10 States, 9 days, 2 bikes. and 3100 miles

The wife and I loaded up and ran East to the Smokies. Wandered through the Cumberland gap, sipped Bourbon at the Makers Mark distillery in Kentucky. Rode the dragon in North Carolina, walked the battlefields of Shiloh TN. Wandered through northern Mississippi and soaked in the sights of the Ozarks and Oklahoma. Anytime I was close to lakes I have only read about on the forum I made a point to ride the dam and talk to guys heading out or headed home. A couple I plan to fish on a long 4 day weekend.....anyone want to go? :fish

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Talked and visited with lots of people along the way. Lots of heat, cool mornings, torrents of rain, thick fog, winding mountain roads, and somewhere along the way I found.....Serenity.

The wife rode her own bike every mile, everyday, and some days were very long....never once uttered a single complaint

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My wife and I traveled the country in our RV. We visited the Maker's Mark Distellery as well. Were you surprised at how small it was to be a well know famous brand? Also in a very rural location, really a neat place.
Did you dip your own bottle for a souvenir? I kept mine for a year planning to open on the water with a fishing buddy. Finally gave in and had it one evening by myself.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SeaRay

My wife and I traveled the country in our RV. We visited the Maker's Mark Distellery as well. Were you surprised at how small it was to be a well know famous brand? Also in a very rural location, really a neat place.
Did you dip your own bottle for a souvenir? I kept mine for a year planning to open on the water with a fishing buddy. Finally gave in and had it one evening by myself.

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One of the highlights of the trip was the visit.

Got there late, closed.....6pm Sunday night. Very rural......The security guard saw us walking around outside and came up and asked if we wanted a tour. Said sure. Took us in, got some shots, ate some bourbon chocolates. Walked us around and then over to the distillery building where 3 workers were working, They each came up and greeted us and showed us around, Let us drink out of the still...burned doing down but smooooth. Sat and talked to them about 20 minutes and then was on our way. Totally awesome experience......world wide company that its employees have the flexibility to do stuff like that and it was truly was like we knew them for years they acted. A++++....Makers Mark is what I drink but if I didn't I would now just because of how they treat people.

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Now the jack Daniels distillery we stopped at in TN was nice, but pure Corporate USA

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Wow, thanks! That's some of my old stomping grounds. My grandparents live within view of the Cumberland Gap (from TN side) and my first college was just on the TN side, too. (LMU, Lincoln Memorial Univ). But there's a tunnel there now, huh? Used to go up over the Gap to get across. Took my Captain students to Shiloh every cycle when an instructor at Fort Knox. My house in TN is about an hour west of Nashville. I finally graduated from ETSU, and rode 'the dragon' over to NC all the time. Great trip! Brad

Cool trip. Was this spur of the moment or planned? The Makers Mark stop sounds awesome.

Sort of planned..... in that I planned to Wander. Had some places i wanted to see but how to exactly to get there was completely open.

Been to other battle fields but Shiloh truth be told was a special place and actually left there a little angry and in awe of those men on both sides that fought there. Almost had the whole battle field to ourselves and was able to sit for a good while deep inside the 'Hornet's Nest" and soak it in. Great experience that all should do, plan to take my youngest boy back there someday.

Nice trip, and I swear I saw two bikes/riders similar to yours and the riders were dressed similar to you (yellow helmet) on Hwy 411 one day earlier this week. I wondered where they were from and were they were headed as I headed home from the lake. I wonder if it was you and your wife. I live about 30 miles from the Dragon, and used to ride it on a regular basis. Glad you had a good two wheel trip. Ride safe.

Looks like a great trip Dave!!

Well you did what you said you were going to do at crappie camp, kept things on a loose itenerary and looks like you and your wife had a blast....that's what keeps you young:highfive

Kag if she lives with you without complaint that trip had to be easy with out a complaint. Glad you got to make it and returned home safely.