On the east coast . Charleston

Hi from Charleston South Carolina.
Had a ride in from Nashville past Chattanooga Tennessee,  then into the Smokey Mountains in the Southern part of the Appellation Mountain range. Rode the best motorcycles road in the USA called the "Tail of the Dragon". 318 bends in 11 miles. Lots of M/cycles ea end at bike cafes and some on the road.. It is Hwy 129 and quiet famous I believe. Even had 3 professional photographers set up at various corners. I looked  one address up and found us with about 12 shots of each riding past. Might purchase one later.
Stayed overnight at Anderson South Carolina and put our watches forward. We are now 11 hours behind Sth Aust.

The three bikes stopped on "The tail of The Dragon"

Nashville

Left Memphis to head east to get out of the rain. Abandoning our desire to follow the Mississippi down to New Orleans. Just after lunch changed plans again and headed nth east to Nashville Tennessee. Got in after an interesting ride through back roads and hwys.

Being a Friday night some hotels booked but managed to get one eventually. There was, would you believe a motorcycle cop convention on. Caught up with them at a mall the next day doing car park maneuver (gymkhana on motorcycles) competition and had a chat with a couple of them Checked out what was on at the Grand Old Opre. No one of note so we gave it a miss. Had a two night stop over and did some shop looking. massive mall with lots of up market shops compared with home. Next warm weather on the coast.

Photo of Gerald and Ford F650

Memphis and tour

Hi still struggling with editing and publishing. I think I had the arch in one post in the wrong city. It is in St Louis.
In Memphis we took a trolley tour. Probably rated a 3 out of 10. Drove past Graceland and got photo of same with rain on bus window. Opposite Graceland is several shops selling Elvis memorabilia and even his two airplanes, which you can tour. Our bus didn't stop but a purely Elvis tour was available. Didn't mention the history of the city or the Mississippi, Just the hospital where Elvis was declared dead and a few other Elvis related things.

Gerald meets the King

We had a good night being Wed a down town St Beale St is blocked off and many motorcyclist ride in and park. The St is one full of bars, music history and fund eateries.We saw many flash motorcycles and some freakish ones. a good night was had by all especially after eating at the recommended ribs joint. Good food but served on plastic plates with plastic cutlery, Strange!
Friday morning the rain had settled in. After checking various weather reports we decided to give the lower Mississippi a miss and ride east, along the way changing our mind again and heading for Nashville.Rode in very heavy rain coming out of Memphis, but the day improved as we went. Had Lunch at Tupelo (which we found out Elvis was born there. Can any one tell me which song mentions Tupelo in it?) Made it into Nashville in good time but tried several motels before getting rooms, and these motels are big. A police motorcycle competition in town over weekend as well as graduation nights for uni students, given this is the end of their school year.Heard on TV that Kansas City has had about a foot of snow. Glad we missed it, but we are under a large storm event which might take two or three days to pass. Just heard on the TV news the Kentucky Derby was run in mud today. Did some shopping and looked around Nashville today. No one seemed interested in doing a trolley tour.
Tomorrow we would like to ride east weather permitting, maybe head for the Smoky Mountains for some good riding roads..

Kansas City

Rode for a few miles expecting to get q ferry? No warnings about ferry out.

Rode to Kansas City, passing picture book farms, just like in a John deere calender. Did some back roads as the fwys are always fairly busy with trucks and cars. Saw a few cattle for Hugh. Mostly in yards at the barn. Almost no fences out in the paddocks
Took a trolly ride in Kansas to see the sights. Could not get to the arch as the park was under water. The Mississippi has risen from a low in January, to 38.5 feet above the January level, and now in flood.
Headed sth towards Memphis. Still taking some back roads. Got to Cairo, which was a town in decline, but where the Ohio river merges with the Mississippi. then on to Memphis. The weather was great temps got to 85f. good to ride with less gear on.

Kansas City to St Louis

The ride out of Kansas City was in good weather at 85 deg f. took fwy for a while then off the main rd and through some farming country. Some cattle in yards close to the house to keep Hugh happy. Looks like they mainly feedlot a few cattle as there were almost no fences. Some winter wheat, but farming generally still to wet for cropping for a couple of weeks.

Hit St Luois. Did a trolley tour. Could not get to the base of the arch as the high river had flooded the park.
of barges tied up and tugs next to them. Saw some unloading saw dust and one area loading coal onto barges.

Did some driving around the area and saw lots of farming on the river flats. Again a bit wet to pluough but interesting to ride and look. On Monday the weather was so good almost every one in the rural areas were out mowing their lawns. Mower sales would have been the boom field this week. Lots of green grass, almost no garden. Different.

Memphis

Had a good run into Memphis. Nice to be riding without the wet wweather gear, in fact with out the cover pants as well.

Passed through Cairo near the borders of Indiana, kentucky and Missouri, then into Tenessee. The River Ohio merged with the Mississipi here. The country again looked like it was out of a John Deere calender.Some farms getting bigger as the country opens out. The wood lands are surprisingly everywhere including boundary fence lines. Looks like 100% decidous, and not yet in full leaf, but getting more leaf as we move Sth.

Stayed at a small town called Anna and had an interesting night at the Blue Boar resuraunt out in the sticks. Big old barn type place full of hunting and football memorabilia.spent time talking to the owner, and old guy who had a lot of good philosophy on life and politics. The food of course is BBQ grill

St Louis and Sth

In St Louis we visited the zoo. It was a hot day and lots of families out and about. Interesting place. We then hit the road out of S/L and took some secondary roads south following the Mississippi. Got carried away looking at farming country and arrived at a ferry crossing that was out with the high river. No warning about ferry not in service anywhere. so we doubled back a while and took a different path, thanks to tom tom.

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