102 Heading home again!

Not a lot of room for error!

April 1, 2014 Leaving Manchester our only thoughts were to enjoy the rural roads of Tennessee and Kentucky as we headed to Columbia KY for the evening.  Motorcycle club David & Shannon had agreed to put us up for the evening.  They had listed on the site that they had tools and maintenance items.  With this in mind we stopped at a Walmart on the way to pick up oil and filter for the cycle.  We crossed into Kentucky a little after 1pm taking a few minutes to catch a picture of their welcome sign to mark our time.  A pleasant day this is the type of riding we enjoy.  Our GPS led us right into downtown Columbia, pretty impressive building in the center of town,   An ambitious couple they were running two automotive related business's one at their home site where we arrived and the other across town.  As soon as David had the shop empty he gave me the space and the necessary tools to get my oil change accomplished.   There home is at the top of a very steep hill overlooking their business, great location.   While getting to know each other plans were made for dinner.  They had an idea however it involved some riding to get there, they assumed since we had been riding all day we would opt for a closer destination.  You know the answer already, don't you?   The ride was wonderful!

  We followed David and Shannon thru the country side to Lake Cumberland state park.   Overlooking the third largest lake in Kentucky we were just in time for a buffet.   They are fun people and enjoy riding.  Unfortunately the sun got away from us and we rode home in the dark, not our favorite situation especially with the woods full of forest rats (deer). 
    Having said our thanks and farewells the night before,  the next morning they left the house for work leaving us resting in the lower level bedroom.  Hope we see them again. 

We made it up here last night , should be a piece
of cake going down. 

     I don't think our heart was into riding today.  Our thoughts were on home and the weather we might be facing.  We were wandering with a little homeward direction.    Stopping at a unique diner with a rock and roll theme.  Jerry's J-Boy, great people, we enjoyed the food and atmosphere.  While there we made a couple of phone calls home.   There was a snowstorm in the forecast back home.   As soon as we left the restaurant we put on some extra layers of clothing set our GPS for home, jumped on the interstate and put on some fast miles.  We stopped for the night in Joilet Illinois.   The next morning it was pretty chilly but we were dressed for it.  Shortly after our noon meal Ruthie started feeling ill.  We stopped by Portage Wisconsin. Less thank 3 hours from home.  Not sure if she could continue or if we would have to spend the night and continue in the morning.  I checked on lodging while Ruthie decided  A  couple of hours later sometime after 4 pm we got back on the highway.   Ruthie is quite the trooper most others would have accepted the comfort of a
nice motel room.  The Temperature was in the lower 30's however for some reason when we turned West on 90 by Tomah Wisconsin the temps started rising all the way to the Lacrosse area reaching a high 36.   A welcome change was this going to continue all the way to our house? 
  Not a chance, as soon as we crossed the Mississippi river  the temps started to drop again.  The ice covered bluffs on the side of the highway reminded me of the warning I had given as we rode by them a few months earlier when we were heading in the opposite direction.   We reached home around 6:30 with the temps around 30 degrees and a mist starting.   
     Some of these pictures will show some of the beauty that accompanies the harsh weather. 
     So there you have it another successful winter adventure.
 Summary:
5 wild horses
14 States visited
1 gay and lesbian campground, almost.
Over 14,000 Miles
Campgrounds
Bike week
Delicious Strawberry shortcake
House sitting
3 time shares purchased
3 time shares shared
2 new brake pads.
1 Tyrone palace
One new front tire
Many new friends and adventures.

Home safe!
I think we will do this again. 

101 . Jack and Lynchburg

Ruthie and her dogwood pictures.

