Palm Springs to Laughlin

We left Palm Springs very early; when it's so hot, it's best to ride in the relative cool of the morning & get some miles under your belt before the temperatures rise to funace levels.

So we enjoyed our ride through Joshua Tree National Park, named by early religious travellers who thought the trees were holding their arms upwards to heaven. The Yucca-like trees thrive here, amongst the wierd & wonderful rock formations in the Mojave Desert.

Then it was onward through the valley & the dried up salt flats of a long-forgotten sea, until we reached Amboy where we joined the road that's very special in the heart of all Harley riders; Route 66. Once the main carriageway for migrating people seeking a better life in the west, the road is a now shadow of its former glory, with a few faded old diners & businesses trying to keep the dream alive. Last year when we came, we were disappointed at Roy's Cafe, it was run-down & offered little to Route 66 pilgrims, happily this year it's under new ownership, & they are lovingly restoring & reviving it, & by next year it should be more like it was in it's heyday.

We rode the iconic road for a while longer, past the trees which for some reason travellers have covered with shoes over the years, & on to Needles for lunch at another old diner. After buying Route 66 souveniers at the gift shop, we eventually left the Mother Road, & followed the mighty Colorado River into Laughlin, where we revelled in the air conditioning of our overnight hotel.

Hell's Kitchen to Palm Springs

We left Los Angeles on the freeway the following morning, & although the traffic was heavy by UK standards, it was less busy than usual because it was a Sunday. We try to stay off the freeways whenever possible, but sometimes they're a necessary evil to get to the better roads quickly. Kevin & Monica again joined us for the ride, & we eventually turned off the fast-flowing freeway & on to the amazing route 74 Ortega Highway. This is a peach of a road, all sweeping curves & S-bends, & from my viewpoint at the back of the group I could see how much they were enjoying the twists & flowing curves ahead.

Time for a refreshing cold drink, & we pulled up at Hell's Kitchen, another favourite biker's hang-out, & the place was buzzing with motorcyclists out for a Sunday ride. Inside the cafe they have a unique feature - a full sized black coffin adorned with painted flames & a curious lever by the side of it. Pull the lever, & the lid will slowly open to reveal ... ketchup, mustard, pickles & other condiments to enhance your burger & fries! They also have voodoo-style totem poles, a wall made of skulls (not real ones, they're sort of cast from concrete), & a lady selling biker leathers & strange, studded leather underwear - well, it takes all sorts, doesn't it? We could have stayed there a lot longer, soaking up the atmosphere & chewing the fat with other riders, but the road beckoned, & we had places to go.

Back on to Ortega, & the twists & turns continued as we began the descent towards Lake Elsinore & Palm Springs. Temperatures were around 40 celsius when we stopped at a viewpoint overlooking Palm Springs, so we took a few photos, including the one of Clare & Steve above, had a cold drink from the coolbox, & said our goodbyes to Kevin & Monica who were leaving us to ride back to LA. We only had another 25 miles or so to reach our hotel, but Kevin & Monice would ride for another 3 hours before they reached home. Tough cookies, these Californian bikers!

It got hotter & hotter as we descended in to Palm Springs, a beautiful oasis in the desert, famous for it's immaculate golf courses. How much water it must take to keep them looking so lush & green in the intense heat doesn't bear thinking about, also the misters constantly spraying a fine mist outside the bars & restaurants to keep the patios & doorways cool & inviting to customers. After a refreshing dip in the pool, our guests were ready to explore the town in search of sustenance & entertainment, & happily found both. John & I spoke to Beryl & Bob on the phone; they were still in San Francisco awaiting details of their flight home.

Cold Springs Tavern, & Hot Stuff for Beth!

Saturday morning saw us leaving the coast & again heading inland on twisy, climbing roads towards the famous biker haunt, Cold Springs Tavern. Formerly an old coaching inn from the late 1800's, these quaint log cabins are now frequented by motorcyclists who relish the ride to & from the olde worlde cafe.

We stopped at another cafe before we got to Cold Springs, where Beth was delighted to find a collection of fit firefighters who'd stopped for a cold drink. She has a 'bit of a thing' for firemen, & was there like a shot. I'm sure she was drooling just a little as she posed for this photo amongst them!

