LIVING LIFE LARGE ON 2 WHEELS IN APPALACHIA

I rode again yesterday. Here's the route:


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Starting out I took the fastest way to get to roads I've never been on before. I don't want to waste time on roads I've seen a lot of. So I blasted my way up I-26 to US-23 and Webber City. I'm riding with the clouds now. Don't ya just marvel at the sight of clouds lisping around a mountain top?

Once at Duffield, I stop for gas at a favorite stop of mine on the corner of US-23 and US-421. Gas up and head across the mountains on US-421. It deviates from the usual route I take up this way. Funny, I never realized US-421 didn't continue in a straight line. It took an hard right and went north. I've got a new road under my belt now folks. Check it out!

The further north I rode, (once in Kentucky) the deeper I got into coal country. It's beautiful here, and I'm so very happy I decided to ride North today. I saw very few motorcycles, cars, trucks or other types of vehicles to ruin this day!

I stopped in the town of Hyden, KY to ask for directions. The guy I asked was looking after his little grand daughter. I stepped across the street to take a photo of the "Main Street" of this little town and caught "grandpa" trying to set the little barefood girl on my very hot Sporty. I'm so very glad she was too scared to let him do it. She would have burned herself on my bike!

Moving on from there using KY-80 to get to Hazard, Kentucky, I found myself on a very nice twisty road cutting east across the southern corner of the state. Lovely road with mobile homes cutting into the sides of mountains and some scary looking folk who live in the rural edges of KY State Road 80.

I did arrive safely to my destination: Hazard, Kentucky. Here is a photo of their modern courthouse, and a slight history lesson about the area.

Next I wanted to visit the Mother Goose House. I went up this road, and down that one. I headed up the mountain side and around the neighborhoods circulating around the town on small one lane neighborhood one way roads. No can find the Mother Goose House. I am hungry. It's after 12 PM. Lunch time and I will ask someone in the restaurant to direct me. I stopped at Long John Silver's for lunch. The folk there were friendly and hospitable. The food was ok...it is after all fast food. I wanted to stop at a diner type of establishment. I found 2 of them in the town. Both closed down and empty. I guess the poor economy don't exclude the folk who work in the mines. I did get the information for the Mother Goose house.

As I'm riding through town, I spy this wall. I enjoy the textures and the colors of this wall. As you might guess, there was another building here torn away and destroyed, leaving the building we see now intact but with the vestiges of the building that stood next door!

I'm gonna stop here and leave the rest of the photos and story for another day this week. But hey...there is one more photo to show ya. I love my Sportster.

Southern Comfort: Just Me, My Sportster and the Road.

I'm tellin' ya: If riding were dyin'....well, I'd welcome being dead.  As it is though, riding is living. I'm glad of that. Life is kinda suckin' this year. The money tree seems to be dryin' up, the rides aren't as far, and the planned travel for this year isn't happen'.  Saddens me, but I do ride. I do discover new roads right here in my own back yard, and I've got some rockin' photos to show you.

This photo is on the Tennessee side of Roan Mountain. Looking out over the valley and into the National Forest. Today, was a special day for the coloring. Most times you have a kind of "purple haze" that tends to obscure the distant view. Not so today!

This next view is looking back up the mountain toward the North Carolina state line.

There are several shots from this day that are purely fun and keep ya wonderin' WTF?

I took this shot as I was cruising down the mountain. I set the camera so the shutter would take a bit longer to close. These kind of shots tend to exemplify what the riders sees with a frame mounted engine. God I love this!

I leave Roan Mountain and I now find myself riding through Tiger Valley! A quaint little 6.5 mile road with cool things like this to feast upon:

You guys know I will turn around to photograph a mural. Next up for the coolness factor is the cemetery with unknown civil war soldiers buried and honored in it.

The Daughters of the American Revolution are quite active around here.

James Teague, PVT. 18th Infantry (Tennessee)1st Divison

I've moved on down the road from here, I've visited a few grave yards, shot some great shots, and found a few more previously unexplored (by me) roads. This particular road afforded a few great novelty shots. What ya think?

I found myself after 108 miles on a set of rails. You all know how I feel about trains, right?

About 5 miles from home is Buffalo Mountain. Another wonderful photogenic place for the "LIL GIRL". Tennessee is a rockin' place for riding. I don't mind being broke when I'm lucky enough to have a million back roads like these to explore!

Let's go home sweetie:

A GOOD DAY'S RIDE, ERWIN TN, TILMAN MOUNTIAN TN, MARSHAL (NC)

I've gone over the map, and reconstructed it to actually reflect the small roads I traveled over...yesterday's map was hurriedly routed...and contains many substantial errors.  This ride actually ran me 126 miles, start to finish... It took me five hours to do...and lunch stop was a small gas station and chocolate covered mini doughnuts. YUCK!  But, here we go folks...I had a great ride!


