What trip review would be complete without talking about the food you ate? So here's a breakdown of the best places we hit while we were on the road.
We took in several nice places - the two best were Mel's Diner, which was right across from our hotel, and Flapjacks, a hunting-lodge type place.
Mel's Diner looks like a real diner from back in the 50s - lots of movie posters and ads, blue and white leather booths, coat racks on each booth... items on the menu were named after characters on Happy Days and other 50s-related personalities.
For example, I had the Abbott and Costello Jumbo Wings, with mild sauce. There were six on the plate, and there was more than enough for me for lunch; it would make great appetizers for two or three folks. Jenn had the cheeseburger with bacon, mushrooms and chili; she said hers was great as well.
The wait staff was very friendly and helpful without being clingy; they made sure our glasses stayed full, and quickly moved dishes out of our way.
Flapjacks is a pancake house that's decorated like a hunting lodge. It was hard to make a choice, but I decided on the Wild Mountain Blueberry pancakes- six huge blueberry pancakes that overflowed the platter, topped with powdered sugar and more blueberries. They brought blueberry syrup and warm maple syrup. Less than $7, I made it through about half of them. They were the best pancakes I think I've ever had, almost floating off the plate. Jenn and Randy had breakfast skillets, which consisted of eggs, grits or hashbrowns, pancakes, biscuits and gravy and sausage or bacon. There were several different ways to order a skillet, each with it's own choices.
The wait staff at Flapjacks were also very friendly; our waitress kept a close eye on how we were doing, without standing over us.
There are several Flapjacks restaurants in the area- we ate at the one on the Parkway in Pigeon Forge, and for me, it was the best meal of the trip.
We also stopped at Mama's Farmhouse. A huge airy building, with gingham curtains and old-timey ceiling fans, was very welcoming. The staff all wore overalls and were very friendly. It was all-you-could-eat, served family style. Fried chicken, pork roast slices, country-fried steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, buttered corn, peach cobbler and banana pudding were available as well as vegetable soup, biscuits and corn muffins. The food was good, but $17 a plate was a bit steep, especially sincce the food wasn't outstanding.
One night, we ate at a small local pizza place (Geno's?) that was also good. The crust was handmade and was delicious, with plenty of toppings, cooked to perfection.
Showing posts with label pigeon forge trip 09. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pigeon forge trip 09. Show all posts
Friday, June 5, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Turns, Twists and Treasures
If you're looking for some gorgeous scenery and nice roads to ride, a trip through the foothills of the Smoky Mountains is a great place to start.
On our recent trip, we took mostly state and county roads; riding the interstate can help you make good time, but it's the most boring thing I can imagine. All those miles, with hardly anything of interest to see - just mileposts, billboards and gas stations. If I've got time to make up, I use the interstate; otherwise it's the regular roads. To quote Daniel Meyer, "sometimes the journey is the destination".
The final leg of the trip on the way up was from Townsend to Pigeon Forge on Highway 321. It's about 18 miles, and there are some very nice twisties, plus one switchback, turning sharply to the right and climbing an incline at the same time; if you've got time to really look, you can see that the vehicles ahead of you are almost over your head. I always get my heart in my throat during that kind of switchback, so I really had the adrenaline going.
There were lots of long slow curves as well, which are just as much fun to ride, even if it's not so exciting. Lots of other bikers have discovered this little piece of road, so we were meeting them regularly. Even as tired as I was (at that point we'd been on the road for most of 12 hours), it was enjoyable.
During Friday's ride, we headed out from Pigeon Forge, planning on riding up towards Rutledge, TN. We had found a route on Motorcycle Roads and Trips that sounded great. The description was very good, and the directions were wonderful, but we made a few changes and ended up seeing some other lovely country. We rode about 70 miles on that ride, and saw some very nice curvy roads, hilly country and lots of beautiful water and trees.
Our last stop before heading back to PF was at a combination general store/deli/parts store/garage. We just meant to stop for a minute, take a bathroom break, get a drink and head back out, but as most bikers know, it hardly ever works out that way.