March 31, 2014      Monday, As we filled with fuel in Pulaski I asked Ruthie if she wanted to try a club member North East of our next destination, she was agreeable.  A few minutes and a phone call later and we were all set for the evening.   On the road to Lynchburg, a tour, and on to Dennis and Anne's in Manchester TN,  A perfect plan, good roads and sunshine, how could anything go wrong.  
     Well.  We were riding the loop around Pulaski traveling 65 MPH in the right lane the road passed under the interstate, up ahead there was a large grey Cadillac slowing down in the left lane he must be going to the gas station on the left side.  As we got close he slowed even more and at the

From left to right, Jack, Jason our tour guide.

last minute he started slowly over to our lane at an angle.  I hit the brakes knowing we could not stop in time and trying to anticipate what he was going to do.  No signal, I started to swerve left to go around him, fortunately he kept on the same path and with the one day old front tire grabbing the highway we cornered like a sport bike our little trailer following like a champ.   As we cleared his rear I Steered hard to the right to avoid going into the oncoming lane we flew by.  Laying on the horn to show our displeasure and to keep him from coming back in our lane.   A deep sigh of relief, I asked Ruthie if she minded if I went back, she was most agreeable.  A little adrenaline at work I'm sure.   We did a quick U-turn and went back to the station he had just turned into.  We were on him before he could exit his vehicle.  Pulling the trike up close and blocking the drivers door,  

staves aging

a large man with a black skull cap looked at us with a blank look on his face.  We sat there glaring at him.  He seemed confused about how to roll down his window, we were probably to close for him to open the door.  He finally rolled down the window and we inquired if he knew what he had just done, the blank look again, we described in detail the error in his driving habits and the deadly result it very nearly caused, we then went into a impromptu speech expressing our extreme displeasure, he said something I think that tried to explain why he didn't see us or had know idea what way he wanted to turn or which lane he wanted to occupy, his reply didn't impress us, we repeated our little speech with a little more clarity and volume to help him with understanding.  He then started apologizing in a tone and manner that appeared to be apologetic.  We said something kin to accepting his apology and some information how he should drive in the future.  When we drove off he was still sitting in his car looking out the window probably trying to figure out how he was going to tell his buddies how he was approached and chewed out by two little elderly people on a trike!  For the next few miles I had to keep monitoring my speed as the adrenaline was still flowing, We turned off our heated jackets, we were plenty warm enough now and talked about our narrow brush with death, the

This is the safe that led to Jacks death!

way our little rig responded, how fortunate to have the new front tire on the trike.  We said "you know he could have had a gun, we are in Tennessee after all!  Our friends in Midland had told us about murder and guns in the state "only a two year term for murder,"   I might have to rethink my response to stressful situations.  Evidently I still have some growing to do!  Very thankful to have made it thru this one.

     We now needed the stop at Lynchburg more than ever.  It was the Jack Daniels Distillery and we were just in time for the tour.  We didn't take the sipping tour.  I figured with what had just happen I might not stop at a sip.  The tour was very interesting thanks to our tour guide Jason.  He checked with our bus driver Marv to make sure he hadn't any accidents today and with that reassurance we boarded the bus, must have drove all of a block up the hill.  Marv's got quite a gig here, hope he finds his way back down the hill safely.  The oldest distillery in the United States was started by a young Jack Daniels a little man about five feet tall (in my mind that's average height). With a size 4 shoe.  He build it here next to the pure spring they still use today.   Ironically the county is dry so they told us we could buy bottle and get whiskey free since they can't sell alcohol in this county.  The cooper makes the oak barrels from oak staves and 

A room filled with gifts and
memorability at the distillery!

metal rings, quite an art making a leak proof container from wood I would think.  They said an experienced cooper could make 250 barrels a day.   They say their barrels are an important part of the unique flavor.  They are charred at the distillery, to little charring and they don't impart the flavor and color Jack is known for, to much charring and you have an expensive pile of charcoal.  One of the other interesting facts, it takes six days to filter it down thru sugar maple and charcoal.   The aroma of the mash was amazing.  Jason was one of the people that could check the quality of the product.  He said you have four taste buds in tongue and 140 in your nose.   Ninety eight  percent of the mash is recycled, they feed it to cows.

