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Message started by Pine on 05/27/14 at 14:33:40

Title: Pines Memorial Day trip
Post by Pine on 05/27/14 at 14:33:40

First I have to say it was a glorious adventure whose memory I would not trade away.

The Trip:
Clinton MS to Nashville TN via Natchez Trace
Nashville TN to Birmingham AL via I 65
Birmingham AL to Clinton MS via I 20
Total miles ~850
days 3
Bike 2007 V-Star 1100
two -up with wife

The Natchez Trace was just a fantastic ride, with the smells bursting in on the senses to nearly out-do sights. My wife would yell out the smell of the moment from honeysuckle to magnolia to ... whatever esle she could differentiate. We saw at least 9 turkeys, 2 mink ( or something like that) and one un-identifiable critter. It was all black, about the size of medium dog, but ran more like a cat or fox.

The Trace also held what ended up being my more fearful moment! (OK it wasn't actually on the Trace). So after crossing the TenTom, my wife was really begging for a butt rest. We had ridden for about an hour, with the couple ahead leading the way ( they have a Can-am). Finally I got ahead of them with intentions of hitting the next roadside park. Except there wan't any... mile after mile... nothing. In desperation I turned at on of the few cross roads to be found on the trace. This was a nice simple 2-lane blacktop, well kept, with farm houses every so often. The problem was that every single farm house and barn had nothing but gravel drives, and I wanted a nice concrete drive to turn around in. After a short while I made a turn to the right, hoping the barn on the hill would provide respite. But just as we approached the barn, the road dipped... er DROPPED.. so at 30 -40 MPH I found myself on a very steep grade that went on for about 150 yards ... made of nothing but egg-sized gravel! Choice words and prayers were sent forth.. and GOD delivered us to the bottom with out incident. We stopped and parked in the middle of the road, butts be derned... I was shaking to much to ride for a bit. Using the GPS we continued on and got back on the Trace without need to tackle that hill again!

We spent the night in Columbia TN, just south of Nashville, and enjoyed the last 40 miles of the Trace the next morning. I remember singing:
"this is the curve that never ends...
it goes on and on my friends.."
( sung to the song that never ends)
If it wasn't so dern pretty .. my shoulders would have told me I was being tortured.

We left the Trace for I-65. this is the first time that my wife has ridden with me at these speeds. Her comfort level was not there for the first 20 miles. That ride ended on I-59 in Birmingham, and our second.... "brown streak underwear" ride. It seems that B'ham has been stripping the old blacktop off and the road was in a horrible state of disrepair. Of course .. local cagers don't care and so we found ourselves doing 80+ mph around the city in order not to get run over. OK.. I am glad I put the $500 ME888 on the bike!
Hotel was in Trussville, dinner at Olive Garden. Good times. However, the ride on the Trace had taken its toll.. everyone was feeling the effects of the pollen with the the male of the other couple nearly unable to speak, and eating more pills than food. We decided to forgo the Car museum and just head home. The last leg on I 20 was completely un-eventful. The only thing to speak of was the heat and humidity that finally caught back up with us when we reached our home state of MS.

Title: Re: Pines Memorial Day trip
Post by pgambr on 05/27/14 at 17:19:16

Congrats Pine, that sounds like you had a real good trip. Yeah, they have been working on the roads in B'ham for 10+ years.

Title: Re: Pines Memorial Day trip
Post by S-P on 05/27/14 at 18:58:34

Sounds like your angels were working overtime! Glad you made it all safe and without any accidents, road or underwear related. ;D

Title: Re: Pines Memorial Day trip
Post by Sheriff41 on 05/28/14 at 00:44:02

Thanks for sharing your tale...sounds like quite an adventure! The V Star 1100 is great for trips like yours. I have the Mustang seats and 3 up, 3 back risers on mine and I can cruise two-up for hours!