Riding To And Through Tennessee's Sequatchie Valley

While working at my son's house I have made a new friend, Doug, who is the contracted painter repainting the abode.  Originally from PA, he has lived in TN for many years and has been painting for 25 years.  Does a good job I must say but that's enough advertising.  Doug rides a 1983 Yamaha 650 which looks like a new bike.  It is in excellent condition and at the same time he is restoring another bike about as old as the one he rides.

Saturday, August 1, 2015, cool in the morning, hotter during the day and another good day to ride.  Doug and I met up at Weigle's at the corner of Boyds Creek Highway and Chapman Highway.  Our ride would take us south for about an hour or so and then start our trek eastward.  We would leave Seymour, TN, go down through Maryville, Madisonville, to Benton and then over to Dayton, cross the mountain to Pikesville where we would hit the valley.  From there we would be riding north to Crossville, TN on U.S. 127.

Sequatchie Valley actually starts down in Alabama.  It is approx. 150 long and 3 to 5 miles wide.  It is part of the Cumberland Plateau, a ridge that is between Nashville and Knoxville.  This plateau protects lands east of it from a lot of the harsh weather as the weather hits the plateau and run northeast into KY and VA.

Doug and I pulled out at 7:30 a.m. planning to take a break around Pikeville which would be about half way, give or take a few miles.  It was one of those clear crisp mornings which made my mesh riding jacket feel good, in fact I even threatened to stop and put my rain liner on beneath it.  But I eventually got use to the coolness and later was glad that I had not put the liner on.

I really like this old red barn and the single silo (or is it a military site in disguise) along U.S. 411 between Seymour and Maryville.  Good rolling hill farm land through this area.

Below Maryville on U.S. 411 is this speckled church.  It is most unusual, all stone, but never another one like it in the whole area of East TN.  Dalmatians gather here, maybe.

After Benton turn off we now head West toward the Plateau.  I wish that I had taken time to take some additional pictures later on as there is a whole bunch of switchback curves going over the Plateau that are interesting.  You just sort of flip-flop your bike around them they are so tight.

This was a nice stretch of highway where you can sort of hang out there and throttle it up a bit, just to clean the carbs you know.

Then you get back to just two lanes of good riding.  That sky just seems to never stop and so blue too.

Peaceful farm house along the route.  There are some beautiful farms in this area as it is less mountainous, flatter and has less rocky soil.

The road surfaces were great, no large chuck holes, no bed of tar snakes, just right for cruising along at a decent speed, 55 mph, posted.

A lot of corn and hay grown in this area.  Fields are so much larger than those around where I live.  But compared to those of the Delta of MS, AR, LA, these fields look like garden plots.

Another military installation, almost concealed by the trees unless you're coming from the South as we were.

Today was yard sale day.  They were everywhere.  Some even out in an open field.  I guess they get there early to get the better spots.  And they're on both sides of the road so you have to really watch the traffic moving and stopped along the road way.  Who knows, Ma may have spotted an old wash tub on the other side of the road and she just makes the turn, to heck with the traffic.

Running the valley is very soothing since the road is rather straight instead of all of the curves we're use to.  Those mountains on the horizon are on the West side of the valley.

The mountains on are about 4 miles away at this point.  And in between is a large field of corn.

And of course, there's plenty more of the yard sale bunch along the way.  It is a good way to clean out the closet, the shed, the barn and the house.  You can find almost anything at these sales.  A little haggling is good as well as a swap or two.

The clouds in the sky along this way are just like large pieces of cotton fluff floating in the air.

The mountains in this picture are on the East side of the valley.  The highway runs almost in the middle for most of the way.  Then it veers when coming close to Crossville.

We began to notice that some of the clouds were getting a little dark which is a good indicator that we might get damp before the day was over.

Rich green meadows surrounded by thick evergreen and hardwood trees were common sights along the way.

Old farm building, smoke signals in the sky, and two happy riders zipping along the highway, smiles from ear to ear.

Of course you kept glancing at the sky from time to time just to make sure it wasn't going to sneak up on you when you least expected it.  Riding like today can make you forget almost everything.  Clears the mind of useless clutter, maybe even some useful clutter.

One of these trips through here I am going to have to stop by the Apple House and check it out.  Maybe a good cold glass of apple juice and a slice of apple pie.

We stopped just south of Crossville to gas up our bikes.  Saw a sign indicating gas was $2.14 per gallon and couldn't resist it.  After the fill up we rode on into Crossville and had lunch at the local Dairy Queen.

