While relaxing in my living room after a lovely day on the bike with Dave, I couldn’t help but see the beautiful evening light shining down on the trees in my front yard …
So fortunate to live in a home surrounded by trees.
The Beauty of Bikes
Motorcycles and photography … a combination of two of my favorite things. Motorcycles have been in my life for almost 5 years, and photography for about 1. I’ve taken pictures for years but am just now putting some effort into it. It’s a natural to combine the two and I’m sure I’ll be taking pictures of bikes for years to come. This is just the beginning.
Most bikers work hard to make their bikes look good and ride well. A walk out to my carport right now will reveal the fact that my bike needs some attention to detail. It takes some time and elbow grease to bring out the beauty and shine in a bike and the time I’ve had with the bike lately has been spent riding it, not cleaning it.
Yikes!
Others have done better than I and I’ve had fun taking pictures of bikes the last couple weeks. Billy has been riding this 2003 Road King for 9 years.
Not all of my friends ride HDs but many of them do.
Another friend recently bought this bike and he finally has it back on the road after some repairs and upgrades. Check out the Sharkey’s sign reflected in the pipe.
Sharkey’s is a locally owned restaurant and bar, and at any given time, especially in the evening and on weekends, a line of bikes can usually be seen. http://www.sharkeyswingandribjoint.com/
A couple of the pictures that follow were taken with my cell phone camera and while they are not great photos, they do show how bikers work to make their machines look unique.
I love the combination of black and chrome …
But the colors are pretty too.
There’s something about that line of bikes that I love to shoot, whether parked in front of a beverage establishment …
… or riding down the road.
So until next time … Ride Safe and Have Fun!
I know I sure will!
My Love Affair with Basil
The property I live on is a little over one half of an acre in size, much of it is tree covered and that is exactly why I bought it. Prior to moving here, Andrew and I lived on 5 acres of land in Richmond, and I did not want to move from what seemed like living in the woods to a traditional neighborhood. I have plenty of privacy, the property is boarded by two utility easements and in the summer, I can not see any other houses from my front or back porch. The only drawback to living in the woods is that much of the property is shaded and will not support a garden.
I’ve never had a garden before. Frequent moves, parenting my child alone while working full time and attending graduate school, and too much civic involvement prohibited me from having a garden. If I were to be very honest though, I would have to admit that I’ve never been a gardener. If I had truly wanted fresh vegetables, I am sure I would have found a way. My sister Liz and brother in law Eddie, have a plot in a community garden near their home. I am sure I could have done the same if I’d been motivated.
But I never was … until I fell in love with Basil.
I think that love affair began at Sal’s Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria in Radford (http://www.salsrestaurants.com/radford/welcome). My favorite antipasto is their Alla Capresa – fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, drenched in garlic and olive oil, and basil – and lots of fresh bread with which to dredge up the garlic saturated olive oil. (The picture that follows is not one that I took and it is not from Sal’s menu).
I soon realized that I had to have this amazing deliciousness much more often than I could afford, either calorically or financially, to get from Sal’s. Thanks to good friends like Cindy, Liz and Kate, all of whom have amazing gardens, I was able to come home with a ziplock baggie full of basil leaves every so often and I began to make my own version of Alla Capresa. Soon, the occasional ziplock baggie was just not enough.
So I bought a basil plant to put outside on my patio. Two things kept it from growing well. One is the aforementioned lack of sun and two is the abundance of wildlife. Whether it was by ground hogs or rabbits, the plant was nibbled on frequently, it looked pitiful and only offered a few leaves, certainly not enough to keep up with my needs. I too was an impediment. I learned that the way I was pulling the leaves off the plant was keeping it from growing well and producing more leaves.
This year I have been in basil heaven! I bought two nice plants at a nursery in Floyd County and put a small fence around them to discourage the critters. Once Kate taught me how to correctly pick the leaves, I have had a steady source to feed my need. In addition to my own two little plants, Kate and Bob gave me a container garden for my birthday, complete with a Basil, Parsley and Tomato plant! I have mothered these plants all summer and thoroughly enjoyed it, all the while gladly accepting those baggies full from Kate.
Almost every day this summer, I have taken my version of a caprese salad to work with me. I forgo the garlic for the sake of my patients, and substitute it with plenty of pepper and a bit of salt. And when I haven’t denuded the plants too badly, I make pesto. I eat pesto on pasta, and use it in a wonderful baked chicken dish. I freeze pesto to add to soups (or to thaw and eat with sandwiches) and I add it to my tomato and mozarella for dinner. Kalyn’s Kitchen has been a great resource for preparing, cooking with and freezing basil (http://www.kalynskitchen.com/).