We had arranged to meet Kevin, our friend from LA at Cold Springs, & he arrived on his Road King with Monica, his biking buddy & friend of 10 years, on her 1200 Sportster. After lunch, Kevin led the way back to the coast on more wonderful woodland roads, descending back to PCH 1 & Malibu. After several seaside miles, we again turned inland & upwards, heading for the Rock Store, yet another famous cafe on a favourite road for bikers. The twists & bends on this road are so good, professional photographers sit at strategic points with cameras at the ready, snapping away at the many bikes & fancy cars as they negotiate the curves, then post the photos on their websites for you to buy. On the downside, the road is also frequented by the California Highway Patrol out to catch any speeding bikers, or CHiPS to those of us old enough to remember the TV program.

Kevin led us to our Los Angeles hotel, where we had a scant hour to check in to our rooms & have a quick break. I parked the van, & quickly changed into boots & jeans before getting on the back of John's bike for a whizz of a tour around LA, Hollywood, Rodeo Drive, Mulholland Drive, Beverly Hills & the even more exclusive Bel Air. Someone up there must have been having a party, & the road was lined with dozens of fabulous cars; oh, how the other half live! We got back late & exhausted that night, but what a fabulous days riding & a great evening tour we'd had. We buzzed with both tiredness & exhilaration.

The Big Sur & HWY 1

Sandy beach at Carmel-by-the-Sea

We had a leisurely ride through the storybook streets of affluent Carmel this morning, with a photo stop at the beautiful sandy beach. Then it was back on Pacific Coast Highway 1, to enjoy the ride & the dramatic coastline to our right. Maurice was lucky enough to see a whale surface out to sea, as it migrated on to distant breeding waters. We stopped for lunch at the aptly named Whale Watchers Cafe, before continuing our scenic ride.

Further down the coast we stopped to see the elephant seals basking on the beach, great big blubbery creatures, flicking the sand over themselves, & bickering noisily as they moulted their shabby, winter coats in favour of summer splendour.

Dinner at Clint's

Clint Eastwood owns the nearby Mission Ranch Restaurant at Carmel, & we all decided to have dinner there that evening. He is known to just turn up unannounced, & was there recently for his 80th birthday - can you believe it, Dirty Harry is 80! Bet that Made His Day!

Mr Eastwood obviously didn't know we'd be there that Thursday as he didn't show up to see us, but a whole lot of other people did! The restaurant was extremely busy, & we sat outside on the patio enjoying lovely views towards the ocean, with patio heaters to keep the ozone chill at bay. We had a lovely evening, with the wine flowing freely (wasn't it, Mary?) pianist playing, excellent food & great company. A night to remember.

Sadly, we had to say goodbye to Beryl & Bob on Thursday morning, as we had to get back on the road again to continue our ride, & they had decided to stay in San Fran to recover a little longer, while their insurance company arranged upgraded flights to get them home in a bit more comfort than the standard economy seats. They came to see us off, & although they tried to be brave, we could see how low they were feeling. It was hard to leave them there, but we had no choice, all the hotels were booked & expecting us for the rest of the tour.

It's quite an achievement to get a group of 10 motorcycles & a large van out of a huge city like SF, through all the traffic & lights & junctions, without getting hopelessly split up, but we managed rather well, I smugly thought to myself. But I shouldn't have tempted fate, pride comes before a fall & all that. The clutch failed on one of the bikes on the oustskirts of the city, & there was nothing for it but John had to give his bike to the broken-down rider, & nurse the broken one slowly back to Eaglerider in San Francisco, while Steve took our spare sat-nav & confidently stepped into the breach to lead our riders inland, onward & away from the cold mists of SF, gratefully back into the hot sunshine to Alice's Restaurant.

It's no wonder Alice's was one of Steve McQueen's favourite haunts, he loved to ride his motorcycle on the twisty, hilly roads to get there, & the food is delicious, too!

We had lunch, bought souvenier t-shirts, soaked up the atmosphere & enjoyed the sunshine while waiting for word from John. He rang to say a replacement bike was being prepared, but would take a while yet, so while we carried on with the planned, scenic route, back towards the coast & on to Highway 1, he would take the motorway when the bike was ready, & meet us at our hotel in Monterey. The road back to the coast is fabulous for bikers, but a little more challenging for a large, high van with a 5 foot radio ariel on top due to overhanging trees, but I made it, & soon we joined the Pacific Coast Highway, with spectacular views to the ocean. When we arrived at Monterey, John was waiting, room keys at the ready & cool as a cucumber with his new Street Glide in the late afternoon sun.

