Different Trace, More Whiskey and Water

This entry is for Sunday, 22 May 2011:

In yesterday's blog I forgot to bring up the irony associated with the visit and tour of the Jack Daniels's Distillery. That irony is that this distillery is located in a dry county. In Moore's Coounty there can be no consumption of alcohol. JD has had special legislation passed to allow them to make whiskey and sell it at their facility in 750ml bottles only, but you cannot drink or sample it at the distillery.

We had a good 390-mile ride today from Clarksville, TN to Columbia, KY. We took a short western route to the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation area at Lake Barkley. Lake Barley is a large lake that is located in northern TN and southwestern KY. What is interesting about this lake is that it is split in two by a 70-mile long narrow land section that comprises the recreation area. We took the "Trace Road" that is a N-S road that goes right through the heart of the recreation area starting in TN and ending in KY. This was a great ride through the woods but did not include any vistas to see the lake on either side. So to get a view of the lake we took Rt. 80 north Trace Road and at the Rt. 80 bridges and causeways to the north and south of Trace Road. Along Trace Road we had a fox and a deer cross the road up ahead of us.

After completing this run, we headed west on Rt. 24 but missed the exit for the Western Kentucky Parkway. The intent to go to the Maker's Mark Distillery in Loretto, KY, about 170 miles to the east of the Lake Barkley as the crow flies. This mess-up took us on an unintended loop to the south, west and north back on track to the Parkway and cost us about 30 miles and 30 minutes of time. Oh well, who cares when you are retired!

From the Western Kentucky Parkway, we took Rt. 70 that goes south and east through Mammoth Cave National Park, a nice section of riding. Then we took Rt. 31E to the north and east to take us into Loretto. Unfortunately, the last hours section of Rt. 31E was done in rain and a thunderstorm. We avoided the brunt of it but nevertheless had to put on the rain gear for the first time on this trip. I also had a problem with my oil indicator light indicating a problem that was cause for concern to me getting stranded on the wilderness. Fortunately, with some oil top off at the Maker's Mark Distillery, the indicator light went off and we made it successfully about 50 miles south of the distillery into Columbia, KY for the evening stop.

More thunderstorms are expected tonight in the Columbia area and T-storms are predicted for tomorrow. Should make the intended ride south back into TN interesting. I am planning a stop at a Harley dealer in Chattanooga, TN to have my oil indicator light diagnosed further.