Category Archives: The Bike

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The Third and Final: What Will it Be?

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I’ll never forget the thrill I felt after purchasing my first motorcycle!

I was just out of the motorcycle safety course, had a brand new, crisp license in my wallet and I needed a bike! I didn’t know much, but I did know that I wanted something small, used and practice worthy.  I did not want to make the mistake of many new riders, who purchase a brand new “big” bike and, many drops and near accidents later, either sell or leave it sitting there, rarely to be ridden.

Enter my sweet little Honda Rebel, 28 years old with a $1000 price tag.  The perfect starter bike for me!  Three months later, I had learned much and was ready to move on up to a bigger, more powerful bike.  I was a bit sad when I sold that purple rebel and hope it treated another newbie as well as it treated me. Read a bit more about that here: https://lifeonthebikeandotherfabthings.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/learning-to-ride-part-1/

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A tinge of sadness was soon replaced with tremendous excitement after the purchase of my 2008  HD Sportster 883L.  It too came to me used, although I was only the second owner and the odometer read just 3oo miles.  The goal for this second bike was to grow in confidence, comfort, and skill.  I’ve put almost 15,000 miles on my Sportster, taken week long solo rides each August these past 3 years, and ridden many, many miles with friends.  What an amazing time I have had on this bike!

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You can read more about that here: https://lifeonthebikeandotherfabthings.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/learning-to-ride-part-2/

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Last week, my bike went into the shop for the annual oil change and check up in preparation for the riding season.  (It needs to be said that I’ll ride all year long despite colder temps, but the snow this year has kept me to only a few rides since November).  As is not uncommon with “adult toys”, there are things to be done to this bike … some tweaks and some upgrades …  and all of that costs MONEY!

What to do?

Spend a good chunk of change to get this lovely little bike ready for the year, and to upgrade it a bit?

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Trade it in and get the third and final bike?

If you’ve read Learning to Ride, Part 2, you’ll know that my goal all along has been to eventually sell the Sportster, the bike I have called my intermediate or “middle bike”, and to then purchase the bike of my dreams.  The biggest obstacle to that, of course is financial.  A new bike means a monthly payment … ugh!

But I can feel a new one calling my name.  Just the thought of it is seductive.  In fact, tomorrow I will pick up the Sportster from the shop and bring it home.  Next week, I’ll be visiting my friend Jay and start talking about a new bike.  I don’t know what that bike will be (and I may not be able to work out the financial side of things) but in the meantime …

Isn’t this one a beauty?

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The 2013 Fat Boy Lo.

Just add some saddle bags and a windshield and I’ll be ready for the road.

I’ll keep you posted …

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50th Birthday Solo Ride Part 2 – The Tail of the Dragon

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This is the second of a two part post about my 50th Birthday Solo Motorcycle Ride (2010).  All pictures were taken with my old point and shoot camera.  Part 1 can be found here:

https://lifeonthebikeandotherfabthings.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/50th-birthday-solo-ride-the-blue-ridge-parkway-part-1/

Day 3 – The End of the BRP and the Folks Along the Way

Hello from Bryson City, NC, located at the southern end of the BRP.

I rode the last 78 miles of parkway today and it took me a long time because I kept stopping to stare at the beautiful mountains!  The section between milepost 400 and 425 is stunning with the elevation between 4500 and 5500 ft and the highest point of the BRP at 6053 ft. I have taken so many pictures, always thinking “THIS is the best one”.

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I had hoped to be able to say I was writing from the Gearhead Motel outside Bryson City as recommended by a couple bikers I met, BUT when I went to check it out, it just didn’t feel right – no one was there and it seemed deserted. So, I headed on down the road and checked into the Sleep Inn instead.  Later that evening, I rode back by The Gearhead and it was full of bikes and people and it looked like fun!  I’d made a mistake by passing on it earlier.

The lively folks outside the motel reminded me that I haven’t said anything about the great people I have been meeting along the way. I met two bikers from Indiana (the ones who recommended the Gearhead) who used brute strength to adjust my highway pegs (which got out of position when I dropped the bike yesterday – yeah, I didn’t tell you that, did I?).

I also loved the folks, about my parents age, who said “if you were my daughter I’d kill you for riding alone”, to which I replied “why do you think I haven’t told my parents?”

I met a guy who hauled his bike from Missouri so that he could ride the BRP while his wife went shopping in Asheville.  Smart man!

There have been lots of other fun people along the way … and I’m grateful that some have been willing to take a few pictures of me along the ride.