San Francisco

Several members of our group had wanted to visit Alcatraz, so months ago we booked their places & on Wednesday morning we set off on foot for the short walk to Pier 33, where the Alcatraz boat leaves from. It's no good just hopefully turning up on the day to visit this fascinating rock, places are snapped up & you must book several weeks ahead. It's typically cold & misty in San Francisco at this time of year, & today was no exception as our group boarded the boat for the chilly crossing. The audio tour is a great way to learn all the interesting facts & stories of life for those who were incarcerated there.
Beryl & Bob were recouperating at the hotel, & we called in to see if they needed anything while we left the others on their Alcatraz tour, & went off to get some antiseptic cream for the angry looking gravel-rash on Bob's arm.
We had arranged to meet up with more of the others after lunch for a ride to the Golden Gate Bridge, before tackling Lombard Street, the top of which is the twistiest street in SF. First you have to climb up the long, straight, but extremely steep road, before you can get to the top & come down the steep, zig-zag street made famous by Steve McQueen in the film Bullet, & all the while the tourists were snapping away at the bikes going down, no doubt more than a little envious at the fun we were having!
A free evening meant those that chose to could have a ride on a cable car, perhaps have a delicious meal in Chinatown, visit the bustling Pier 39 to see the seals & the shops, or even spend some time at an Irish Bar, to enjoy the Guinness & the lively craic. There's something for everyone in the lovely city of San Francisco.

Catastrophe Strikes

Tuesday morning our worst nightmare was realised. Bob & Beryl had an accident, & parted company with their bike in the worst way. Leaving Oakhurst en-route to San Francisco, the first hour was riding lovely, sweeping bends on quiet mountain roads, with stunning views into the valley below. Somehow, Bob lost control on a gentle left hand bend, & he & Beryl were thrown off their bike. I've posted this photo (taken in Yosemite the previous day), & Bob is 3rd from the left raising his hand, Beryl is wearing pink, sitting at the far-right of the picture.
Those riding behind immediately stopped to help, & after a few more moments I came around the corner in the van & my heart sank at the sight. Fortunately, I was able to inform John via the CB radio, & then I grabbed my US phone to dial 911. No signal. They were both conscious & talking, but obviously in need of expert medical attention, & just then a passing motorist kindly offered to drive down to the next village & call for the emergency services. John had sent the rest of our group on to wait in Coulterville, & returned to the scene. Steve & Clare, Stuart & Beth, & Terry & Mary stayed to help, & with 2 ex-policemen & another ex-nurse in that little group, we attended to our friends until Fire & Rescue, the Sheriff & Paramedics arrived. Bob's shoulder was terribly sore, possibly either broken or dislocated, he'd bitten his lip & grazed his arm, while Beryl had nasty cuts to her fingers, a sore wrist & forearm, & both of them were very badly shaken up. Clare, the ex-nurse, was brilliant, & kindly offered to accompany them both to hospital, as of course, John had to lead the others, & I had to drive the van.
We kept in touch with Clare all day, & were so relieved when she told us that neither Bob nor Beryl had any broken bones, & after a few stitches & bandages each, both would be discharged with pain killers & medication. They eventually arrived at the hotel in San Francisco in a limo which Clare had hired for the 150 mile trip, & there just aren't words to say how pleased & relieved we all were to see them, battered & bruised as they were. We had been so worried abouth them.
We first met Awesome Bob & ZinfanBeryl last year when they joined our Sturgis Tour, & since then we've had some great times together, they have joined us on other tours, & we've become good friends. We are devastated that they've been hurt like this, & are unable to continue the tour. We had 2 nights planned in San Francisco anyway, which gave them both some time to rest & recover, & gave us all a bit of breathing space to figure out what to do next. There's no way Bob could ride as his shoulder is badly sprained, & both of them are too sore. So we booked them some extra nights in the same hotel, while their insurance is sorting out flights to take them back to Manchester, business class to give them more room on the long flight home.
Of course, we had to leave San Fran after our two nights, & carry on with the tour, & we felt terribly sad to leave them. But we've spoken to them several times, & are happy to say they're feeling much, much better now, & may be flying home in a day or two. But we miss them, & are thinking of them often.

