07 Clarksdale and Memphis

052207-Clarksdale and Memphis

2007:Classic Car Club, Nashville and Graceland, Elvis's Cars
2007:Clarksdale, Memphis Again, Subaru WRX STi
2001 flashback:The Midwest Z3 Ride to Missouri
2007:St. Louis, Brent's House, | Flying Home to NYC | NYC and MO, Epilogue
2007:Video- Hummingbirds, Catfish, Z3 Backroads, Guitars and Banjos 13.7 mgs mpeg download, 5 minute video | Windows Users may prefer the Windows Media version 11mgs .wmv file

devil I drove to Clarksdale, MS, where the Delta Blues Museum was built (started by ZZ Top) to honor "Crossroads". The legendary spot at the Intersection of Highway 61 and 49 where Robert Johnson, the father of the Blues, reportedly sold his soul to the devil so that he could sing the Blues. This picture is me at Crossroads in 1996.	Brent's pic crchanges A few years ago Brent and Connie made the trip to Crossroads and found this at the intersection. I didn't see it, so I am not sure it's there now? From the November 27, 1936 recording session in San Antonio, Texas: I went to the crossroads, fell down on my knees I went to the crossroads, fell down on my knees Asked the Lord above, have mercy now, save poor Bob if you please Standin' at the crossroads, tried to flag a ride Whee-hee, I tried to flag a ride Didn't nobody seem to know me, everybody pass me by Standin' at the crossroads, risin' sun goin' down Standin' at the crossroads baby, the risin' sun goin' down I believe to my soul now, po' Bob is sinkin' down You can run, you can run, tell my friend Willie Brown You can run, you can run, tell my friend Willie Brown That I got the crossroad blues this mornin', Lord, baby I'm sinkin' down I went to the crossroad, mama, I looked east and west I went to the crossroad, babe, I looked east and west Lord, I didn't have no sweet woman, ooh well, babe, in my distress
dbm Since Brent also mentioned that Morgan Freeman had opened 2 restaurants in Clarksdale and the guys at John Deere told me the one restaurant (Ground Zero Blues Club the other is called Madidi's) was right next door to the Museum, I headed to there after visiting the Museum. The Museum was wonderful.	DSC01198 This is Ground Zero, Morgan Freeman's blues club and restaurant bar next door to the Delta Blues Museum. It was great! The people were wonderful, the food took forever but was worth the wait. The line up of performers was enticing (Super Chikan and Homemade Jam, Watermelon Slim and the Workers...) Zac had gotten lost (? how do you get lost when the destination is a highway intersection covered with signs for the Museum AND you have a GPS?) When Zac showed up he said he didn't like my tone and that he would "rather eat at a Subway on the highway than talk to me at all". So that pretty much ended that. I had the keys to the Subaru, and I knew he'd have a hard time trying to wrestle them out of my pocket in front of witnesses, so I walked away.
DSC01196 These are Ground Zero's Fried Green Tomatoes, and I am sorry they don't look fab in pictures, because they are AWESOME in real life. You can't see my grilled catfish sandwich because I ate it too fast. Although we had no maps, the Delta Blues Museum has free WIFI so I checked flights and discovered that I could not get to NYC from Memphis. That was strange. I called a friend in Selma, AL that I had met in 1996, but Selma was 6 hours by car and again, no flights. By great fortune, there was a non-stop flight from Memphis to St. Louis, I called Brent and asked if he could stand a surprise visit from me- and lucky for me, Connie and Brent were in the mood for a visit. They said: "We were going to have a bonfire and some home made chili, but since you are coming we will have a bonfire and some home made chili." I couldn't get there fast enough.	DSC01199 Here's the lovely Subaru. The CCC mechanic who was now stuck with me seemed to think that Subaru was an Australian company, so I called Dr. Biggly, another Z3 friend (who has since sold his Z3) who knows about these things. I mean after all, the point of the CCC trip for me was to learn about other cars, meet new friends and see some interesting places. I was going to have fun despite idiots running the CCC show. Thanks to Biggly, I learned a lot about the Subaru. The mechanic who was now my co-driver was a decent fellow and good company, but he has asked me not to say more, and I will honor that request. (What happens in the Subaru stays in the Subaru.)

