day 7 - Dollywood or bust

we almost didn’t come.

I thought it might be cheesy. it was definitely expensive. and it’s closed on tuesdays, which was the day we wanted to come. we had a meeting about a month ago and decided not to. it just didn’t seem necessary. but by the end of the meeting something made me change my mind.
I’m so glad. but I don’t know why.

there wasn’t a specific moment. no one thing I can hang it on. my traveling companions are throwing out suggestions from the front seat. I’ll spare you. you’ll thank me. but it was easy. it was sunny. it was very clean. and we laughed. all day.

we started by running through a kiddie water fountain to the great bemusement of some of the staff standing around. we ended eating corn dogs and funnel cakes which have seriously complicated our drive this evening. in between we rode some of the best roller coasters I’ve ever been on (which is saying a lot) and saw one of the strangest stage/movie shows I have ever seen. which included being sprayed with water. twice.

and we somehow managed to break into the only restaurant in the park that was closed to the public. I’m still not sure how it happened, but after searching the ‘country fair’ section of the park for 20 minutes we finally found the barbecue pavilion, and burst in triumphantly to find ourselves the highlight of someone’s power point presentation. I think it was some kind of security training. safe to say they hadn’t reached the slide on how to deal with hungry and confused lesbians.

there was a museum about dolly which was slightly unsatisfying and left us wanting more information. we were all disturbed to find that the souvenir shops not only didn’t carry her autobiography, but no books at all except cookbooks. especially surprising since dolly is such an advocate for getting kids to read. and we spent a fair amount of time watching the bald eagles, admiring the beautiful aviary but wondering about the symbol of our freedom begin trapped in any kind of cage.

the title track of dolly’s latest disc is about being judged by your looks and misunderstood. walking through her theme park I couldn’t help smiling at how appropriate she should be added to the soundtrack of our journey. our journey with gender, with identity, with class and with food. she’s taught us something.

that doesn’t mean I recommend you eat the whole funnel cake just because you can.

day 6 memphis/nashville/pigeon forge - got a lot of livin'

Wowza!  Today we said goodbye to Elvis, tried to say hello to MLK, revisited some old friends and rolled into neonworld.  

Today was one of our only "unstructured" days on the trip and it allowed us to just take it as it came to us.  We began the day with another thrilling hotel continental breakfast.  And if anyone can overnight us some decent coffee, we'd be much obliged.  We then said goodbye to the Heartbreak Hotel and to Graceland and joined the time honored tradition of signing the wall.  At first, we were hesitant, being law abiding citizens, this whole defacing of property, on video, in broad daylight - well, it just seemed wrong.  But we had a sharpie so there was no turning back.  We signed and we're glad we did.  It was more touching that we had anticipated to see this anonymous outpouring of emotion.  We signed and rolled on to the sweet tunes of "Always on my Mind."

We then went into Memphis to see Beale St. and the Civil Rights Museum.  Beale St. during the day just didn't cut it so we wondered a bit and then set down 2nd street towards the museum.  We had heard that it was one of the most underappreciated museums in the country and we can understand why - there was very little signage and it was off the beaten path.  Unfortunately, due to some oddly worded hours, we were unable to actually see the museum as it was closed.  But, we were able to walk the grounds and to pay our respects to the place where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated 40 years ago.  The Lorraine Hotel was saved for destruction and the actual balcony where he fell is still there.  It was intense and emotional in a way that caught us off guard.  We had expected to be moved by the museum but I think we were surprised how much we gained just from being there.  (This is Renee here.  I got really choked up at this one.  And even do right now.  I was just so angry that this unifier, this man of inspiration and hope and dreams and promise was taken so carelessly.  The simple indicator of his death, combined with the bright blue sky and incredible company was just a really poignant moment.  If nothing else, I am most grateful for that moment, it lit something in me that had been dormant for a long time.  Thanks for indulging, I just didn't want to speak for all... and now back to our regulary scheduled program.)

We then decided that Memphis was done with us and we were done with Memphis.  We boarded Dolly and headed to Pigeon Forge, which conveniently brought us through Nashville.  We decided a brief jaunt was necessary and we had a lovely time down by the River, picked up some belt buckles, hats and appropriately cheezy postcards!  We had damn fine fried chicken with our new buds - Josh and Elizabeth - and then hit the road once more stuffed to the gills!

