DAY 8 MAY
I went down to Beale Street to get Big Red, where he had partied late last night. We took off around 6:30 to get out of town before all the traffic started. Took about an hour or so to get away from the urban area, but it would not be until late into the day before we really got on to rural roads with little traffic.
We stopped in Humbolt, TN for breakfast. The "table" must have had about 20 chairs at it and there were several tables with 8 or more people at it. I had to answer the "questions" about 6 or 7 times before I could get away. Very nice people, but too many retired people with nothing to do made it hard to get away. Finally, when Steve was half way through his life story I had to start up and just drive away.
If I stayed on this highway it would take me straight to where this trip ends next month.
I saw lots of tornado damage in Alabama and Mississippi where trees had been twisted off and roofs ripped off. Here I saw lots of sporadic wind damage with the trees pushed over and roof damage from mainly shingles blown off.
Yesterday I went to a movie and left Big Red in the parking lot. Today, he decided he wanted to go to the movie. It took a bit to convince him we would have to wait about 10 hours before he would get to see Kungfu Panda 32.
We stopped to watch a train go by in Madison, a small town that was defunct.
Pretty well explains why Madison is out of business.
My only U turn today was get back to a Shaker village. I had heard of Shakers but really knew nothing about them. Shaker is a name given to them by outsiders because in their church they shook their hands in the air. The religion was founded by women in England who moved to America in 1776 and founded their headquarters in New York state. In the early 1800's they sent a group to establish a "village" in Kentucky. At its peak, it had 320 members and over 6000 acres. They equated work with worship and the more you could work, you could produce, the more you worshiped. They embraced all the new technologies and had the first indoor bathroom, first electricity with their own generator, and the first car in this part of Kentucky. You had to be celibate to be a member and the women slept on one side of the building and the men on the other. It is a very interesting study to me. The average life span in the 1800's was 55, but for the Shakers was 75. Many things, from the civil war to the industrial revolution, ended this Shaker village. It was disbanded and auctioned off in 1922. The 22 members were offered to move to another Shaker village or $10,000, a princely sum back then. Seven of the nine members took the money.
mike, the tour guide
next to the shaker village is the brothers of mercy monastery, not related to shakers
Our plan was to stay rural but under the threat of tornadoes we diverted to Bowling Green. That was a mistake. All the hotels are at an interstate and not very appealing. Hopefully, they will come earlier than forecast tomorrow and we can move on.
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DAY 9 MAY
The storm blew through about 11:30 last night. I stood in the window and watched Big Red, nervous that he might blow over. The winds were strong but we were down in a hole and though rain beat against the window, Red stayed up.
This morning was a mix of blue skies and dark skies. I decided that I could hit the road and stay dry. There are lots of big old houses in Bowling Green and it was a pretty clean city. We did a lot of riding on county roads today and it was beautiful. Perfect weather with perfect twisty roads.
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DAY 9 MAY
The storm blew through about 11:30 last night. I stood in the window and watched Big Red, nervous that he might blow over. The winds were strong but we were down in a hole and though rain beat against the window, Red stayed up.
This morning was a mix of blue skies and dark skies. I decided that I could hit the road and stay dry. There are lots of big old houses in Bowling Green and it was a pretty clean city. We did a lot of riding on county roads today and it was beautiful. Perfect weather with perfect twisty roads.
i was trying to get big red in front of this for a photo
i did not get there but did come across this sign
turtle save
saved this one, but he did not like it at all
but today is thursday
I had to get on US62 to head in the direction of Lexington. It was OK, but nothing like the roads I had been on. I stopped in Elizabethtown looking for a "Gucci" coffee. I talked to Mr. Vanoy for awhile. He is the town's "meter maid". He retired from the banking business and was enjoying his second career. He recommended I try the Cobbler Cafe just around the corner. It was a find. Anna was the Barrister and Samantha was the other customer. We talked weather, that they are ready for spring to be gone with all the storms, that their's is a dry county which Samantha was for but Anna wanted her beer. Anna gave us the history of the building that dates from the 1800's when it had been the office and home of a doctor. When the present owner took it over in 2004 they found a closed off cellar that had lots of old doctor stuff. She explained that you could tell the brick layer by the way the bricks were laid. Each had his own signature in the way they laid the brick.
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After having the "Gucci" coffee, bean soup and cornbread, I continue to Bradstown
too bad i am on the scooter
More rain moved through the area and there were tornado warnings, but by the time I was ready to go, the skies had cleared. My intent was to press on to Lexington, but I missed a turn and the road and country were so nice I just stayed on it. Finally I did a U turn and made my way back to Bradstown Quality Inn.
There is nothing Quality about this damn place. I got caught in the points trap and have been staying at Choice Hotels because if you stay 2 nights you get 1 night free. Well, that is not totally true. You know how they trick you. As soon as I get my free rooms, I am done with this chain. The quality of properties is just too inconsistent.
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