Another dang Ride Report

[Doons]

I met two freinds from the Great White North (Minnesota) in Springfield Missouri last Friday night. Neither had been on full-blown, backroad, multiple day, all riding - all day, scooter trip before. Well being the good American I am, I took there backsides with me..... their lives will never be the same.... I am expecting hate mail from their wives!!!! What's more fun than taking liberals into the heart of the South!!!!

The players..... Doons (that's me), Kimm (aka Jules) and Jim (aka Casper). Together we comrpised almost 19 feet and 700+ pounds of Old Men Formidable in a mellow kind of way.

Pictures are limited as I find myself riding rather than taking pictures... Oh well.

Day 1 : Springfield to Jackson, Tennessee... the long way. If you haven't heard of or ridden MO160, you are missing a truely incredible riding experience. About 200 miles of kinked uip roads, elevation changes, great scenery and cool little towns... Missorians are great folks too.

Jules and Casper, MO160 for gas and aqua.

Day 2: Jackson, TN to Chattanooga... yup the long way. We only got misplaced 4 or 5 times.... every time we got lost we found a better road than the last.... Love Tennesse!!!! We had a heck of a time finding a place to cross the Tennessee river.... we didn't really care which made it more fun!!! We made a little stop to pay our respects to the Reverend Jack Daniels.....

Tim, this ones for you buddy... One of the Jack Daniels Fire Trucks.

Day 3: Chattanooga to Gatlinburg, TN... yea, the long way. We also rode thru the Smoky Mountain National Park.... Cool!!!!

On the Cherahola Skyway

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The Dragon
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Day 4: Gatlinburg, TN to Rome, Georgia. Just because, we rode the Dragon again and took the skyway back to Tellico Plains. Then 60 South to Blue Ridge, Georgia, another fine kinked up awesome road to add to the list.

North End of the Dragon, just off the Foothills Parkway (yup, another fun ride).
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Day 5: Rome, Georgia to Memphis, TN..... Little stop at Barber to see the scooters


The three stooges in front of Barber. We melted like the Wicked Witch right after the picture. Ahhhh the Deep Sauna (South).
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Bike Porn........
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Day 6: Doons back to Tejas, the boys, back to the Great White North. I had a great time. They had a great time. They are both ready for another one..... "you bettcha by golly. don't cha know"... I still speak a little Minnesotan :-)

Thanks to my Minnesota freinds for joining me. Better riding partners I would never find. They both carry the "Wanderer" gene... :rider:

Ride Safe folks and see as much of the US as you can..... preferbly from the seat of your scoot!!!

 

[Manfred]

Nice report - except we have only your word that ya'll were on motorcycles. No pix of the bikes means you didn't make this trip on bikes

 

[donroger1]

The one picture with the broken link.............

Great times Randy!!!

 

[Doons]

Nice report - except we have only your word that ya'll were on motorcycles. No pix of the bikes means you didn't make this trip on bikes

So my word not good enough for ya?

Somewhere in Georgia:

Getting ready to leave Lyncburg:

Me on the Dragon, with those pesky liberals right behind:

 

[Manfred]

So my words not good enough for ya?

Now you're good! It's a basic rule of ride reports: it ain't a report without pix of the bike(s).

Many thanks for posting!

 

[sKatZ]

More roads, more fun! How great it must be to go away for lots of days. Looks like a great trip!

 

[TWTim]

Tim, this ones for you buddy... One of the Jack Daniels Fire Trucks.

I heard from a friend, who heard it from a friend, who heard it from another that you had taken that picture.

 

[achesley]

Looks like ya'll have a great ride. Never can go wrong stopping by Barber's. Thanks for sharing.

 

[ekms377]

I love ride reports.....we need more of them!!

 

[The Bruce]

I heard from a friend, who heard it from a friend, who heard it from another that you had taken that picture.

REO Speedwagon

Jack, Dragon, and Barber. Nice trip.

 

[Doons]

REO Speedwagon

Jack, Dragon, and Barber. Nice trip.

It was a nice trip. Honestly, I'm in the camp that thinks in that area of the country, the Skyway blows away the Dragon for riding fun along with a number of roads in the area.... Like US28.

The Dragon is worth riding for the experience but it is so technical with no where to go if something goes sideways, almost always busy with would be Valentino Rossi's, that I don't really consider it enjoyable. Little regard is shown by these frustrated racers to the others that ride the road. I was standing by my bike listening to a group of these would be racers talking about there daring do and how they wished all these "Da*n roookies would just stay off their road". Interesting in many ways and considering they all were from Illinois, I was confused about how it was "their" road?

Luckily, there are so many great roads in that area, in Tennessee, in Northern Georgia, that it is an easy task to find great roads with little traffic. We saw a total of about 6 cars travelling SH60 from Tellico Plains to Blue Ridge, GA. For me, as many of the roads we were on, they all make the Dragon an afterthought.

This is my 3rd trip to the area in the last 10 years. I still find new stuff to ride and see. One recomendation, stay out of Alabama if the temp is 95+ and the humidity if 70+%. Man that was an unpleasent riding day

 

[Thrasherg]

One recomendation, stay out of Alabama if the temp is 95+ and the humidity if 70+%. Man that was an unpleasent riding day

I suggest just staying out of Alabama full stop!!

Nice trip report, thanks for sharing.

Gary

 

[txvoyager]

Hey, nice report! I think there are a whole lot of us who are jealous...

Looks like your windshield got fixed!

 

[Doons]

Looks like your windshield got fixed!

It did. Comp claim, no deduc, just the new plastic, everything else was fine. Guess I have no excuse now for not making another attempt..... Early October is my target for that attempt.... Headed West this time, North and east is apparently bad JuJu!!!!