Recently, Donna really stepped up my game by bringing me her basil plant! After spending the summer in SWVA it was time for her to head back home to Florida and she decided I was the perfect adoptive parent for the large plant pictured below. It is truly gorgeous! Beautiful in color with huge leaves, just waiting for my eager hands to pluck.
So tonight, in anticipation of having my niece and nephew over for dinner on Thursday, I made pesto. I washed and laid the leaves out to dry.
While waiting for the leaves to finish drying, I lightly toasted some hazelnuts. I’ve used pine nuts in the past but in addition to having none in the house, they are far too pricey. I was out of walnuts, but did have a choice of hazelnuts, pecans and almonds in the cabinet. A little online searching revealed that others have used hazelnuts, so I decided to do the same.
A few cloves of garlic, a good bit of parmesan cheese, some salt and pepper, lots of olive oil, and I was ready for the food processor.
The wine? Self-explanatory!
Mine Kalyn’s
Mine is just not as pretty as Kalyn’s … but the taste is good and it sure makes me happy.
I’m a far better baker than I am a cook and I am definitely one who needs to follow a recipe. I wish I had more of a gift for cooking, like my mother and many of my friends, but the end product still tastes pretty darn good to me. Just put a little more olive oil on some angel hair pasta, add some pesto, pour another glass of wine and enjoy.
A Weekend of Photography
Who doesn’t love a long weekend? I sure do and I’ll never take one for granted! Even though I’ve been on a M-F schedule for over a decade, years of working nights, weekends and holidays have me appreciating 3 days off in a row.
This Labor Day weekend gave me the chance to work on my photography while having a great time with friends. It began with a day on the lake with Donna, Sheila, and our “boatboy”, Jon. Photography can be a challenge when on the lake because of the constant movement of the boat, the threat of water on the camera and the brightness of the midday sun.
My new camera has a “sports” function that allows for shooting continuous images of a moving object. Even though I was the one moving in the boat and the camera was moving with me, I was able to capture some really nice images of the water and the sky. I could be using this function wrong, but the pictures weren’t blurry so I was happy. The one of Sheila shows the challenge of midday lighting.
I struggle with taking decent pictures of people. This is an area where I have a great need for improvement. Even still, the pictures reflect the fun of the day.
I’m getting better at editing a picture so that the colors and the subject shine through.
Nature always provides for beautiful shots …
… even though I need to figure out how to better shoot the moon’s reflection on the water.
The threat of rain was constant on Saturday, yet I took the bike out anyway. A spontaneous ride by Lane Stadium in Blacksburg and an open gate gave me the chance to photograph a favorite place.
I wasn’t real happy with these, but I loved being able to wander around the football complex when almost no one else was there. The pictures from the ride home turned out just fine. How beautiful SWVA is!
While watching a pouring rain out my front door later that afternoon, I saw the sun shining through and ran outside with the camera. I was really happy with these pictures.
The rain came and went all weekend long and threatened to doom an annual labor day party. Liz and Wilson’s gathering at the cabin on the Little River has become the traditional way to end the summer and we always enjoy good food, good friends and plenty of time in the water. This year we huddled under tents while it rained, but thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the rain free time.
The bike ride home felt great and I was able to shoot a couple old buildings and a beautiful farm.
It’s a wonder I make any progress on the road as I am constantly stopping to take pictures! What a fun, fun new obsession / hobby this is! Perhaps I should take a class …
Photography: Film to Digital, Point and Shoot to Super Zoom
I may just be obsessed!
Even though I’ve always been one to take pictures, I’ve mostly done it for social reasons. I’m the Documentress! I document the parties, the tailgates, the trips. Prior to having a digital camera (which I resisted!), I would shoot roll upon roll of film. I came back from that 8 week trip out west (https://lifeonthebikeandotherfabthings.wordpress.com/2012/08/29/my-recipe-for-the-perfect-vacation/) with a gallon sized ziplock bag full of rolls of film.
Of course there were times that I shot an event and realized later that I did not have film in the camera. Argh! If for no other reason that that, buying a digital camera was beneficial! Although as I write that, I remember that I’ve left the house with the camera in the bag and the SD card at home … in the laptop.