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After checking into the hotel, I rode back down to town and had a great taco salad and a couple micro brews at a local dive bar (located in a 70 year old WWII quonset hut with no A/C).  I followed that with a quick dip in the hotel pool and am now so ready for sleep.

Across the Tracks Bar and Restaurant Bryson City, NC

Across The Tracks Bar and Restaurant, Bryson City, NC

I’ve ridden about 500 miles so far … not much compared to my friends who ride cross country but I’m proud and happy.

Tomorrow … The Dragon.

Day 4 – Curves

If you’ve been following along so far, you know that I’ve written about some of the fun curves and elevation changes that I’ve experienced during this trip.  Those curves were nothing like the ones I have ridden all day today!!

The Tail of the Dragon is known world wide for its 318 curves in 11 miles.  You get to put a sticker on your helmet and your bike if you finish (you have to ride it both ways), but your broken bike parts go on the Tree of Shame if you don’t.

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Well, I am proud to say I have a sticker on both the bike and the helmet!!  Woo hoo!!  So proud! And just like when you raft a river, there are professional photographers posted along the way taking your picture.

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The road is a blast to ride – even though I went at granny pace- 30 miles/hr – but the route to get to The Dragon was fun, too.  Rt 28 is just as curvy and I loved riding through the lush, green Nantahala National Forest.

I rode by signs like this all day long.

 One of many signs like this along Rt 58 in VA

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After 8 hours on the bike, I checked into the Iron Horse Station in Hot Springs, NC.  The road to get to Hot Springs (Rt 209) was just as curvy as the Dragon and runs for 30 miles, a lot of it through the Pisgah National Forest.  Beautiful!  I was often entirely alone on that road, and I am grateful I had no problems.

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The Iron Horse Station Inn and Restaurant, Hot Springs, NC

http://www.theironhorsestation.com/

Hot Springs is a cool little (very little) historic train town.  I am staying in a restored train depot and my room is perfect!  The “tourists” are an interesting mix of bikers, river runners, AT hikers and those seeking a getaway from as far away as Atlanta, Knoxville and Asheville.  As always I had a cold beer and a shower, and after that, I enjoyed a wonderful glass of red wine with some delicious white bean & chicken chili.  Yum!!  I am soooo content.  How perfect that the train came through as a fitting end to a wonderful evening.

Almost 700 miles so far!  I’m supposed to hit the road for home tomorrow … I am really not ready for that!

Day 5 – What a Ride!!

A huge storm woke me during the night and I wondered how wet my bike would be.  The sun was shining brightly this morning though and I thought all was well.  I am not sure why I didn’t think about all the water that the seat had absorbed during the storm – I rode with a wet ass all day!   Lessons learned!  🙂

I truly enjoyed my stay in Hot Springs.  I loved the fact that every single person wished me a good morning as I walked to the Smokey Mountain Diner for breakfast.  I passed several buses loaded down with rafts and tubes and I kind of wish I had stayed and spent some time floating the French BroadRiver.

But … it was time to ride on.

I rode 275 miles today (a record for me) and I spent almost all of it on back roads.  I rode through parts of the Cherokee National Forest, the Jefferson National Forest and the Mt Rogers Recreation Area.  I rode on a long stretch of road that passed through multiple “no stop light” towns  in Tennessee.  I loved the names – Minneapolis, Cranberry, Plumtree (which had flower boxes on the bridge through town), and one place called Lick Log.  Really?  Who names a town Lick Log?

Plumtree, NC along Rt 19

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I’ve been really lucky in terms of weather on this trip, but today was the best day yet!  An “Idaho sky” for sure!  I have loved these past 5 days – no plan and the freedom to spontaneously pick my route.  Today I literally went from one town to the next, choosing the roads as I went along. The folks I met, who helped to guide me, were wonderful.

I often hear bikers talk about the wind in the face and the freedom of the road … I feel like I finally get it!

It has been such an amazing trip and I really was not ready to come home.   Even still, I was glad to cross over the New River for the first time in 5 days.  Thanks to Fred and Cindy for welcoming me back home with a glass of wine, and to Amy for sharing my traditional end of the day beer with me.

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What a ride!! 925 miles over 5 days and 3 states. What a great way to celebrate my 50th Birthday!!

