I have a cousin that I grew up with from the Valley named Charlie Whitten. Charlie was one of those that went to fame and fortune by playing steel guitar with The Judds while they toured. When his son Jackson was born he decided to come off the road so as to not miss his child growing up. But he and his wife settled into a nice house in Mt. Juliet, Tn. After both of his parents had passed it seemed like Charlie and his family wasn’t coming around the Valley as much as they use to and it’s been a couple of years since I’ve seen them so I made the decision to combine two things into one by having Razorback first road trip combined with a visit to them.
I contacted them and made sure that my visit wasn’t going to be an inconvenience and was assured that I would be most welcome. So, it is on. I plan on leaving out on October 19, a Wednesday, after class and make a stop in Guntersville, Al. to look around and spend the night. Since I’ll work in LaGrange the night before I didn’t want to push myself too much that first day.
My shift on Tuesday was cut short due to my normal partner having a family emergency and not able to come in. I worked with David White for the first half and after making sure that the truck was washed, restocked and and sealed I left out about 21:00 I went home for the second half since no one wanted to volunteer to come in. I had packed before I came into work and had it all strapped onto Razorback but there was a few thing I had forgotten, as usual, but this meant I get to sleep the night before and get what I had forgotten..
I was up with the chickens, packed the forgotten paraphernalia, and was headed towards Wadley by way of Oaklawn. I needed breakfast, and not just a biscuit as normal but something that will stick with me for a while. I planned not to stick around long enough to eat lunch on campus. Huddle House at Oaklawn was where I dined with the usual Charles’ Breakfast, (for those that haven’t been initiated into that mystery then a Charles Breakfast at a dinner or restaurant is two eggs, hashbrowns, toast and coffee). I am now road ready.
Instead of coming back by the house again, I instead headed towards Pine Rd and cut over to Corinth Rd. Followed Corinth Rd into Corinth and then it was the regular route to Wadley. I did stop in Roanoke at the Wal-Mart to fill up my tank, then I made Wadley in enough time to do a little messing around in the Library, (excuse me, the Resource Center) and then to class.
The Class was on racism. And we took a little test. And it concluded that I was a racist. Hell, I knew I was a racist. I’m a fan of Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace, and Bill Elliott, and follow Nascar on a regular basis. But what I don’t understand is that the “test” never asked one question about stock car racing or any type of racing in general. How does this test come to the conclusion that I’m a racist without asking anything about racing?!?
After Class I hopped on Razorback, (no Razorback wasn’t waiting for me at the door. I had to go across the parking lot where I kept it parked into the shade.) and headed on out. North on Al 77 and stopped in Ashland to eat a light lunch of fried mushrooms with a bag of chip at a restaurant off the square called Giovanni. They had a nice little place set up in one of the old store fronts. Took a couple of pictures of the place next door where the old building had been torn out and the area was made into a garden/park. From there I headed northward again on AL 77.
While passing through the Talladega Forest I came upon the Porter’s Gap Trailhead for the Pinhoti Trail. Stopped there for a moment to get a stretch on and a Where’s Razorback photo. Just a little bit north of there I passed through Waldo, (Where’s Waldo?) and turned right onto Stockdale Road. This route allowed me to miss the City of Talladega; not that Talladega is something to miss but cities tends to slow travel down and Talladega wasn’t nothing new to me. After a few miles I was able to pick up AL 21 and turn right onto it. AL 21 come out of Talladega and is a 4 laner with a median. I barely had just a mile of that before I had to turn left onto Curry Station Rd.
Curry Station Rd has some picturesque farms and homesteads along it. I followed this route until I came to Speedway Blvd (AL 93) at Old Eastaboga right at exit 173 on I-20. Time to put that interstate behind me. Following AL 93 through it various name changes and communities I finally came back upon AL 77 at the Coosa River Bridge. Hanging a right, I was now skirting the Neely Henry Lake and just south of Rainbow City I crossed the Coosa River again but the northbound bridge was still one of the old iron suspension bridge but one lane. At one time this was a two lane bridge but since the cars had gotten wider over the years they had to make it a single lane. The southbound bridge was a modern one that had two lanes and sat higher up, encase the older bridge got flooded by the river there was still a way to cross.
Riding on at Attalia at the I-59 intersection, exit 181, I stopped at the Petro Truckstop to stretch my legs and get a drink. They had a Popeye’s Fried Chicken and it was smelling good so the Hobbit in me decided that my second lunch was overdue and that I should get just a little something. I got a dinner.
With my belly not feeling abandoned anymore, I continued my ride northward. Just south of Boaz, AL, I connected up with US 431. Turned left and I knew that Guntersville wasn’t far.
