Today I started my journey to Nashville TN to begin my journey down the Natchez Trace. Last year Denny and I rode the Blue Ridge Parkway and I felt that my spring ride should be to Natchez so it begins.
I left Sevierville TN this morning with dark clouds in the sky and a threat of rain, well I didn’t get a couple of miles from home and it started to rain. The plan was to take Rt 70 West to Nashville but with the rain I decided to take I40 and see if I could run through the east bound rain and get in the clear. Well it worked for a while but I ran into spotty showers all day. I got off I 40 about Harriman TN and traveled my original route west on Rt70. Stopped in Cookville TN for lunch, could not find a small local restaurant so Burger King it was and I continued West.
Somehow I get off course and ended up back on I40 just East of Nashville so I rode it to through Nashville to Franklin TN to a hotel. From the hotel I traveled back into Nashville to go to the American Pickers Store. It was somewhat hard to find what with all the construction in the area but I made it, too a couple of pictures went inside and man was it packed with people, it did not look like anyone was buying but lots of selfies with store items from a favorite show I guess.
Next I went to the Barista Parlor, a coffee shop that I have been wanting to visit for for time. The coffee was great but about halfway through a fresh brew of Ethiopian it started to rain again.
So I headed back to the hotel and about a block from the coffee shop I got caught in rush hour traffec and I heard thunder, then I saw lightning then I felt rain, more rain, more rain the sky turned black and for 20 miles back to the hotel it was what we call a Gully Washer. Rained cats and dogs and I was soaked. I kept pushing down the road thinking what the heck, I am soaked so what is a little more soaked.
Got to the hotel and turned up the hear to try and dry things out, they have clothes dryers but at $3.00 a pop I thought I would give it a go with the room heater and hair dryer. Using the hair dryer in my bots worked pretty well, the other gear was hung us and with the room heater on full blast I think it may be fry by morning.
In conclusion rain proof boots are not! rain liners in pants and jackets are not, I should have put on the frog togs next time I guess . All part of the adventure!