the absolute best time of year to get out on the road, and when kids schedules are relatively clear.

I imagine it will be ready as soon as it hits 90* and 90% humidity consistently, which starts in a few weeks.

As spring break was approaching and we had no RV to drag around the southern US and nothing else on the books, we planned a road trip instead.

The first stop was in Hattiesburg, MS where we stopped in the weirdly cool Pocket Museum Alley, a joy for all ages. The alley is home to the most random collection of "pocket" sized dioramas, sculptures, art, sidewalk art, a pigeon departure and arrivals board, and games for kids and adults. We have heard rumors the Hattiesburg Pocket Museum is unusually entertaining but cannot confirm that yet since we haven't been there when it's open, but it's on the list. If you are ever in this neck of the woods, the randomness of the alley is well worth a few minutes - make sure to look in all the nooks and crannies for surprises. It is one of the happiest places around.

Our stop was rounded out by a visit to Southbound Bagels and Coffee Shop, home of yummy bagels freshly made each morning by a local restaurant legend and veteran.

We piled back into the car to drive north to Oxford, Mississippi (home of the University of Mississippi, better known as Ole Miss). We booked a hotel room to cram the family of 5 in - featuring two queens and a sofa. We miss our RV, sighhhhhh. But, alas, Oxford is beautiful and the flowers were in bloom. The town is cute and quaint with great shops, restaurants, and world-class bookstores - Oxford is hometown to both William Faulkner and John Grisham and other noteworthy authors I'll admit I don't actually know. Ole Miss as a campus leaves quite an impression; it is very stately and beautiful and historic. The football stadium is wildly impressive.

The next day found us making our way to Memphis, in spite of everyone's warnings regarding our safety. Booked another name-brand hotel near Beale Street, smaller room than the last, with the same sleeping arrangement. Very cozy and by cozy I mean very annoyingly cramped, with one very questionable bathroom. Still missing the RV. Memphis, however, was lovely. It was mid-week so Beale Street was relatively quiet. The BBQ was outstanding, the people were friendly. The weather was perfect. We tried to see the "famous" ducks at The Peabody hotel but the fountain was under renovation. The hotel is beautiful and the ducks could be found on the roof in a pond with an enclosure. Not the experience we were hoping for, but there it was.

Our middle kid's request was to visit the Bass Pro Shop + Hotel mecca in "The Pyramid", which is epic and bonkers and a must for anyone outdoorsy. He really wanted to stay in the hotel but I overrode that request when I checked the price. The interior is... something. Indescribable really. Sportsman's paradise. There's a lake with full-sized boats inside. We lost a few hours there, but managed to spend less than a hundred bucks so yay us!

We also checked out the Rock 'n' Soul Museum, which tells the history of Music in Memphis. It was very informative and interesting. Well laid out, on the smaller side so not a huge time commitment.

Our youngest's request was the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, where MLK was assassinated. I was not familiar with the museum, she heard about it in school and was excited to check it out, so we planned our visit. We were all so glad we did - from the 9 year old to the teens to the... much older adults. It is so well done and tells the story of the civil rights movement as we have never seen with videos, news footage, art, artifacts, interviews, pictures, and a full sized 1960's era city bus to walk through with a gorgeous bronze of Rosa Parks sitting in her seat. The motel is completely preserved back to that day in 1968 and the museum is built into and behind it. If you are in Memphis, this is a must, must-see. It was also a little bit life-changing, in a very important way. We spent about three hours, and could have stayed most of the day because there was so much to see, read, experience, explore, understand. But alas, we were due to get back on the road.

Our drive home took the route of the Mississippi Blues Trail, via the towns of Tunica, Hernando, and Clarksdale, among others. Clarksdale is home of Ground Zero, Morgan Freeman's original blues club (sadly closed until the evening) and some fantastic burgers at the aptly named Owen's Burger Shack, where you have a choice of Burgers and/or Fries you order from a window punched in the side of a warehouse next to a gas station. The boys in the family put these burgers in their top 3 of all time.

This was followed by a stop in Leland, MS - hometown of Jim Henson - and a visit to the Jim Henson Museum. It features adorable memorabilia and bonus, it's free! We spent maybe 10 minutes here. Admittedly, the Blues Trail is rough, the times have not been easy on the area. But it has its own charm and history, and is important. I recommend a book called Dispatches from Pluto by Richard Grant for a glimpse into the culture of the area, known as The Delta. It is thoughtful, poignant, and laugh-out-loud-funny.

Our trip concluded in the Homochitto National Forest near Crosby, MS where I rented an amazing little VRBO for the last night of our trip. I'm pretty sure time stood still for those last 20 or so hours. This fantastic little find was tucked into a National Forest with a small pond and an amazing porch with rockers, a swing, and a fireplace, so it was a little bit like camping.

We still miss our RV and it's still sitting at Camping World... maybe we'll be able to break it out one day soon. Fingers crossed.

Update from June 2024: We have the trailer back. It also hit 90* this week and all the nearby campgrounds are booked up. Yay.

Update from July 2024: another jack broke, our awning no longer works, and all the cables on one living room slide decide to self-destruct. As we're not ready to forego another few months of camping so it can sit at Camping World for an undetermined amount of time, we're going full southern and just making it work for now however we can. I am not giving up my summer and fall too.

Hattiesburg Links

Southbound Bagels: https://www.southboundbagelandcoffee.com/

Hattiesburg Pocket Museum: https://hattiesburgpocketmuseum.com/

Oxford Links

Oxford, MS: https://visitoxfordms.com/

Square Books, Oxford: https://www.southernliving.com/square-books-oxford-mississippi-7104576

Memphis Links

Memphis BBQ at Rendezvous: https://hogsfly.com

Ducks at the Peabody Hotel: https://www.peabodymemphis.com/peabody-ducks

Bass Pro Shop Pyramid Mecca: https://www.memphistravel.com/attractions-activities/bass-pro-shops-pyramid

Hotel at Bass Pro: https://big-cypress.com/bass-pro-shops/

Rock 'n' Soul Museum: https://www.memphisrocknsoul.org/