I passed through Boaz and Albertville which on US 431 looks like one long commercial strip. Soon I could see Guntersville Lake and crossing by the bridge I was on the Guntersville Peninsula and into Guntersville itself. I toured the town and noted that this was someplace that was going to take a few days to explore. On the north side of the peninsula I found the Chamber of Commerce. The ladies in there was super nice, spotting a tourist and knowing the money we bring into the communities, and gave me all sorts of literature of the area. Looked over the list of hotels and googled them for their price range. They were within the $125 to $150 price range but then I saw a listing for a couple of bed and breakfasts. One was in town and at the same price at the hotels and then another was just outside of town near Grant, AL, called Kralldaddy’s Lodge. The price was at $90 dollars so I called them up to see if they would have space for me. Sure’nuff! I was told to come on down. I was given directions that it was off US 431 just pass mile marker 308. Those are my types of directions. I told him where I was and that I would be up shortly. I found it and yes, it is passed mile marker 308; barely. Really, when the 308 is readable it when the slowing down should begin because the driveway is about 50 ft from it. I missed the driveway but this place is at the corner of Cottonville Rd and I was able to turn onto Cottonville Rd and enter the Lodge through the back way.
I met the owners and we struck the deal. I’m not going to go into detail about this place here because I’m planing on doing a full post on how great this place it all by itself. Be on the lookout for it.
After I got settled in I went back into town for a dinner that the proprietor of the lodge recommended: The Rockhouse. I dined alfresco on pan seared salmon, garlic sauteed spinach with red onions, and a baked potato. As Rachel Ray would say, “Yummo!”
After dinner I rode around a bit and then stopped to get some air into my tires and check on the oil. Returned to the lodge and parked into the garage, took a shower and then I hit the bed and fell to sleep.
I roade 234 mile that day and I was tired but not sore. Certainly not as sore as if I tried that distance on Pork Chop.
Thursday 10/20
After a good night sleep I awoke and heard Kurt out in the kitchen. He was fixing biscuits and sausage gravy; he was fixing the gravy from scratch. I ate in the Veranda and the breakfast consisted of scrambled eggs, biscuits and sausage gravy, fresh fruit, orange juice and coffee. After breakfast he got maps out and we discussed my route into Tennessee. He gave me some excellent choices.
I finished packing up Razorback and giving it a good chain lube I left about 10 am local. The forecast called for rain. I took off up the road behind the lodge and first came upon a natural bridge. It was on private property but Kurt told me that the owners were trying to get the state to take it over. I just stopped at the side of the road and took a couple of pictures. I’ll be back later.
The rest of Cottonville Rd was a twisting mountain road with good tree cover.
At Simpson Point Rd I made a right and this was at the top of the platteau. It has became farmland again with homesteads dotting the roadside. At the Cathedral Caverns Rd crossroads I had to hang a left. There was a modern looking grocery store that was closed down at this cross road. I pass through Grant, a quaint town, and then I headed down off the platteau.
I saw the signs for Cathedral Caverns off to the right. I made the detour and and when by the caverns. There was a sign there that the tours were guided and took about 1 ½ hours. Unfortunately I didn’t have time. I could see the clouds forming to the west of me and I needed them south of me. I made my way back to the highway and continured north until the Lee Hwy US 72 intersection, West of Gurley. Here I made a left.
US 72 was a four-laner and a few miles westward I made AL 65. I continued passed it because I needed fuel and found a place in Gurley. I fueled up and then made my way back to AL 65 and hung a left.
This highway stayed level for a few miles before it started to twist and turn snaking through small communities, forest, toppling crests, and descending into vales, all the while those storm clouds kept steadily overtaking me. I passed through Trenton, Holly Tree and Princeton. Princeton is where the rain started. I stopped and suited up then continued on at a slower pace.
Soon I pass through Larkin Forks, and at Opposum Hollow I crossed into Tennessee. The road became Francisco Rd TN 97. A few miles north I hit Huntland, Tn. There was a little cafe there and I stopped there, not so much as I was hungry but because I was awaiting the rain to stop. I ordered a hamburger, fries, and a can soda. The total was $8, about twice as much as what it was worth (note to self: no eat there again).
After eating and the rain rain had stopped, I headed north from town to the David Crockett Hwy US 64 and turned west. This was another four laner that I kept on into Fayetteville where I caught US 231 and started heading north again. I was back on a two laner going through picturesque countryside. When I reached Shelbyville I crossed the Duck river and passed through a levy that had flood doors. I kept on US 231 passing through Murfreesboro and continuing to the crossroads at Braid Mills just north of the Cedars of Lebanon Forest State Park to the TN 265 Central Pike, a left was make here.
I continued on for several miles until I got to S. Rutland Rd and hung a right, after passing the Rutland School a few miles later I came upon Belinda Pkwy, hang left, and then to Rolling Meadows Dr, another left. I was finally at my cousin.
Even with it only after five I was still worn out. But not too worn out to set up and yap with my cousins until nearly midnight.
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