My motorcycle is my own personal time machine. It allows me to return to places I’ve visited in the past and reconnect with people that have earned special spots in my heart. Even when I’m headed off in a different direction and meeting new people, the memories of something once experienced, long ago, seem to be ever more deeply rooted in my heart and mind because of the … [Read more...] about Dragons and bikers and snakes, oh my!
Tennessee
Lost highway: The last ride of Hank Williams
On the evening of Dec. 31, 1952, legendary country singer Hank Williams checked into the Andrew Johnson Hotel in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee. By the following day, the iconic performer would be pronounced dead at a hospital in the depths of rural West Virginia. Although there is much debated speculation and haphazard lore as to what really occurred along “Hank Williams’ Last … [Read more...] about Lost highway: The last ride of Hank Williams
The eggsanity of it all: A thousand miles and several diners in 24 hours
As riders, we’e always aware of road surfaces: Dry? Oily? Cracked? Tar-snaked? Pot-holed? We make these determinations in milliseconds. We don’t ponder the nature of pavement, but I do — or, at least that’s what I’m doing as I stand on the southbound lane of Interstate 81. In the rain. Surrounded by massive 18-wheelers. For four hours. Most of my mototravels seek out … [Read more...] about The eggsanity of it all: A thousand miles and several diners in 24 hours
The Devil’s Triangle: Forests, windmills, a spooky prison and the atom bomb
Nestled at the base of the Cumberland Mountains, the Devil’s Triangle awaits. It’s one of those motorcycling routes that will motivate you to rise at dawn and endure a couple of hours on the interstate just to savor this lonesome road’s dramatic twists. A few years ago, a riding companion and I passed through these hills on my way north to the Cumberland Gap. We had little … [Read more...] about The Devil’s Triangle: Forests, windmills, a spooky prison and the atom bomb
Over the hills and far away: East Tennessee’s Bobarosa Saloon
Leaving Newport, Tennessee, U.S. 25 quickly transitions from residential neighborhoods to rural countryside. And just as the road crosses the mighty French Broad River, curving to the right, the ancient Great Smoky Mountains come into view — looming large and stoic above those passing through. By the next bend, a sign for the Bobarosa Saloon appears. Gazing down onto the … [Read more...] about Over the hills and far away: East Tennessee’s Bobarosa Saloon