Kentucky Loop Rides

I'm a little late writing this ride blog due to being in a bit of a slump.  Don't know exactly why but just not feeling the words pouring out like they normally do.  Maybe it's because of this head cold or whatever, any excuse is as good as another but here goes anyway.

Thursday, March 23, 2017 my Ole (Old) riding buddy, Paul, and I were to meet up at McD's in Seymour for around 8:30 a.m. for a quick breakfast and then zoom off toward Williamsburg, KY for some back road riding.  Temps were in comfortable upper 30s to lower 40s and no rain on the horizon, sun was up so the world was ready.  No Paul.  Finally he calls to say he's running late, can't find anything, don't know where anything is and but he would be next door to McD's in 20 minutes.  No matter, had all day to ride.

So at something after 9 a.m. we buzzed off taking the fast route north, I-75 out of Knoxville.  We got off at Caryville, TN and took US 25W northeast going through Jacksboro and LaFollette toward the Kentucky Line, the back way.

Beautiful crisp morning to start a ride.  This old farm house isn't too far from my house.  Many of the farms around where I live have become subdivisions over the years.

On the way to Micky D's for some breakfast and meet-up with fellow biker Paul.

Early and long rides require some sustainable food morsels.

Weird shaped Marriot Hotel in downtown Knoxville, TN.

Looking at town centre as we run the by-pass around it.

On the open road of Interstate 75 which, if we stayed on it, would take us to Louisville, KY.  But we're not going that far.

We took the Caryville exit from I-75 onto US 25W.  A nice smooth ride with even less traffic to contend with.  This route will take us through some of the Northern TN coal country.  This route will take us through some of the coal country of Northern TN.

No room for errors along here.

The face of the rock shines due to water seepage from the recent rains.

On the KY side of the mountain we crossed are some pretty farms.

Entering KY from the TN side.

More rock walls.  Better than barricades as these are natural and didn't cost the taxpayers any money after cutting the roadway.

Some nice farm scenery.

Shortly we were back in the rough mountain area but thank goodness the road was smooth.

Once an elegant place here in the mountains but now it's showing its age and use.

Lonely hillside cemetery.

Mountains in the distance as we rode through one of the many valleys on this trip.  We made two loop rides around the Williamsburg, KY area.

Farm house looks lonely sitting so far off the highway.  But with the fence built close you didn't have to spend a lot of time mowing grass.

Around the barn and up the hill to somewhere we're off to go.

A nice pasture framed on one side by the mountains.

Lots of horses up in this area.  I guess that white one on the ground is full or will eat later.  Rather young colt.

Simple country church.

Back to the narrower highways through the KY mountain country.  I think I hear banjos playing.

A community business establishment at one time.  It was also home too.

Gliding through the valley heading for higher ground, and rougher country.

Brushy roadsides, hoping not to have venison stepping out in front while riding.

Empty coal truck clipping along in front of us.  Glad he was empty and not loaded otherwise it would have been a long slow ride to the top of the mountain where the mine was located.

We stopped to see if we could get a view of the mine.  All we could see was a dam holding water back.  The mine was lower down on the side of the mountain.  Here's a pic of Paul going on his mine hunting excursion.

Redbug and the White Knight parked during exploration period.

Road leading from our parked site.  Was once used but rarely now.  Rather grown over around the bend.

I lost Paul but then noticed the weeds moving.  You can see a white spot slightly left of center of pic, that's Paul's helmet.

Then he stepped out onto the path.  I wonder if he gave any thought to rattlesnakes while rustling through the brush.

He came back with a garland of flowers, plastic, which he adorned himself with.  Would be ready for Mardi Gras but it has past and they don't celebrate it here in this part of the country.

After a break, a pit stop and some GPS reviewing we headed back toward the house.

A few more miles of back roads before hitting the Interstate for the fast route back.

Getting back into TN, homeward bound.  It has been a good day for riding.  Nice weather, good roads and lots of scenery, some of very poor living conditions and some rather nice farms.  Makes you appreciate what you have when you see people living in sheds and huts.  Hope the new changes allowing coal mining to start up will give these people an opportunity to improve their conditions.

Anyway, we enjoyed some old roads and some new ones as well.  Total mileage door to door for me was 250 miles.  The good thing about the ride was that we returned to our home base safe and sound.  I'm always grateful for that. 

So until the next Valkyrie Adventure, be thankful for what you have as others have far less.  Get out of the house on these pretty Spring days and do something.  Couch potato time has lapsed.  Ride/drive safe.