I upgraded to a digital “point and shoot” 5 years ago and happily photographed friends and scenery for years. My little Canon PowerShot SD1000 went everywhere with me and even fit in my back pocket. I have thousands of pictures downloaded on my lap top, and since suffering a hard drive crash a couple years ago and losing a year of photographs, saved on an external hard drive. A year or so ago, I started to feel dissatisfied with my little camera and my ability to zoom. I still wanted the ease of a point and shoot, but didn’t want to have to change lenses. I wanted to shoot on the fly and from the saddle of my motorcycle. My friend Tim, the man who knows everything about computers, all kinds of media, and especially cameras (he is an amazing photographer) encouraged me to look at a “superzoom”.
Canon PowerShot SD1000
The superzooms, according to Digital Camera HQ, are also known as extended zooms, bridge cameras or mini-dSLRs (http://www.digitalcamera-hq.com/articles/superzooms-vs-dslrs-which-should-you-buy). The dSLR is the digital single lens reflex camera that professionals use and allows for “much sharper and true to life images” than a point and shoot or superzoom camera. But for me, a dSLR was too big, too expensive and too much for me at this point in my development as a photographer. I wanted to be able to improve my shooting but also wanted to be able to carry the camera around all day with ease, wear it while riding the bike (with my” magic strap”, Gary), and still put it in my purse /saddlebag.
Enter the Canon SX40HS, a 12 Megapixel super-zoom camera with a 35x optical range, a birthday gift to myself. It’s more affordable than a dSLR, I can easily carry it in my saddle bag or in a very large purse, and using the amazing “magic strap”, can easily shoot from the stopped motorcycle. It’s also light enough to carry around all day, which is what I did in Nashville (https://lifeonthebikeandotherfabthings.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/the-2012-bike-trip-tennessee-nashville/).
I love my new camera! I took some time to read the manual and I’ve already grown in my ability as a photographer. Evidently though, I did not read the manual closely enough because I’ve already had to restore to default settings once and I’ve also called on Tim for help when all of a sudden I was stuck in a function I could not get out of. I still don’t know near enough about aperture, shutter speed and ISO, and I’m on my third lens cap.
Canon SX40HS
I hear lots of good things about the pictures I take and while some have made the comment “your camera takes such good pictures” (hey, I’M the one taking the pictures), most people tell me I have a good eye. Maybe so, but I find that my “eye” and my “skill level” are often not on the same page. Taking 75 pictures to ultimately save 11, I understand (https://lifeonthebikeandotherfabthings.wordpress.com/2012/07/03/nothing-like-water-to-improve-the-mood/). Not being able to figure out why a picture I worked fairly hard on did not turn out as expected is confusing. This hobby takes practice, practice, practice … thank goodness I’m not buying rolls of film!!
So what about that “magic strap”? It is the RS-7 Curve camera strap that Tim gave me as a birthday gift (to go along with my birthday camera). Designed by Blackrapid (patent pending) the strap is worn across the chest and “when you’re ready to take the shot, the camera quickly glides up the strap into shooting position. Just “Grab. Glide. Click.” (http://www.blackrapid.com/product/camera-strap/rs-7/) I love it! I can walk or ride all day and the camera sits on my hip or at the small of my back, hands free, but easily within reach for shooting at any time.
It earned the name “magic strap” when I was showing it off to friends in BTs (http://www.btsradford.com/) one night, so now that is what I call it too.
I’m all set!
So much to learn but I’m having fun while I’m at it.
Recipe for A Perfect Vacation!
Vacations
We all want them and in fact, we all need them. We need time away from the routine and the worry; the “every moment scheduled” and the burdens of the job. Some vacations are relaxing, some provide adventure. Sometimes we are lucky enough to have a week away from all that life throws at us, and sometimes we’re just glad to have a long weekend.
I like to ask the women that I see in my office what they do during their vacation time off (I also like to ask them when they last got a babysitter and went on a date with their loved one, but that’s for another blog post). I consider this question a critical part of the overall assessment of my patients health and well being. I could site (but I won’t) the evidence that proves that those who take some sort of vacation have higher energy, are more relaxed and feel less burdened. I tell my patients that they can not be expected to perform well as woman, wife, mother, employee, volunteer, daughter, sister (you get the picture) without time for self – but THATs a whole ‘nother blog post, too. Today a patient told me that she and her husband rented a mustang convertible and drove the California coast! How cool is that???
Many people tell me that they do the same thing each summer, such as spending a week at the beach or a long weekend in the mountains. Others tell me that they love their “staycations”, an opportunity to save the money that might be spent on an expensive vacation. A true staycation, according to Tightwad Tod with Consumer Reports, does not combine play and work, but I find that many people that I talk to do just that. http://news.consumerreports.org/money/2009/05/tips-for-the-best-staycation-ever.html.
