On October 8th, I plan on leading a ride to explore the backroads of Sevier County in eastern Tennessee. You guys are all familiar with Sevierville, Pigeon Forge (home of Dollywood), and Gatlinburg...right? Well, even though you can't avoid seeing some of the effects of those towns, you CAN avoid going through them while making a complete circuit of the county. And by golly, that's what we'll be doing. If you thought those towns defined the county, I think you'll have a different opinion after this ride should you choose to join me. Sevier County is surprisingly rural if you avoid those 3 towns.
The start point will be McDonald's at exit 407 from I-40 with sidestands up at 8:30 a.m.
Smaller and more maneuverable bikes with a light clutch pull will make it a more enjoyable day, and I'm probably riding something south of a 650. Wind protection should be a non-issue except for getting to the start and home from the end points. We'll spend little time in top gear as my GPS tells me I have averaged 31.8 mph as my moving average speed on previous trips on the route. There will be lots of little roads ranging from marked 2-lane roads down to unmarked/unlined 1-lane roads. FYI...the local BMW motorcycle club has nicknamed my rides "driveway tours", and this route certainly deserves the moniker.
Gas will be available at 41 miles, 83 miles, 143 miles, and 174 miles. We'll stop around 120 miles for lunch near Pittman Center, but there's no gas particularly close to that location. Gas will also be available at 192 miles, but that's at the very end of the route. Those stops may seem close together, but they are an hour or more apart based on the slow speeds we'll be traveling. Never fear...it only sounds slow. You'll be getting a good work out.
Except for one little corner of Cocke County that we'll pass through, which is maybe a mile in length, you'll find the pavement to be in above-average condition.
Plan on pulling out out of McDonald's at the 407 exit from I-40 at 8:30 a.m., so show up at least a little earlier than that. With the anticipated average speed, figuring an hour for lunch, and 4 gas stops/breaks of 15-20 minutes each, I'm thinking we'll be back to the starting area around 5:00 p.m. FYI...Unless you live in the central eastern Tennessee area, you may run out of daylight before getting home. It'll be a full day.
We'll be depending on every person to stick to the policy of making sure the person behind you sees every turn before you make the turn yourself. Do not make a turn until you know the person behind you has seen you. If anyone makes a turn before making sure this has happened, the ride is over for everyone behind you. Please don't be responsible for anyone on the ride being left behind.
If you come for this ride, find a place to spend Saturday night, we'll find a place to put on the feedbag, and then come to the Knoxville Ride For Kids event on Sunday.