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50th Birthday Solo Ride – The Blue Ridge Parkway, Part 1

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“To some, turning 50 is anticipated with dread.  Me?  I started planning my 50th birthday celebration a year or two before I even reached that age.  I considered 50 a milestone to celebrate; a time to revel in the joy of feeling young and alive with endless possibilities!”

Day 1 - 50th Birthday Solo Bike Trip!

This blog entry is based on my 50th Birthday Solo Ride journals and emails.  Each summer when I take my solo ride, I send an email to the folks back home – to let them know I’m okay (they worry) and to share the joy of the ride.  I was not blogging back then and have been wanting to post about the ride ever since I started this blog in June of 2012.  Since 2010, I have taken two other solo rides.  I rode to, from, and along the Outer Banks of North Carolina in 2011 and in 2012, I rode through Tennessee.  The Tennessee story can be found in the August 2012 archives. 

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I have used journal entries and publications to write this post.  My ride was featured in The Roanoke Times http://www.roanoke.com/news/nrv/community/wb/258574,  WomensRidersNow (http://www.womenridersnow.com), and my local HOG chapter.  

All pictures were taken with my old Canon power shot.  This is the first of two posts about the 2010 trip.

I decided to simultaneously celebrate my big 5-0 and the 75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway by riding the North Carolina portion of “America’s Favorite Drive”.  This route offered me the spontaneity I longed for while never being more than 400 miles from home … the perfect way for an intermediate rider to venture into solo riding.  Yes, other women have gone farther and stayed out longer, but my 925 mile / 5 day / 3 state ride were perfect for me and one that I think any woman would feel comfortable attempting.

T-Minus one day “til the 50th Birthday Solo Ride

Tomorrow morning I leave on my very first solo motorcycle trip (and actually only my second long distance trip altogether).  I am so excited … mostly because of the trip, but also because I have two weeks off of work.  I know that some are nervous about me traveling on the bike on my own, but I am taking every precaution and I am well prepared.  I’ll only be gone for 5 days and will never be more than 400 miles away.

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My plan is to tour many of the places along the North Carolina portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  I have no specific schedule nor do I have any hotel reservations … I’m looking for a bit of spontaneity!  I do know that I want to ride a lot, eat some good local food, enjoy a cold beer in the evenings, hike and swim along the way, and end it all by riding the Tail of the Dragon on the NC/Tenn border … 319 curves over 11 miles!

Day 1 – The Adventure Begins

I can’t believe that the first day of riding is done!

I was wide awake at 6am – so ready for vacation and this long planned ride.  Michael and I pulled out of Radford at 9am (after taking pictures and making sure that my bags were tied down well).  He also rode behind me for quite awhile to make sure things stayed tied down.  I’m so glad I had such a great friend to ride part of the first day with!

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We rode to Stations Inn in Laurel Springs, NC where I ate a “Harley Dog” (hot dog, bacon and cheese – no calories there, huh?).  That is where we parted and I have to confess to a few tears as I headed off on my own.  But within 5 minutes I was fine and ready for my adventure.

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I got caught in my first rain storm and spent 20 minutes hanging out under an overpass.  Guess I’m a real biker now – ha!  The rest of the ride went smoothly and the NC portion of the BRP is beautiful!

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I rode on to Blowing Rock, NC (200 miles the first day).  What a cool place!  There are lots of shops and restaurants in this little mountain town.  I found a cute little motel where the owner offered to bring out towels to wipe down the bike in the morning.  My clean comfortable little room , with a porch out front, only cost me $69!  How cool is that?

I just finished a couple of cold beers and some Fish and Chips at a local pub.  I plan to read a bit on my little porch and then I promise you, this woman will sleep well tonight!

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Day 2 – Exploring the BRP on Bike and on Foot 

I slept better than I have in weeks!! And started the day by enjoying scrambled eggs on the porch of a cute little coffee shop … And for only $2!  I really enjoyed my short time in Blowing Rock.

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I was on the BRP by 9am and rode back and forth several times across the Linn Cove Viaduct, a part of the parkway that swings out adjacent to the mountain.  It was designed to preserve the scenery and the fragile environment and I just laughed and hooted out loud as I rode, it was so cool!!

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From there I headed to GrandfatherMountain and walked over the mile high swinging bridge.

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I followed that by hiking to LinvilleFalls. It was overcast all day so the pictures won’t be great but my memories are wonderful.

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I knew that today would find me stopping a lot but when 1p came and I’d only gone 40 miles I decided I’d better head on down the road.  The NC part of the BRP is beautiful – so much different than VA.  The route is full of constant elevation changes, curves, tunnels and gorgeous views.  Makes for very fun riding!!

