Thursday, April 25, 2024
293 Miles. We left Tarwater and headed deeper into Alabama. We took backroads through Alabama and headed toward MontEagle. We hit the beginning of the parkway and stopped for the night around Lawrenceburg, TN for the night.
Check out the videos from this ride!
Leaving out of Tarwater Hideaway Farm
We all hopped up early Thursday morning, had a little bit of coffee and started to get dressed. We got our bikes, reloaded took a couple pictures, played with some, and then decided tohead out. our plan was to head towards Mentone, Alabama and then get on 117 towards Monteagle. 
Shenie’s loves to stay at the farm. She gets a little human food with every meal. She loves her Mawmaw and my mom loves on Shen-butt before she does me. Shenie watched us leave . . . . mom had to hold the door shut. That little rascal can open that heavy door by pushing it with her head! And wouldn’t you know it, she was out within 20 minutes of us leaving. Mom shared the photo! ❤
The Natural Bridge
Nestled within the tranquil landscapes of Suwannee, Tennessee, lies a geological marvel that captivates both the mind and soul – the Natural Bridge. As you embark on your journey to this breathtaking site, anticipation mounts with each step, eager to witness nature’s artistry firsthand.
As you approach, the first glimpse of the Natural Bridge emerges, towering majestically against the backdrop of lush greenery. Its arching form, sculpted over eons, stands as a testament to the power of time and natural forces.
Standing beneath its grandeur, you’re enveloped by a sense of awe and wonder. The sheer magnitude of the bridge, spanning over ancient streams and rocky terrain, invokes a profound appreciation for the Earth’s geological history.
But the beauty of the Natural Bridge extends beyond its visual allure. It serves as a living classroom, offering a glimpse into the intricate processes that shape our planet. Erosion, the artist behind this masterpiece, whispers tales of perseverance and transformation as water, wind, and time collaboratively sculpted the rock into its current form.
As you traverse the pathways surrounding the bridge, each step unveils layers of educational insight. Interpretive signs provide a window into the geological processes at play, unraveling the mysteries of sedimentation, uplift, and erosion that contributed to the bridge’s formation.
For the curious explorer, opportunities abound to delve deeper into the natural world. Guided tours led by knowledgeable experts offer an immersive journey through the bridge’s history, shedding light on its significance within the broader ecosystem.
But perhaps the most profound lesson gleaned from the Natural Bridge lies in its resilience. Despite the passage of millennia and the relentless march of nature, it stands unwavering, a symbol of strength and endurance.
Our Natural Bridge Experience
I think that everyone was impressed with this natural feature that we were able to go and see. Krystal and Puppy were the first ones to be out on top of the bridge, Lane and I were a little slower, and Julie never stepped foot on it! it was only about 100 yards away from the parking lot, which made things a lot easier too! There are some people in our group that don’t really like hiking! 
Dixie Lee Diner
The morning plan turned out to be pretty spot on, because we headed to breakfast after we left the bridge. We had a few to choose from on the plan list, but we settled on the Dixie diner. It’s right on top of Monteagle and it had a little old school setting that we were interested in seeing. I think everybody got to have breakfast, and they were all very pleased with their selections. This place had a lot of cool stuff kind of old-school dive, but it had the cutest bathrooms I’ve ever seen. I even went in the men’s restroom to check it out!
Moonshiners Harley Davidson
We popped into Moonshiners H-D to see what they were all about. As you can see in the slideshow, Krystal is the focus of my attention, especially when all her credit cards and her entire wallet end up on the ground! When I’m not able to catch it on camera, because this happens so frequently, gravel out of her hand, and throw them back down so that I can video or picking them back up! Everybody got a little bit of something shirts, pants, just accessories, and left moonshiners happy. Pup also got to sit on another big ape hanger bike!
This women is just hilarious when it comes to keeping up with her wallet! I have just started to help her lose shit, drop shit, forget shit anyway I can! When she loses it close to dinner time, she buys us all dinner with a great big smile!!
There he is playing with the bikes again!!!