     Jason said with one of their paychecks they are given a pint of the product, he said the workers refer to that as their "Good Friday".   I think his best quip of the day "they used to give out samples however with 260,000 visitors they had to stop, then pointing to Jack's statue he said take a picture, it is your chance to get a a free shot of Jack on the rocks.  Good one!

We  were asked if we wanted to meet a
centerfold?  There she is on the company calendar!

      We were fortunate to get a tour of the Squires room with Rosa. She said the Club was originally started by Frank Sinatra and one of Jacks salesman, I believe his name was Angelo.  The story goes that Frank became a booster of the beverage one day when Frank was having a bad day and Jackie Gleason gave him a shot of Jack, the next day on TV Frank held up a bottle of Jack and said "this is the nectar of the gods"  and from that day in 1950 to the middle of the 80s it took the distillery to catch up with the demand. One more on Frank,  he was buried with a bottle of Jack, pack of Lucky Strike cigarettes, Zippo lighter and a roll of dimes. (the dimes due to his son's abduction) 

      The tour was well worth the time and as usual it is the people you meet. Thanks everyone for the tour and information!

     It was time to eat, I have found I'm a lot easier to get along with if I eat almost everyday.  We rode to downtown Lynchburg the main street is mainly one city block.  Stopping at some of the shops, a neat little town, spent more money than we usually do, maybe the adrenalin is still flowing , 

Must take a lot of patidnce!

lunch was at the BBQ Caboose Café, visiting with some Harley riders on our left (they had trailered there's down and were now riding) and they wondered where we stayed on such a long ride.  We told them about the motorcycle travel club we belong to and that we were going to be staying at Manchester Tennessee 26 miles up the road.  A few minutes later the couple on our right ( actually my right and Ruthies left, thought I might as well put that in before she corrects me.) said they had over heard and asked the couples name, Larry and Cathie were in the same riding club and told us what great people we were going to be staying with.  Yes it is a small world.

     Practically every shop had a souvenir with Jack Daniels on it, or had a treat like pralines, whiskey cake and candy infused with the local treasure.

     At the end of the block a sign caught my eye, Diamond gusset jeans, I had read about them in motorcycle riding magazines.  I have to be a little delicate here,  It seems they sew a diamond shaped gussett into the crouch area of the blue jeans it makes stops binding, pinching and makes it more comfortable to ride.  I purchased two in the seconds pile

Matching head gear!  Ruthies
is not a cap.

and have wore them ever since,  The most comfortable jeans I have ever wore.  Note..  On returning home in an effort to share my new found riding apparel with two of my riding buddies I decided to share with them..  Then the teasing started, like oh you need extra room in your jeans and then it got worse.  Fine I guess guys just don't talk about clothing, let them suffer I say!

   Time to head out to Dennis and Anne's in Manchester Tennessee.  Dedicated Gold wing riders they made us feel welcome and we ate out with them at a local restaurant.   I still don't understand (maybe I haven't been allowed into the inner circle) but for some reason some Gold wing riders choose to wear, strange, outlandish, over the top, slightly different head gear.   Anne's hobby is building working full dimension mantel puzzle clocks.  Nice people, better hit the road before they replace my ball cap with something outlandish, ride safe my friends and thanks for putting us up! 

100 Tennesee

     March 29, 2014

      Saturday at the Honda shop went well, a new tire and front wheel bearings always help to give a person a little more confidence in their ride.          

