North America: Riding a 21 year old Goldwing: 52 - Little Rock, Tupelo, Atlanta Brewing, Fort Oglethorpe, and on to Asheville

When I woke up on Monday morning after a weekend of World Cup racing, I emerged from my tent to see an empty field. Almost no one had stayed on Sunday and the scene was night & day different than the scene from the previous morning. I packed up camp in record time and loaded my bike for a long day of riding. I hoped to ride 600 miles before the sun set.

Before I left, Rick, Harold and Lisa stopped by to say goodbye. Rick had a bunch of I-70 stickers for me and Lisa had some baked goods. I've been very fortunate to end many days by reaching into my saddlebag and pulling out something delicious that someone had given me hours or days earlier.

After a quick trip around the field and gravel, I pulled out of the speedway, anxious to be back on the road. First destination, the Ozarks.

It was a rainy day, so I don't have pictures of the Ozarks, Branson, or the ride into Little Rock. The good thing is that I never really got wet. Rain was intermittent and light. Too wet for riding with my camera, but not too wet to prompt me to hunker down. If I had my riding gear, it would have been a prefect day. Instead, it was just a really good day of riding.

About an hour before dark, I called my friend Ling in Little Rock. Sure enough, even though it was last minute, she was glad to hear from me. I was so excited to see a good friend and teammate from B-School. After an hour of Interstate riding, I rolled into Little Rock at sunset. It was beautiful. The city's skyline, the red reflection from the setting sun on the river, the wonderful roads with little traffic led easily to downtown where I quickly found Ling's place.

We hopped in her car to head up the street for a delicious dinner. As an added gesture of hospitality, she gave me a reprieve from camping and had a hotel reservation for me. Thanks Ling! I swam, showered, checked e-mail and updated my atlas all before Leno started. What a night. Nearly 500 miles, though short of my goal, it was still a LONG day of riding. The backroads that snaked through the Ozarks proved challenging. My riding skills were up to the challenge. My spine and shoulders were not. I was super sore and a comfy hotel bed hit the spot.

Once again, like I'd done in Denver and in MO, I don't have pictures. Sad!

In the morning, I found a delicious loaf of breakfast bread from Lisa and brewed coffee and sat at a table with a big 'ole grin. Eating on the ground isn't nearly as satisfying as having a padded chair and proper table.

Now, I was in the Deep South and in for an entirely different topography and scenery set. I wanted to ride only county roads and still make Tupelo in time to go out for dinner and drinks.

Check out the Riceland plant.

I love riding through cotton fields. Usually, I only see cotton in Eastern Carolina. There sure were a lot of cotton fields in Mississippi and Alabama.

I wondered how long it had been since someone had purchased a new pair of denim jeans at the Sugarboy Store?

Ole Miss, it's a beautiful campus for sure.

I rolled into Tupelo and saw signs to Elvis' birthplace. Graceland is too "downtown" for me to see on this trip, so an excursion to where the King of Rock 'n Roll was born, really fit the bill.

Now if only I could meet the King on this trip, Richard Petty is the Man. And, if you live in NC, you can have his likeness adorn your licence plate. Sound too good to be true? Just check out the tailgate on my truck to see the King's profile.

The guy at the AmeriInn agreed to cut the rate from $45 to $37. I wanted to stay in Tupelo and didn't want to camp. But I didn't want to pay forty bucks either. (Taxes and fees)

From the time I began the trip, until I reached the Canadian border, I'd only stayed in two hotels. Once I headed up through Canada, through Alaska, and all the way back to Arkansas, I'd not stayed in a hotel. 58 consecutive nights without paid lodging. Tonight, I just whimped out and got a room.

The bartender at the Jefferson Inn (a place I picked because of the reference to a great president who commissioned the Lewis & Clark Expedition,) recommended that I not stay at the Economy Inn, but did describe it as the cheapest place in town that was safe.

Safe & Dilapidated.

When I asked the front desk clerk for a $25 room, she didn't balk for long. My $25 included taxes and fees.

I checked in and then went out for dinner.

Tupelo is lame on a Tuesday night. I did meet some cool people and did dance to a Garth Brooks song, but then drew the line at Achy Breaky Heart. Back to the Roach Motel for a good night's sleep... in my sleeping bag.

Alabama is beautiful, and by sticking to back roads, I saw a few cool things. A huge natural bridge, an old covered bridge and then an old jail that was being restored.

See the log above? It had hundreds of nails driven into it at tiny intervals to prevent inmates from sawing their way out.

An hour long hike to see the natural bridge was just what I needed for a boost of energy and I left there ready to ride.

My buddy Dave was expecting me, and I pulled into the Atlanta Brewing Company around four. Just in time for the Wednesday night beer tasting. Taste I did.

We left the brewery with some of his friends to go and sample some of the ABC Cask Conditioned beer. A local restaurant was highlighting their award-winning creation that evening, and the brewer had to be there. Dave's been brewing for several years now, and the new brewery is a really high-tech operation. I've stopped at over a dozen breweries on my trip, and The Atlanta Brewing Company really stands out as having the most sophisticated operation.

Check out the Kettle below. Dave commissioned craftsmen in British Colombia to hand-make it to precise specs.

It's not an accident when beer is delicious.

The Old-Wing out front

Dave and I in the tasting room. It's the nicest tasting room I've ever seen. Nicer by a factor of many.

In the morning, I left Atlanta and went to Rome, GA for a great cup of coffee. After riding past Berry College, I made it to Fort Oglethorpe and stopped in for sightseeing.

The cannon below was manufactured in Richmond VA by the Tredegar Ironworks Company. Several years ago, I spent a New Year's Eve at the Tredegar Ironworks building, now a cool venue on the James River. It's all brick with ceilings over 25 feet high. It's quite historic. Seeing the canon that was manufactured in a place where I'd been awed a few years ago, was yet another example of things on this adventure coming full circle.

Wow - It seems like so long ago when I rode in Manteo at the beginning of the trip. As soon as I saw a restaurant, I stopped in for Sweet Tea, Hushpuppies, and Salt & Pepper Catfish.

The next few hours were some of the most serious riding I've done on the trip. I'd compare it to the roads in Northern CA in Humboldt County where I lost my gear. For a few hours, I didn't see lines on the road or road wide enough for two cars to pass easily.

Highlands, NC is a neat mountain town.

Fun.

My buddy Tom was gracious enough to host me yet again. I'd begun the trip with Tom in Western NC.

As I'd done with so many other hosts, I kicked off the visit by borrowing clean clothes. The Vermont shirt is similar to the one Greg wore in Vernal UT. Like that night at the Dinosaur Haus, Tom and I stayed up swapping stories of summer adventures. Thanks buddy.