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Next stop was 40 miles later at Mount Mitchell, where the elevation is over 6500 ft.  Even though I couldn’t see far, it was neat to have the fog swirl around me as I walked around up there.  From that point it was a curvy ride back down out of the mountains.

Highest Elevation in North Carolina - Mt Michell

Mt Mitchell

I checked into a hotel in Asheville (where I was able to talk down the price by telling the desk clerk about my 50th birthday solo ride – my friend Dave told me never to accept first price and it worked!!).  I enjoyed beer, fried pickles and bluegrass in a place called the Fiddlin Pig. They even played the Hokie Pokey!  And I just happened to have a VT shirt on! Life is good!

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Weekly Photo Challenge: My 2012 in Pictures

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For those who don’t blog with WordPress and may not know, the Daily Post offers a Weekly Photo Challenge.  Each week, the Daily Post provides a theme for creative inspiration and the blogger is supposed to take photographs based on the interpretation of the theme.

The theme for this week?

Pick the best pictures from your 2012 and have those pictures tell everyone about your year.

I wonder if this Challenge was as hard for other bloggers as it was for me.  At first I was intrigued, then overwhelmed and finally resigned … resigned to the fact that I would never be able to narrow a year’s worth of pictures down to a few.

This exercise helped me to remember what a great year it has been and just how fortunate I am.  Fortunate to have amazing friends and family, and to live surrounded by beauty!  No doubt there have been challenges and some heartache, but the positives won the day (er … year).

I decided to share my year in two ways … life and beauty through photography and then life and beauty through family and friends.  A few of the pictures were taken with my Blackberry (yes, I still use a Blackberry).  You’ll be able to tell the difference.

Life and Beauty – Photography

Claytor Lake, Pulaski County, Virginia

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The Booker T Washington National Monument, Franklin County, Virginia

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The Ride of Silence, Radford, Virginia  http://www.rideofsilence.org/main.php

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The New River, Radford, Virginia

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The New River Valley Fair, Pulaski County, Virginia

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Fall and The Virginia Tech Hokies

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Labor Day and rain in Floyd County, Virginia

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The Scarritt Bennett Center, Nashville, Tennessee (from the 2012 Solo Bike Ride)

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Shooting Creek Road, Franklin County, Virginia

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Somewhere in North Carolina

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Along the New River in Pulaski County, Virginia

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Foggy Morning, Radford, Virginia

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The Home of John and Mabel Ringling, Sarasota, Florida

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Just another lovely field in Montgomery County, Virginia

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A train trestle over The New River, Pulaski County, Virginia

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Life and Beauty – Family and Friends

Andrew’s Farewell Party before his move to Charleston, SC (in Blacksburg, Virginia)

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Mothers Day / Fathers Day with the best parents EVER (Williamsburg, Virginia)

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Sisters Celebrating 50 (Roanoke, Virginia)

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The Annual GOA Gathering (Bath, North Carolina)

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Hanging with the SoHos! (Dublin, Virginia)

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Gathering with the BGs in Grayson County, Virginia

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The annual Road Trip with Ruth to see the Hokies (Chapel Hill, North Carolina)

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Mumford and Sons Concert (Bristol, Tennessee)

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Some of my favorite Biker Chicks (Elkin, North Carolina)

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Bikers riding for a good cause (Draper, Virginia)

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“Divas” raising money for another good cause (Radford, Virginia)

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Time on the farm with Bill

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And time on the bike with some of my favorite guys (Philpott Dam, Bassett, Virginia)

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I’m always ready with the camera while riding,

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whether at the beginning of a trip with my good friend, Tim,

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Or during the pouring rain on my annual solo bike ride (somewhere between Nashville and Knoxville)

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And best yet, reconnecting with lifelong friends (not a quality picture but a quality friendship) Richmond, Virginia

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So there you have it … how lucky am I?

Onward to 2013

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My Guys

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Well, that’s what I call them, anyway.

Becoming a biker has introduced me to many things – pure joy and lots of  thrills, little towns and bigger cities, curvy country roads and long straight interstates, and some really great folks.   I’ve met and gotten to ride with many people, several that I now hold dear.  Life would not be near as much fun or as meaningful without them.

Dave and Michael are two of my favorites.

       

I call them my guys, but they haven’t given me permission to call them that.  I call them that because they’ve been my mentors and my companions on  many rides in my short history of riding.  They’ve each been riding for over 30 years; I’ve been riding on my own for 3; they’ve each got well over 100,000 miles under their belts; I’ve got 15,000.

