Jackson to Memphis--Part 3

June 30, 2009



Barry and I were standing outside the BP convenience store on Riverside Drive sipping on yet more Gatorade waiting for someone we’d never met to come pick us up. Alas, our ride was officially over. Or was it? For a few hours more we would be basking in the afterglow of the experience.

after-glow 1 : a glow remaining where a light has disappeared 2 : a pleasant effect or feeling that lingers after something is done, experienced, or achieved

Yes, the ride was over, but after all, the journey itself is the destination. And there was still more journey to go. Jeff Jones soon arrived in his air conditioned minivan, loaded in two tired bicycles and two tired bicyclists and conveyed us to a Baptist Collegiate Ministries building a few blocks away. Jeff is the director of this student ministry organization for the University of Memphis, formerly Memphis State University. Jeff told us that not all alums are happy with the name change. Jeff is a Union University (Jackson, Tennessee) grad. He and his wife have four kids.

The BCM building had showers where we could clean up so as not to offend clientele later at the Peabody Hotel or Rendezvous Restaurant. The building is located adjacent to the campus of the University of Tennessee School of Medicine, where missionary Bill Wallace received his training many decades ago. Wallace, a native of Knoxville, served as a medical missionary to China and endured the Japanese invasion during World War II and the Communist takeover that occurred after the war. The Communist officials falsely accused him of espionage and confined him to prison, where they eventually beat him to death, to the sorrow of the many Chinese who loved the compassionate doctor. The BCM building has a library dedicated to this martyr’s memory.

Refreshed and smelling a little sweeter, we climbed back into Jeff’s van and headed toward the Peabody Hotel. The Peabody is an institution in Memphis, another classic example of the preservation of southern tradition. Jeff proposed to his wife on the roof of the Peabody. The cavernous lobby of this luxury hotel exudes elegance and includes a huge marble fountain which serves as the daytime playground for five ducks. The ducks live in their penthouse home, Duckingham Palace, at night. Every morning at 11:00 a.m. a “Duckmaster” in resplendent uniform with a fancy cane rolls out a red carpet from the elevator to the fountain. The ducks march out to their oversized birdbath to the background music of John Phillip Sousa’s “King Cotton March.” At exactly 5:00 p.m. the Duckmaster escorts the feathered celebrities back down the red carpet and up to their rooftop home. When a lady in the crowd of spectators asked the Duckmaster why he had to wait until exactly 5:00 p.m., he replied, “Because ducks do not expect to leave until five o’clock! Besides,” he added, “it’s a southern tradition.”

The tradition began in the 1930’s with two inebriated duck hunters sneaking their live decoys into the fountain as a joke. Within a few years hotel Bellman Edward Pembroke, a former animal trainer, began to march the ducks out to the fountain every day. He would continue in the capacity of Duckmaster for the next fifty years. The pomp and circumstance on display as the ducks march is truly a sight worth seeing in Memphis.

After witnessing the spectacle of the ducks, we needed to sample only one more Memphis tradition to make this trip complete: a rack of Charles Vergos’s famous Rendezvous ribs. After pedaling ninety-six miles in two days, we were ready for a hearty meal. Rendezvous did not disappoint. The outside of the place doesn’t look like much. The entrance is accessed by a narrow alley. Once inside the front door, a narrow staircase leads the hungry customer down to the underground, windowless dining area, where somewhat brusque waiters serve the patrons. Memphis memorabilia adorns the walls, while paper placemats regale the diner with the virtues of the establishment’s dry rub ribs: “Not since Adam has a rib been this famous.” “Hard as it is to believe, some folks don’t eat pork ribs every chance they get.” And my personal favorite, “About as far as a pig can go in this world.” The ribs were not the fall-off-the-bone kind; you have to work and chew to get the meat off. It truly adds to the culinary experience.

A retired student minister joined us for the meal: Charles Ray Griffin. Barry had recently reconnected with him and invited him to meet us at Rendezvous. This gracious servant of the Lord was thrilled to see Barry again, whom he knew as an MSU student in the 1970’s. Charles and Jeff had not met previously but had much to talk about regarding student ministry.

So with bellies full of barbecue and hearts full of memories, we started back to Jackson. Jeff and I compared notes on our respective ministry experiences as he drove. Old traditions, new friends—that ‘s what this ride has been all about. And let’s not forget old friends as well. Barry and I would drive on from Jackson to Nashville that night, where his parents had offered me lodging prior to returning home the next morning.

Tennessee is not universally beautiful and wholesome. It has its share of problems. I did encounter some negative, though minor, facets of the state. However, I ignored or downplayed these aspects. My desire is not unlike that of the late Norman Rockwell, who painted the wholesome view of Americana to the exclusion of anything negative or depressing. Rockwell did not believe our society was actually so pure and unspoiled; but he wanted to help people see the beauty and goodness around them and inspire them to something higher and better. Likewise, my desire has been to help my fellow citizens see the evidence of the hand of the Lord even in an imperfect Tennessee. Such blessings have made this slice of Tennessee a rare delicacy. Now if you’ll excuse me, I believe I’ll have me another slice.

Jackson to Memphis--Part 2

June 30, 2009
“Bed & Breakfast” implies a good night’s rest and a savory meal in the morning. Little Acorn Farm did not disappoint on either front. The bed was just the right combination of firm and soft. And the advertised “farm fresh breakfast” truly was: egg and potato casserole, honeydew melon, apple sauce, sausage links, toast with jelly (on fancy bread, I might add), and orange juice. The day was sunshiny and warm. What a way to start the last day of the ride that began in the chilly rain near Newport last fall. Thanking the Bodanskys for their kindness, Barry and I set out, eager to encounter still more examples of carefully preserved southern tradition before day’s end.