When we first pulled up, we noticed a beautiful old car sitting near the entrance to the garage. I got my Elph out and walked towards it to take a few pictures, and the mechanic came out of the shop and asked if we'd like to see the engine. Of course, we said yes, and he popped the hood. While we stood and talked, he told about buying the car from it's original owner; it had less than 8,000 miles on it. He also had several other antique vehicles that he'd gotten from other local folks over the years - he maintains them and works to improve them, but he uses them as transportation too. These cars don't just sit up somewhere to be admired- they were designed and created to carry people from one place to another, and they're being used that way.
The owner and some of his buddies also told us about several other good rides to make, on another day; it's always nice to have local folks tell you good places to ride and see things, so we'll keep that in our ride idea list (getting longer all the time).
When we went inside the store to get a drink, we had some more pleasant surprises: I found a Sunkist Orange (one of my favorites) in a real glass bottle, not the plastic kind we usually get. The decor inside the store was one-of-a-kind: someone's old toy trucks, cars and machinery had been set up along the counters in the deli area, and it brought back lots of childhood memories - I saw some of the same toys my brothers played with, as well as some that looked like the ones my sons played with.
There were also all kinds of "kids treasure" on the walls - some still in it's packaging.
We finally dragged ourselves away and got back on the road - another 30 minutes or so and we were riding by Dollywood. Dolly Parton has really done a lot for the area - it's grown up beautifully, with lots of nice businesses serving customers. The small-town kindness is still there, even in three and four-lane traffic- I don't think I ever heard someone blow their horn in anger at another driver, and I never saw someone giving the one-finger salute. And southern courtesy was in evidence as well- several times when we were trying to get back on the road in heavy traffic, someone would motion for us to come on out, even though it held them up for a minute.
It was an enjoyable day all the way around; I'd suggest a trip to the area for anyone who wants to see beautiful country, ride some fun roads and get treated with some of the best southern hospitality you could ask for.
On our recent trip, we took mostly state and county roads; riding the interstate can help you make good time, but it's the most boring thing I can imagine. All those miles, with hardly anything of interest to see - just mileposts, billboards and gas stations. If I've got time to make up, I use the interstate; otherwise it's the regular roads. To quote Daniel Meyer, "sometimes the journey is the destination".
The final leg of the trip on the way up was from Townsend to Pigeon Forge on Highway 321. It's about 18 miles, and there are some very nice twisties, plus one switchback, turning sharply to the right and climbing an incline at the same time; if you've got time to really look, you can see that the vehicles ahead of you are almost over your head. I always get my heart in my throat during that kind of switchback, so I really had the adrenaline going.
There were lots of long slow curves as well, which are just as much fun to ride, even if it's not so exciting. Lots of other bikers have discovered this little piece of road, so we were meeting them regularly. Even as tired as I was (at that point we'd been on the road for most of 12 hours), it was enjoyable.
During Friday's ride, we headed out from Pigeon Forge, planning on riding up towards Rutledge, TN. We had found a route on Motorcycle Roads and Trips that sounded great. The description was very good, and the directions were wonderful, but we made a few changes and ended up seeing some other lovely country. We rode about 70 miles on that ride, and saw some very nice curvy roads, hilly country and lots of beautiful water and trees.
Our last stop before heading back to PF was at a combination general store/deli/parts store/garage. We just meant to stop for a minute, take a bathroom break, get a drink and head back out, but as most bikers know, it hardly ever works out that way.
When we first pulled up, we noticed a beautiful old car sitting near the entrance to the garage. I got my Elph out and walked towards it to take a few pictures, and the mechanic came out of the shop and asked if we'd like to see the engine. Of course, we said yes, and he popped the hood. While we stood and talked, he told about buying the car from it's original owner; it had less than 8,000 miles on it. He also had several other antique vehicles that he'd gotten from other local folks over the years - he maintains them and works to improve them, but he uses them as transportation too. These cars don't just sit up somewhere to be admired- they were designed and created to carry people from one place to another, and they're being used that way.
The owner and some of his buddies also told us about several other good rides to make, on another day; it's always nice to have local folks tell you good places to ride and see things, so we'll keep that in our ride idea list (getting longer all the time).
