Tennessee Plates

You know those epic ride threads with the great writing and awesome photography?
This ain't it.
You've seen those colorful people in faraway places on exotic machines interacting with the native indigenous peoples?
This ain't it.
Have you ever been so intrigued by a soul stirring ride report that you spent an entire evening reading every page?
This ain't it.
So just what is this longwinded mess?
It's me blundering through the Tennessee countryside with a camera in one hand, and a peach fried pie in the other.

Read on if you dare but heed my warning; Poor photos, bad grammar, shaky cinematography and ignorance are the only recurring themes so don't flame me.
But, what I lack in substance, I hope to make up in sheer volume. Yep, plenty of photos with just enough boring prose to tie it all together...sort of.


Here's what I look like if you ever see me out on your road.



It was a nice day today. 70 ish, overcast, but still nice. Finished up at work early and hit the road. No real plan, but I ended up at the Hatchie wildlife viewing area. (info)
Went down some gravel roads. (my route is the red line)


Lake side photo. (pre crash)


More road


Got some nifty new SW Motech crash bars yesterday. Had no idea I would get to test 'em so soon! (yeah, right)

The Strom got sleepy and took a dirt nap here: (it was a bit more muddy than I thought)
I've read that they were rather lazy and like to take naps often.
Mine was smart and decided on a nice soft spot to take a snooze.

Easy to see what happend. I was turning around and... Wheel spin, too late, too heavy. Squish. 0.0001 MPH.
Still more fun than being at work

Post crash photo: No broken signals, no damaged side cases, no scuffed plastic, no nothing...I did have to re-adjust the left side mirror, but that was about it.





04-07-2012

Went on/off/on/off roading up in Lauderdale county TN today. I was doing some GPS testing with a crazy route that was based on staying as close to the Mississippi river as possible. Little did I know a good portion of my day would be spent on gravel, dirt, and some interesting (but slippery) pavement hybrids the likes of which I've never seen. Pure fun!
Obligatory poor photography to follow:

Rest area near Ripley, TN.


Picnic area was still decorated for St. Paddy's day I suppose.


Photo op somewhere near a redneck ATV park.
Garmin leading me to hells half acre.


Had no idea this was here. Hmm, wonder whats in there?








And here I thought Illinois Nazi's were bad...


View from Das Bridge.


...and a little further down, Ansel Adams can be seen in the mirror.


I learned to just keep it from 20 to 30 in second gear and let the bike gyrate around on the gravel like a drunken stripper.


No, I didn't go there...


Later on I ended up on Geat river road


I guess so-so river road just didn't have the same ring to it.
This is the Obion river I think.


J.T. and his (her?) Nazi buddy's Kryloned that bridge too...


The always popular "Jet on a stick" in Covington, Tn.



5/1/2012

Near Waverly, Tn:
So you come around this blind corner heeled over at speed and see...

This:

I was on the bridge before I figured out what had just happened. I started laughing out loud in my helmet.
I figured it was all but deserted and so we stopped to check the bridge out. Then a traffic jam broke out. No joke. A couple cars going one way, and three going the other... Over that rickety bridge.

My pictures usually look like crap, this is one of my better efforts.

Bikes resting while we take bridge pictures.




Meanwhile, back in town...





The Pictsweet pickle engine. (just in case you were wondering what it looked like)



5/10/12
Who in blue blazes is Herb Parsons?
...and why does he have a lake?
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Here is his lake



While I was there I Terrorized Turtles

Bothered Birds

Fiddled with Flowers

Considered Christmas

Wild young 'Strom in native habitat


"I'll wait here while Jim moves in for a closer look"

Then I remembered that I wasn't Marlin Perkins...and this was not Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom.
No, I was someone else...
When I returned to the Bridge, I called out "Plot us a new course Mr. Sulu"



5/28/12

Lakeland, TN

Went to Paris , TN


Decided to go biking AND boating at the same time.

It's not easy



...but we managed

Saw the bridge to nowhere





To be continued:

After leaving Trollingers in Paris, taking a ferry ride, and a trip down 232 (good road) we went to the Land Between the Lakes state park.
Saw some live critters



...and a dead one



Went to DQ in Murray, KY.
Hung out in the parking lot....it's a must do in Murray...so we did it. It was not as much fun as i thought it would be. Call me crazy...


Got gas in Paris.