My friends Ruth and Ralph have mastered the local vacation, what they also call the Economic Stimulus Vacation. They like to boost the economy of some local Virginia towns by visiting shops and restaurants. They rent cabins in state parks or put up a tent along the Crooked Road http://thecrookedroad.org/. What a great way to learn more about the region where you live, to spend your dollars locally and to save money, too.
Over the years, I have tried a variety of types of vacations, from a full week at the beach with the entire family to 3 long weekends over the summer months, each one featuring a different activity in a different place. I’ve also taken the classic “football lovers winter vacation” (aka a Bowl Game). Ruth and I take an annual “Road Trip to a Hokie Game”. We both love watching VT Football and we also love to explore new places. We’ve cheered on the Hokies and enjoyed the local flavors of Atlanta, DC, Morgantown and Huntington. This year, it’s on to Chapel Hill!
Of course nothing will compare to the time that Andrew and I took an 8 week road trip across the country. I had just finished a four year period of working full time night shift in the ER while attending part time grad school and we’d had no vacation for four years! Back then (1995), the Commonwealth of Virginia allowed employees to “carry over” vacation hours and because of the length of time I’d gone without taking time off, I had 8 weeks vacation time saved up. Throughout that entire trip of camping, hiking and exploring this great country with my then 10 year old son, a check was deposited into my account.
1995 – Leaving Richmond, Virginia Rafting the Flathead, near Glacier N.P.
North Kaibab Trail, Grand Canyon N.P. Mesa Verde N.P. Colorado
The end of the road in Capital Reef N.P. Utah
I don’t recommend going 4 years without taking time off, but the resulting vacation for Andrew and for me was a blast! (Go ahead … laugh at the “Mom Shorts” and the frost colored lipstick – just remember, it was 1995!).
Other truly memorable vacations have been when the entire family has traveled to the beach together, once to celebrate my parent’s 50th Anniversary, and more recently, to celebrate the fact that we all just have a really good time together!
2008 – 50th Anniversary Champagne Toast The Buchwald Family
2011 – Left Right Center Paddleboarding
I’ve also been lucky to have the annual GOA (Girls of August) Gathering in August. This vacation is easy – the date and the people never change (the first weekend in August with Jan, Janet, Becky and Andrea) and the goal is to do nothing more than eat, drink, talk, laugh and play in the water. We’ve even incorporated a nap into the weekend, with Becky of course, teaching us how it’s done!
The Birthday Gals have met for weekends in Boone NC, Giles County VA, and also in Hungry Mother State Park. These short getaways also offer lots of time for good conversation and laughter, delicious food and drink, hiking and sometimes, even a little dancing!
And then there are the weekend bike trips with friends. This year’s had a twist: my good friend Tim in the convertible and me on the bike – exploring new roads and a new camera.
Several years ago, a dear friend of mine, David Dehart, told me that in order to really vacate, to really let down, let go and relax, you had to take 2 full weeks away from work. He said that by day 5 of the one week vacation, just when you are starting to relax, you realize you have to return to work in two days.
I know that not all are able to take 2 weeks off of work in a row, but for the past 3 years, I have been lucky enough to do just that. It is a huge emotional and physical benefit to me (and therefore of benefit to my patients) and in a way, it’s a small tribute to David. I think of him as I ride along and remember the good friend and great person he was.
After all these years of work and play, I think I have perfected how to take a vacation. The 10 days away from work this year were a wonderful mix of time with friends and time alone. My recipe for the perfect vacation included the following ingredients:
* 4 days playing in the Pamlico River of North Carolina with the GOAs, followed by
* 6 days of riding throughout Tennessee, exploring new places and meeting new people.
* I had a 1 day reunion with old friends, 1 day of play on the lake with Amy, and 1 day at a concert in Bristol with Radford friends. This was followed by
* 1 day at home to do chores, unpack and get organized, and finally
* 1 day back in the office to get caught up on paperwork, charts, labs and phone calls. It was the perfect transition back to work and seeing a full schedule of patients.
I am not quite sure when I have felt so rested and restored! You may read this and think that this type of vacation is the last kind you would want to take. Whatever your idea of perfect is, just be sure to do it! We all need that time away, whether it’s in your own back yard or miles from home.
Just remember that I’ll be asking you what you did!
The 2012 Bike Trip – Tennessee: Bristol and then Home
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?
The 2012 Bike Trip – Tennesse: Knoxville to Bristol/ Mumford and Sons!
