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.