They may not actually LIKE to be called my guys (I haven’t even asked them), but  in my heart and in my mind, that is what they are.  They teach me and are patient with me; they laugh with me and tease the hell out of me.  I would follow them just about anywhere, knowing that all will be well and as safe as can be, and we’ll always have a whole lot of  fun.

Michael introduced me to riding in December of 2007, and I met Dave and his wonderful wife Martha, another biker and a woman I adore, soon after.

     

Many of the miles I’ve  ridden have been accumulated when following these guys, and the order is almost always Dave, then Michael, then me.  Sure we ride with others, and they ride a whole helluva lot without me, but I can usually count on them wanting to ride when I do.  They are used to getting an “I want to ride” text  from me on any given weekend morning …  even on a beautiful, 40 degree winter day.

  

I get to see beautiful parts of  Southwest Virginia, as Dave knows every road and never gets lost …

… and Michael knows every biker and has never met a stranger.

They put up with requests for group photos and then they laugh at me as I race to get into the picture before the timer goes off.

A friend gave me a special camera strap (it has been dubbed the “magic strap”) so that I can wear the camera while riding and can quickly stop to take pictures without getting off the bike.  I focus on the shot while the guys ride out of view but I never have to worry as they are always waiting at the next intersection.   Thankfully, those waits having gotten shorter as I have gained confidence and nowadays they don’t have to wait as long because I’m usually right there with them … then again, maybe they’re just being nice.

Can you see their expressions?  “Come on LD, hurry up and take the picture”.

I can and do ride with others.  I enjoy a big group ride and solo rides as well.  But I just love riding with these guys and I am so glad that they’ve welcomed such a novice rider into their biker world.

I never miss out on a chance to hit the road and love it when I get to do it with them.

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Layne Creed Part 2 – The 2012 Memorial Ride

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When Billy Nunn says be there at 9:45, kickstands up at 10:00 or get left behind, you’d best get there on time.

We met on a cool, cloudy morning, 17 bikes, most with riders on the back, pulling into the parking lot two or three at a time. Considering that we’d had an unplanned party at Sharkey’s (http://www.sharkeyswingandribjoint.com/) the night before, more than one biker was feeling the after effects on Saturday. Just like the carb loading pasta dinners that cyclists have the night before a big ride, this group of bikers enjoyed a slightly different type of pre-ride carb load.

In another similarity to a big cycling event, we had our own SAG support, the term the cycling community uses for “support and gear”.  These are the folks who ride in vehicles and are prepared to offer aide to a cyclist in trouble.  Jerilyn provided SAG for our group.  By following the motorcycles in her car, Jerilyn was certainly there for the fun, but also to offer space for a rider and as a place to stow over night gear.  While waiting for everyone to get there, Jerilyn made a new friend and I set up the tripod in preparation for a group shot.

  

In spite of the late night, we were a happy group that morning.

   

Soon enough it was time to pose for the group shot and get on down the road to Mt Airy, NC to ride in the 2012 Layne Creed Memorial Ride (https://lifeonthebikeandotherfabthings.wordpress.com/2012/10/04/layne-creed-the-reason-behind-the-ride/ )

The ride was chilly as we progressed slowly down through the mountains on Rt 52.  The slow pace was not purposeful, I guarantee (the pictures show the problem) but it allowed for the photo capture of our line of bikes.

  

Pulling into 13 Bones (http://www.eat13bones.com/) on a day threatening rain, the crew from Virginia was a welcome site to the team of organizers of the Layne Creed Memorial Ride for the Rescuers.  This was the 6th year of the ride and monies raised get donated to local rescue squads, fire departments, a children’s home and to support 2 scholarships. The owners of 13 Bones, in addition to being regular contributors to community events, were close friends of Layne Creed and they provide a great place to start the ride.

As soon as we got there, we lined up to get wrist bands, purchase T-shirts, pull a card for the Poker hand and buy tickets for the corn hole raffle.  This year, TW Signs (http://www.twsigns.net/), the company that makes the annual ride T-shirts, also made a Harley Davidson corn hole board that was donated and put up for raffle.

   

(photo: Velvet Creed Leonard)

It was 11am and everyone enjoyed wings, sausage biscuits and beverages at 13 Bones.

  

Meanwhile out in the parking lot, riders checked out Layne’s old truck,  and got ready to ride.

