What else?

If we thought rain was bad enough, we didn't know what we had coming.
Yesterday, we decided to travel from Deal's Gap to Germantown, TN (right outside of Memphis). When we stopped to put on our rain gear (again!), we were told by locals that we were under a tornado warning.
We watched the local weather channel and decided that by the time we arrived at Germantown the threat would be past. We were right...just barely. We missed a tornado touching down in Germantown by about 30 minutes. The hotel we planned to stay in had no power. There were stores with smashed windows, street lights down, and lots and lots of confusion!
Our hotel sent us to another hotel about 8 miles down the road that still had power. The only problem was we received horrible directions and drove around what seemed like forever trying to find it. (Not something you want to do when you are wet and tired.)

By the time we checked in, all we wanted was a hot shower and something to eat. We ordered in Asian. When it arrived, NO utensils. Chopsticks? nada. Forks? nope. When we called, we were told, "Oh, you have to request those when you order." What??!! Since when do you have to request eating utensils with take-out?

The next morning, we got up, ate the continental breakfast, and made a quick stop in the hotel's hot tub. We headed back upstairs and started to pack. Spencer had gone down to the bike to move it around to the front. Then all of a sudden, the fire alarms were going off. I stepped out into the hall. A cleaning lady was there going on with business as normal. "Is this real?" I asked. "Nah. Our dryers set the alarm off all the time. Just ignore it." Okay. So I went back to packing. Two minutes later, a manager was banging on all the doors. "This is real! Get out!!Get out of the Hotel!!" she screamed.

Now instead of leaving and getting on the road early, we sat outside our hotel watching smoke billow out of the laundry room door. Unfortunately, I didn't grab my camera when I raced out of the hotel room. So... all you get is the last fire truck leaving.

A day to relax

Day 4 Motorcycle Trip to the Smokey Mtns

After our unbelievably long day yesterday, we decided to take it easy today. We went and rode Deal's Gap up and down once. I have become more confident and I was willing to film a little of what we rode.

We have become friends with several people we are repeatedly seeing. A couple from Quebec stayed at the same hotel as us on day 2 in Lenoir City and we have come across and talked to them several times. We have also met a young guy from Jersey who came down to drive his little sports car up and down the Gap.

We also rode down a new road. Spencer was gracious enough to stop whenever I saw something I wanted a picture of.

This is what he did while I lumbered around in my motorcycle boots trying to get good pictures. :)

yes...I DO have something to prove!

Day 3 - Motorcycle Trip to the Smoky Mountains







We headed out early this morning. Deal's Gap was our destination. Deal's Gap is a motorcycle haven...it is called "The Dragon". It is 318 curves in 11 miles. THIS was our ultimate destination. We rode down the gap and I didn't have a panic attack...in fact, I really enjoyed it! I was ready to go again, but Spencer had other venues he wanted me to see.

We headed up the Cherohala Skyway in North Carolina. I hadn't ever been up in the Smokey Mountains before. The views are breathtaking. When we reached the crest, we stopped for some pictures...and this is what we saw.

Rolls of thunder bounced off of the outlying peaks. NOT something you want to see OR hear while riding a motorcycle. So, we donned our rain gear. Rain gear, I have to tell you, is like a fair-weather friend. (no pun intended) It will keep you dry, but it is not easy to put on and it is not comfortable.


But as we rode down the mountain, the rain was worth it for this is what we saw:
(THAT'S why they are called the Smoky Mountains!!)

But did we stop there?? Oh, no! (You see...there were some male friends of Spencer's that made a comment before we left about me not even making it out of Arkansas on the back of the bike...and I had something to prove) SO when Spencer asked me if I was done because of the rain or if I wanted to ride on to Gatlinburg...I said, "Let's go!"


I guess I should have asked "How far is that?" or even "In this rain?" but my brain was disoriented by the thrill of riding. (I don't have any pictures to even prove that I went to Gatlinburg ~you'll just have to take my word for it)

We did come across a shack of a house that was selling boiled peanuts... Over the years of traveling to S. Carolina I have grown to like them quite well ...and I have learned that the more rundown the place looks, for some reason, the better the boiled peanuts...and this place did not let me down. I do, however, think the guy that lived in that shack thought I was crazy because I had the headset in my helmet and I was holding a conversation with Spencer, but it went kinda like this:

Me: (to the shack guy) One thing of boiled peanuts.
Me:(to Spencer) Pork rines? No...I don't want pork rinds. Do you want pork rinds?
Me: (to the shack guy) How much?
Me: (to Spencer) What did you say? Jelly?
Me: (to the shack guy) What did you say?
Me: (to Spencer) What?? Just wait till I'm done.
Me: (to shack guy) What?? Oh. Okay...$2.75. Thanks.