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!
The 2012 Bike Trip – Tennessee: Nashville to Knoxville
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.
The 2012 Bike Trip – Tennessee: Nashville!
Debbie turned me on to the coolest place to stay in Nashville! The Scarritt Bennett Center “was organized in 1988 as a non-profit conference, retreat and educational center, committed to empowerment through cross-cultural understanding, education, creativity and spiritual renewal”.
That sounds like pretty heady stuff, doesn’t it? All I know is that it is perfect for the person traveling solo. $50 gets you a twin bed and a bathroom. What more could I want?
The center was initially founded in Kansas City, Missouri, and was established for the purpose of training young women missionaries. It moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1924, where it became Scarritt College for Christian Workers. Scarritt Hall, Bennett Hall, the Tower and the Chapel, known collectively as the Belle Bennett Memorial, were built between 1924- 1927 (just a little background history for you). The center is now owned by the United Methodist Women.
I was up early, walking the campus and of course taking a bunch of pictures! The gothic architecture and beautiful grounds made for great photo ops and a lovely morning walk.
Not surprisingly, I soon got hungry and decided to walk off campus in search of a local place for breakfast. I passed on Starbucks, Panera, Hardees and Bruegers before I saw it – Noshville! A Nashville institution! I sat at the counter and enjoyed an omelet while listening to Crystal (my server) tell me all about this city. She got right into my desire to find funky/fun places to visit. She also brought me a sampler of the restaurant’s famous pickles as well as one of their Black and White cookies. Evidently, when they run out, folks get a bit irritated. I can see why – shortbread cookie with a not too sweet frosting – yum!
After a drenching rain, with plenty of thunder and lightning, I set off to explore downtown. I was of course aware that Nashville is known for it’s music scene, but I was ignorant about it’s history and the city’s many beautiful old buildings. Nashville should advertise that more … Or perhaps they do and I just haven’t paying attention.
I walked the entire length of Broadway (21 blocks), even though the front desk staff warned me that these are “city blocks”. As opposed to “country blocks”? 🙂 Whatever kind of blocks they are, I sure worked off my breakfast!
I walked inside the lobby of the Union Station Hotel, the original passenger rail station, built in 1901 and now a Historic Hotel of America. It was also designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977 and is stunning. “The barrel vaulted ceiling is made of 128 pieces of stained glass” and the entire building reminds us that “railroad was once King and artistic craftsmanship was the mark of a distinction” (from the hotel history).
I also toured the Ryman Auditorium, home to the Grand Ol opry for over 3o years. How very cool to see that famous stage, and to read about the history of the building and the musicians and actors who performed there.
I very much enjoyed my flight of microbrews, along with the shredded pork/pineapple salsa tacos at Big River Grille. Thanks to a cooling breeze and a prime spot on the patio, I had great opportunity for people watching.
From there I wandered down to the river and then walked across the Shelby Street Bridge. The bridge was originally constructed in 1909, was rehabilitated in 2003 and now is primarily a walking path across the river.
A visit to Buck Wild Saloon on 2nd Ave was definitely in order (mostly because Andrew seems to have picked up that nick name … can’t imagine how). There’s something fun about seeing karaoke in full swing at 4p in the afternoon. Even better was when the whole bar crowd (including me) joined in to sing Sweet Caroline at the top of it’s lungs! I enjoyed the company of my new friend, Raynell, the bartender, who served me ice cold beer as we talked and laughed together.
I talked to an 18 year old girl, recently arrived from Kentucky, who is hoping to make it big in Nashville. I wonder how many young people come to this town every year with that same dream?
I met up with Debbie’s niece, Tina, for dinner at the Flying Saucer, which has a most amazing beer selection – hundreds and hundreds to choose from. The restaurant is located in the historic train station and the walls and ceilings are covered with thousands of decorative plates.
After dinner, we drove to the Parthenon … yep, the Parthenon.
Who knew that Nashville has an exact replica of the Greek Parthenon? Not Me! Originally built for Tennessee’s 1897 Centennial Exposition, “this replica of the original Parthenon in Athens serves as a monument to what is considered the pinnacle of classical architecture”. It was an amazing site to see, especially against the evening sky. Do you see me standing there? That structure is massive and stunning to see!
What an incredible day this has been! Of course there was music and food, but the history, buildings and people were a wonderful surprise. I’m ready to get back on the bike tomorrow, but I sure have enjoyed this layover day in Nashville! Next time, I’ll stay more than 36 hours!
Life on the Bike and other Fab Things 