  

    

Folks looked at other bikes, reconnected with old friends and listened to pre-ride instructions.

  

  

  

  

60 bikes and many cars and trucks pulled out for the ride that honors the memory of Layne Creed.  Stops along the way included Dodge City in Elkin, the Yadkin Moose Lodge in Mocksville, Cooper’s Sports Bar in Pilot Mountain and finally the Elks Lodge in Mt Airy.  Each break offered food, beverages, and another card for the poker hand.

I’ve ridden in this Poker Run 4 times, but have no experience with any other rides.  All I ever hear from more experienced riders is that this one is the most organized that they have ever been involved with.  Every stop sign and intersection is monitored by someone from police, fire or rescue.  Traffic is stopped when necessary and the bikes ride on by.  In a few instances, folks in cars pull over out of respect for the ride and what it represents.

  

(photo: Velvet Creed Leonard)

We rode in pouring rain and chilly temps, but never lost the purpose, spirit and fun of the day!  Once wet, it really doesn’t matter … you just keep riding for the cause.

  

  

(the previous 5 photos courtesy of Velvet Creed Leonard)

Somewhere along the way, a key became embedded in Josh’s back tire and caused a flat.  Thanks to good friends on the road, the bike was safely loaded on a trailer and the ride continued on.

  

(photo: Velvet Creed Leonard)

By 5pm, a long line of wet riders pulled into the Mt Airy Elks Lodge.  Those who had them, changed wet clothes for dry ones and it was time to enjoy good food, door prizes and a silent auction.

Many pictures were taken, dancing was done, and in the end, $5500 was donated to the Children’s Center of Surry and Yadkin and scholarships were given to two Surry Community College students.

  

    

Even with a flat tire, a broken peg, and a couple of wrong turns and a dropped bike or two on the way to the hotel, it was a great day … rain and all!  The next morning dawned beautifully and it was a perfect day for a ride back home to Virginia.

  

  

We’re already looking forward to the 7th annual ride in 2013!

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The Road Home … Riding Solo

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Without a doubt, I love to ride with friends.  Some of my favorite and most fun times are when I am spending the day with friends on our bikes. But one of the advantages of riding solo, is that I can stop at any time to take pictures … and the ride from Mt Airy, NC to SWVA is perfect for doing just that!

 

  

  

  

I took me twice as long to get home than it should have but it was so worth it!!

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The 2012 Bike Trip – Tennessee: Bristol and then Home

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As my friend Rick said “who knew Bristol is such a cool place?”.  Well, I’m sure many already knew, but I sure didn’t!  What a great downtown area! Many others evidently thought so too because I could not get breakfast without waiting in line for 30 minutes, and after waiting in line a lot last evening, I just couldn’t do it.

  

Bristol went all out in preparation for the Gentlemen of the Road Stopover, to the point of displaying flags from Britain, the US and Virginia on all the flagpoles.

  

Carol sent me the following link which has a nice review of last night’s concert but also provides information about Bristol.  Mumford and Sons chose communities like Bristol, that are part of  National Trust Mainstreet Communities, in which to play their stopovers, and returned nearly one percent of ticket sales to downtown revitalization.  Now I love them even more!

http://swvatoday.wordpress.com/2012/08/12/well-played-mumford-and-sons-well-played/

  

So after taking pictures of historic buildings like the Post Office, The Paramount, the train station, and the sign across the road, I headed out of town on Rt 11, towards home.

  

As I hoped I would, I came across a little place called JJ’s Downhome Diner. Tiffany (pictured in the middle; the owner is to the left) recommended the potato soup and grilled cheese and she definitely knows her business! It was just like homemade (but better than my homemade!).

 

I got to chatting with the owner who told me that the property has been sold and the building will soon be torn down so that more big box stores can be built there.  Like there aren’t enough just a mile up the road?  What is it with people having to go to chain restaurants and the same ol, same ol places all the time?  I just don’t get it!

Off my soapbox and back on the road, I stayed with Rt 11 almost all the way home.  I loved riding through communities that I only really know of from signs along the interstate.  Places like Chilhowie, Marion, Wytheville (where I just had to stop and take a picture of the pencil for those who’ve never seen it) and Pulaski.  Built in 1907, the Pulaski County Courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

  

Throughout my travels in Tennessee, I would see old barns with pretty quilt squares painted on them, but it never failed that I saw a barn too late, or there was no place along the road, to stop.  Finally, somewhere between Marion and Wytheville, I was able to pull over and take a picture.