Yosemite National Park

Leaving Bishop, we head for the Tioga Pass, with mile after mile of twists & bends, climbing steadily through the Sierra Nevada mountains. It's warm, but not oppressive, as there's a cooler freshness in the air, & we can see the glaciers shining on the mountain tops in the sun as we ride to Yosemite. We've been through Yosemite National Park several times now, & it is such a picture-postcard beautiful place. John & I go straight through the park & wait near the exit, & we encourage our group to ride through at their own pace, & stop for photos wherever they like. Clare & Steve were lucky enough to have a bear run across the road in front of them, & even luckier to catch it on their camcorder.

Our group are relaxing into the tour now we're a few days into it, & getting to know eachother better. A swim in the pool before dinner helps with the bonding process, together with a glass or two of wine to discuss the day's events with in the hotel lobby as we return from our evening meal. A lovely end to another spectacular day. We're all looking forward to San Francisco tomorrow.

Road Through Death Valley

We were up well before the larks on Sunday morning, excited & apprehensive about the day's ride ahead. The support van was loaded up with a large coolbox containing bottled water & soft drinks, buried under copious amounts of ice to ensure cooling drinks for the riders & pillions to re-hydrate themselves whenever we stopped. Once the luggage was loaded, neckties wetted, camel packs & hydration jackets donned, we were ready for the off.

The ride down the mile or so length of The Strip went like a dream, with the numerous sets of traffic lights smiling their green lights down on us, graciously allowing the group to remain as one unit, as the pillion riders, cameras at the ready, clicked happily away at the sights & landmarks on Las Vegas Boulevard. Temperatures were cool, in fact barely 85F, so it was no sweat as we joined the motorway, heading west towards Pahrump (yes, Pahrump! It's a great name, isn't it?) By the time we stopped for fuel at Pahrump (!) a couple of hours later, it was beginning to get quite warm (that's flippin' hot to you & me!)

Several miles down the road saw us turning off for Death Valley, first climbing ever upwards on the twisty roads taking us up through the hills, then descending ever downward, hundreds of feet below sea-level to the site of an ancient, long forgotten sea-bed. White salt deposits lay like snow on the baked, dry sand of the valley floor, & it was hotter than Hell down there. You know when you open the oven door & peep in to see if the Yorkshires are nearly ready? You get a blast of the hottest air in your face, & that's just what Death Valley feels like. It was around 120F, & very possibly more than that.

We rode for several straight, flat miles, before beginning to ascend on curvy roads again, which fools you into thinking it's over, & you're on your way out of it at last. But no, the road winds downwards again, for a second, deeper dip into the fires of Hell. On & on the road goes, until we finally put Death Valley behind us, in exchange for the altogether more bearable temperatures of the High Sierras, eventually arriving around 2pm to a little town called Bishop, for our overnight stay. The first thing we all did was to get our cozzies on, & straight into the pool, to indulge in a relaxing swim, & bring our body temperatures back within normal limits. Nothing ever felt so fantastic as lounging in that pool did, with a can or two of Bud to help keep fluid levels up on the inside!

Well ridden everybody!

Golden Gate Tour - Here at Last!

We always begin our tours in Las Vegas with a Welcome Meal at the Harley-Davisdon Cafe - just to set the mood! You can't miss it, just look for the massive front end of one of those iconic motorcycles smashing through the front of the building half way down The Strip. We welcomed our group, (most of whom had already met eachother at our Pre-Tour Meeting in the UK about 6 weeks ago), & had a meal together while finding out a little more about eachother, & of course, discussing the adventure that lies ahead. There are 20 of us altogether on the Golden Gate Tour, & there should have been 22, but sadly one couple had to cancel, when (at the last minute), it was discovered that he needed urgent heart surgery. We are so sorry you can't be with us Jean & Paul, but we wish you a speedy recovery & do hope that you can join us on a future tour when you're well again.

Most people flew in to Las Vegas earlier that same day (Friday), & after the meal, some plumped for a short walk along the Strip to see the larger than life hotels, the dancing waters at the Belaggio, or just absorb the Vegas atmosphere, before heading back to the hotel & the sheer relief provided by the air-conditioning. It's 110F in Vegas just now - kinda warm, that is!