We had a good ole drive to Pigeon Forge - singing Dolly, wearing funny hats and playing our favorite theater game - hodgy podgy.  It's certainly day 6 as the jokes just keep getting worse (think firecrackers and bodily functions.  yes, a joke of that caliber had us crying with laughter.  Punchy?  You could say so.).  We rolled into Dolly country around 11pm and were a little flabbergasted with the utter scale of it all.  Neon everywhere, LCD billboards, Christian Theaters, Upside houses and more!  Our hotel room had a Bible out and open to Ecclesiastes and for 3 northerners who aren't necessarily avid church goers, it caught us a bit off guard.  But the people are sweet and the hot tub was hot, so for now, Dollywood - you're just what we needed.

some interviews

from Louisville:




from Nashville:

day 5 graceland - always on my mind

This was the day, my friends, thank you very much. 

We awoke to the call of bananas and peanut butter at the Heartbreak Hotel continental breakfast. 

Following the footpath to the ticket area of Graceland, we passed under the warm winged shadow of the Lisa Marie (Elvis' private jet), and into the land of the mighty jumpsuited One - The Patron Saint of The Drag King. 

It was a beautiful day - full of jungle room promise. And we were ready - all audio tour earphoned up and cued at the ready.  Show me to the gates, oh mighty shuttle bus.  The tour of the Elvis' home - a whirlwind of shagged rug brilliance that I am still digesting. They kept us moving so fast, I barely had time to focus the camera. But it was stunning, and homey, and downright Elvis. We shuffled along, with the voice of Lisa Marie cascading through our ears, describing how every time Elvis walked into a room, his energy had already arrived the day before, or maybe it was his cologne.

 

Walking through the hall of gold records required dark sunglasses and a case of awe. And we're not talking Awe Light. But all throughout the tour, I carried a sense of sadness, because we all knew the ending. And my audio guide quietly and respectfully eased us into the later years, and out into the meditation garden, where Elvis has been meditating since '77. Fresh flowers arrive every day. Good thing his fans haven't caught on to the trend towards Edible Arrangements. 

The rest of the tour took us back across the street to the compound, where we refilled our cup and our souvenir collection, as well as took in Elvis' passion for things that go fast, motorcycles, Cadillacs, and money. Lots of money. He died at 42 with two planes, at least ten motorcycles, and twice as many automobiles. I'm still walking the streets of Memphis, and am only on my third car. I have something to strive for. 

But we all had a yearning to see Sincerely Elvis - his collection of jumpsuits. And we were not disappointed. The man had jumpsuits. Many many many jumpsuits. Oh and the belt buckles. We cannot forget about the buckles.  You really can't - they are larger than a banana cream pie on steroids. Probably weigh more than Las Vegas.

 

The only disappointing part was that each exhibit had its own gift shop - only with slightly different variations on the same things. And I don't know how many different kinds of Elvis lip balm are necessary in life. 

But as someone who has wanted to go to Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley, the King, and a human being that has always been inspired a big hunk o' my grounded outsider 50's bad boi "If I Can Dream" inner soul - then it was a damn good day to be a king. 

We ended our day by spending some time with a wonderfully generous group offering support to the Trans community of Memphis. It felt good to be amongst their warm company, be a part of a good discussion and we are grateful for their invitation to join them at their meeting, and for the hearty helping of coconut cake. Elvis would have agreed. 

Tomorrow, we explore more of Memphis, the Civil Rights Museum is at the top of the list, and then head out with our feet ten feet off of Beale. 

(for those of you who may not know - today's post was put up by Mal, aka Malvis.  And this little note is from Renee - more than the gold records or the grommetted bedazzled jumpsuit goodness, the highlight of the tour was Mal's face.  And the fun with glasses.  We also weren't allowed to film at Graceland, so you'll just have to wait for a live recreation.  It'll be worth it.  Trust us.)

day 4 nashville to memphis - maxed out

Dear readers, it's day 4 on our trip and we have to admit we're feeling the miles. It's hard, trying to balance the joy of a road trip and discovering new towns with the task of working and being present and really, really doing what we came down here to do. The conversations we have are amazing but they are also exhausting and we love to cram as much in as we can that we're sometimes forgetting to stop. We know y'all know what we mean. But that's not to say that we would change one minute of it. Even the struggles are ways of growing and learning.
The day started lazy and lovely as we lounged in East Nashville with E. & J. We had a fabu breakfast, complete with beignet make-up. It might not make sense in this moment, but trust us - it will.

With the Tennessee rain came our departure for Memphis. About an hour into our trip we came to a standstill traffic jam for the next hour. In a way it was nice, it gave us time to talk about our childhoods, which was a real treat. 