According to a website called American Barn Quilts ( http://www.americanbarnquilts.com/ ), the practice of painting quilt squares on barns can be traced back almost 300 years to the arrival of immigrants from the central regions of Europe; Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.  “Paint was very expensive in those days and painting a decorative and distinctive quilt pattern on their barns was a wonderful way of allowing for decoration. It also became an excellent way for travelers to find particular families or cross roads as towns people would just tell them which pattern to look for”.

I rode up and over Draper Mountain and stopped at the Drapers Valley Overlook.  The day was so clear that the views were quite remarkable – my camera and I just did not do them justice!

  

As I got closer and closer to home, I found myself riding slower and slower.  This trip was my third ride of exploration and I have found all three times that I just did not want it to end!  If I didn’t have friends and family to come home to (oh, and a job), I would just keep on going!

My Tennessee Tour has been everything I had hoped.  Tennessee has quaint small towns and interesting and fun large cities, full of history and engaging people.  I found the roads to be well maintained and the signage excellent (I rarely took a wrong turn, which is good for me!).  I was a bit disappointed in the obvious presence of the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) and hated to see so many rivers that had been dammed (of course, I am hypocrite because I used the power generated by those dams).  It is a beautiful state, full of historic buildings, excellent music, delicious food and gorgeous scenery.

But … home and job responsibilities called.  Thankfully, I was able to meet with Pam, who had ridden her bike, at the Rock House Marina for the traditional “end of the trip” beer.  It was a nice reminder that I have great friends to come home to.

As I got even closer to home, I was able to meet up briefly with several friends for a gathering at Cindy’s.  A gorgeous evening, a wonderful group of friends, and I was ready to head up my driveway and park the bike.

 

And … I finally got to meet Chayanne, the new member of the Miller/Singer family.

Total miles: 1100!  No drops, no burns, no wrecks!
Now … where shall I go next year?

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The 2012 Bike Trip – Tennesse: Knoxville to Bristol/ Mumford and Sons!

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What a perfect day for a bike ride and such a change from yesterday. I love the clarity that comes after a big storm – no humidity, no smog, fog or haze. Just a sky that was a gorgeous blue, with big fluffy clouds and the temperature in the 70s. I wanted to stop a million times to take pictures (but only stopped four times).

  
I very much enjoyed my brief visit with Jen, Justin and Eli. They have created quite the homestead – a pool where Eli swims like a fish and where friends gather regularly, an acre of land behind the house where Justin can fly the remote control planes that he builds (not your little ones from Toys R Us – these are amazing!), a 4 hole “golf course”, and a lovely home. These are some hard working people and so they play hard too (exactly my philosophy). If you work hard you can play hard and the result of their labor shines! One result that I benefited from was that Justin had dried my boots and that made all the difference in the ride.

 

The countryside along Rt 11W to Bristol was so pretty! Mountains, creeks, and fields of corn and hay. For those from the NRV: at different times I was reminded of Snowville, Ellett Valley, and Giles County.

I managed to get to Bristol within 30 minutes of the Radford crew. I checked in to the hotel, changed out of biking clothes (boots and jeans) and into concert clothes (shorts, flips flops, and of course, camera), and walked to the shuttle area to catch the bus to the festival grounds in historic downtown Bristol. I can not believe the ease with which I found Greg, Shelly, Dean and Beth amongst the 15,000 people at the Gentlemen of the Road Tour Stopover.  An hour or so later, we were joined by Rick and Renee.

  

  

Ever since I saw Mumford and Sons on the Grammy show (and bought their CD Sigh No More that same night), I’ve been a fan of this British indie rock/folk band (my description – if any of you have a better one, I welcome it!). The band played to a crowd that knew almost every word to every song. We alternated between jumping and dancing or swaying, arm in arm, singing all the while. An encore performance of Wagon Wheel, which brought together all the bands that had performed prior (Apache Relay, Dawes, Justin Townes Earle), was a rousing end to a truly great evening!

  

Thanks to Rick for taking pictures for me – his height made sure the pictures were not just of the backs of heads (the concert was in a parking lot and all were standing).

After waiting in line for the shuttle (Shelly, Greg and I could hardly wait another minute more as fatigue set in), we finally got to the car and began the great “post concert I am hungry food hunt”. Multiple attempts at several places led us to an after midnight Taco Bell feast.  Ah the good life 🙂

 

  

I so enjoyed this evening in Bristol with some great Radford friends.  Thanks Dean for getting the tickets.  What a show!

