Lost in Tennessee and enjoying it, showers and all.

It was perfect riding weather as we headed off  from Boone on 421 east-the wrong direction. As we returned, the road workers with their 'lolly-pop' sticks must have wondered what we were doing. They waved us on cheerfully.

These flowers attracted our attention.

These enclosed webs seem to harbour some type of parasitic "insect" that clusters on one type of tree and eventually destroys it. Each individual web is 1 to 2 feet long.

We were not particularly fussy about which road we took unless it was a dirt road. The scenery is stunning either way. We were continually on hilltops looking all the way down on small properties, roads and rivers.  It has been like this for the last few days.

     

     

     

The Bluetooth GPS objected when we did not take its (dirt road) suggestion. It "punishes us" by not allowing us to communicate for a while until it has sorted out another route. Sometimes we are lucky and our Cardo Scala Riders (Bluetooth communicators) do not let him into our conversation. We don't know why this happens. The operating instructions do not explain all the variations that actually occur with this equipment but we are sure it has a mind of its own at times.

Derelict houses and barns are common. There seems to be no requirement to demolish them.

White fencing gives an elegant look to some properties.

Lake Watauga.

From Mountainn City Tennessee  we planned on taking routes 67 & 321 to Hampton. We eventually reached it via other interesting roads. Then it was 19 E to Roan Mountain for lunch where we waited in a very busy place for our BLT sandwiches. One local was very curious about us.

 It is sometimes risky taking back roads. Many steep country driveways are covered in gravel, which runs off onto the road. Chris had to concentrate hard on what otherwise would have been a beautiful ride. The last thing we need is to find a patch of gravel while testing lean angles.

We meant to take T 173 and 107 but somehow headed for Erwin via other roads.  If we hadn't had to backtrack we would have missed this serious thunderstorm on our arrival. Only a few minutes from our destiation and we had to seek shelter in a 'coffee shop'? We couldn't enter th building. It was a drive-in take away, each parking space had a menu and a red button at the bottom. Here you communicated to someone in the building and they brought your order to the car where you could eat or drive away. Not what we needed but we had shelter for 20 mins or so.

We found a motel with very reasonable rates. The owner could speak the language of cricket and relayed some much needed information from home.  We walked to a Dollar General store to find a real wine glass to replace one that broke. Almost every motel has tiny, plastic, disposable glasses supposedly for your own health and protection. Across the road was an IGA where we found a frozen meal we could share. At least we had a microwave and fridge.

A young man in a wheelchair knocked on our door and asked us for $2 as he did not quite have enough for cigarettes.