Saturday at 3pm we all met up again to go & collect our rental bikes for the duration of the tour. We leave LV at 5.30am, which seems ridiculously early, but there is method in our madness. Firstly, most people's body clocks are still on 'UK time', which means they're awake at 4am anyway, secondly, it gives us the opportunity to ride down the whole length of the Strip as a group before the traffic becomes too overwhelming, & finally, & the most important reason of all, we are riding through Death Valley today, one of the hottest places on earth. It will take us a couple of hours to get there, & another couple to ride through it, with temperatures rising dangerously all the time.

The adventure begins here ...

San Diego to Mexico!

We left Memphis ridiculously early for our 7.30am flight to Phoenix, Arizona (which took 3hrs, but as we crossed into Pacific Time, we gained 2 hrs), then had an hour to spare before catching our connecting flight to San Diego, where we picked up the van. We had to get the van from San Diego, as no-one in Las Vegas keeps Sprinter vans, & John particularly wanted that type, because of it's size & capabilities.

But we were dissappointed when we saw it, it's a bit shabby-looking, with rusty spots here & there, & numerous little dents & creases. Anyone who knows John will also know that he likes to keep his van in good condition, & the Sprinter he has at home always looks tidy. Never mind, I thought to meself, it's me that's going to be driving it most of the time, & on the plus side, no-one is gonna notice if I put a few little dinks in it myself!

Anyway, we had the night in San Diego, which just happens to be sooo close to the Mexican border that His Nibs wanted a photo for his ABC of Touring. That's a competition HOG runs each year, & you have to get your photo taken beside all the different place-names of the alphabet. More places, more points. He came joint 3rd last year (& that's worldwide, mind, so he did very canny), but it just made him more determined to come 1st this year. So, we were whisked along towards the border by the speeding motorway traffic, & before we knew it, there it was. Now, all we intended was to grab a quick pic, & turn right around, without ever crossing into that rather scary place. Mexico is unchartered territory for us, & that, coupled with the fact that his satnav maps stopped at the American side of the border, plus it was getting kinda late (& dark), convinced us we really shouldn't hang around. But we'd been spotted by an armed Border Patrol Officer, who said NO PHOTOS in no uncertain terms, & no U-turns either. We had to go through - but not before one very sneaky photo - see above!

So we showed our passports, which luckily were still in my bag after coming from the airport, & the van was searched. Of course, we'd just picked it up so it was absolutely empty. But we couldn't help smiling as we wondered what they thought we were trying to smuggle in to Mexico! We got through in less than 5 minutes, drove less than a mile to the first roundabout, went right around it & headed back to the border & the USA, still smiling at those border guards searching the van on the way in. But the smiles slid slowly from our faces as we realised there were 7 lanes of traffic all trying to do the same as us. It was total gridlock.
This gridlock mustn't have been unusual, because little Mexican businesses had sprung up amidst the queues of cars. There were youths with wet rags, washing not just screens, but entire cars, as they crawled slowly forwards. There were women with small children, selling fruit smoothies, men selling jewellry, great big crucifixes, blankets, sombreros - you name it, someone was weaving in & out of the traffic lanes trying to sell it. So at least we had plenty to watch as we sat there for 2 whole hours, waiting to get through. When it was our turn to go through, we did have a bit of difficulty explaining to the guard why we had a great big empty van, & didn't even know how to work the locks properly so he could search it, but once he established that we weren't carrying any drugs on the inside, or cling-ons on the underside, I think he just decided we are weird english folk, & eventually waved us through. From there, we went straight back to our hotel, relieved to be back on American soil.

Tupelo back to Memphis

We had to visit Tupelo, & the small wooden shack where Elvis was born. His family were 'dirt poor', & moved to Memphis when he was a boy, in search of a better life. They certainly found it!

The Boy King.

Sign outside Elvis' Hoose.

We had a look around, sat on Elvis' porch swing, & visited the museum & (obligatory) gift shop, then we had to leave & get the car back to the rental office in Memphis by 5pm.

So, we've come full circle. We have our last night in Memphis, & leave for our ridiculously early flight to San Diego tomorrow morning, to pick up the van (oops, sorry; support vehicle) for our tours. We couldn't get the model we wanted in Las Vegas, so we'll drive it there for the start of the Golden Gate Tour on 16th July. Hope you'll log on to the blog to follow our progress with that tour, too.

