Second Cheese Run of the Week

Tuesday morning was a little gloomy and looked as if it was going to rain at any moment but trusty (?) weather people said no rain.  Taking that into reasoning, I had coffee with the "Elderlies" and about 9:15 a.m. headed out for Sweetwater Valley Dairies near Philadelphia, TN which is about 60 miles south of Seymour where I live.  I made the trip rather fast, grabbed my two bags of yellow cheese curds and headed back to the house.  Redbug performed magnificently.  That left me time to prepare lunch, eat and mow the lawn.  Then I loaded the trailer with the lawn equipment and headed to my son's house and mowed his lawn.  A full day if I do say so myself.

Then that evening I received a message from friend Tom about a cheese run Wednesday after lunch.  Sounded good to me as they were going to make some different types that day.  This dairy makes about 20 different flavors of cheese.

On a day like this, who in their right mind, would refuse an opportunity to ride.

This is the route we rode today.  About 98 miles total.
Very scenic and took in a couple of old towns along the way.

Tom needed to top off his gas tank and then go across the highway to the bank before we left.  That gave me the opportunity to take a picture of his bike, a 2008 HD that is impeccably manicured.

He then discussed the route and wanted me to lead.  I declined after telling him that if I led he couldn't keep up with me and if I followed him I could pick up the parts that fell off.  Just have to kid those HD riders, all in good fun.

We pulled out heading down US 411 to Maryville.  This is the sawmill that makes a lot of the wood used in making whiskey barrels.









One of the old farmsteads along the route.  Very large barn and probably was a dairy farmer years ago.

The sign is right.  I mean correct.  You make a right turn and you are at the cemetery or the church, whichever one you need.  Eusebia Presbyterian Church dates back to 1790.

A field of winter wheat but grown for hay and not the wheat.  Rich and green with the rains and warm weather lately.

That grayish color on the left side of the field are native wild flowers which are a pastel blue in color.

They also have fields of yellow native flowers that are just weeds.

And the highway just keeps on going.  One stretch of this highway has a bunch of tight curves, about 11 of them withing a mile or so.  But today, alas, we were behind a car following a log truck that was traveling pretty slow in the curves.







You can just barely see the mountains off in the distance.  We wouldn't get any closer to them than this today.  We were going int the opposite direction.

Entering Maryville is this house with an owner that really liked railroad stuff and Texaco products.  American Pickers would like this place.

And my old tractor place is still there, some may never leave.  Rusting as their days run out.

At Maryville we make a left turn onto US 321 heading west.  Wide lanes and rolling hills, cranking toward Lenoir City, TN.

This agricultural spraying machine was heading east and in the fast lane.  He would not get a ticket for speeding but could get one for restricting traffic flow if the traffic was heavy.  But it wasn't so I guess he's safe.

The sign says they were selling "Red Navels".  I'm pretty pleased with the one I have.  But wouldn't a Red Navel seem a bit stark to look at?  Then upon closer observation as i rode by, he was selling oranges.

Shortly afterward we crossed the bridge at the edge of Lenoir City.  It is over a portion of the Tennessee River and over the Lock.

Then we rode right down the main street of Lenoir City.  We were on US 11 which at one time was the main highway from the south to the northeast.

It is a quaint little town and very clean.  Accolades to the people for keeping it so clean.

Another shot of the more downtown part which was also the oldest.

A bit farther down the road we came into the town of Loudon, TN, another old town that is quite nice to visit.

A very large mural painted on the side of this building.  Back in the steamboat days.

Entering town centre.  Nice entrance marker to the town.

I have been told this is a great ice cream parlor.  I'll have to try it out.  Easy name to remember, Tic Toc.

This large red barn is a good locater for the dairy we were going to.  It meant that we were not very far away from our destination.

Then a little down the road you see this double silo front barn and that nails it. Next turn to the right is Sweetwater Valley Diaries.

And here it is, a large estate building representing the farm and to the left is the building where they make and sell the cheese.

The cheese shop.  Now the aroma around there is not a bed of roses as just below the building is the dairy with the cows and all of the feed, etc.  A bit aromatic to the nostrils on a warm day with a SW or southerly wind blowing.

A gathering place, restrooms, etc., is in this barn looking building.

Friend Tom on his bike getting ready to head back to Seymour.  Tom was originally from Alabama but met this TN Lady while going to boarding school in Seymour and was hooked.  He swallowed hook, sinker, line and pole.  He's here to stay.

Gazing off into the hills and sky, ready to take his cheese selections back to the house.

We ran back up US 11 to the Jct. of TN 72 and turned West running it to Vonore, TN.  There we caught US 411 back to Maryville and Seymour.

Running 72 and then 411, old scenes.

A barn that was a barn but now is a house and they did a smash up good job on it.

Cows grazing some sweet juicy green grass.  Better, I'm sure, than that dried up grass they have been feeding on.

Back to where we can see the mountains.  Getting closer to the house.  By now the temperature is in the low 80s.

Back to our meet up point in Seymour.  Tom had an errand to run so we bid farewell and I headed back to the house.

A great friend, a great day and a great ride not to mention some great cheese to boot.  Need several more of these type days and rides.  Speaking of rides, I'm off tomorrow for VA on a long ride with friend Paul.



I hope you have enjoyed this little adventure.  It wasn't full of mountains and curves but it was a very good ride.  Until the next Valkyrie Adventure, keep your chin up, your eyes open, and your hands to yourself.  Maybe that way you'll stay out of trouble.  God Bless Each and Every One.

Riding the Tennessee Cumberland Plateau

Thursday, April 20, 2017.  It's in the mid-60s and raining.  So the ride is delayed until the rain cell passes through.  We will be riding wed roads but we will be riding.  Just a bit slower.  Should be nice until the afternoon when more showers are expected.  Today's ride will take us west about half way between Knoxville and Nashville, TN.  We will be riding the TN portion of the Cumberland Plateau.

