13 July 2011My goal for today is to get to Nashville so I can attend the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society Convention for the rest of the week. However, it is only a few hours out of my way to get to the Tail of the Dragon – one of the most famous motorcycle roads in the world. It has 311 curves in 11 miles as it crosses the border of Tennessee and North Carolina. An entire industry has sprung up to serve the bikers who migrate here. I rode The Dragon south into North Carolina, where Susan told me the fastest way to Nashville was to ride The Dragon back north into Tennessee. It was a great morning and worth getting up a 4AM for. I was thinking of you, DaveW. The most amusing part of the trip was the “Tree of Shame” (see photos) - I think they are a bit biased though, there are no HD parts on the tree; perhaps Harley's never crash?
By the time I got to Nashville in late afternoon the temp was up to 100F again and the relative humidity was about the same. I used to think Auckland could get humid. I must be getting used to it though, at least I didn't feel on the brink of a heat stroke.
One glaring aspect of the flora in this part of the USA is that the kudzu vine is taking over. Scenes like this are common: http://www.jjanthony.com/kudzu/houses.html.
The Tennessee Valley Authority builds and manages a vast series of dams, providing hydroelectric and flood control. These facilities are highly visible while riding through the state.
Americana for the day: breakfast at IHOP
Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/T.Micheal.Young/USA2011
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