The Loveless Cafe
Next, we popped over to the Loveless Café. It was one of the last points that we would have before hitting the beginning of the Natchez trace. Some of us got coffee, homemade baked snacks, and others just hung out while the rest of us downed our sugar highs! The Loveless Cafe had great reviews on Google, and it seems that most bikers who are riding the Trace often pop into this location. It was its own little community. There are several shops here. A Gift Shop, The Cafe, and the Market were only the first few we saw. There could have been more; I suspect we were too tired already to walk over and find out!
Getting back on the road and heading straight to the Natchez Trace Parkway northern entrance, but not before a cool old car passed us by! IT was Sunfire Yellow and a convertible! So pretty!! Julie just about broke her neck too taking it all in! Once we got pass the car, we shuffled out and hightailed it to the parkway and started rollin steady!
The Natchez Trace
FINALLY! On the Trace and . . . We are off!! We crossed over the Birdsong Hollow and the Double Arched Bridge and it was so pretty. The only thing that disappointed me was the Chainlinked Fence going up on the bridge! Why?? I can only ask, WHY WHY WHY!!! Why destroy such a captivating view with an ugly ass chainlinked fence?? I could not bring myself to look off the the bridge when riding over it the entire time.. I just hung my head low in a little Huge bit of disappointment. Just put in something nice! You have used all our tax payers dollars and you are going to finish it off with a friggin Chainlink!! Sorry, I have to move one now!
The ride was interesting. There were boulder and outcropping cuts where the road was situated which added so much interest to the riding. There is always a time and a place for the wide sweeping curves!! I love the road!
The Parkway Sign North
We finally got on the Trace! We rode over the main bridge and headed right for the sign to take our pictures! We had had beautiful weather all day! If it is not me causing the broken parking rhythm of the bikes then it is all Lady Lane!! Just from the first of the “Bike Pics” I can tell it is going to be hard to get some good ones because we are rotating going in and out of our own little worlds! They totally left me room to slide in right beside Pup, and I rolled off and did my own thing . . . . Later on Lane follow my bad bad behavior and good example of what not to do when parking!! HAHA.
The Baker Bluff Overlook
We stopped off at Baker Overlook which was not a high vista at all. It looked out over the rolling hills south of Nashville. It was only a few miles in along the NTP. The low limbed trees offered opportunities to look out through the tree and sometimes just under the lower limbs. The natives trees divided up the farmland and planting plots. You could see an older built homestead off in the distance.
And it is time to keep rollin onward!!
Jackson Falls
We decided to go ahead and stop off at Jackson Falls. . . . It was a small and simple waterfall. It still offered an entirely new micro-ecology of plants around the falls. There were several rock outcroppings that the water flowed over. There were unique moss species and ferns all around the flowing water pools. I think that I made a couple of people worry a little bit. There are so many things that I tend to forget when I do not get to get deep into nature. The small things. . . .what is this trail all about? What is its significance? What is the experience to me and to me alone??
At some point, I said, ‘It sure is gray to not have rain coming in!’ And then, what do you know . . . Here it comes! And we can’t run for cover cause Krystal, who had plenty of gas at the last gas stop, is not sitting on ‘E’! Whew . . . This is one of my pet peeves. lol. Check out her getting reprimanded below in the video!!
Lessons Learned!
Mrs. Krystal decides that she has plenty of gas to make it to the next gas stop when everyone else fills up! Whelp, that was not really the case and she got in some big troubles!! We are forming a line for anyone who can’t stand this little “Krystal Move” to line up to give her Spankings! Reserve your spot in line by commenting on the post below! Some people enjoy learning things the hard way! ❤️ Mrs. Krystal is one of them, so it seems . . . .
Hotel in Lawrenceburg TN
We barely made it to the hotel before the rain started coming down that night. We ordered in some pizza and called it a night! We were tired and went off the NTP a little farther than organically planned to get a better rated hotel! Not a big deal! I love to ride and the best part is . . . . So does everyone else in this group!
Thanks for riding with BBMR and the Angels!
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