      Today we had a destination Lynchburg Tennessee, we still wanted to avoid heading to far North, knowing that once we start the threat of potential severe weather would force us to push hard to get home.   Heading East we stayed as close to the Tennessee southern border as we could and found some interesting byways, roads with names like National bird dog highway on 18 north, walking tall byway, trail of tears and Bufert Pusser.  Bufert Passer?   Ring a bell? Famous sheriff from the area whose story was told in the Walking Tall movies.  The crash site that eventually took his life is along this road, was it just an accident or did the criminals finally get their revenge on the legendary lawman?    We waved but did not stop at the Bird dog museum in Grand Junction, I'm sure it would be interesting but sometimes you just have to make choices.  Maybe we will fit that into the trip when we see the "worm grunting contest".   At some point we started noticing beautiful flowering trees,   Ruthie probably photographed a hundred or more looking for the perfect one, I think we found it.   We were trying to guess what they were crab apple? Apple?  Turned out they were flowering dogwood trees.

     We tried to connect with a motorcycle member however it didn't work out so we ended up stopping in Pulaski Tennessee, our plan was to do a quick stopover and then head on to Lynchburg, sometimes plans get changed.

The Mar's mansion at Milky Way Farm

Following Johny to his home. More dogwood trees. 

       Trying to find reasonable lodging I made a couple of calls, one  of the voices on the phone was obviously from India.  Communication was difficult so I opted to spend a little more and stay at the one I could understand better,  (what you perceive is not always true).   A comfortable night and in the morning we headed to the lobby for our complimentary breakfast.   And then we met Johnny................   I think when we first noticed him he was giving a history lesson to an elderly well dressed couple, must have been on their way to church.  He could have been a history teacher or a local Historian, very interesting.  Soon we had gathered our food and sat where we could listen in.   Now we've done it, we made eye contact, we are involved. I think we spent an hour or more listening and visiting.  He and his wife own this motel and love the area, he marveled that

Ku Klux Klan birthplace, the plague is turned
backwards to face the building to not honor it's
creation.  Notice Trike, Ruthie and city center
in the reflection.                                    

General Washington would recruit a young Polish revolutionary and put him in charge of the newly formed Calvary.   Kazimierz Pulaski became an American Revolutionary War hero.  The town of Pulaski was the birthplace of the first Ku Klux Klan in a local barbershop.  Johny and his wife took us on a short tour of the area and visited their home and family.   He has been involved in boys and girls club for 14 years, his enthusiasm for the area and its history is infectious.  We stopped at Milky Way Farm the estate that Frank Mars had created when he fell in love with Tennessee.  It seems that Mr Mars had practically saved Giles county by employing as many of the local residents as he could during the depression.   And all because of a candy bar introduced in Minnesota.  I teased Johnny that he had kept us visiting so we would miss our check out time and spend another evening.  We spent the rest of the day riding the area and checking out places he had told us about.   

Read the inscription.

     He said to check out Lynnville just North of Pulaski and ask for Johnny Phelps at Soda pop junction store.  We headed North on 31/7 past Annie wade road, strip mine road, African Hollow road, Arrowhead, Milky way and Buford Station Road.  Turning right on Waco or 129 we arrived in Lynnville Tennessee.   Greeted by a refinished rail way station It was a step back in time.  A couple of blocks long, you could spend a lot of time here. 

     Soda pop Junction was there with its burger voted best in middle Tennessee 1/3 pound of goodness for $3.55 the store is filled with memorabilia from Johnnie Phelps friends and ancestors.  The store next door is Col. Littleton leather it was closed today however peaking thru the windows you could see amazing quality leather, it looks rich warm and comfortable.  A lady was looking in the window beside me, she said she lived locally and that the items I was looking at were higher than a camels back.  Never heard that expression before to describe higher prices than you are used to.   Take a look at the picture and judge for yourself.  I think the quality is amazing.  We wandered back to Pulaski on a winding tree lined road.  We have seen many wonderful things today thanks to Johny.  It was fortunate we had chosen his motel and gotten to know him.  

built in 1860, Soda pop Junction.



     We spent the night at Johnny's motel anxious to hit the road to Lynchburg. 

     Oh yes I almost forgot, Johnny moved here from India as a young man, thru hard work, education and thrifty habits made a success of his life.  Wish there were more stories like his,  Lord please forgive me when I judge!

Meet Johnny,