And inch we did, but an hour later we came upon the reason for our woes - a tractor trailer literally ripped in half and it's cargo was strewn all over the street. At first, we were sure it was diapers but know - it was maxi-pads. An interstate littered with maxi-pads, like snow. And to top it all off - they were Carefree. As we motored on, we found time to talk about what was on our minds and while it was hard, it was good. Communication in a journey like this is what it's all about.

We finally rolled into Memphis around 7pm to check into the Heartbreak Hotel. Of course, we had to drive past the gates of Graceland first (and yes, Laird, we listened to Paul Simon's "Graceland" and it didn't seem cheezy at all!) It's so surreal that here is this universal beacon of fame, and truly holy place for many, in the middle of run-down storefronts and strip malls. And yet, there's still this energy that one can't really explain. And the hotel - good golly, wait til we post photos.
We headed on down to Beale street for some grub and finally got ourselves some fried chicken and ribs! We then rushed back to the hotel to get into drag for our guest number at the local club - Backstreet. It was fascinating to be in another town's social center. It was in this very residential neighborhood and yet completely hidden and non-descript - if it weren't for the neon lights, we would have never found it behind the truck depot. Never. We went on around 1:30 (yes, a.m.) and were received beautifully and wonderously. It was challening to navigate receiving tips doing the number we did, but we did our best. Unfortunately, the sound kept coming in and out and being that drag is, well, lip-synching and not miming per se.... let's just say it was a challenge. It made us thankful for the amazing venues and performers we have...

It's not close to the 3a.m. and we must go to sleep because the King demands our attention tomorrow. Here's to the journey...

day 3 louisville to nashville - music city marathon

We motored into Nashville, Tennessee this morning and thank goodness we gained an hour because what a day we had!  Let's go with the highlights because, seriously, this is a blog and not a novel...

1.  We arrived at Elizabeth and Josh's adorable bungalow in East Nashville, right outside of four points.  Elizabeth is the sister of Becca, one of our adored Queer Soupers, and we have to say that Elizabeth and Josh are now honorary soupers!  After a lunch, we had some time to sit and breathe a bit.  It was great to be in a neighborhood and just walk around.  The leaves here are just so green, in a way that seems almost fake, but no - green they are!  

2.  We met with a great group of guys on the other side of Nashville and chatted all about the community here, the differences they see between being up North and being in Nashville, and we also chatted a bit about Dolly Parton and the wonders of the Dixie Stampede (which we're hoping to hit later in the trip!)

2.5  We went to the Parthenon.  Seriously, like 100 years ago the city built an exact replica of the Parthenon (but without the crumbly parts) and it's on this amazing green and we were there, along with every prom couple in the county.   Kathy put Renee and Mal in their place, feeling inspired by the great philosophical gymnasts of ancient Greece and then we ran to avoid the crazy tall man behind us.  Seriously - crazy.  Just look.

3.  We met up with Aunt B. (of Tiny Cat Pants fame, as well as the playwright of last summer's  "Honey, I'm So Lonesome, I Don't Know What to Do") and two of her friends - Stephanie & Tracy - and had an incredible conversation about being gay in rural Tennessee.  But it was so much more than that - it was about truth and family and bucking stereotypes.  They felt like family and we sure as heck hope we'll be seeing more than them in the future!  (Photos and more from our meeting will be up soon...)

4.  And then we went Honky Tonkin.  Hell yeah.  Josh and Elizabeth took us out and we squeezed into the back of a shotgun style bar and listened to some bluegrass and country.  

You'd think we would be done.  But no.  Not only are we staying at the cutest house ever, but we are mere steps from the Lipstick Lounge - the lesbian bar in town!  There was karaoke (which is unlike karaoke anywhere else in the world - it is the American Idol of karaoke, record contracts were signed next to the beer nuts.  Truly.)  And then, finally we went to bed.  

So yeah - it's been quite the day - one could even call it a marathon.  We're finding more and more that what we thought would be so different and a little foreign is really just the same in a lot of ways - that we are all struggling to be seen and heard and doing whatever bit we can to speak our truth and change the world, be it big like the Parthenon or more intimate, just one person at a time.  (Thank you Tracy.)

So goodnight sweet blogger readers.  We sleep and tomorrow - Memphis.  

it's all wrong...

