have been a wait, and honestly another guided tour would have been a stretch for my attention span anyway, so we wandered around the outside area of the house for some photos while we read the wiki page, then stopped by the Shoals Theater to ogle the unique marquee sign and get coffee from a nearby cafe. Next, we headed to Wildwood Tavern for pizza, beer and pinball. Who doesn’t love a tavern? There was also an impressive Betty White mural in the alley across the street, and after leaving we found Antiques Unlimited—a huge, two story thrift shop with records, Pyrex, weird moose paintings, and all the other dusty collectibles that make my heart flutter. Our next stop, the Ave Marie Grotto in Cullman, Alabama, is about 69 miles from Muscle Shoals, and something that lovers of Memphis’ Crystal Shrine Grotto and outsider art have to experience in person. Photos can’t do it justice. Built in Alabama’s only monastery, the St. Bernard Abbey, by a Benedictine monk, the grotto is a two block pathway that winds through hundreds of meticulously hand-constructed, miniature versions of buildings and worlds in a park-like setting. The miniatures were built from costume jewelry, ceramic tile, seashells, marbles, and rocks by Brother Joseph Zoettl starting in 1912, and by 1934 were attracting so many visitors they were moved to the present site. Most of the buildings he had only read about, and he built them based on descriptions and photos from books out of scrap materials that he found or that were donated for the cause. It’s a self-guided tour, so you can spend as long as you’d like marveling at the tiny sculptures and the huge impact they have when collected into a permanent outdoor exhibit. While we toured, a friendly Abbey cat accompanied us, and as we left, we bought a “Monk’s Ration” of white bread and fresh Pfeffernusse cookies baked by the monks from the large gift shop, which also features rocking chairs and other woodworks made by Abbey residents. On your way back to Memphis, you can stop back in the Muscle Shoals area if you missed anything, or if you just need some Champy’s Fried Chicken. Make sure to screenshot directions to the Coon Dog Cemetery in Cherokee, Alabama, just in case you lose signal going up the mountain. Started in 1937 when Key Underwood buried his beloved hunting dog, Troop, in their favorite hunting spot, the cemetery is now the resting place of more than 300 dogs – each and every one a certified Coon Hound that has passed a list of entry requirements more lengthy than what I submitted to get into college, including up to three letters of reference from witnesses who have seen the dog in question actually tree a raccoon. As a lifelong dog obsessive and an enthusiast of a particular breed myself (although pug cemetery qualifications would probably involve things like “must have begged for snacks at least 6 hours of each day and suffered 2 scratched corneas during their lifetime”), the cemetery feels both sacred and celebratory. Upkept better than most human cemeteries I’ve visited, each gravesite has some kind of adornment, with flowers or flags adding pops of color throughout the otherwise greens and browns of the natural wooded area. There’s a small pavilion, a few signs explaining the origins, and rows upon rows of wooden or granite gravestones, both humble and elaborate, with the names of the good boys and girls who passed the stringent entry requirements for a final resting place where their earthly hunting prowess and loyalty will always be venerated. There were no other people when we visited, but you could hear hunters’ gunshots in the distance. When you’re finished paying your respects and making note of all the quintessentially Coon Hound names (Bobo, Mustang Sally), I suggest blaring Tyler Childers’ “Can I Take my Hounds to Heaven” with the windows down while you head down the mountain wiping tears from your eyes, then stopping at the first gas station you see that looks like it may have spicy tater logs. You’ll need some salty carbs for the rest of the ride home. Muscle Shoals Recording Studio, Muscle Shoals, AL 34 Go! | <strong>Sept</strong>+<strong>Oct</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | focuslgbt.com
Rosenbaum House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, Florence, AL Tots and cheese sticks from Brad and Dad's Drive-in in Timbo, AR The Gem Theater in Heber Springs, AR Alabama's original roadside attraction, built in 1934. Ave Maria Grotto at the St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman, AL Coon Dog Cemetery in Cherokee, AL 35 Go! | <strong>Sept</strong>+<strong>Oct</strong> <strong>2023</strong> | focuslgbt.com
Change language