To steal the words from a Patty Griffin song, “I have some time to think about on the long ride home.”  I thought I would attend the Helen event in Georgia instead of going to STAR.  My idea was it’s closer and the roads are probably better, so it sounded like a good idea.  I called Chris Hancock from Evansville and he said he would like to go, and of course Dave Montgomery went as well.  Since Dave and I work together it’s hard for me to go to the toilet without him knowing.

After months of e-mails and planning, Dave and I agreed to meet Chris in Lebanon, Ky.  I had been preaching to Dave all week that we both needed to leave for our meeting point, Henryville, IN, at 7:00 AM if were to be on time to meet Chris in Kentucky.  So I check my cell phone just before I leave, no calls or messages from Dave and it was 7:02, so I pulled out in the rain and was on my way.  When I arrived in Henryville, I checked my phone.  There was a message from Dave at 7:15.  He said it had been raining at his house, so he was going to wait a little to see if would stop.  I had just ridden over an hour in the rain.  So when he finally arrived, I cussed him worse than a drill sergeant would a new recruit.  I think I even made up a few words.  We left to meet Chris in Kentucky.  The rain had stopped and we made good time.  We actually arrived at the meeting point before Chris.  Even Chris was surprised.  The three of us headed south, the weather had cleared and my anger with Dave subsided with the joy of riding.

We stopped at the gristmill in Pall Mall, TN, the hometown of Sgt York.  It was a beautiful park and a nice stopping point.  After some more good riding, we arrived in Sweetwater, TN, our stopping point for the evening.

The next morning, we headed out for the Cherohala Skyway.  The weather was good and the riding was great.  I was really humming along feeling like Nicky Hayden until I came upon a motorcycle accident.  We didn’t stop, plenty already had, but it did look like a bad crash.  After a break, we headed towards Deals Gap.  The Gap had been closed on the north side by a land or rockslide so we came in from the south.  I was very nervous about riding the Dragon.  Not about my abilities, I was nervous that someone might cross the centerline and whack me.  I had seen many crashes on you-tube in which someone low sides across the centerline.   I just didn’t want to be on the other side when a bike or worse came sliding into me.  I put away my fears and followed Chris and Dave into the Dragon.  Chris went first followed by Dave, then myself.  It wasn’t too many turns before Chris was welcomed to the Dragon by one of Tennessee’s finest.  Apparently if you have exceptional skills you receive some kind of award or citation.  I‘m not sure which it was, you can ask Chris.  We finished our out-and-back on the Dragon without another incident.  The traffic was very light, and I had a blast.

We then headed to Helen where we would meet up with Chris’s father, Mac.  After unpacking and a shower, we headed to dinner at a restaurant on the river.  It was late so we didn’t have much time to enjoy the town.   It was decided we would leave in the morning at 7:00 for our days ride. 

7:00 came and this time it was the rain that ruined the plans.  I began to recall a conversation I had with Archey Shearer.  I had asked Archey earlier in the year if he was going to Helen and I remember his response vividly.  “Dude it always rains at that event.”  There was a break in the rain around 10:00 AM and we headed out to TWO campground for lunch.  The rain came back and we spent several hours at TWO waiting for the weather to abate.  I guess there are worse places to pass the time.  It rained the rest of the day!

After an entire day of rain, we woke to partly cloudy skies for our return trip.  The roads were still wet, and they were covered with gravel from washouts.  When we hit Tellico Plains, the skies were clear again.   We stopped for a late breakfast of all you can eat pancakes for $3.50.  Turns out all I could eat were three.  After breakfast I began to notice the back end of my bike wiggle around.  No, it wasn’t the pancakes.  It was a flat tire.  I had failed to bring a repair kit but Chris was “Johnny on the Spot” with his.  I could be wrong but I think Chris really enjoyed fixing my tire.  I am grateful!

We all parted ways at Campbellsville, KY, which brings me back to the words of that song, “I have some time to think about on the long ride home.”  My trip ended in the same way it began…riding in the rain.  I remembered that little pearl of wisdom Archey tried to give me, “Dude it always rains at that event.”