Spring Shakedown

[elizilla]

Traveling south into the usual late April frog strangler. I got off to a late start and I'm in central Kentucky today, drying my gear in a Super8 motel. The girl that waited on me at the Chik-a-fila across the parking lot said they sent them to the tornado shelters several times today at their school, but by the time I got here it was just raining heavily. Tomorrow I'm heading for Tellico Plains TN, and I hope the weather is better.

There'll be two NTs at Hunt's Lodge in Tellico Plains this weekend - Johnha from this forum will be there as well. Any other NT riders in the neighborhood? If so, stop by!

 

[Igo]

I'm seeing TONIGHT, Severe weather the MOSTLY SUNNY and 70 tomorrow for Telico Plains. Actually looks like a perfect forcast until Monday. I wish you the best of luck and make a sweeper or two for me while you're at it.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Have fun! Wish I were there. Snow in the mountains again this weekend will keep me out here in the flat, straight, dry Colorado Plains.

 

[Herb]

Great to see that you out and about from your winter garage projects. I'm looking to see your name climb the 2011 mileage chart. Enjoy.

 

[vacanefan]

Enjoy your trip. I hope the weather turns better for you.

 

[slowtrot]

While you are in the neighborhood and if you have time, ride over to Murphy NC and visit the John C Campbell Folk School at Brass Town, the backway to Blairsville Ga over the mountains to Dahlonega, eat fudge then Brass Town Bald, hogpen road etc great roads. I would come and try to give you the tour except in the am tomorrow I have a date with the surgeon which should not be delayed.

 

[RedLdr1]

Slowtrot,

How much damage did you get up in Dawson from the tornadoes last night? It looked pretty bad from Pickens north on the radar last night and on the news this morning...

 

[elizilla]

What about windshield meeting?

John Grinsel

Sure, c'mon up to Hunt's Lodge. Or we'll meet. I'll send you a PM with my contact info.

It looks lovely here this morning. Putting away my rainsuit.

 

[Igo]

My father owns a beautiful summer home on right in the middle of these country and for sure some of the best riding in the country. It is the best in the east.

 

[elizilla]

C'mon out to Hunt's Lodge for dinner Fri/Sat or breakfast Sat. Breakfast 9-ish, dinner 7-ish. Food here.

Hunt's Lodge is on 68 about a mile south of town.

There's some tornado damage on 68 north of town, but Hunt's was unscathed except that the letters got taken out of the sign.

The weather was great today. Couldn't ask for better.

 

[elizilla]

Still at Hunt's. The power went out late last night and was out until around 6:30 this evening. Perhaps some aftermath from the tornado that hit Wednesday night. Lovely weather today, lovely riding, it's all good.

 

[Phil Tarman]

It's great that so many of us are being able to get some miles in! I'm looking forward to next month when I'll ride to my 50th HS reunion. I'll get to go to Texas and remember what humidity is.

 

[elizilla]

I have stopped for the night in the Sunset Motor Lodge in Stanford KY - this is the same place I stayed when I got stranded in the flood last year. This year I just planned an extra day so I wouldn't have to worry. Didn't find any rain today, though it looked very threatening for much of the ride. Stopped to help a young squid whose R1 had run out of gas north of Somerset KY - other than that it's been uneventful. The roads today were lovely.

 

[Igo]

Good for you.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Glad you're having a dry trip home, Katherine! I'm looking forward about a month from now to riding to my 50th HS reunion in east Texas. It's been a long time since I've gone anywhere different. The regular rides are OK, but they're all straight (more or less). Within a month, the mountain passes will mostly be open and getting cleaned up enough to ride the twisties.

 

[elizilla]

I got home a couple hours ago. Today's big event was a bike drop in the motel parking lot before I had even gone anywhere. Sigh! I was in light rain for probably half the ride today, but it never got too bad. It also got colder. On the way south I saw the first redbuds in central KY, but on the way home I saw the last ones in central Ohio. They should be here by the end of the week.

 

[bicyclist]

Glad the rain wasn't too bad. I was looking at the radar wondering whether you were getting drowned. Glad you're home safe.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Regarding your "big event:" Don't you just hate that? I believe that "before I've even gone anywhere may be the most dangerous time I've got on the bike. I'm trying to discipline myself to pay extra attention to the start of every trip. I get excited, just like a little boy on Christmas Eve, and in my mind, I'm already 20 miles down the road. For me, that's a recipe for disaster.

Hope Isabel's feelings weren't hurt too badly.

 

[karl]

Glad you made it home safe, Love this time of year and the rebirth of all the growing things Cherries are blooming gangbusters here along with the Bartlet pears in town. nothing like that flush of green after the red maples bloom.