Memphis is the one city on the Great River Road that really demands more than a coffee stop. It sits on a bluff above the Mississippi, where the river bends wide and brown, and it has a bigger claim on American music and history than almost any place its size. Before you ride in, decide how much time you have, because an afternoon is not enough, and a day is only a decent beginning.
The music is the main thing. Beale Street has been a centre of blues for more than a century, and the nearby Sun Studio is where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and others made early recordings. Graceland, Presley's house, is a short ride south, and Stax Records, the soul label, has a museum that tells a different, equally important story. Memphis is also where Martin Luther King was killed in 1968, and the National Civil Rights Museum, in the former Lorraine Motel, is a serious, moving place that stays with you.
For riders, the great river is the other attraction. The Great River Road follows the Mississippi through ten states, and around Memphis the city's bridges carry you over the water in a way that makes its scale plain. Traffic is that of any big American city, so expect busy highways, heavy trucks, and the occasional pothole. Riding in is not a pleasure but a means of arrival. Outside the city, on either side of the river, the roads turn quieter, with flat farmland, levees, and cypress swamps.
Practicalities are easy: fuel, food, hotels, and bike shops are everywhere, so this is the place for any repair or restock. Food needs a mention. Memphis is known for its slow-smoked ribs and pulled pork, served with a dry rub or a sweet, tangy sauce, and the barbecue joints, from the grand to the grubby, are part of the experience. Summers are very hot and sticky, with thunderstorms and the occasional tornado warning. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit, with milder weather and a pleasant light over the river.