THE RIDE HOME - A WEEK - JUST JIM, ME AND THE ROAD

THE RIDE HOME

 

After three years, Jim's bike is on its way to its new home with Jim Jr. it took three years for Jimmy to come down but now he's here and were having a really good time. Of course, I put him to work and he planted some new plants for me, hung some shelves, and took care of the myriad of other things.

 

Our original plan was to meet Thursday figuring it would take three days to get home. Wednesday morning were sitting around talking and he told me that he want to ride the Blue Ridge Pkwy. and do the tail of the Dragon. Okay, so I thought this was going to be a straight run, but it might be fun.

 

I've really missed writing on the bike and was really looking forward to this, my last trip. So at 1030 we decided we were leaving on Wednesday. I got together my stuff straightened up the house little bit and we were on the road by 1 o'clock.

 

It was a beautiful afternoon and we headed up 75 with no problems at all. We hit Georgia and got off the interstate and onto one of the local highways. Those are really the best places to see what life is like along with the architecture and landscapes.

 

Writing through Georgia there were more magnolia trees that you could count fragrance was beautiful. As we were riding through Madison, Georgia, one of the small towns where everyone knows everyone and the antebellum homes were beautiful and you would've thought that the magnolia was the local tree because they were all over.

 

We decided to stop for the night in Macon and had dinner over at a Logan steakhouse. Two glasses of wine and I was ready for bed. I crashed about 9:30 and didn't know anything until the next morning.

 

Thursday morning we left Macon about 8 AM and hit Route 23, a backroad, tree-lined   highway heading north to Athens. It was a bit cold this morning and I'm really glad I put my sweatshirt on under my leather jacket.

 

The morning was beautiful but there was rain predicted for the afternoon. Along our drive we went through the city of Dahogea and throughout the town on each side street approximately every 20 feet there were white crosses with a name each one and the war that the person who fought and/or died in. It was a very moving site; they even honored the veterans who were still alive.

 

Well the rain came! We were on the Blue Ridge Pkwy. and it started about 1 o'clock and did it come down with no let up in sight. It was coming down so hard that Jim could not see through the windshield. Said he was leaning to the right to see where he was going and I was leaning to the left to make sure he didn't go over the center line and watch for cars coming in the other direction. It took about 20 minutes before we got to an exit and then another 15 minutes to find someplace where we could part with an overhang.

 

While we were waiting for the rain to let up a good ole boy

 

We're just outside of New Jersey and I really had to go. Jim got off the highway and what do I see but a Panera's. Our last stop before we get to Linden and I felt myself with iced tea while Jim relaxed along the fence having a smoke.