Smoky Mountain Trip May, 2011

I first visited the smokey mountains of eastern Tennessee soon after Elise and I were married and vowed that I'd return someday, but on a motorcycle. Who knew that it would take me 30 years to make that trip a reality!  Now having made it, all I can say is "what took me so long?" AND "I can't wait to go back!"

As always, Valek, my riding buddy, was more than happy to let me take care of the trip plans, which I enjoy, in part because I have always loved perusing over maps and i part because I love traveling adventures.  The added challenge to planning a route for Valek and I is that we always camp along the way and it is not always as easy to get campsite information ahead of time, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

We started planning in April for a trip in late May of 2011.   You may recall that the Midwest was flooded badly that particular Spring - mostly due to upper Midwest snow melt and heavy rains creating an historic flooding potential in the upper Mississippi and Missouri watersheds. That translated into higher than normal downstream levee releases, some levee breaches and millions of acres of farmland underwater. So, our moto-trip planning began with visits to the Missouri and Illinois Departments of Transportation web sites to check for closed and/or flooded roads. The MO-DOT site is outstanding - easy to use, full of up to the minute information, and accessible by smartphone from the road (which might have helped had I been smart enough to take advantage of that)!

Cuba, MO; Go Wildcats!

Our plan was to cut diagonally (from northwest to southeast) across Missouri ending up at Ste. Genevieve, MO, an early 18th century French settlement along the Mississippi River.  My interest in St. Genevieve was in part the historic significance of the town, but, perhaps even more so, because the only way across the MS river from Ste. Genevieve is by ferry!  Can you imagine, ferrying your motorcycles across the MO river?!   Conjures up images of a steamboats and Huck Finn!

All indications were that the ferry was still running despite the high water. Even when we got to town folks told us, the "ferry was running yesterday and if the flood gates are open then you're probably in luck".

The French Quarter of Ste. Genevieve, MO

Ste. Genevieve was beautiful (well worth a return trip). The French Quarter (they actually call it the French Quarter) consisted of dozens of square blocks of 18th century brick and heavy timber buildings that rival some of those of the New Orleans French Quarter.  After receiving directions from some locals at a quaint cafe, we rode on, holding our breath as we made our way to the ferry landing. The Mississippi was definitely high and although the 18-foot steel flood gates were open, I had mixed feelings as we rode through them  - excited that the gates were open and the possibility of catching the ferry, but consumed by an odd sense of being well below the river bank - as we made our way parallel to the mighty (and swollen) Mississippi.

The (submerged) Mississippi River Ferry Landing at Ste. Genevieve, MO

 Mixed feeling quickly resolved to an acceptance of the fact that the ferry landing was deep underwater and we'd better start looking for an alternate crossing point somewhere down-river. Fortunately that was Chester, IL, about 25 miles south. The bridge across the Mississippi at Chester was spectacular, as were many of the bridges we crossed along the way that spanned the Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee rivers.

Chester is home to the Southern Illinois Penitentiary, the second oldest state prison in Illinois (cir. 1878).  The sight of the mid-19th century brick structure - surrounded by double razor-wire-adorned high walls and machine gun-equipped towers looming dark and tall along the Mississippi river bank - painted (for me) a sobering deterrent from a nefarious lifestyle....To the inmates, however, I guess it's just home-sweet-home.

We made camp the first night just east of Carbondale, IL in Crab Orchard State Park. Although the weather had been cool for late May (low to mid 50s) and wet as the day went on. Our stay at Crap Orchard Park, was the nicest camping experience of the entire trip.  What we (I) failed to consider in my planning was that this was Memorial Day weekend!  Our relaxing (though wet and cold)  Thursday night stay at Crap Orchard Lake, proved to be our only easy camping experience for the entire trip.

Valek ALWAYS has the fire going before any of the bags are unpacked!

 Due to the holiday weekend (planning, planning, planning!), every campsite we encountered was full or closed! We were able to find some secondary places to stay including a campsite overflow area (translation... a patch of grass co-occupied by 100+ others and equipped with one port-o-potty) near a whitewater recreational area outside Chattanooga, TN on our second night and a patch of mosquito-infested grass at an RV park outside Lebanon, TN (mostly populated by long-time residents) on the last night of our return.
 
But, the reason we made this trip in the first place was to ride the incredibly beautiful motorcycle roads of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina - and that we did!!

Cherohala Skyway

 Cherohala Skyway Website

Tennessee is now one of my favorite states!  It is breathtakingly beautiful, full of history and incomparable natural beauty, and I truly cannot wait for an opportunity to return!  I hope you enjoy the ride!!  - LD