We've enjoyed visiting the South, & it's been very worthwhile because we've learned such a lot about the area. It is absolutely vital to fully research a new tour, because only by travelling the prospective routes do you really find out what will work & what won't, timings, mileages, fuel & food stops, hotels, places to visit - we have such a tough job! When we get home, we'll collate all the info we've gathered, & fashion it into a fabulous tour for 2011 - watch this space!

Full Circle - Nashville Back to Memphis

There was a familiar figure in the breakfast room at our Nashville Hotel, so I popped over to say goodbye before we braved the rain for our drive back to Memphis. I don't think he wanted us to leave, I'm sure he's crying - unless that's because of the pain caused by laying that square egg thing!

It was a bit scary on the motorway going out of the city, as the rain came down like stair rods & a couple of inches of water lay on the roads. In fact, we've renamed it Lashville, 'cos it was always lashing down - geddit!

The torrent gradually subsided & eventually stopped, as we took the Natchez Trace Parkway for around a hundred miles or so, en-route to Tupelo.
The Natchez originated as a migratory route of herds of bison, as they made their way to feeding pastures. Indians 'traced' the bison's path, & it eventually became a route used by settlers. Today, it's a history trail, with many information points & markers along it's length. I also think it's a secret, as we hardly saw another vehicle for the whole hundred miles we were on it.


The King & I

Lynchburg to Nashville

Just a few minutes walk from the distillery takes you into Lynchburg itself, & it's well worth visiting. Traditional American buildings form a sort of market square, lined with shops selling - guess what? Well, why wouldn't they, it's the whole reason for Lynchburg's being. Everyone there either works at the distillery, or supporting the tourist trade brought in by the distillery. It makes you wonder if the boy Jack (he was making whisky when he was just 13, & registered his business at 16) ever dreamed his creation would be celebrated worldwide, becoming more & more popular & being enjoyed by millions all these years later. Here's to you, Mr Jack!

Large drops of rain began to fall as we left Lynchburg, & pretty soon it was a torrential downpour as we headed towards Nashville, for an overnight stop. All thoughts of riding a Harley had now evaporated, & we were sooo grateful for that rented car! Well, I s'pose you can't have lush, greenery all around without a fair amount of the wet stuff to temper the hot, hot sunshine day after day.

We had two nights in Nashville, there's such a lot to see & do in the Music City. Like a couple of old farts, we took a guided coach tour to see all the famous sights - Music Row, the Ryman Theater, the Music Hall of Fame, to name but a few. Sadly, the Grand Ole' Opry is closed for restoration, as it was flooded last November. And we could understand why it was flooded; that torrential rain kept coming back, with a few full blown dramatic thunder & lightning storms thrown in for good measure. I must apologise for not having any photos of Nashville, I kept forgetting to take the camera, but take our word there are some fascinating sights around town. We enjoyed live music in the bars in the evening, & hopeful buskers on street corners. Everyone who wants to make it in the music business comes to Nashville, desperate to be heard & discovered by the 'Simon Cowells' from the many recording studios in the city.

Chattanooga to Nashville

Jack Daniel's Distillery

Very reluctantly, John tore himself away from the choo choo & as we left Chattanooga, we took the scenic road up Lookout Mountain, where we saw the whole of the city laid out below us.

His gouty foot continued to improve as the medication did it's job, so I was able to cut back on the sympathy to a more tolerable level! Well, I don't want him getting used to it!

As we drove our trusty rented car on our way to Lynchburg, home of the Jack Daniel's distillery, we longed to be on a Harley, as the sweeping, curvy roads were just made for biking. Mile upon mile of traffic-free roads, with lush, green vegetation either side, sun beaming down, & only a hint of a cloud in the blue sky above - surely this is biker paradise.

Jack Daniels & Friends!

We reached the distillery & decided to take the guided tour. It's free, & really interesting as you learn about Mr Jack & the process of making Old No. 7 Tennessee Sippin' Whisky. Sadly though, Lynchburg is a dry county, so although they can make it there, they can't serve alchohol anywhere. I think they like it that way, so they don't have to give you the usual free taste at the end of the tour!