We rode on in the horrible rain. By the time we arrived at Gatlinburg, our feet were wet (the waterproof boots turned out to NOT be waterproof) and EVERY inch of us was dripping. We ate a horrible steak dinner at a pub that said "Motorcyclists welcome". The folks there were very accommodating, however, considering we walked in like dripping rats. As soon as we were done eating, we rode back in the horrible rain.

So what did I learn? If you are on a motorcycle and it is raining and you are given the option of NOT being in the rain ~ STOP!

Did I mention the highway is NOT the way to go?

Day 2 ~Motorcycle Trip to the Smokey Mtns.
My stay in Aunt Liz's most comfortable bed was short lived. Spencer told her that a 7 am wake up would be fine... Doesn't anyone know the joys of sleeping in anymore??

Since we were already up early...I had a problem to fix. My knee armor in my motorcycle pants was not made for people with long legs... and I was bound and determined to fix that problem. We headed into town to buy some material for me to sew into the pant leg to make a new pocket for the armor. (Aunt Liz was kind enough to allow me to use her sewing machine)

But, you know me, I couldn't drive through the town of Hardy and NOT find something to take a picture of. Here is the town's history painted on a fence.


Us in a garden in the center of town.

I worked on those stupid pockets for almost an hour and a half. (Did I forget to mention that I am sort of a perfectionist when it comes to sewing???) By 10:30, I was tired, frustrated, and still did not have the new pockets in place. I gave up in defeat. I knew we needed to get on the road. All of this, of course, had put us behind schedule. So instead of taking it easy...we got on the road, nixed our plans of stopping in Nashville, and rode onto Lenoir City right outside of Knoxville (doubling our planned miles for the day.) Who said we were supposed to make any sense on this trip?

The riding on day 2 was completely different from day 1. Day 1 was all about the scenery. Day 2 was all about getting there. I seriously think I could have fallen asleep sitting up and been fine... but not something I would want to learn the hard way.

I will survive! ~or~ Since when do I become bird bait?

Day 1 - Trip to the Smokey Mountains
We started out not in a rush. (I think it was Spencer's way of slowly breaking me in.)


We stayed off major roads and took as many back curvy roads from Alma, AR to Hardy, AR as Spencer could locate. We rode through the Boston Mountains (for those of you that don't know...those are in Arkansas.)

I quickly learned how much I could affect what the bike was doing... and I kept from doing that as much as possible!

During one stretch of road, two buzzards sat in the road eating their afternoon meal. As we came upon them, they both took flight ~ one flew off to the left, the other flew straight for us. Even though we had our communicators on, Spencer didn't say anything; he just ducked his head. At the last second, I saw buzzard claws coming right at me! I ducked right behind Spencer. I don't think being decapitated on day one would have been a fun way to start out the trip!

There were some curves that we came around that you could come back and kiss yourself . (Yes, they were that tight!)

By 2pm, we were out of gas and hungry. We stopped in the little town of Mt. Judea, AR. This was the gas station in the "center" of town.

When we asked to use their restroom, we were sent across the street to this house. Inside (of all things) was a tanning bed... and an "out of order" restroom sign.

But we did enjoy a nice lunch at the cafe there. It was a quaint little place where they don't write you a ticket, they just expect you to be honest and tell them what you ate when you come up to pay and where all the local hometown kids are allowed to make their own sundaes.

After watching everyone in this town come and go on their 4-wheelers we decided to head on our way.

We stopped for the day in Hardy, AR at Spencer's Aunt Liz's house. Liz & Denny were very hospitable and allowed us to sleep in the most comfortable bed ever made! Along with that, they had the most gorgeous view of the lake off their back porch. What a great ending to a first day!

Does this bike make my butt look fast?

The trip has been planned ~time just for the two of us to enjoy the each other and the open road. I mean I love to travel cross-country...just didn't know I would ever be doing it from the back of a motorcycle.

The gear has been purchased ~more money than I have ever spent on someone else's hobby. It will keep me safe. It will keep me safe. It will keep me safe. (Yes, I am trying to convince myself.)

The emotions have begun. They include excitement, fear, anticipation... and others I know will show before the words have a chance to come out of my mouth.

(yeah...you can say it...I'm one hot biker chick!)