Biking For Wishes and Quest West: September 6th, 7th, 8th

September 6th

It was a chilly morning when I woke up but I slept great! I want to thank Shepherd's Dream for the awesome wool sleeping mat, sure makes tent camping extra enjoyable! I can set up on a pile of rocks and still be comfortable. Check out there website below, they make a lot of really nice bedding and you can order online. I got all packed up and took one last walk by the lake before beginning today's ride. There was a strong North wind which helped me out for most of the day. Always nice when you get a tailwind, makes a huge difference! I made another McDonalds wifi, yogurt, and water stop in the town of Henderson, TN. From there I road on a mixture of highway and back country roads taking me to the town of Adamsville. The ride was nice and quiet and really pretty. There were a couple decent hills and the temperatures were great in the 70's! So nice to have good riding conditions again. I did encounter a pretty terrifying dog that wanted to have me for lunch but it pulled a couple quick moves and got around him without a fight. Made me think of Cujo! In Adamsville I was getting pretty hungry so I stopped at Ma Ma Fia's Cafe. I met Mike, the owner of the cafe and he offered to buy my lunch after hearing about my bike trip. Thanks Mike!!! I ordered the chicken parmesan which came with salad and garlic bread and all of it was delicious!! I also had the homemade New York cheesecake which was also incredibly tasty! I would highly recommend eating here if you are ever in Adamsville, TN! From Adamsville I had an easy ride on a nice wide shoulder into the city of Savannah. Stephanie at the Weed Chamber called me with news that the Quality Inn in Savannah donated me a room for the evening. Thank you Stephanie and thank you Quality Inn Savannah, TN!!! After a nice shower I ran to the grocery store and then got some business done online. Nice to have a room to work on the blog and catching up on emails. Sorry of it takes a while for me to respond to emails by the way but I do enjoy getting them!

http://www.shepherdsdream.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ma-Ma-Fias-Cafe/187643017956307

http://www.qualityinn.com/hotel-savannah-tennessee-TN049

Leaving Chickasaw State Park after my Labor Day break

Lake Placid - Chickasaw State Park

Excellent food! Great prices! Highly Recommended!

Chicken Parmesan

Thanks for lunch Ma Ma Fia's Cafe!!! The chef and I

Crossing the Tennessee River

Thanks Quality Inn Savannah, TN!

Nice comfy bed!

September 7th

Started the morning off with a good continental breakfast at the Quality Inn in Savannah, TN. I love the waffle makers, always a nice start to the day! I took my time getting ready and listened to music, drank coffee, and got packed up. It was a nice party cloudy day starting in the 60's and warming up throughout the day. I had a mix of riding conditions and encountered quite a bit of road construction. At times I was able to ride on the closed part of the road which was great! About half way through the ride I took a break for some Butterfinger cake at a little store, so good! Early afternoon I reached my destination of Lawrenceburg, TN, home of David Crockett. I got a nice campsite along a creek at David Crockett State Park and when I went to the office to pay I met Dede who let me hold Buttermilk, an albino corn snake. This was actually the first time I have ever held a snake so it was pretty exciting for me! I biked a couple miles through the park and relaxed by the lake for a bit before heading back to the campsite for the evening. While riding though the park I saw several deer, turkeys, and I saw two cows fighting each other. I watched for a while and wondered what they were fighting about. Who has the better milk perhaps?

Blasting Zone!

Recently blasted area

I am amazed how even the tiny bridged have names

Me and Buttermilk

September 8th

Had a great sleep at David Crockett State Park and after breakfast I hit the road. The weather was great and I had a nice wide shoulder to ride on most of the day. I biked through the towns of Pulaski and Fayetteville and was looking for a place to sleep for the evening. After getting on Google I found a campground in Kelso, TN. I called Elk River Canoe Rentals and they told me it was only $5 for a campsite so that is where I headed. When reaching Kelso I took a gravel road several miles and met a deputy sheriff / baptist preacher. We talked for a while about bicycling and his plans to ride during his retirement. After long ride he assured me that the campground was just over one more hill. I biked into the Canoe Rental / Campground in the evening and was the only one there. I set up camp and made plans to meet Ben, the owner of Elk River Canoe Rental in the morning. It was a beautiful night with cool temperatures and an assortment of wildlife. I saw deer, turkeys, a huge spider, and fell asleep to the sound of owls in the trees just above me.

http://www.elkrivercanoes.com/