Cades Cove Loop to Lebanon

Somewhat groggy from the previous nights excesses, I tried to come up with a riding plan for the day.

Many cups of coffee later my will re-materialized and I realized that I would forever regret it if I did not take a ride through Cades Cove. It was most certainly the only time in my life that I would be able ride this on my motorcycle, and probably the first or second thing that friends would ask when they learned I visited the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. So, I decided to go, even though it would involve a 4 hour detour back through the park.

Once again, timing was in my favor. While I had heard horror stories of “bumper to bumper” traffic throughout the entire loop during autumn, on this early weekday morning in April, I almost had the entire loop to myself.

The clouds hung low over the Cove, but no rain materialized. Instead, I was treated to sunbeams breaking through the clouds and illuminating the morning fog in the meadows.

I posed my trusty steed in an empty parking lot, and photographed her under the soft light with sunbeams in the distance as if she were a supermodel.

A little further on the loop I strolled around the grounds of the Cable Mill Visitors Center and photographed the gristmills.

OK,, I now had to make up some time and start riding west on I40. Coming out of Gatlinburg I had to pass directly through Pigeon Forge of Dollywood Fame. The entrance to the park was enormous with parking lots as far as the eye could see. I was glad that it was off-season and that without traffic I could make good time to Knoxville. I cannot imagine what this would be like in the height of the summer tourist season.

At Knoxville, Lorry had found another Chipotle so I set that as my destination and had my second lifetime dubious Chipotle lunch.

Full of beans, I headed west on I40 and tried to make up some time.

After a while, I found an Econo Lodge in Lebanon, Tennessee that was in walking distance to a highly Yelped restaurant named Los Compadres Mexican Grill. So after another dose of Mexican food I was sated and soon asleep in my room.