                             












This Plateau aides my area a lot by having storms coming out of the SW, W, or N from having serious weather issues a lot.  The storms hit the Plateau and runs NE which often by-passes us.

We've ridden on the Plateau often and this ride was to run a new road or two.  The area his some beautiful farms and lots of rolling hills.  To get there you climb a mountain and then go back down it at a different location.  No large mountains on the Plateau itself.

Biker friend Paul and I pulled out around 8:40 a.m. for our ride.  Damp, cool and wet roads.  It would get better in a few miles.  Since it was so damp I decided to leave my camera in the storage compartment until we got closer to the area we were going to ride.  Interstate riding had some nice shots but not at this time of the morning.

One thing you will notice is that there are a lot less curves to maneuver up here on the Plateau than nearer to where we live.  We are roughly 115 miles West of Seymour to start our true ride.  That first mileage is just to start the real thing.

We exited I-40 at Crossville, TN and headed northwest from there.

Dogwoods were blooming and hardwood trees were putting on new leaves.  This is a hardwood paradise.

Cherrie trees were also blooming as well as some Azaleas and lots of bulb plants.

As you can see along the cuts of the highway, the stone in this area is plated or tiered.  And there is lots of stone.

This area probably produces over 50% of the stones used in building, decorating, etc., in the state.  They ship it out by the semi-truck loads in all directions, and in all sizes and shapes.

It is well known for crushed limestone as well as powdered limestone.

Our first break was at a convenience store located in Crab Orchard, TN.  It was coffee and snack time.  Redbug is in the forefront and behind it with Paul still astride it is his White Rat, a Bourgman 400 Scooter.  Old man's ride, it is an automatic.

After our break we head out continuing to head northwesterly to take in a couple of loop roads before heading back to Seymour.

TN tax dollars at work along this stretch of highway.  Big Tonka trucks moving lots of crushed rock and dirt to widen the highway.

Big Drilling Rigs with more Tonka trucks and trackhoes pictured here.  That is a pretty big cut they are making here.

 Still blue skies and puffy white clouds showing while the wheels are turning.

Seems the clouds are getting heavier and darker but progress continues.

Now we're getting really close to the Catoosa Wildlife Management area and near where our new road will take us.

The Plateau had some very large and beautiful farms.  Lots of cattle and horses raised in this area.  Looks like another one of those government disguised missile silos looming in the distance.

With all of the rains we've been having the ponds, lakes and rivers are catching up to full limit quickly.  Makes some nice reflections.  And everything is really green.

As we start on one of our new roads we start to drift to the edge of the Plateau and the roads get curvy again.

Also noticed along the way are new Spring calves.

A very nice and long wooden fence.  Somebody put out some money with all of those boards and posts.  Not to mention the labor to install it.  Don't think that was a weekend honey-do list project.

Little roller coaster hills just seem to ripple all around this place.

Hmmmm.  Looks a bit like rain in that direction.  Wait a minute, that's the same direction we're headed.

But meanwhile, the dark red leafed ornamental trees are a dark pretty contrast to the newer lighter green foliage. 

Over the hills and through the woods off to, no, that's a verse from Little Red Riding Hood.  We're just off exploring what's around the corner and over the hill. 

Then out in the middle of nowhere is Lanes Convenient Center.  Time for another break.  The lady running the store is second generation owner and she makes a darn good hamburger.  Paul had a corndog. 








The owner was babysitting her granddaughter who was about 2 yrs. old.  This was her school bag.  The dining area/grocery center was also her play room as it had colors and a coloring book on the floor.







Madelynn, between her grandmother's knees and another lady that had arrived bid us goodbye.  Cute tyke but a little shy which is a good thing.  Very nice folks.

Paul and I like to stop off at some of these local places.  Unfortunately over the past couple of years a lot of them have closed down.  They can't compete with the large chain stores.


Back on the road, through the woods and around the curves we rode headed back towards homebase.

Failure to stop at this intersection could cause you a lot of front-end damage if you notice the rock bluff across the highway.

Some more nice scenery and woodsy riding.  To leave the road surface on either side of the road would spell a heap of hurt.  Trees on one side and rock on the other.  Seems to change sides from time to time.

I really like the rock formations in this area even though some of it looks a little unstable.

The woods are so thick that the roads just seem to vanish among the trees.  It would be really dark here at night.  There's no street lights and very few houses.

You can tell we are on our way to get off the Plateau as you can see taller hills and some mountains off in the distance.

And that definitely looks like rain up ahead.  I don't care what that patch of blue indicates, it's that darker area beyond that matters.

Aha, a change in direction looks much more promising.

Still dry so it lets you do some turning and burning on the curves.

Elongated curves are fun to ride.  Just have to make sure you stay in control.  Headed back to the house so ride while it's dry.

I wonder if that pile of rocks was placed there as a marker for Big Foot territory.  A bit odd but interesting.

Sprinkles of rain.  Yep, last picture of the day.  Paul suits up and I store the camera.  Now its running TN 62 eastward which is a great curving sweeping bike road but today it will be a slower paced keep the tires on the road kind of ride.  But even with that, it has been a great day.  Rain has everyone cooped up so getting out today was a joy.



We had about 2 hours of drizzling rain on the way back to Seymour, it stopped just west of Oakridge, TN.  From that point to the house was dry so we made up a little time.  It was a great ride, 268 miles for me door to door and Redbug performed magnificently.  And overall, we got just a little damp. 

So until the next Valkyrie Adventure, I hope you stay safe, do something different, and enjoy your family members as much as possible.  I do miss seeing my family members since I am so far away but their faces and voices are forever with me as I ride.  May God enrich you and yours.