Indian Creek Market Breakfast Ride

Saturday, July 12, 2014, comfortable early in the morning with a chance for afternoon rains. Made a call last night to confirm riding with friends up to the Indian Creek Market for breakfast and conversations. I left the house at 7:30 a.m. to meet up with biker friend Paul and his wife Betty. I got there early so I grabbed a cup of coffee and had just finished it when they rode up. We were to leave for a Burger King on U.S. 411 across from the Sevier County High School to meet up with another couple and then to ride up to Indian Creek Market where several others were to meet us getting there by car(s).

Pilot is a good meeting place for Paul and I as we don't live to far apart. If we are riding in an Easterly direction we can meet here and top off gas tanks at the same time.  From here we headed farther east to Burger King.

The day started out nice and cool but it didn't take but an hour or so for the temp to get hot enough that by the time we got to Indian Creek Market I was ready to get out of my riding jacket.  Even with a mesh jacket it still gets rather warm unless you are riding.  Stopping for a traffic signal out in the sun gets rather warm.

Did I mention that we ride mostly back roads, 1 1/2 lane roads, sometimes almost not roads.  And on this run we crossed a covered bridge near Sevierville.

The sky this morning was really blue.  It has been raining a lot lately so everything is lush green with lots of leafy vegetation along the roadways.  On the way we rode through Bush Country.  No, not Texas, but between Sevierville and Newport, TN Bush's Beans has a large processing plant, the old farm house and a cafeteria open to the public.  The mountains were hazy as they have been for a while.

We also rode past an old
water driven grist mill.  It is somewhat of an antique store today (pic on rt. and left below).  

Lots of hay being cut, which
makes two cuttings this season already.  With a little more rain they will have three cuttings this season.  Mother Nature is treating TN very well while the Western states are dry.

A lot of old barns in this
part of TN.  The gas plant on the right is Bush's Bean Processing Plant, not Shell or Exxon, etc.


After a great breakfast of ham and cheese omelet with hash browns and coffee we set out for the remainder of the ride bidding farewell to the cage riders (those people in cars).  Still riding backroads we headed for Panther Creek State Park Overlook.  When we arrived at the overlook spot one of the picnic buildings was being used for an outdoor wedding ceremony.  We weren't invited nor dressed for the occasion.

"Sweet Thang" parked at
the overlook with wedding
in background.  The body of water shown here is part of Cherokee Lake, a TVA made facility. 

Bike friend Paul in blue shirt and wife in blue top, just part of the group.  Red trike in right pic is a BMW 1600.  Very nice but $$$$$.  It belongs to rider Keith.  Nice machine.

We rambled back to Seymour on more back roads while looking at a dark cloud forming in our direction.  However, so far it has not rained today.  But then the day is not over.  Door to door today was 122 miles.  Average speed, about 35mph maybe 40 with all of the twists and turns.  Arrived at the house at 1:45 p.m. refreshed.  Cost for the day, who cares;  returns for the ride,mega-dollars.
Enjoy life, be safe.