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Leaving my home in near Milligan Collage, I head into Johnson City, to Smith Brothers HD. I really didn't want to ride alone today, and thought to stop in there to see if anyone wanted to ride.  I get there, and see a radio truck from WQUT.  Also, there was one guy in the lot on his bike, he looked to be trying to settle himself in for the day there...what's up with that? Why own a bike only to sit in the HD parking lot all day? 





I walk into the building, and the gal from motor-clothes spots me.  She kinda sidles over and acts like she is checking out a rack of shirts as I am getting ready to pass her, keeping her back to cameras in store, she whispers to me, "I just heard them announce over the speakers, first female to show her MC endorsement will win some kind of a prize!"  

Now I'm not one to reject a gift...so out I go to my bike to get my purse.  I left it in the saddle bags. Back in I go to the parts desk, ask them if any gal has shown her DL to them yet...whammo....nope...I get a free gift pack of HD cleaning products.  OK I'm glad I went...even if it turns out the people who gather for rides had left already this morning!  

I talk to a friend of mine...a mechanic, he asks me how the bike is running, I tell him it FEELS like it did when it was a spring chicken....over a 150 K miles ago...and it really does now you know...seems like a lot less vibration going on for some reason....


I skeedaddle out of there.  I hate going there...I always leave my money where I can't get at it...I'm not impressed with their proud pricey impulse items...and I really don't advertise for anyone on my tee shirts...unless I REALLY like em!  And while I have friends who are employed by Smith Brothers HD, and their service department has some TOP NOTCH service techs in it... I still don't wear their merchandise.  I've also bought HD boots from the dealer...and HD boots SUCK!


Out to my bike in the parking lot, as I'm putting my purse back in the saddle bag, another guy shows up on his bike.  Backs it into a spot along the fence and pulls out a tall boy can of fricken BEER!  Guess he's planning of sitting in the parking lot of HD and getting drunk...wow, what an exciting proposition.


Starting my Sporty up...she sounds so good...yummy in fact... I drop her into 1st, release the clutch and find my way to the street....when the way is clear...I open her up...speed clutching my way to 60MPH....quickly!  It feels good to open her up like that in just six seconds! She makes my heart sing!

I head south to Erwin. I'm still not sure if I am going to take SR 19E or not...oh oh...well it looks like NOT!  Been there done that, and I see a few other bikes taking the route.  I really don't want to be where others are right now.  I did less than a hour ago...but once on the road, once I've opened her up...she and I want to be alone.  

Gassing up in Erwin, then heading out toward 19...I do actually get on that road and start up the mountain.  




Funny thing happened on the way to the summit...I saw another road that veered south.  I turned around and headed on Tilson Mountain Road.  What a great mountain road!  If any of you are from around here, you really do have to ride this road.  It will ride for about 15 miles before dumping you out near Flag Pond Road.  What a fricken great ride this was!

Check out this old country store...of course, it's no longer in business anymore, but I just love the shutters on the windows...







Behind the store is this old derelict barn, just waiting for my camera to discover it!

Just before coming to Tilman Mountain Road, I snapped this photo of my bike and some distant background:





I have one more shot I want to share of the bike...here she's sporting Bandit's Bedroll... Now Bandit designed the bedroll to sit on the handlebars, but my bike has gauges there, so I've relocated my bag...and I really LIKE it!



Here is a shot of Tilman Mountain Road. The left side of the road ends in a steep ravine, and Oh, it has switch backs and hair pin turns too.




Coming down the other side of Tilman Mountain, you will encounter a varied amount of topography...and great buildings to photograph...





This abandoned home is across the street from the barn...



And these hay bales...growing grass....were on the side of the road in front of the house....





You'll run out of road on Tilman...run into something else, and then fall into Flag Pond Road.  This is a real nice little road, it seems to run to I-26, then run away...reminds me of my puppy, when he's playing...never really wanting you to catch him...very much like Flag Pond Road...never really wanting to be caught by I-26...it runs up and down rocky mountain sides...into great little valleys...around granite rock faces...you can look down into the valley and see your trek behind you...and it feels good.





Here is a house that appears to be in the midst of an upgrade. No one is living in it, but it sure looks as if some loving hands have been taking care of it.  Look beyond the house a bit...you see the granite rock face? What an inspiring view!  And of course...what "ginger bread" house would be complete without a cemetery on a hill above it?





This Amish Quilt pattern on the side of the drying shed...is very pretty...I saw several, but mostly on the way home...and I was running late...this one, was on one of the very small roads as I was trying to head west toward Marshall NC. 








This is US 70 North heading toward Greenville from Marshall.  It's the last picture I got...I was late and my puppy needed to get out to pee!