We ran U.S. 70 most of the way from Crossville over to catch U.S. 321 into Lenoir City and on to Maryville.  This route passes a large cement plant.

Winding through the mountains we came upon this very big wheeled 4 x 4 being hauled by another 4 x 4 but it had smaller wheels.  I think the blue one was used for off-roading.

Mother Nature is starting to worry me just a tad more as the clouds start getting a little darker and in the same direction as we are heading.

We run U.S. 321 through Lenoir City on to Maryville where he again hit U.S. 411 northward to Seymour.

The military installations here are pretty well camouflaged with the rolls of hay in the field and the trees surrounding the area.

No, this is not a yard sale, but it is a yard full of old farm equipment for sale.  Just bring a large check book as it is not cheap just because it is old and rusty.

Nearing Seymour we find more fields with freshly mowed grass to become rolls of hay to feed the livestock.

Doug and I finally get to Seymour, pull over at the Burger King, chatted a bit and then bid each other farewell to head for our own houses.  A good ride with a good friend and that old 1983 just purrs along, hanging right with Sweet Thang.

The end of the ride.  Two nice bikes, two nice guys, one nice day.  Lots of laughts at stops, good miles to travel which totalled for me, 235 door to door.  So until the next Valkyrie Adventure, have an adventure of your own.

Back Roads to Marshall, NC

It was Friday, July 31, 2005.  The morning air was cool, upper 60s, but you knew it was going to warm up as time ticked by.  A good day for a ride as there was no rain included in the forecast, just heat.  And ride we did.  I met up with friend biker Paul shortly after 7:30 a.m. and we pulled out for some NC back roads.  Sweet Thang was purring in the cool morning air.  You could just sense her wanting to crank up the power but then you restrained yourself knowing it wasn't safe nor legal to do so.

Early morning starts in the Spring and Summer are just plain nice and simply pretty.  Especially when the sun is starting its trip of the day and you're trying to beat its heat.

A tad bit of mist laying in the low lands along the hills.  Most people probably don't even notice this aspect of an early morning.  One nice thing about being on a bike, you are there and get to experience and participate in nature's wonders, some good and some not so good.

Clipping along Boyds Crk. Highway heading to TN Rte. 66.  No, no reference to the famous U.S. Rte. 66., but still the same number.  Gateway from I-40 to the Smoky Mtns. and vacation land.

It was just an exceptional sunrise today, as if the world knew we needed to be out exploring.  And truly I did need a break.

One of my favorite sites, the Seven Islands School House, caught in a family squabble such that it is slowly deteriorating.  Sad matter but I have had a chance to take pictures of this building in all the seasons of the year.

Yep, that direction is where we're heading but it's miles before we sleep but not too many before we eat.

Paul made up the route we were riding today and the first part took us East on I-40.  Interstate riding doesn't bother me but friend Paul has a dislike for those big rigs that you pass or that are passing you like this one.  I just get in there and mix it up with them.  God watches out for us dummies.

Here Paul is being passed by the same truck as in the above picture.  North Carolina looming in the background.

I-40 going from TN thru the mtns. to NC is a great ride.  This morning it was even a bit cooler as the ride was mostly in the shade of the mountains.  The road has a lot of sweeping curves and for once we got ahead of the trucks and RVs.  Parts of this route has some pretty good climbs for big rigs.

We hopped off I-40 onto Fines Creek exit which is the lower end of the Rattler (NC 209) which will take you to Hot Springs, NC.  Of course we didn't stay on it all the way to Hot Springs as our destination was Ingle's Food Store in Marshall, and a cup of coffee and apple fritters.  I did use the plural of fritter in this case. 

Taking this route you pass a number of missile silos disguised as farm buildings.  Now you just read this again didn't you?

Squeezed in between the mountain, the highway and the forest you manage to find a small acreage farm or a farm with a small number of acres of tillable land.

It is pretty country, lots of hills mixed in with the mountains and every where you can, you use the ground for making crops or pastures.

As my Grandfather would say, "this is a good stand of corn".  What's funny is this is moonshine country with corn being grown right next to a church.  Hmmm.

A nice patch of colorful flowers stands among that rock edged garden.  Since everything is green they really stood out as we passed them by.

 

 And from this vantage point the corn looks almost as tall as the barn or shed.  And it is pretty tall and all tassled out.  Rich green leaves.  Good bottom soil along with some fertilizer.

Farther on we start getting closer to the mountains which are looming in the background.  Then this straight road becomes a corkscrew.

We traveled several side roads that went a few miles and dead-ended in someone's front yard and some of these roads stopped having a paved surface and it turned to gravel.  At the change point we turned around.  No gravel road riding today.