When we went inside the store to get a drink, we had some more pleasant surprises: I found a Sunkist Orange (one of my favorites) in a real glass bottle, not the plastic kind we usually get. The decor inside the store was one-of-a-kind: someone's old toy trucks, cars and machinery had been set up along the counters in the deli area, and it brought back lots of childhood memories - I saw some of the same toys my brothers played with, as well as some that looked like the ones my sons played with.
There were also all kinds of "kids treasure" on the walls - some still in it's packaging.
We finally dragged ourselves away and got back on the road - another 30 minutes or so and we were riding by Dollywood. Dolly Parton has really done a lot for the area - it's grown up beautifully, with lots of nice businesses serving customers. The small-town kindness is still there, even in three and four-lane traffic- I don't think I ever heard someone blow their horn in anger at another driver, and I never saw someone giving the one-finger salute. And southern courtesy was in evidence as well- several times when we were trying to get back on the road in heavy traffic, someone would motion for us to come on out, even though it held them up for a minute.
It was an enjoyable day all the way around; I'd suggest a trip to the area for anyone who wants to see beautiful country, ride some fun roads and get treated with some of the best southern hospitality you could ask for.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Interesting/odd/weird things on the road
Between the time we left Rutledge and the time we got to Pigeon Forge, we had seen all kinds of great/interesting/odd things.
We saw:
We saw:
- a full-sized horse statue on top of someone's house
- a combination adult bookstore and fruit stand (I don't even want to think about it)
- more carved bears than I would have though imaginable
- Elvis' white Caddy (at least, one of his white Caddy's)
- a lighthouse sitting on top of a garage overlooking a lake
- old tricycles used as garden decorations
- a 'Dam Store' (general store near a hydro-electric dam - can you imagine what you'd find in a store owned by someone who has that sense of humor?)
- a Bush's Baked Beans factory (didn't see Duke the dog though)
- some type of farm equipment that was tall enough to easily drive my bike under it- hubby says it's used to spray corn - we met it on the road
- an upside down building (Wonderworks)
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Gum can be hazardous...
This is one of the toughest posts I've had to write- but I have to. As much as I've been frustrated and even angry because of someone else's driving distracted, I have to tell this so hopefully others won't get into the same situation.
***************************************************
At one stop on our way home, I must have stepped in some gum. It stuck right at the ball of my left foot and I didn't notice it until we were on our way. By then, it was warm enough to stick my boot to my floorboard, which was very aggravating while trying to change gears. I could move my foot, but it was more of an effort than usual.
Since we were still in the foothills, we were going up and down hills, and around curves. I know I should have stopped as soon as I realized how much trouble it was giving me, but I decided to just wait until we stopped either for gas or a rest break, but I didn't. That was my first mistake.
As we rode along, we gradually fell in line behind several vehicles. Since the road was only a two-lane local road, we didn't get a chance to pass them, so we were going along about 50 mph or so. That ended up being a blessing. As we were riding along, meeting bikes and waving, (and me still worrying with the gum on my boot) the first vehicle in line needed to turn left, so they had to stop for oncoming traffic.
Since I was distracted by the gum (and the bikers we were meeting) I didnt' start braking quite quickly enough. When I did, I got on the brakes too hard - my back tire was squealing and it started sliding around to the right. The road conditions didn't help- it was a local road that had lots of tar poured on top of breaks and cracks, which made it more slippery.
I let off a bit, which stopped the sideways slide, but I was still too close to the car ahead of me, so I had to get right back on the brakes; I did finally get it stopped without going into the other lane, which still had traffic in it. If I'd laid the bike down, it would have gone under the SUV in front of us, or into the oncoming traffic, which was still mostly bikers. I'd hate to think I caused other bikers to go down because of my being distracted.
I've talked it over with Randy- we were pretty much riding axle to axle so I wasn't going too fast; I just didn't start braking the second I should have- only a second or two, but that's all it took...
I'm still not sure if I ended up using the front brake as well; if I did, it was God helping me do it, because I didn't jerk it. I do know at one point I was thinking 'did I let off the gas' but I knew I wasn't because the engine wasn't racing- guess you have crazy thoughts go through your head at times like that.
We couldn't pull over immediately because of the road and traffic conditions, which was even harder for me- I wanted to stop and lay down and cry right there. But believe me, I stopped at the very next spot I could find and got the goop off my boot and the floorboard. I also was super-careful not to follow too close until I could take care of it.