One of the rare times I actually had my camera when I needed it.

The wheelie bars are optimistic I would say.

6/10/2012

Decided to bother the folks in Kentucky and Indiana this weekend.






Went up through Hazel, Ky

The world famous Dundee, Ky church goat.


The 'Strom peering off the edge at the Ohio river. In Leavenworth Indiana

The Ohio river. I'm on the Indiana side looking over at Ky.


Almost Home! Not really...


6/17/2012
Decided that the people in Arkansas would just love to have me visit...again.

I was out of town on business in a hotel room bored to death. I decided to play around on Microsoft Streets & Trips and maybe plan a trip. Then it hit me! Why not just head out to the Ozarks.
<small></small>I spent maybe an hour figuring out a route, and loaded it into the GPS.

Came home Friday night, packed the bike and headed out late Saturday morning. (6:45 AM )
I decided to go sans saddle bags and packed lightly. (top box)
Over the Mississippi River on I40, right on to I55 North, then thankfully I was done with the interstate.
Hwy 64 is flat and boring to ride, but there is plenty of stuff to see. Old rusty trucks.
CrAzY critters of all sorts, and interesting small towns with strange names.
What are you called when you reside in Bald Knob? Are people there Bald Knobians? Bald Knobites? Thoughts like that bouncing around in your helmet will keep you occupied for hours...oh yeah, and crop dusters. I could watch those things all day too. Flying under power lines is still a fan favorite.
Heber Springs road was pretty good. It just kind of slowly crept up on ya. First a 45mph corner. Then the motorcyclists favorite squiggly road ahead sign. Then 35, then 25, then "steep grade ahead, trucks use lower gear". Jackpot!
However, in my enthusiasm I had forgotten something. There is a straight stretch of two lane at the bottom of a hill heading into Mountain View, Ar and the staties like to sit there. The reason I knew this is I used to take the kids camping up in Blanchard springs. My 1973 Dodge Van used to descend mountain roads as fast as the Space Shuttle makes it's re-entry into the atmosphere. (and with about as much ability to slow down) In fact, that van had a lot in common with the Shuttle; Fuel consumption was similar, it held roughly the same amount of people, and needed just as many repairs after a long mission.
So, I am behind a car and I decide that I would like to pass. As I roll the throttle and clear the rear bumper, the radar detector goes off and the car hits is brakes. We both see the trooper at exactly the same time. Unmarked car. Damn.
I manage to get back behind him about 200 feet before we hit the radar trap. We both pass at 55 mph like we had been doing it all along. He was watching the traffic coming from the other direction, and did not notice my shenanigans. (Yay!)
"Quiet Pipes Save Money" (Don't steal that, I may put it on a t-shirt and get rich)


















So I make my way into Mountain View. Motorcycles everywhere! That's the strange part. I saw a TON of 'em in town, but as I ascended crooked Hwy 5, not a single bike.
As I went up, the roads just kept getting better. Finally I arrived at the road I came here for. 341 Push Mountain Road.
Like Hwy 5, it started out tame and just kept getting better. Towards the bottom at the hwy 14 junction, the corners are closer together, all marked 35, and they are banked really well. Because of that, the corner speeds attainable are...well, quite shocking frankly. I looked down at my speedometer a couple times and laughed...and slowed down 'cause I was out here solo after all. Didn't want to end up as a Buzzard Buffet.
Meandered my way through Fifty Six, Ar (again, are the residents Fifty Sixers? Fifty Sixians?) to Blanchard Springs caverns. Nah, didn't go in the cave. I did "go" in the restroom though.
Went back through Mountain View and back to Heber Springs over the Greers Ferry dam.
It was pushing 4:00 by this point and it was hot...(how hot you ask? I baked a dozen chocolate chip cookies in my top box)
So, I checked into my room, took a shower on purpose, and a nap by accident.
Once I woke up I was hungry...but I didn't want cookies.
My sweaty gear had not dried yet so... even though I'm a "gear" guy, I went full Squid 1.2 miles to the steak joint.
T-shirt, boat shoes, and (gulp) shorts. I did wear my helmet though.
No, I'm not apologizing for it either. Yeah, it felt way funny, but at least I wasn't melting.
Had a "stuffed steak"...and an iced tea. (no drinking and squiding) It was good!
Made my way back to the hotel (after being pelted with June bugs) in one piece, ate my (still hot) cookies and went to bed happy and tired.
Photos from the ride back home Sunday.