A small stream ran alongside this road which snaked among the hills and woods.  Talk about quiet.  You could shut off the engine and think that you're in a vacuum.

I figured this was designed for drive by sermons.  Just stop in front of the door, drop your money in the plate, say a short prayer and be off again.  As mentioned in some other Adventure articles, they don't waste an inch of land in some of these places, especially if it's flat land.

Here we have the stream on the right side of the road but don't worry, it will be on the left in a little while.  This narrow valley is squeezed between to mountains so there's not much room for anything really big, including farm fields.

This missile silo seems to have blown its top.  Must have had a fuel leak.  Sure was built close to the stream.

Paul's question about this place was "how do they get a full tank of gas with everything on an incline?"  A Picker's Paradise.  Old store, old signs, old gas pumps, in an old neighborhood.

Along our route we passed a well known biker stopping place.  Groceries, deli, clothes, and memorability.  Not to mention the tales and lies spoken.

Not far down the road was a quaint stone house, small, similar to a Tiny House but this one was not on wheels.

And right next to it was this tiny church building.  Kind of odd stuck way out here in the country but very pretty and well taken care of.  Just thinking, may have been built for tiny people.

Hanging a curve riding through the mountains.  What scenery.  Sure wasn't made by Man or it would have been a mess.  I have to watch it since I'm eating a gooey brownie while I'm typing this.  The sugar may go to my head at any time now.

Hay on the ground.  With this weather it will be fluffy and ready to bail in a day or so.

When a barn is no longer a barn it becomes useful as a construction office.  Also a good place to drop off equipment and junk.

Friend Paul with his "White Rat" Burgman Scooter.  He has just sold his Red Ninja 500 and purchased a Honda 600.  The Honda is a newer bike and gets great gas mileage as it's fuel injected where the Ninja has carburetors.

This was one of those roads that stopped being paved and started being gravel, probably someone's driveway.  Paul with Sweet Thang on his left and White Rat behind him.  Nice view from this point.

Lots of Queen Anne's Lace growing along the roadway.  Looks like a snowflake.

Crossing the Holston River.  A lot of rafting and kayaking is done on this stretch of water.  Need some experience as there are some rapids and a small waterfall to deal with.








Lots of Crepe Myrtles blooming at this time of year.  The red ones are very bright against the green back ground of trees.

I just found this house and its color to be a bit unusual.  It does have a nice setting and you certainly can't miss it as you drive by.

Then you come to the defunct town of Branard, NC.  Population maybe 6 or 8.  Store is no longer in business and not much else around here.  Makes you think of those living in the area as to how they make a living and believe me, it's a far piece to a Wal-Mart.






A NC driveway.  Makes you just a tad nervous thinking about going over it at night.

If you happen to notice, they don't spend a lot of money on guardrails on most of these highways we travel.  Lots of barbed wire fences though.

Another road and another roadside stream.  One goes in one direction the other in two directions.  Imagine that.

Another building of a gone by era.  Just waiting in the sun.  Once a proud structure used on a daily basis.  Now just a hulk of lumber covered with a rusty metal roof.  Alas, such as it is when progress quits progressing.

A little close-up of a babbling brook.

An old farm house nestled in the valley, probably from the early 1900s.

On our way to and from one of those dead-end roads we passed this old barn and dilapidated wooden silo.  It is the first of its type I have seen in all of the roads we've traveled.  Just kindling now as if it caught fire it would be on the ground in just a few minutes.  Well seasoned wood.

Back at Barnard, NC we stopped at a small roadside park.  It's also a drop off place for rafters and kayakers.  The Holston River joins up with the French Broad River just northeast of Knoxville, TN and makes up the Tennessee River.  Now you've had your geography lesson for the day.

Finally it's time to turn back toward the house.  Love these roads as they are wider with sweeping curves and often slow vehicle passing lanes that we take full advantage of when necessary.

The day was great.  White smoke signals against the bright blue sky, the sun baking your brains out and the wind whistling past your helmet.  Deodorant died hours ago but who cares, you're out there riding the wind and enjoying new sights with a grin on your face from ear to ear.  For a while a free spirit on two wheels.




Door to door today was 228 miles of interstate, main highways and lowly byways.  We smelled and saw nature, mingled with some of the country folk and frittered away apple fritters with gulps of coffee all the while returning to our houses safe and sound.  Just how much better can it get.

So until the next Valkyrie Adventure, smile at your neighbors, say hello to a stranger and be on your best behavior because you just never know.  And remember, your Momma's watching and she knows.