Deliverance Ride
On Saturday the 25th of March, I had the pleasure of leading 17 other ROK members on a ride to southern Kentucky to explore some new backroads. Until Rick Breeden showed up on his Tiger ( after he figured out we were not starting from the Flying J ), I was the only one not straddling a BMW that day since mine has been having starter issues….again. After swapping parking lot tales, drinking latte, munching on donuts, and a riders’ meeting, we rolled out of the Dunkin Donuts parking lot around 9:05. The Chinese fire drill started within two minutes of our departure when two thirds of our group got stuck at a traffic light that refused to give them a left turn green arrow. I cannot understand how we can put men on the moon and split atoms, but cannot come up with a traffic signal system that can determine a motorcyclist is waiting on the light to change. Anyway, after that got resolved, we were finally off on our journey to Kentucky. We traveled through Karns, Claxton, Clinton ( site of our second Chinese fire drill when half the group missed a turn ), Norris, Rocky Top, Caryville, and into Oneida. I tried to find an acceptable place in Oneida that sold fuel and could accommodate 18 old men an hour after filling up on coffee, but failed. I finally found a worthy place about five miles outside Oneida. That was our first rest/fuel stop of the day. There was a long line down the hallway outside the two stall, unisex toilet. Good thing there were no women in our group that day.
After filling up our bikes and emptying our bladders, we rolled out and headed toward our lunch destination. We traveled through Winfield, Pine Knot, and into Stearns, where we stopped for lunch at the Whistle Stop Café. The parking lot and the inside of the place looked like a ghost town. I thought this was odd since they were expecting our group of 18. Not a soul was in site. After entering and standing a few minutes staring at the “Please see hostess for seating” sign, I stuck my head into the kitchen and yelled asking if anyone was there. A wonderful lady named Barbara appeared and pointed us to a long table that had been put together for our group. Still not seeing another soul, I wondered how this was going to work out with 18 people and only Barbara. She explained that we were a little early and she had called in reinforcements that would be there soon. Halfway through taking drink orders, her older sister arrived to help. At some point, another girl arrived and someone else came in to help with the cooking. They took fantastic care of us and treated us like family. We had the entire place to ourselves until finally two elderly ladies strolled in for lunch even though they saw 18 motorcycles in the parking lot. The food was delicious and they got us out of there pretty quickly considering there were 18 of us. I called the manager that evening and told him of our experience. Kudos to their staff.
After lunch, we mounted our steel ( and plastic ) steeds for the next leg of our journey. I started the GoPro and off we went. We had several miles of good open road before we turned off onto Parmleysville Road, which is partially gravel. That is when the banjo music began. Four or five chose to take the alternate bypass route through Oil Valley to keep their two wheels on all pavement. At the end of Parmleysville Road, we stopped and waited about ten minutes for the rest of the group to arrive from the alternate route. The color of all the bikes that traveled Parmleysville Rd. had changed to a light shade of gray from the Kentucky gravel dust. Guess I’ll get the garden hose out when I get home. From there we traveled down the Pickett Park Highway through Pickett State Park and onto Hwy 297 through Big South Fork. In Big South Fork we took a much needed rest break and hiked a short distance to the East Rim Overlook. It was a beautiful afternoon and the temperature was perfect.
After leaving the park, we headed back into Oneida and through Huntsville, Robbins, Elgin, and Glenmary. When we reached Sunbright, I decided to swing off onto Deer Lodge Highway and Rome Road to pick up some more good pavement. We then turned onto Highway 62 through Lancing and back onto Highway 27 into Wartburg where we stopped again for fuel. Since the far end of Highway 27 near Harriman was undergoing construction, I decided to swing the group off onto Highway 328 through Oakdale, a delightful curvy stretch of highway leading us into Harriman. We then turned up Highway 61, Little Emory Rd., Clax Gap Rd., Mays Valley Rd., Sugar Grove Valley Rd., Poplar Creek Rd., and Blair Rd. We then took the sweepers along Highway 95 towards Melton Hill Dam, White Wing Rd., Buttermilk Rd., and to our end destination on Watt Rd. at the Flying J Truck Stop.
It was a great day for a ride and I appreciate everyone taking their Saturday to share it with me. The best thing is that everyone made it home safely ( no coal dust ), no one got lost, and we live to ride another day. We need to do this one again. Until then, keep it between the ditches and in your lane.
Ron Donahue
After filling up our bikes and emptying our bladders, we rolled out and headed toward our lunch destination. We traveled through Winfield, Pine Knot, and into Stearns, where we stopped for lunch at the Whistle Stop Café. The parking lot and the inside of the place looked like a ghost town. I thought this was odd since they were expecting our group of 18. Not a soul was in site. After entering and standing a few minutes staring at the “Please see hostess for seating” sign, I stuck my head into the kitchen and yelled asking if anyone was there. A wonderful lady named Barbara appeared and pointed us to a long table that had been put together for our group. Still not seeing another soul, I wondered how this was going to work out with 18 people and only Barbara. She explained that we were a little early and she had called in reinforcements that would be there soon. Halfway through taking drink orders, her older sister arrived to help. At some point, another girl arrived and someone else came in to help with the cooking. They took fantastic care of us and treated us like family. We had the entire place to ourselves until finally two elderly ladies strolled in for lunch even though they saw 18 motorcycles in the parking lot. The food was delicious and they got us out of there pretty quickly considering there were 18 of us. I called the manager that evening and told him of our experience. Kudos to their staff.
After lunch, we mounted our steel ( and plastic ) steeds for the next leg of our journey. I started the GoPro and off we went. We had several miles of good open road before we turned off onto Parmleysville Road, which is partially gravel. That is when the banjo music began. Four or five chose to take the alternate bypass route through Oil Valley to keep their two wheels on all pavement. At the end of Parmleysville Road, we stopped and waited about ten minutes for the rest of the group to arrive from the alternate route. The color of all the bikes that traveled Parmleysville Rd. had changed to a light shade of gray from the Kentucky gravel dust. Guess I’ll get the garden hose out when I get home. From there we traveled down the Pickett Park Highway through Pickett State Park and onto Hwy 297 through Big South Fork. In Big South Fork we took a much needed rest break and hiked a short distance to the East Rim Overlook. It was a beautiful afternoon and the temperature was perfect.
After leaving the park, we headed back into Oneida and through Huntsville, Robbins, Elgin, and Glenmary. When we reached Sunbright, I decided to swing off onto Deer Lodge Highway and Rome Road to pick up some more good pavement. We then turned onto Highway 62 through Lancing and back onto Highway 27 into Wartburg where we stopped again for fuel. Since the far end of Highway 27 near Harriman was undergoing construction, I decided to swing the group off onto Highway 328 through Oakdale, a delightful curvy stretch of highway leading us into Harriman. We then turned up Highway 61, Little Emory Rd., Clax Gap Rd., Mays Valley Rd., Sugar Grove Valley Rd., Poplar Creek Rd., and Blair Rd. We then took the sweepers along Highway 95 towards Melton Hill Dam, White Wing Rd., Buttermilk Rd., and to our end destination on Watt Rd. at the Flying J Truck Stop.
It was a great day for a ride and I appreciate everyone taking their Saturday to share it with me. The best thing is that everyone made it home safely ( no coal dust ), no one got lost, and we live to ride another day. We need to do this one again. Until then, keep it between the ditches and in your lane.
Ron Donahue
