Ride From Seymour to Erwin, TN

Biker friend Paul and I decided since the weather was suppose, I did say suppose, to turn nasty we decided to ride Wednesday instead.  It's Wednesday, February 4, 2015, left the house a little early so I could go gas up.  Since I was early I met with some of the local "elderlies" for a quick coffee before hitting the road.  It was about 32 degrees.  After coffee I mounted up and rode back up Boyds Creek Hwy. to the Exxon Station where we were to meet up.  Going Northeast today so no MickyDs for meet up.  I was in the parking lot aimed outward and spotted him coming up the road.  Gave the old wave and I pulled out behind him, GoPro Camera rolling to capture the ride.  Third time to use it so still in the learning process.

Frost everywhere this morning and by now it was about 35 degrees.  Sun was brightly shining, a chilly but great day to ride.  We were going to do about a 2 hour ride before a break for lunch in Greenville, TN.  As we normally do, most of the ride is backroads.  On our way back we did do about 10 miles of I-40 and took the U.S. 411 South to Seymour.

This is sort of the route taken today.  Just add in a few more squiggly lines here and there but this will give you an idea.  This route took us through some of the richest farm land in East TN.  Grainger County is known for its tomatoes and corn.  But there are some very large cattle farms in this area and several dairies.

The nice thing about the lesser traveled roads is the scenery, follows the contour of the land mostly and less traffic to deal with.

For some unknown reason I started looking at the number of red barns.  They must have a special price on red paint for barn painting.  In one area we rode through you could see three barns scattered on each side of the road and they all were painted red.

By this time we were starting to get more into the mountain side roads.  Lucky to have a guard rail on one side and a nice stone wall on the other.  Regardless which side of the highway you run off it's going to hurt.

Unfortunately, this barn, like a number in this area, did not receive a coat of red paint nor any other color paint.  Just gray weathered boards at this stage of its life.

This was a very nice farm and alas, another red barn.

I missed the shot where a number of horses were gathered but this was just one lone horse out in the pasture.  Lots of horse farms in this locale also.

Nothing like riding through an under pass, this one ran under the railroad.  With the cold temperatures, any moisture inside becomes black ice so you enter very carefully with a keen eye for damp spots.

I wrote a paper many years ago titled "Barns - A Backyard Architecture".  Having been partially raised on a farm with both grandparents being farmers, barns have always interested me.  This barn has a high peak referred to as a Crow's Beak where stuff is lifted and stored in the loft.  The roof design is referred to as a Dutch Gambrel roof.

Just one of several beautiful old farm houses along our route today.  It's stark red metal roof could be seen at a considerable distance.

Ahh, the silence of country roads.  The sentinel tall slender trees lining the sides and the multi-colored brown of the leaves made it a very peaceful place.

Along our route today we passed over some of the fingers of Cherokee Lake, back water for the Cherokee Dam Hydro Plant.  You can see how much the lake water has been drawn down.  By Spring it will be even lower.  So before you buy waterfront property, check around to see if it has water year around or is it sometimes just property near where water use to be.

This old farm house looked rather lonesome sitting atop this knoll with
its one large tree trying to hold on for
another year.  Age was slowly taking it away.

Just south of Greenville, TN we came to this tunnel which ran under another highway.  Paul stopped about a half mile away and asked me if I had a problem with wading a little water in a tunnel.  I said "No", just kind of thinking what kind of road were we taking.  I was a little apprehensive about ice.




Then we got there, sure enough, there was water "running" through this side of the tunnel.  It seems there's a little stream just outside and to the right of this entrance and the water runs to the highway, through the tunnel and across to the other side into the landscape.  Only in Tennessee.

This was an emergency pit stop for Paul and it gave me an opportunity to get a cup of coffee.  Went to pay for it and they said the coffee is complimentary.  Don't find that to often.  However, this store was a kid's heaven and a dentist's delight.  They make and sell just about any kind of candy, pretzels, snack crackers, dried fruit, etc., that you cold ever want.  And you can order a sandwich from their deli as well.  Rows of candy.

I have passed this house many times and have always wanted to take a picture of it.  However, every time I passed it always had about a dozen vehicles parked in front.  Today was my day.  It is an old very large farm house sitting on a great piece of property with a wonderful view of the foothills.

Due to the supposed to be bad weather the TN DOT crews were out brining the roadways.  The vehicle in this photo is just one of several we came across.  Good for us that it was coming toward us.  However, we have been on roads today that had just been brined, and at one time followed a brine truck for a ways until we could pass it.  When it dries it leaves a fine white power which can be slippery but it gets all over your vehicle also.

I just loved this view.  A single old hardwood tree standing alone along side of a lone highway with a beautiful blue sky behind it.  I think of it as Longevity.

I happened to notice the side of this hill along side the river we were crossing.  It looked as if it had been cut with a meat clever.  Sheer rock from the top down to the water line.

After our lunch in Greenville at Tipton's Cafe, a place that is about 12 feet wide, counter with stools and two small 2-person tables right smack dab in the middle of town.  They serve a great stew on Thursday but today's special was their own homemade chili.  They also have for dessert, a fried donut served with molasses poured where the hole is.  Pretty dang good if I do say so.

Greenville, TN is the home of Andrew Johnson, President of the U.S.A.  They have a very nice museum and the main street buildings and a lot of the homes here date back to the 1800s.  The picture to the left is outside of Greenville on our way to Erwin.  It is a stone church.  Most churches as old as this one are constructed of wood.

On the road again headed back toward the house.  This road runs through the edge of a national forest.  You have to keep an eye out for deer.  They don't always stop before crossing the highway.

Paul sneaked in another one of those narrow backroads.  These barely have 8' wide lanes and a little further down the road we turned onto one that only had one lane.  Two direction traffic but only one paved lane.  That will make you tighten up a bit when you round a curve and face a pickup truck.

Decisions, decisions.  Do I take the left or take the right.  Answer had better come quickly or you will be kissing that big maple tree in the forks of the road.

Just easing through the back country.  No big trucks, no armada of autos, no street cars, no pedestrian walkways, just sweeping curves and changing sites.

This farm house is one of those dated in the late 1800s.  They usually have two or three chimneys and fire places on both the upstairs and downstairs living levels.

As we start getting closer to the end of the ride the mountains start appearing closer on the horizon.  Love those smoky humps in the background.

Just one of many churches we passed today.  This one has grave markers right up beside the building.  I guess they didn't want to waste any of the land.  Another one that needs a fence around it.

Burning the asphalt at this point.  The ride is getting like the day, shorter by the minute and the mile.  Still another 40 minutes to ride.

One last look over at the mountains before heading into Sevierville and onward to Seymour.  Temp got up to about 50 today but now the clouds are moving in for tonight's weather.  Strange thing, when I woke up the next morning there was some heavy clouds but it didn't rain, snow, sleet, just got cold and froze.  Turned out to be another nice day, just a little icy with the breeze.


Some new sites, new challenges but a heck of a ride.  Total mileage door to door today was 235 miles.  Total amount of fun, to much to mention.  so until the next adventure, check out some of the rides by going to www.youtube.com/valkyrieadventure: Ride to Fontana,NC or Ride To Cold Coal Mountain or Ride From Seymour to Erwin, TN.  Makes you feel you're riding with me but never leaving your chair.  Enjoy life, my friends, it only comes around once here on earth.