The short story version of this ride is that it was simply amazing. The roads made for some incredible riding, the leaves were beginning to show fall colors and the weather was near perfect both days. I would be too ashamed to ask for anything else.

On Saturday we all met at the Kroger in Collierville at 8:00am and departed at 8:30am. Our route directed us south on hwy 309 to MS 4 east then onto to MS 7 south nearly to Oxford. We turned east onto MS 30 and boogied over to New Albany where we picked up MS 15 north up to hwy 2 and then on into Corinth where we stopped for a bite to eat at Ruby Tuesdays. After lunch we continued on TN 2/350 east over to Pickwick Dam then rode hwy 128 north up to hwy 64 east and over to Fayetteville where we spent the night at the Best Western. Unfortunately, David Elston’s Valkyrie suffered a problem on the way up with a rear wheel bearing starting to make the familiar noise of impending failure. He wisely decided to leave the bike at the hotel and he and Chat Lofton plan on heading back to Fayetteville with a trailer in tow to retrieve his sick bike. 

After unpacking and taking a little rest we all enjoyed dinner at Cahoots restaurant in Fayetteville. Now, Cahoots is an interesting place indeed. It was formerly a jail and a firehouse from the 1860’s until 1970. The restaurant opened for business in 1987 and they left the jail cell doors in place and set up tables for patrons in each cell, kind of cool but watch your head as you go in or you’ll knock yourself silly as the doorways are very low. After a good meal we all went back to the hotel and turned in for the night. 

Sunday morning we were all up early and enjoyed our free hot breakfast at the hotel while I endured some fun natured abuse by a whiner who will remain nameless here but Chat knows who he is. Ha Ha Ha. Buck said it best, “being a Road Commander is a sorry thankless job.” Amen. Afterwards, I licked my wounds and we all got packed up, checked out, suited up and headed out. Billy and Hildia went east to Knoxville to have lunch with their granddaughter and then head over to Gatlinburg for some balcony sittin’,wine tastin’ and fudge eatin’. The rest of us headed north out of town on hwy 431 to hwy 50 /412/7 and we got another turn on one of our favorite roads, hwy 247. This day we got a real opportunity to test our crash avoidance systems when some good ole boy decided to just back his truck out onto the road covering its entire width in the middle of a blind curve. A bit scary and a really close call but we all managed to get on the binders and haul our bikes down slow enough to get around him. Atta boys go out to every one of you. You guys handled it like pros, makes me want to get a shirt made that says “GOT ABS”. We then got back onto hwy 50 which took us to I-40 west. We exited at 143 for a snack and something to drink at McDonalds then back in the saddle for a few more interstate miles. We exited at 126 to pick up 641 north in order to hook up with hwy 70 west. We stopped for some grub and sweet treats at the old watering hole, DQ, near Brownsville. We then headed for the hacienda on the interstate and I walked in the door around 3pm. 

Stan and Nina provided David and Brenda a lift home in their car. Thanks, Stan. Maybe we should consider buying a small trailer to take along for sick bikes in the future. It can happen to any of us and that would sure be handy when it does! 

Overall, this was an incredible route with incredible weather and incredible people. I didn’t want to go home.

ROLL CALL: Stan & Nina Viets, Billy & Hildia Max, Buck & Donna Permenter, Charlie & Darnell Gibson, Chat (funnyman) Lofton, Mike Lofton, Mike & Jeanette Schmidt, David Elston & Brenda Crawford, Danny & Lori Parker, 7 motorcycles and two cages, a Buick and a Lexus.

Trip Data : Miles 574.4, Average Speed 53.5 mph, Saddle Time 10:44, Max Attained Speed 81 mph. 

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All Photos Property of Memphis Tour Riders® 2011