I will not make that mistake again- I'll check my boots just like I check my tires, and if I notice something that feels 'off' I'll stop as soon as I can, to correct it.
I know the good Lord was right there with me, because I didn't panic, I got the bike stopped without laying it down, I didn't immediately faint from fear, and I didn't throw up all over my bike when it was over. (and oh, did I want to).
I'm just thankful I had some help to get the bike stopped, and I didn't hurt anyone else. I'm also thankful the folks behind us slowed up and gave me plenty of room - they could see I needed some space and they gave it to me.
I've learned several lessons on this trip, but this was by far the most important.
***************************************************
At one stop on our way home, I must have stepped in some gum. It stuck right at the ball of my left foot and I didn't notice it until we were on our way. By then, it was warm enough to stick my boot to my floorboard, which was very aggravating while trying to change gears. I could move my foot, but it was more of an effort than usual.
Since we were still in the foothills, we were going up and down hills, and around curves. I know I should have stopped as soon as I realized how much trouble it was giving me, but I decided to just wait until we stopped either for gas or a rest break, but I didn't. That was my first mistake.
As we rode along, we gradually fell in line behind several vehicles. Since the road was only a two-lane local road, we didn't get a chance to pass them, so we were going along about 50 mph or so. That ended up being a blessing. As we were riding along, meeting bikes and waving, (and me still worrying with the gum on my boot) the first vehicle in line needed to turn left, so they had to stop for oncoming traffic.
Since I was distracted by the gum (and the bikers we were meeting) I didnt' start braking quite quickly enough. When I did, I got on the brakes too hard - my back tire was squealing and it started sliding around to the right. The road conditions didn't help- it was a local road that had lots of tar poured on top of breaks and cracks, which made it more slippery.
I let off a bit, which stopped the sideways slide, but I was still too close to the car ahead of me, so I had to get right back on the brakes; I did finally get it stopped without going into the other lane, which still had traffic in it. If I'd laid the bike down, it would have gone under the SUV in front of us, or into the oncoming traffic, which was still mostly bikers. I'd hate to think I caused other bikers to go down because of my being distracted.
I've talked it over with Randy- we were pretty much riding axle to axle so I wasn't going too fast; I just didn't start braking the second I should have- only a second or two, but that's all it took...
I'm still not sure if I ended up using the front brake as well; if I did, it was God helping me do it, because I didn't jerk it. I do know at one point I was thinking 'did I let off the gas' but I knew I wasn't because the engine wasn't racing- guess you have crazy thoughts go through your head at times like that.
We couldn't pull over immediately because of the road and traffic conditions, which was even harder for me- I wanted to stop and lay down and cry right there. But believe me, I stopped at the very next spot I could find and got the goop off my boot and the floorboard. I also was super-careful not to follow too close until I could take care of it.
I will not make that mistake again- I'll check my boots just like I check my tires, and if I notice something that feels 'off' I'll stop as soon as I can, to correct it.
I know the good Lord was right there with me, because I didn't panic, I got the bike stopped without laying it down, I didn't immediately faint from fear, and I didn't throw up all over my bike when it was over. (and oh, did I want to).
I'm just thankful I had some help to get the bike stopped, and I didn't hurt anyone else. I'm also thankful the folks behind us slowed up and gave me plenty of room - they could see I needed some space and they gave it to me.
I've learned several lessons on this trip, but this was by far the most important.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Wild and Crazy
It's always fun to add to my list of people who know I'm crazy.
We left out for Pigeon Forge around 7 am, and stopped in Montgomery at the Waffle House for breakfast. After we ate, we got back on the road, and as we stopped at a light, I started cutting up at my daughter, who's riding behind my husband on his bike. They're to my right - I'm waving my arms, 'dancing', making faces, pretending to talk on a cell phone (my hand), just generally acting crazy. I hear laughter to my left- I didn't realize we had company. The guys in the pickup truck in the next lane were enjoying my little show... they asked where we were headed, and we told them Pigeon Forge. They wished us a safe trip, and we were on our way!