May 26, 2007
In z3rides@yahoogroups.com, "Dr Biggly" wrote:
Re: [z3rides] Z3 Friends to the ReZcue
Quite glad to help. Here is some more information
about the vehicle you were driving:
Subaru Impreza WRX STi
Not to be confused with the Subaru Impreza WRX,
this follows the typical Japanese naming convention
of 'add more letters and it goes faster.' The same
holds true here, with the addition of those three letters
a minimum of things happens over the standard WRX:
-Better engine and bigger turbo (with less lag!)
-Bulletproof 6 speed instead of the glass-jaw'd 5-speed
-Adjustable center differential
-Full limited slip differentials F and R
-300hp instead of 235hp
-Upgraded struts/springs (more on this later)
-Nice heavy-duty Brembo brakes package
-Upgraded steering rack (quicker ratio)
-No-slip seats and blue interior
-Very sticky tires (but a bit rough and a little loud)
Here are some notes on figuring out which model is which:
**Subaru Impreza 2.5RS or 2.5i**
This model has a naturally aspirated 2.5L engine. Short gear ratio, fun to
drive. Great car. But maye in the 180hp range. Note that with all Subarus
being AWD, there is a lot of power loss in motivating the larger drivetrain so
it takes quite a bit more power to feel quick vs. RWD. This engine is shared in
other vehicles such as the Legacy, Forester, and Baja.
**Subaru Impreza WRX**
This vehicle has a turbo, which kicks the output up quite a bit. Originally
sold in other countries around the world for years, we did not get them until
2001 (as a 2002 model year). As a World Rally homologation car, these came with
the 2.0L turbo engine. (2006 and up WRXs got bumped to the 2.5L engine that
started with the 2004 Forester XT, BajaXT, and 2005 and up LegacyGT. Less lag,
and a mild upgrade on the brakes, just not the STi-level Brembos. Also started
getting 17s instead of the 16s.)
**Subaru Impreza WRX STi**
This is currently the fastest model in the US. After years of waiting (and of
course this model too being sold to the rest of the world) it appeared in May of
2003 as a 2004 model year. It also has a 2.5L engine, like it's smaller
siblings throughout the Subaru lineup, however the internals are a bit
different, it has variable valve timing, and a larger turbo. The 6-speed
gearbox is top-notch and can easily be considered 'heavy-duty.' However, the
real magic with this car is with its differentials. Each model year change has
added an upgraded center differential controller with the programming simply
getting better through different torque splits and in 2006 an additional yaw
sensor. Add this to stickier tires and the out-of-the-showroom combination is
fantastic.
As part of the rally pedigree, the STi is easily capable of heading offroad for
dirt or gravel fun (though obviously not a rockcrawler, milder trails are
advised.) However, to be able to accomplish this in stock form the engineers
keep the car fitted with smaller swaybars, softer springs, and very overdamped
struts. Great for going high-speed on gravel backroads, not so great for daily
driving. Herein lies the biggest 'problem' with the STi in stock form: The
ride quality is bouncy. Too much spring or too much strut really feels like the
same thing though for opposite reasons. Lots of bouncing and jiggling.
Downgrading the struts is not necessary as it comes with quite good ones to
start with. Best solution? Upgrade the springs to stiffer springs and the ride
quality will improve since the strut is actually damping the spring instead of
being so strong that it fights the spring. Add a pair of swaybar upgrades
(doing only one or the other is never quite as good or makes the car nervous)
completes an ultimate handling package. Expect to do this for a variety of
costs, but maybe $500.
Niggling handling bits aside, the power and it's delivery in the car is
wonderfully entertaining. The bonus to this vehicle is the ability to easily
add more power. A simple turbo-back exhaust system (~$1000 depending) will net
about 40hp. Intake? 6-8hp. The car takes to simple bolt-ons like a duck to
water. The best part is knowing that the car is incredibly safe with Subaru's
3-ring design and nearly indestructible B-pillars. (Reference fireman.com
magazine article detailing the lack of proper extrication tools for newer Subaru
B-pillars.)***Other Subaru models of note***
2005 and up Legacy GT:
-Shares the 2006 and up WRX drivetrain. 2.5L turbo engine and 5-speed gearbox,
but with a longer wheelbase, more room, and a lot more luxury.
2004 and up ForesterXT:
-Got the first of the 'detuned' 2.5L turbo engines (which first appeared only in
the STi). Sleeper wagon with a boatload of space.
2004 and up BajaXT:
-Also shares the 2.5L turbo drivetrain. Funky car/truck/thing and dang quick.
Rather unfortunate body molding though.
WRX Wagons:
-Share almost everything in identical with the WRX sedan. No STi wagons at this
time.
Saab 9-2X Aero:
-This came about due to GM's 25% holding in Subaru's parent company Fuji Heavy
Industries. Better sheet metal and exterior looks, a little better sound
deadening, but mechanically identical. Only a couple of years; I think
2004-2006 at the most though I believe it to be limited to only 2 model
years..would have to look it up.

-Biggly
P.S. If there are any errors above, blame me as I did this off the top of my
head.

Biggly writes:
someone snapped one of me in my car (wow do I look bored...though I was waiting on folks to part for the main pic) at my Dragon meet this past weekend

pic from on top of the dam looking down onto the group below
I did my best to honor your car Biggly!

DSC01200
Since we were going back to Memphis anyway, and I love Memphis, and I love BBQ, I figured out how to program the Garmin, had it stop us at the Peabody because I know it's right across the street from the Rendezvous- which has amazing BBQ. ( I didn't have your number with me Beth, it happened too fast!)

DSC01201
So it was grilled catfish in Mississippi at Morgan Freeman's place, and it was delectable pulled pork sandwiches in Tennessee, (after waking up in Nashville, driving to Memphis, Clarksdale and back to Memphis) I would be eating home made chili and sleeping in Missouri after watching a bonfire and a sky full of stars chasing each other through the night. New Orleans would have to wait for a better day.

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