360 miles
Started the day with another magnificent ride on the Cherohala Skyway....skies were clear with temps in the mid 30's by the time I reached the 5,400' summit near the Tennessee / North Carolina line. Much cooler than the tropical temps in South Florida just last week! Toward the end of the Cherohala, I opted to take a small winding road to see Bald River Falls which is a 100 foot waterfall nestled deep in the Cherokee National Forest. To my surprise this diversion ended up being one of the prettiest drives of the trip....you just never know what you will find on the road less traveled!
I used Butler's Southern Appalachia map to find the best roads when planning the remainder of this leg through Tennessee and I was surely not disappointed! One of the highlights was the gorgeous Ocoee River area, which is popular for whitewater rafting and for hosting whitewater slalom events during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Great camping, hiking and mountain biking in this area as well....a true outdoor paradise!
Just outside of Chattanooga, I continued my way through the winding roads of the Sequatchie Valley to the lovely hamlet of South Pittsburg, home of the National Cornbread Festival being held this weekend. Who would have thought?
No trip through this region would be complete without a stop at one of the many famed whiskey distilleries that operate in this area. I took a few minutes to check out the Jack Daniels Distillery and visitor center in historic Lynchburg. It is the oldest registered distillery in the US dating back to 1866! Really interesting facilities and grounds.....much to be learned about the history of Old No. 7 and how it's made!
Finished my day with a great ride through the rolling countryside to Waynesboro....my first beautiful sunset on a nice evening in the saddle!
Cherohala magic!
50 miles of motorcycling bliss
A river runs through it
Gorgeous Bald River
Bald River Falls
Here's to the road less traveled!
A relaxing stretch of the Ocoee River
Say hello to Mr Daniel
Sweet setup at Jack's joint
It is amazing to see such bare trees and then to see the flourishing ones near the river.
ReplyDeleteGood eye.... Spring hasn't sprung yet at the higher elevations!
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