Gatlinburg, Gout & Chattanooga

We left Gatlinburg en-route for Chattanooga, & all the time John complained that his left foot was painful & swollen. Now I'm a trained a nurse, & he knows better than to look for sympathy from me; I always tell him I've seen much worse than whatever it is he's got, & he shouldn't be such a wuss. But as we traipsed around Dollywood the previous day, he did mention that his big toe was sore, & I had joked that it might be gout, caused by over-indulgence & rich living!

As his foot worsened, I was more & more sure that it was indeed gout, & we went to a medical centre where the diagnosis was confirmed. We collected his prescription from Wallgreens, & he sat in the back of the car with his sore foot elevated on the passenger seat, lording it up while I chauffered him & doled out carefully measured doses of sympathy along the highway.

We stopped for a late lunch at at very quirky place called Piggy Hill, where Colonel Poole has a BBQ restaurant. Apparrantly, the local authorities wouldn't let him put a sign up on the highway to advertise his place & show where it was, so he hit on the idea of putting little piggy shaped signs on the hill behind it, & letting folks write their names & messages on them to draw people in. It was a great success, & now the place is famous for miles around, & he can charge for the piggies which are all around the car park & hillside. Apart from all that, the BBQ ribs are quite delicious, so that consoled John & took his mind off his poorly foot while he ate. Aahhh.

More lovely biking roads took us in to Chattanooga, as we headed straight for the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel - & what a fabulous place that is! Chattanooga Railway Station was in it's heyday in the early half of the last century, & immortalised by the Glenn Miller song in the early 1940's. This beautiful building has been lovingly restored, & now houses the front of the huge hotel complex. We ate that night in the Singing Servers restaurant, & were well entertained by the waiters & waitresses who one minute served our food, & the next were up on the stage, sounding polished & professional, & making great music that had the whole place calling for more. And the icing on the cake for John was the iconic Chattenooga Choo Choo itself; the majestic steam engine of a bygone era, & as he stood on the footplate & imagined himself as driver, all thoughts of gout were banished from his mind, & a huge grin was fixed upon his face.

We spent several nights in Gatlinburg, & there's loads to do there, plus some great biking roads in the Great Smoky Mountains. There's a road called the Tail of the Dragon, which boasts 318 curves in 11 miles, & it's just fantastic for bikers. They come from miles around to ride it. At the bottom, there's a place to have food & buy souvenirs, & there's also the Tree of Shame, where they hang bits of bikes that fell foul on the Tail (funnily enough, it's mostly plastic bits hanging there!)

It's also where Dolly Parton grew up, so of course we've been to Dollywood, & Dolly's Dixie Stampede dinner show. John loves Dolly - can you tell?! Everybody here talks with that slow, southern drawl, (Y'all come back now, y'hear?) & people are lovely, very friendly & oh, so courteous. The food is mostly sweet, or fried, or both, & they serve Hush Puppies with everything - a sort of deep fried dumpling. Weird. And very fattening. But curiously moreish.

I think we jumped the gun a bit with our last post - we should have explained that we're in the USA researching great riding roads & places to visit in & around Tennessee, Kentucky, & Georgia for a new tour we are planning for 2011.

We also should have explained that we are novices at all this blogging mularkey, & not very 'teccy' at all, so please excuse us if we fluff it now & again - as we have already! Anyway, please read on ...

We had a couple of days driving, with overnight stops in Paducah (world famous for quilting, no less!) & another in Renfro Valley (home of country music, apparently) but I don't think we'll incorporate those places into a tour, well, quilting isn't really a hobby for roughty-toughty bikers, (unless they keep that very quiet!) & the home of country music seemed to be not much more than a few barns, & not very rock 'n' roll at all. And apart from crossing the Mississippi on a ferry boat, the roads & scenery weren't much to write home about either. But they do have metal bridges over the Ohio River painted in the most shade of blue, & Dot was quite taken with them!

We arrived really late & absolutely exhausted on 1st July, then were up bright & early next morning to go & see Gracelands, home of the King, & do all the Elvis stuff in Memphis. Wow, it was really worth seeing, we enjoyed Gracelands, even though you can do the whole thing in a morning. That evening, we went out to Beale Street in downtown Memphis, & the whole street was jumping with live music in almost every bar, street entertainers & a general party atmosphere. We ate at BB King's (another King!), but he didn't show up there. Maybe nobody told him we'd be there!