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The 2012 Bike Trip – Tennessee: Nashville to Knoxville

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How did I not meet Doris until today? After I planned my route for the day and as I was checking out, I got to chat a bit with Doris.  She told me that her title is Conference Concierge of the Scarritt Bennett Center.  I was sharing my excitement about the historic buildings throughout Nashville and Doris told me that I just had to see the Chapel. I wish I had words to describe and the talent to photograph the beauty of the interior of that building.  No longer used for church services, the Chapel was voted best place to have a wedding in Nashville.  It is truly breathtaking!

     

Doris also gave me two Scarritt Bennett magnets, each one with a picture of one of the buildings on the campus.  I’ll tell you what – it’s the people who put the finishing touches on great trips!

As I rode out of Nashville, I realized that I had just barely scratched the surface of this city.  I’ll definitely be returning!

I decided to knock out a quick 50 miles on I40 heading east, mostly to avoid multiple stop lights while getting out of town.  Traffic was not bad and I felt no un ease on that 8 lane highway.  As I had entered Nashville on Wednesday, I couldn’t help but notice a series of signs that announce the number of fatalities that have occurred on Tennessee highwasy (“please don’t be the next” it reads).  On Wednesday the sign showed the number 598; as I rode under it today it read 603. Sure makes you think …

I had planned to take 70North to start my ride to Knoxville but was having difficulty finding the access point. When I stopped to check my directions, a group of guys at the store told me that I was wrong, that it was 70E, not 70N.  I kept insisting that it should be North but they assured me it was East.  Against my better judgment, I got on 70E.

Next time I’ll trust myself and my map. I was on the wrong road.  I didn’t need to do any backtracking but the mistake did add some extra miles.  Then again, if I had not taken the wrong road, I wouldn’t have driven through the historic downtown of Watertown.  What a lovely little place … cafe, newspaper, bank, grocery store … THIS is why I stay off the interstate.  Not only do back roads make the ride prettier and more interesting, they allow for little surprises like Watertown.

       

And then there are the big surprises that occur whether you ride big roads or small ones.

I saw the storm clouds gathering and I knew that I was trying to out race them.  70N took me through tiny towns, across beautiful farm lands, over mountain passes, past horses and cows, and along constant curves.  Absolutely beautiful … even in a downpour!  I was drenched, but able to keep riding.  As the rain let up, I came through Cookeville and stopped at Moogie’s BBQ for some much needed lunch and a bit of drying off.

    

I was glad that Moogies had outside seating as I was soaked!

    

Unfortunately, once I was back on the road, the rain (and thunder and lightning) came in earnest and I was soaked to the skin. I pulled over for the first time and sat under a covered gas pump.  The owner of the place was kind to let me stay there without purchasing gas and expressed great concern over my safety.  His kindness was a bright spot in the rain.  When the storm seemed to be lightening up, I got back on the road.

     

Well, what I thought was hard rain before, became even harder and I could not even see the road.  I had to ride another 5 minutes before finding a place to pull over (again, under a covered gas pump).  My clothing and boots felt like lead and I was a bit discouraged.  I went into the gas station and called Michael, knowing he would be the right friend at the right time.  I needed his brand of “it’s all part of the deal, LD”.  Down to earth, matter of fact – “just wait it out and you’ll be fine, but call if you need anything”. I guess what I’m saying is that I needed someone who would share concern but mostly just let me know, hey this happens, be safe and smart and you’ll be fine.

    

And he was exactly right.  After about 30 minutes, the rain did let up and I was able to get back on the road to finish the trip to Knoxville.  Thankfully, I only had another 45 minutes or so to travel.  I was cold, wet and ready to be done.  Funny though, I was still able to appreciate the beauty of the surrounding countryside.  I wish I could have stopped at a few places – like Frozen Head State Park (where on earth did that name come from?), the Obed Wild and Scenic River, and Oak Ridge Laboratory – but I had to keep riding.  Hopefully I’ll get back that way again someday.

I finally arrived at the home of Jen and Justin and their daughter Eli.  How wonderful to be able to come in, strip off all the wet clothes and do a huge load of laundry.  In borrowed t-shirt and sweat pants, I was warm and comfortable.  Being able to catch up over pizza and beer made for a really nice evening and I really enjoyed having a good long chat with Jen.

Now … time to sleep.  225 miles today … not sure how many were ridden in the rain.