October 2006 - Fall Trip Through Tennessee and North Carolina

The Nomad loaded up for a road trip.


As is usual for our three day week-end trips we left the house after I got home from work on Saturday. We rode pretty much straight trough to Johnson City, Tennessee arriving well after dark that night. A rain storm was just ahead of us coming into Johnson City, we didn't get rained on but the road spray got us a little damp. After checking into a room for the night we went out for a nice meal and a couple of cold ones. Returning to the room and then turning in for the night.

The next day we got up early and headed out. Our ultimate goal being Pigeon Forge. A do-able ride, but as usual we would be taking the back roads as much as possible. We were sight seeing, but had a few miles to cover too.

One of the roads we had chosen to south in Tennessee was a typical skinny bitty two lane that followed the foot hills winding over and around them.

I missed a turn off along the way and we actually found the end of a state road. As we rode along the road just simply stopped right beside someones house.

Imagine that. It just quick being a road.

As we worked our way back we ran up on a... flock? Of Turkeys. They were just walking along the road taking it all up. I slowed and stopped well short of them, honking the horn and revving the engine.

Nothing.

They finally found the path they were looking for and all of them slowly walked off the road and up a hill. Once the last one had cleared we went on our way.

Finding our way back where we were supposed to be finally we headed south trying to make a little time. We never were really able to get the camera out and take any pictures until the end of the day outside of Gatlinburg.

Suiting up for the ride across U.S. 421.

"It's begining to get a little brisk out."

On the Great Smokey Mountain Parkway crossing into Tennessee from North Carolina.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee.


Neither of us had ever been to Gatlinburg so we decided to go through town instead of taking the by pass. Big mistake. Too much traffic, too much congestion.

Beautiful view here though.

"BRRRRRRRRRRRRRR" "C'mon, let's go on and get this over with. I'm COLD!!"


It was a brisk 38 degrees when we left the motel that morning, only promising to get colder instead of warmer.

Riding the Foothills Parkway before we stopped to thaw out.

We stopped at an overlook on the Foothills Parkway to warm up, look around and take a few photos the next morning after leaving Pigeon Forge.

It was getting colder the further we rode and we were both already cold. This was going to be... interesting.

I love this picture of Julie.

"Cold? Who? Me? Noooo.

Turning off the Foothills Parkway onto U.S. 129 south near the start of the run down The Dragon.

Darryl Cannon of killboy.com took these next few photo's while we were riding south on US 129.

"Hi Little Boy!"

See ya!

We caught a group of riders near the North Carolina state line.

Good crowd for a cold day!

The Tree of Shame at the Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort.

We spent a little while at Deals Gap taking time to warm up and take a few pics. It had gotten pretty cold on the top of the mountain and on the way down 129.

At times Julie actually took her gloves off and video taped our run south from the Foothills Parkway into Deals Gap. She took some great video and when you consider she had to be close to getting frostbitten doing it makes it even more amazing.

We took a direct route home from here, but had to stop several times to warm up and thaw out! It was a little after dark when we got back home, seems like we rode around 600 miles or so over the week-end.

Another great 'leaf peepin' trip to the western North Carolina.

Bruce

August 2006 - The Ride to The Trace

After making several overnight and three day week-end trips we wanted to try our first long trip. In the months leading up to the trip we decided we wanted to run The Trace.

The idea was to leave in the afternoon once I left work, and make a bee line trip across I-40 from our central North Carolina home to the western North Carolina mountains before dark. We would spend the night on the edge of the North Carolina and Tennesee state line so that we'd have a good start on our trip.

From there we would head for Nashville and the start of The Trace. We'd get there when we got there.

Once on The Trace we promised ourselves not to get in a hurry and just be real tourist. Take our time, take lots of pictures and enjoy ourselves. After reaching the end of the parkway having seen what we wanted to see, we would take a look at how much time and available funds we had and then decide what to do. We had a rough idea of how we might head back north and east, but we'd play it by ear.

The trip was a real memory maker. We enjoyed ourselves, and had fun, safe trip, what more could we ask for?

