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!