Jellico, TN and Backroads

Thursday, May 16, 2019, a chilly morning but will warm up during the day, mostly after the noon hour.  Biker friend Paul planned us a ride via interstate, good two lane roads and some gravel stretches.  A good way to spend a late Spring day.  This ride will take us North on I-75, eventually, and then after breakfast we will ride some twisty backroads and trails.

I left the house about 7:05 a.m. to meet up with Paul at our designated spot.  Early gets me a cup of coffee before we start out.  He's an old man so he gets up earlier than I do and has coffee at home, sometimes.  It was a bit foggy at the house but seemed to be in patches along the way.

Our usual meet up spot is only a mile from the house now and the coffee is fresh.

Redbug has been released from the barn and is raring to go.  Time to clean out those injectors.  We pulled out at 7:30, looking for a good ride today.

We headed down Boyds Creek Hwy. and turned off onto Portorfield Gap making our way over to the Lizard and on into Knoxville via the James White Parkway.

Coming into downtown Knoxville via the James White Parkway.

A short run on I-40 put us onto I-75 northbound and making those wheels go round and round.

Ran into a little patch of fog but it didn't last long.  This interstate can be foggy when no other place on earth has fog.

After about an hour we pulled off the interstate at Carryville to have a pancake breakfast at Scotty's.  They are about an inch thick and about 8" in diameter.  Goes well with bacon and coffee.

After breakfast we pulled out for the back roads.  This small stream was alongside the trip's beginning. 

This is at the beginning of coal country in this area of TN.  Lots of old worn out equipment.

Including a lot of old worn out trucks.

Shortly we turned off onto a nice graveled road.  Not too dusty as it rained a few days ago.

A quiet little stream crossed by a single lane bridge.  In fact, we crossed several single lane bridges on today's ride.  I almost crossed on while meeting a log truck.  He slowed enough so that I could get off.

Nice and cool and lots of shade.  The surface of the road was in really good condition.

I thought we were going to have to share the roadway with a train but the distance is safe enough to not have to share.

Very quiet riding through here.  Just the sound of your tires on the gravel and your engine.  Stop and kill the engine and all you hear are a few bird calls.

Just another bend in the road.

We got back to a good hard surfaced highway for a few miles before our next turn and onto more gravel.

We stopped for Paul to change the battery in his camera and the sunlight bathing these colorful stone faces beside the road caught my eye.  The picture doesn't do them justice.









 This shot was just to the left of the above picture.  Rugged and craggy.

Winding through the woodlands but very enjoyable.  Just clipping along enjoying this great earth we live on.

As the road turns, so do we, with each view offering something new and/or nicer to look at.

We are up rather high but the mountains off in the distance make us look as if we are standing in a hole.

Gravel or not, it's still a pretty roadway and interesting too.

We finally arrive at the town of Jellico.  It is very old and has some beautiful old houses and buildings.  Coal was its economy for many years but now it seems to barely hang on to this century.  The tree in the center of the picture is a Magnolia and it's blooming.  So was a lot of other trees and bushes along the road.  Very aromatic.

An old house in Jellico.

After a short stop at Buck's Hardware Store, where Paul purchased a hacksaw blade, we took off heading back toward home via another route.  If you ever go to Jellico, TN, make sure you stop by the hardware store.  It is like going into a museum of the past.

By the size this old house was grand in its day but now it has been taken over by vegetation.

A different road but similar scenery.

Mountains on the left, valley on the right.  And lots of space between them.

Winding road toward the mountains.  A hot cup of coffee at the end of the trail, I hope.










And he rode on forever.

Such a lovely day, such a lovely road.  Such a lovely country.

Listen, you can almost hear silence.

Two missile silos in Camo.  They think I can't spot them, but they're wrong.

Lots of yellow wild flowers.  In some pastures or fields it looks as if the whole place was sprayed with yellow paint.

Peace and tranquility, all on a country road.

Crossing the Holston River.

Lots of hay being cut.  Weather has favored the farmers but they have to hurry as rain is on its way.

Well, the ride soon comes to an end.  Paul and I split after a lunch break.  He was going to meet his wife in Pigeon Forge to see a show at one of the theaters.  Me, I just headed Redbug to the house.  Pictured here, poorly I must say, is my old favorite school house.

It was a great day.  Don't get to ride with Paul much lately and today was just right.  Door to door for me was 197 miles.  Redbug has been cleaned and is ready to put back in the barn for the next ride.

So until the next Valkyrie Adventure, be thankful for what you have, quit worrying about what you don't have, and enjoy your loved ones and friends.