The Nomad, in full touring mode, loaded for bear. It never complained or hiccuped the entire trip.

First morning out.

The eastern enterance to the Cherohala Skyway near Robbinsville, North Carolina.

"We're heading that-a-way."

Taking in the sites along the way.

We had heard about a side road off the Cherohala Skyway that led beside a river and up to a waterfall. Seeing what we thought was it, we turned and started up this rough little small paved road beside this. "Must be it." we thought and headed down it.

We found this rock at a wide spot on the road leading to the falls. Julie decided she wanted to go out and sit down on it for bit.

"I can do this all by myself. I don't need your help."

"I made it!"

"I think I'll just wait right here for you to come and get me."

The Bald River Falls, located near the end of the Cherohala Skyway outside of Telico Plains, Tennessee.

We made it! Entering the Natchez Trace outside of Nashville, Tennessee. Our destination, Natchez Mississippi, 445 miles south.

A small waterfall at a pull off near the Trace in Tennessee.

The first of many small graveyards where fallen civil war soldiers were buried where they fell.

We had decided we would spend the better part of a day around Tupelo, Mississippi. Julie wanted to see Elvis' birthplace and I wanted to see a civil war battlefield.

Fair enough.

We started with Elvis.

A monument to a young Elvis

Julie at the home where Elvis was born.


Photos weren't allowed inside the museum so these are all we have of it.

Outside of Tupelo, Mississippi.


There was a driving tour on the road leading up to this, the site of the main battle. Along the way were pull offs with markers that marked a time line of the battle noting points at which smaller battles, troop movements and placements leading up to the main battle.

As you might imagine the Trace has several points of interest relating to the War Between the States all along its route and we stopped at most of them. Both of us finding them interesting and informative.

Because of this we have began looking for other civil and revolutionary war historical parks and memorials that we can ride to on day and week-end trips.

A civil war cannon marks the spot where a southern gun crew led by a 17 year old confederate solider held the southern lines and helped to turn back the Yankee oppressors. *eg*

Somber reminder of war.

A home and farm that has been located in the same spot beside the Old Trace sense prior to the Civil War.

Ancient Indian burial mounds in Mississippi.

Just north of Natchez, Mississippi a section of the original Old Trace is preserved and marked.

Standing in the Old Trace.

This was a bed and breakfast Natchez Trace style in the 1800's. It marked the end of a typical first days travel for those leaving Natchez for Nashville. It was about a 20 mile journey for them, a short ride out for some lunch for us.

I tell people that one of the coolest things that has ever happened to me happened at a Sonic restaurant in Natchez, Mississippi at lunch one day.

We rode to the end of the Trace and found a place to top of with fuel and then a bite to eat at the drive in next door. We parked in a space and with maps in hand walked over to a picnic table set up by the front door to the kitchen.

After ordering lunch we spread open the maps and looked the situation over. We were in southern Mississippi eating chilli dogs on a beautiful summer day. We had several days left before having to return, money in our pocket and a great riding motorcycle with a full tank of fuel.

Where do we want to go now?

When I'm sitting in the recliner at my son's house and I'm telling my grand youngin's stories about the good ol' days, this will be one of my favorite one's.

Ultimately we decided to haul the mail over to Mobile, Alabama and spend the whole day visiting some spots we thought would be fun and interesting. Even going the long way we made it to Mobile just after dark after riding 430 or so miles, part of it in the rain.

It was a hurried ride on the back roads of southern Mississippi and into Alabama. After eating supper we did some laundry and turned in for the night. We were in full tourist mode tomorrow.

Starring down the bow of the U.S.S. Alabama in Mobile Bay, Alabama. Those are some BIG guns!


As we had done before, Julie and I each picked a point of interest we wanted so see and split the day seeing them. I picked the U.S.S. Alabama Memorial, Julie decided on Bellingrath Gardens.

I had visited here many (many) years ago, but really wanted to see it again. My darling bride graciously sucked it up and spent part of a day tramping around and inside of both the Battleship Alabama and the WWII diesel Submarine U.S.S. Drum.

She's such a trooper.

20 mm anti-aircraft gun battery.