In Pittsburgh

day 2 pittsburgh to louisville - the children are our future

We're writing to you tonight from the Chariot Hotel, just outside of Louisville, Kentucky. There's a lovely pool, but there's no water so... that cannonball really did a doozy! And there are some super incredible plaster of paris horses that may not be running the derby this year but someday their time will come! (The Derby is in just a week, so the streets are lined with bleachers. We just thought they were awaiting our arrival...)

We started the day with a lovely breakfast at Renee's parents house - there was bacon, there were blueberry muffins made with love by her stepdad and there were puppies.  Oh my, were there puppies.

Then we jumped into Dolly (that's the big orange element for those of you reading these out of order...) and off to Louisville we went.  7 hours later and many a dead insect, we arrived in Louisville!
We had a lovely meal including a tortilla bowl the size of Mal's head and Renee sampled the region's first, well, healthy meal - a Hot Brown.  What is a hot brown you ask?  Toast with turkey smothered in a cheesy goodness sauce with bacon and parmesan on top.  Yes.  Yes indeed.    

Finally, we got to the actual point of today's drive - we met with the local Louisville GLBT Youth group.  They were easy to find - in a big ole Lutheran church.  The group was great and we have to give a special shout out to Erika for coordinating our visit.  This group gets together every Friday night and have been around for 18 years!   We got to chat to a bunch of the youth and they were super friendly and open and all around amazing.  Some of them were kind enough to be on camera to share their experiences of being queer in Kentucky.  One youth, we'll call him K - had the sweetest disposition ever.  He told us about hating ties, always wanting them off and about trying on his mom's gowns when she wasn't home.  And drag - he loves drag and actually loves high heels!  (Hey, we don't have to understand it.)  When we asked him about what it means to be queer and be in the Bible belt - he told us that his pastor actually told him that it wasn't true that God didn't judge people - but that he did!  K didn't let this sway him, to him, God isn't judging but is looking down at us and is just angry because we keep screwin' it up.

We met with so many great 'kids' (we use that term lovingly) and will posting some of our interviews later, including a great one with the most soft spoken but quietly fierce Alex and with these jokesters (James and Tyler) who are making waves, in the best possible way, at U. of Louisville - challenging gender roles and forging their path.  They left us with one of the best quotes of the night, which I'm paraphrasing here - "don't forget about us, we're fighting the same fight."

That we are.

Thank you Louisville.

Tomorrow - more muffins and Nashville!

a little less conversation...

day 1 - boston to pittsburgh

10 hours on the asphalt.  3 turkey sandwiches.  2 great tunage mixes.  1 big boxy car (which has been lovingly renamed 'Dolly' because she's a bit top heavy!)

And it only took 8 minutes for Renee to have to mediate between Kathy and Mal.  It was an unfortunate bagel misunderstanding.

Today we loaded up the car and hit the road on the first leg of our trip.  The sun was glorious and the music was blaring and spirits were high while we were heavily caffeinated.  We discovered that Kathy can edit and digitize video on the road and that an orange Element means certain death to all insects.

We ended our day on the road at Renee's parents house in Sarver, Pennsylvania where we were greeted by her Mom, Step-Dad and sister.  After some pie, we sat down and perused photos of the wee redheaded Renee and discovered that as a child, she had a severe dislike for bowel movements but loved to play with imaginary people - which explains that directing thing.  We also heard all about the rebellious youth of her mother who chopped off all of her hair at age 8 to look like Elvis!

Tomorrow - we hit the road at 10 am for a 7 hour drive to Louisville where we'll meet with some area youth.  Watch out bugs - here we come!

day 0

to kick off our trip... we went to visit Mal's parents... and learned a few things...

T minus 13 hours

We're about to hit the road. Hardcore.

In 13 hours, the big orange box will be packed with 3 wonderers/wanderers, some suitcases, some cameras and a heck of a lot of cookies. And some Elvis tunes. We're heading to Graceland, via Pittsburgh, Louisville, Nashville and then we keep on going to Dollywood, Phill

y and finally home. We're meeting some great folks on the way and we'll be sure to eat every last pulled pork sandwich put in our way.

We've already started our journey... On Saturday we had the pleasure of teaching some RISD students what it takes to be a drag king/ genderbender on stage and sometimes off. Their energy, questions and complete openness astounded us and made us hungry for the road.

And last night, we had the pleasure of meeting with Mal's parents, eating some damn good chicken marsala and learning tidbits of Mal's childhood including an unfortunate mystery involving a Yucca plant.

Stay tuned to this page as we post updates on our journey including some pics and video along the way. We'd say it's going to be a bumpy ride - but we brought pillows with us to avoid that situation!