We left out for Pigeon Forge around 7 am, and stopped in Montgomery at the Waffle House for breakfast. After we ate, we got back on the road, and as we stopped at a light, I started cutting up at my daughter, who's riding behind my husband on his bike. They're to my right - I'm waving my arms, 'dancing', making faces, pretending to talk on a cell phone (my hand), just generally acting crazy. I hear laughter to my left- I didn't realize we had company. The guys in the pickup truck in the next lane were enjoying my little show... they asked where we were headed, and we told them Pigeon Forge. They wished us a safe trip, and we were on our way!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The Perception of 'Bad'...
It always amazes me to watch someone make a snap judgment about a person, simply by the way they look: if a person is overweight, they're lazy; if they wear glasses, they're smart; and if they're bikers, they're obviously in a gang that's just robbed the church.
For some reason, black leather, doo rags, tattoos and biker boots means bad news, to adults, at least... a little kid usually has a totally different take on things. For example, while on our way home from Pigeon Forge, we stopped for a rest break. As we were walking towards the bathrooms, a little blonde cutie-pie came out holding her grandmother's hand. She took one look at my husband (big ol' teddy bear of a guy: full beard and mustache, dark glasses, gloves and boots, a smile as wide as the horizon and of course, a doo rag) and said "look, Grandma, a pirate!" with a big smile. Then she spotted me and said, "oh, another pirate!" She then made fast friends with my husband and talked to him for several minutes. We almost always get smiles and waves from kids.
We've had a few negative responses as well, usually from adults. They either don't like how we look, or that we're riding motorcycles. They look like they smell something bad...
But those folks are in the minority - most folks are about as friendly as they can be - I smile and they smile back. One little old lady at a bank patted my arm just like my grandma would have, and said, 'honey you just have air conditioning all the time, don't you? you be safe out there!" and then walked on with a smile.I always try to smile and be friendly towards other folks, to reach out to them and show them it's OK to smile at me and say hello.
I think the folks who judge me and mine harshly are those whose deepest heart's desire was once to ride, but something kept them from it - either fear, whether of judgment or of an accident; or someone with authority over them refused to let them ride.
So, I guess I should pity those who look down on us - they either want to be where we are, but don't have the strength to do it, or they think we're less than them because of who and what we are. Maybe we look like we're having too good a time to care whether our hair is combed, or that I'm not wearing makeup; maybe they can see on our faces that we're doing something enjoyable and don't care what others think; or maybe they just never learned to be happy. Either way, I'm sorry for them...
In the end, my newest patch says it all: Judge me all you want, just keep your verdict to yourself.
For some reason, black leather, doo rags, tattoos and biker boots means bad news, to adults, at least... a little kid usually has a totally different take on things. For example, while on our way home from Pigeon Forge, we stopped for a rest break. As we were walking towards the bathrooms, a little blonde cutie-pie came out holding her grandmother's hand. She took one look at my husband (big ol' teddy bear of a guy: full beard and mustache, dark glasses, gloves and boots, a smile as wide as the horizon and of course, a doo rag) and said "look, Grandma, a pirate!" with a big smile. Then she spotted me and said, "oh, another pirate!" She then made fast friends with my husband and talked to him for several minutes. We almost always get smiles and waves from kids.
We've had a few negative responses as well, usually from adults. They either don't like how we look, or that we're riding motorcycles. They look like they smell something bad...
But those folks are in the minority - most folks are about as friendly as they can be - I smile and they smile back. One little old lady at a bank patted my arm just like my grandma would have, and said, 'honey you just have air conditioning all the time, don't you? you be safe out there!" and then walked on with a smile.I always try to smile and be friendly towards other folks, to reach out to them and show them it's OK to smile at me and say hello.
I think the folks who judge me and mine harshly are those whose deepest heart's desire was once to ride, but something kept them from it - either fear, whether of judgment or of an accident; or someone with authority over them refused to let them ride.
So, I guess I should pity those who look down on us - they either want to be where we are, but don't have the strength to do it, or they think we're less than them because of who and what we are. Maybe we look like we're having too good a time to care whether our hair is combed, or that I'm not wearing makeup; maybe they can see on our faces that we're doing something enjoyable and don't care what others think; or maybe they just never learned to be happy. Either way, I'm sorry for them...
In the end, my newest patch says it all: Judge me all you want, just keep your verdict to yourself.
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