Advertisement
Published: September 9th 2022
Edit Blog Post
Friday 9th: For any new subscribers to the blog please be advised that this trip starts a few blogs ago under the heading “Stateside & On The Road” Disclaimer “Please be aware when reading this that some parts are actually true”
Breakfast at a local café where it was pretty traditional Southern State’s fare. Everything came with grits. Grits are made with Hominy Corn and have the consistency of porridge for those who haven’t tried it. The server/proprietor when asked by Keith what was in a Cowboy Omelette said eggs and flattened out & minced up cowboy. Keith (never one to quit when ahead) then asked what about his hat and boots? They are minced & in there too came the reply. Despite the sound of this, Keith said it was very nice although the leather from the belt & boots was a bit chewy!
Out of Ducktown, we did around 10 miles (16kms) before the route took us on another winding road back into the Cherokee National Forest. We immediately started climbing and winding alongside a river. The road started as a sealed road trying to convert back to gravel and
then quickly into just gravel and brown dirt. Gradients as I have reported before are always effected by water runoff, carving ruts of all shapes & sizes and removing some of the top layer of gravel and dirt so bedrock is protruding waiting for the unsuspecting.
A few miles up this road it became very narrow and a 4 wheel drive coming the other way had seen our lights through the trees and pulled half off the road to let us pass. Even though there was no issue, it was a timely reminder that there is opposing traffic sometimes even on a narrow track like this. Riding the 10 miles of this road/track, where it paid to stand up for better control, also tested your head reactions to avoid a clip around the ear from an overhanging tree branch.
At the end of this track we turned east onto a smooth and much faster gravel road running beside a fast flowing stream. This didn’t last too long before we were back on a narrow gravel road. We had 16 river crossings on this road (4 crossings & 4 bikes/riders but 16 sounds more impressive.) Our success rate was
15 out 16 which by my reckoning makes nearly 94%. Unfortunately Keith hit a rock in the first crossing and took a swim. Luckily his bike immediately stalled so didn’t suck a lungful of water. Keith was not so lucky, went under and came up spluttering and spitting out what looked like catfish. Not his favourite. We hauled the bike out of the river (up to our knees – my Gaerne Boots are waterproof- still had dry socks!) We took off the air cleaner cover to find it was pretty dry (unlike Keith) and it fired up straight away. The next 3 crossings without incident.
After we had clocked 63miles (app.100kms) we stopped for gas and a coffee in the small but picturesque town of Tallico Plains. We noticed the American flag was at half-mast in this town. Not sure if this is for the Queen or someone more local. After coffee and Keith emptying his boots of river water, we dressed Keith’s minor flesh wound on his shin (although he claimed he needed a tourniquet) and headed out of town.
10 miles out on another gravel road, which followed the Tallico River, we met another TAT rider
coming the other way who had started from the eastern end and would finish eventually in Fort Orford in Oregon. He gave us a heads up that we soon were to come to a road that was closed for major repairs but he had come through and been reprimanded by a road worker. Apparently if a Ranger is about you can be hit with a big fine and even have your bike confiscated.
We carried on and climbed once again to a height of 3800 feet, bouncing of ruts and protruding rocks. Descending we were on a faster gravel road and reached the “Road Closed” where we decided that we didn’t want to risk fines or confiscation. We basically rode around for a bit studying our GPs' & maps trying to work out a bypass. Eventually we got onto Route 165 which was a main road and obviously an iconic motorcycling road as we saw heaps of motorcyclists out on all manner of bikes. This road climbed to 4800 feet (just under 1500m)
We eventually descended and rejoined the TAT route east of the road closure to climb and descend on some more great gravel roads. Rode into
Andrews North Carolina at around 5pm with only 260kms today.
A bit of useless (or not) information the Texas State Song is “Texas our Texas” Arkansas’ is “Oh Arkansas”, Mississippi’s is “Go Mississippi” and the best in my opinion is Georgia’s "Georgia on my mind” and a great version (my biased view) is by Ray Charles
Tomorrow North Carolina.
Bill
non-member comment
Lucky escape
Hi all Very eventful Lucky Keith didn’t break his leg Love the cowboy comments re the food Good that someone has the sense not to put a tourniquet on Keith as he may have suffocated from it being put in the wrong place🙈🙈