The Ride To Nowhere

Made a last minute decision this morning to go riding since the weather was looking so great.  Mid 30s or so early and warmed up to 70 during the day.  A group was meeting about 20 miles away and departing the meeting area at 9:30 a.m. so I had plenty of time.  Took care of the dog, got the paper, donned my biking clothes and headed out at 8:15 as I needed to stop and gas up.  I got to the station, filled up the tank, cranked the engine and pulled up to the next pump to get some paper towels to dry up some spilt gas.  After wiping it down I started to crank it to make the meet up but all I got was click click click.  Riding friend Paul came up and I motioned him over, asking him to help push that 850 lb. beast off to get her started.  Boy I'm glad he showed up.  She cranked right up and I headed straight to the bike shop which was on the way to the meet up to get the battery checked.  Yep, my just under two year warranty battery was showing bad.  And they didn't have another like it in stock.  I was glad in a way as the bad battery was a gel type and that was my first one of and last of those.  The put a new battery in, gave it a quick charge, and off Paul and I went.  he decided to not ride with the group as he prefers one or two riders instead of a dozen.  Nice guy he is.

Since we didn't have a planned route Paul just led us all over everywhere as he has ridden nearly every road in East TN.  Really, he's been places that Google Maps rarely travel.

Below are some pictures of the area we rode.  It's amazing what you can see when you're just riding along with no particular place in mind to go.

Riding in the foothills.

Farms and Country Roads.

Rural America, East Tennessee

Filling a water tank the easy way.

This stream is spring fed and is the same water being used to fill the tank above.

Signs, farm implements, and whatever.

Nothing like riding twisties in the mountains.

Two mules and a horse with riding turning plow.

Old mill pond dam.

Natural rock ledge falls, plenty along this river.

Not all roads are smooth asphalt.

Mountain river through the woods.