Tellico Plains and The Veterans Event

Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, 7:15 a.m.  Temp in low 60s with the high today around 80.  Great day for a ride.  Pulled out of the driveway and headed to local McDonald's to meet up with biker friend Robert and a bite of breakfast.  He was already there so I ate quickly had my coffee and off we went.  Today we were riding south on regular main roads to participate in a Veterans event held in honor for the son of one of the members.  Somber cause for the son committed suicide which happens more than we think to those that have served in the military overseas in the Mid-East.

We left Seymour riding down US 411 through Maryville, TN to Madisonville where we turned onto TN68 to Tellico Plains, TN.

All of the roads were main roads up to the point we turned off TN68.  Then we were on some back roads to the meeting place.

Sun was to our back and reflecting on the clouds near the mountains.  This nice hay field had not long ago produced it's second crop of the year.  Due to the lack of rain we won't have any or many farmers that will get three cuttings this season.

You can see the mountains in the background just above the horizon across the field.

US411 from Seymour to Maryville is a nice run.  Good surface two lane highway with some sweeper curves, a few straight-aways and a three mile stretch having 11 curves.  Speed limit is 45mph.  In Maryville it becomes 4 lane and after the city limits goes to 55 mph.  Every small town or spot it changes speed limits so you have to watch it.

In Madisonville we caught TN68 which takes you from rolling hills in the valley to rolling hills headed for the mountains.  Tellico Plains is at the Southern end of the Cherohala Skyway, a well ridden and known highway that crosses the Smoky Mountains over to NC near the end of The Dragon.

They were having a trail ride leading out of Tellico Plains toward the Cherohala but we didn't want to join them.  We didn't have any mules or wagons.  So shortly out of Tellico Plains we turned onto Steer Creek Rd. 

We would run Steer Creek Rd. for approximately 3 miles to the place where the Veterans event was to be held.  Some interesting old farm buildings along the way.

A nice straight stretch with lots of greenery.  It had a couple of hidden hills and curves so that made the road a little more interesting.

I was beginning to think I had missed the place but we kept riding.  Good thing I didn't turn around as we had not gotten there yet.  It just seemed to be a long way.

Then there it was, a long meadow with a small stream funning through it.  A building at the end where things were sold, camping was available, and they had 5 different Harley Davidson motorcycle dealers present.  There was also a number of other vendors with canopies also.  This was the official entrance.  They were expecting several hundred motorcycles and riders today.

Slicing tomatoes for the sandwiches.  There would be lettuce, onion (which was very powerful), about 6 different flavors of smoked bologna (375 lbs. of tube stake) along with chips and a bottle of water for a donation.  The bologna was about a half inch thick.

A DAV member standing with the father of the honored soldier.

We got there at 10 a.m. so we were the early birds for the day's event.

No, this is not one of the little houses from the TV show.  It however is a house used for vending.  Needs a BIG truck to pull it as it appears to be made from 2" thick lumber on a car hauler trailer.

Some of the motorcycles attending the event.

We were early so the second bike from the bottom of the picture is Sweet Thang and the red bike next to it is Robert's.

A picture of Robert putting some freebie stuff in his saddlebag.

And they just kept on coming.  Mostly HD motorcycles but a few other brands sprinkled among them.  

Bikes were parked from where I was standing to take this pic all the way back to the entrance filling the center field and the side.  Several hundred of those machines, some with two riders on the bike.

About 12:15 p.m. we left the event and stayed on Steer Creek Rd. to its end.  Just wanted to see where it went.

Narrow and with some blind hills and curves.  Taking it easy as time was not involved.

It was very shady in places which kept the temps comfortable.

At the end of Steer Crk. Rd. we turned right onto 318 and then at the end of it we turned right again onto 315 to 39 to TN68.  This time we turned left and headed back the way we came that morning.

This was along TN315 which ran through a farming community.

Capturing the mountains in the background while we were headed back to Seymour.  Big clouds today but no rain expected.

 Just can't get enough of those mountains.  They make almost any picture a winner.

Billowing clouds with a blue blue sky and plenty of wind blowing around you as we made our way back to the house.  It was a comfortable ride, one without a timeline, not particular place you had to be later, and just enough traffic to keep you on your toes.  It was very enjoyable.  Door to door for me was 140 miles.  The amount of pleasure was priceless.  So until the next Adventure, treat yourself to an ice cream cone and think about where you would like to go.  You might actually get there.  If not by a vehicle, maybe in your mind.