The creepy looking Woodruff county courthouse


Boat ramp

You, sir, are much to modest! Excellent pics and quality commentary. Being new to the Vol State, I especially enjoy ride reports from anywhere within. Thanks for taking us along as you explore.......

Patrick

I live in Clarksville, TN.

I've ridden 232 once, it was AWESOME!( compared the the crap roads immediate to Clarksville..the paved ones anyways...)


In any case, keep it coming, you are giving me ideas for short trips. Also, I enjoy reading threads I can relate to(local area)

good report

Nice report
Nice Bike, I would have a hard time rolling it around in the mud.

Thanks. Glad to do it.

Thanks! I have a Video of 232, I'll post it later.

Thank you as well.

Thank you.
Having a dirty bike really helps to sell the story of man and machine being tested to the limit of endurance at the local ADV hangouts.I can't tell the Barista's at Starbucks that I just rode through Bugtussle Arkansas and I'm to lazy to wash it. No sir. That would totally ruin my studly "Ewan Mcgregor" reputation.

I don't know if you know but once a year Land Between the Lakes opens up there trails to dual sports. Also somewhere else I like to ride in Tennessee is Natchez Trace state park nice trails gravel roads and curvy paved roads.

Nice ride.I hit LBL 3 or 4 times a year,my parents have a place a mile from Paris Landing.Next time you are in Murray stop off and eat at the Sirlion Stockade on 641.Great food.I work in Cordova and ride a Wee too.

I feel ya on the local road situation. We are on the wrong end of the state.

I'm as local as they come so as promised, here's my "Ghetto Cam" run down 232. And, if you're interested, when you get down to the South end of 232, hang a right on 147 and ride the Ferry. Once you get to the other side head back North and you arrive in Paris, Tn. It's short ride, but you really feel like you're on a major vacation...Must be the water.

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Ah, so you know about 218 and 232 as well. I have never tied on the feed bag at the 'ol Stockade, but I have had breakfast over at Triollingers a few times...and a fried pie on the way back. Ok dammit, it was two fried pies...but they were small...No really.
All kidding aside, I'll give the stockade a shot next time I'm up there.

Wees are rare around these parts...In fact any two wheeled vehicle WITHOUT a belt drive is rare.

Herb Parsons is considered by many to be the best shooter who ever lived. Crow flying at 1,700 yards with a .270, 7 clay pigeons self thrown with a pump and 7 shots. Youtube him.

Does the ferry cost anything? (Curiosity has me asking...)

At anyrate I'll have to check that right turn out.

I tried going straight on the south end of 232...didnt care for that stretch.

I kid, I kid!
Yes, he was the greatest, and he's probably the most Famous person to come from Fayette County. I posted a link to his video up in my Herb Parsons lake story.

Speaking of Fayette county TN:


Whiteville Cleaners near the town square


Somerville Court House with the Wee hiding in it


Rossville

Also Rossville


I don't think Herb Parsons shot this sign though...The grouping is all wrong.

It is a but a mere $1.00 for the whole day.

Yeah, going straight on 232 is how I ended up on the "blind corner one lane bridge".

Maybe it was the faint sound of Banjo music that spooked me. :eek1

I work for T-DOT and Fayette Co is one of my counties. Will really try to ride that route looks like fun.

Don't know if you run a GPS or not, but here's a link to my GPX file for that route.

Great report(s) and photos. I enjoy my long trips, but most of my riding is 1-3 day runs like you are sharing. So many great places to explore all over our little corner of the Country, it never gets old.

Cheers

Why thank you. Frequent weekend trips help me maintain (what's left of) my sanity.

You need to follow me ONE TIME thru Montgomery Co. You will have a new perspective.........and hundreds of miles of great roads to ride! Just between 149 and 13 there's Palmyra(Rd), Shiloh-Canaan, Tarsus, Buck Smith, Budd's Creek, and about 22 others that I can't rattle off the name but know the twists are gnarly. How 'bout Slaydenwood, Woods Hollow, Stone Hollow, Soules Chapel? If you can't live on the edge of a tire there I'd suggest a Closed Road Course Track.
Just sayin' get a Map or get out and actually RIDE some of these areas before giving others the impression you know what's out there. I live 4 Counties from 232 and I ride it 2-3 times a year.