The next town down the road was Galloway. When I had earlier researched lodging options on the internet, it actually had listed a third possibility in this area—honest to goodness, a nursing home in Galloway. Barry and I may be graying up, but we didn’t think we were quite ready for that destination.

Stopping for a water break, Barry urged me to snap a picture of a pervasive if unintended southern tradition: kudzu. Sometimes called “mile a minute vine” or “the vine that ate the South,” kudzu is a legume native to southern Japan that was first introduced into the United States in 1876 as a forage crop and an ornamental plant. However, in the South the Civilian Conservation Corps planted it extensively for erosion control. With ideal growing conditions and no natural predators, it quickly became an official nuisance weed. It takes only a few weeks for this rapidly-growing vine to cover stone walls, trees, even old junked cars (by the way, another pervasive southern tradition). After a few minutes Barry seemed impatient to get started again. I don’t think he liked the way the kudzu was looking at us.

Soon we crossed the lazy, winding Loosahatchie River. Barry, always the geologist, noted that we were now in the Mississippi Embayment, part of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. According to Wikipedia it is a northward continuation of the fluvial sediments of the Mississippi River Delta to its confluence with the Ohio River at Cairo, Illinois. (I don’t know what that means, but it sounds impressive.)

Soon after we entered Shelby County and Arlington, we encountered the built-up area that would continue unabated for the rest of the ride. The day was quickly growing hotter and more humid than the day before. The terrain was surprisingly hilly (hey—I thought it was all downhill from Crossville). We still had much riding ahead of us. There was no way, however, I was going to let such trivialities keep me from finishing this ride. I was too close. I could almost taste it. I was confident Barry would make it to the finish line also. But if not, I’d note where he went down and phone the location to the paramedics. In the meantime, nothing could stop me, except—a two-inch cotter pin lying in my path. I never saw it. I just heard the sickening pop! and felt the familiar bump bump of a flat tire. Undaunted, we set to work and had my spare tube installed in no time. We patched the old tube as best as we could, but the tear was so long I wasn’t sure the patch would hold. And there was still a lot of Memphis to pedal through, and I’d be without a reliable spare. But I’d pedal on the rims to the River if I had to!

Memphis is familiar territory to Barry, a University of Memphis (formerly Memphis State University) grad. He led us off US 70 for several blocks onto a parallel road to avoid the heaviest traffic. We rejoined the highway again where it runs past Overton Park. Talk about preserving southern tradition—the Park not only is home to cultural offerings ranging from an art school and museum to a sprawling zoo to a nine-hole golf course; in addition, this 342 acre enclosure in Midtown Memphis boasts one of the largest old-growth forests in any major metropolitan area. Surrounding the Park are many old stately mansions, still well-maintained. Except for a few improvements, the Park itself has remained undisturbed since its establishment in 1906; therefore, local residents were understandably upset when construction plans revealed that Interstate 40 would cut a swath through the heart of the area. After much wrangling and even a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 1971, the Department of Transportation backed down and routed I-40 over the existing I-240 route around the city. Apparently, citizens of Memphis wanted to preserve its traditional park. And why not? After all, Elvis gave his first public concert here in Overton Park Levitt Shell.

Speaking of Elvis, Barry and I were to see another landmark of tradition as US 70 traversed over Union Avenue: Sun Studio. Elvis got his start here. When he auditioned at the (then) Sun Record Company, they asked him who he sounded like. The eighteen-year-old aspiring singer said, “I don’t sound like nobody!” And the rest is history. Elvis, it appears, was more interested in starting traditions than preserving them. The studio is famous also for giving Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, and Jerry Lee Lewis their start as well. Huge photographs of all four are displayed on the side of the old brown brick corner building.

Memphis is just brimming with sites preserving traditions of the old South. But the day was hot, humid. Even Gatorade was having difficulty boosting our stamina. I suggested to Barry that we make a beeline to the Old Bridge. We did, tipping our hats (or helmets) to Beale Street as our route intersected it. At last the Old Bridge was in sight. I almost cried. Was this 56-year-old senior citizen really about to realize his dream? In a way it was anticlimactic. This ride never was just about the Old Bridge or state lines. It was about the smell of the sawmill in the rain outside Newport; the memories of my childhood in Knoxville; the history exuding from a little stone stagecoach inn visited by presidents and governors; a salute to the hospital (St. Thomas) that saved my life decades ago; reconnecting with family in Waverly; meeting new friends on the road, in the bed and breakfast, and elsewhere; and of course, the famous Peabody Hotel Ducks and Rendezvous ribs (you’ll have to wait for Part 3 to get those stories). Truly, the journey itself is the destination.

Barry and I crossed the line into Arkansas high above the Mississippi River on this same bridge where I first crossed it in 1961. We took pictures like two buddies having just scaled Mt. Everest. The Mayor, the Governor, and the cable news reporters were conspicuous by their absence. Never mind—we knew we were making history here and adding to southern tradition. So where do I go now? What do I do next? I’m still working on that one. In the meantime let me savor my recent slice of Tennessee.

Jackson to Memphis--Part 1

June 29-30
How do I begin the last write-up of an adventure that began small and suddenly took on a life of its own? Exploring the state I love by bicycle down yesteryear’s main street (Highway US 70) has been somewhat akin to reading a good mystery novel: as the finish grew closer, I had the mad desire to reach the conclusion; yet, I did not want the experience to end. Indeed, I have come to realize that the destination is not the purpose of the trip: the journey itself is the destination.

This ride being so far to the west, the logistics were more of a challenge than ever. My old high school buddy Barry Chamberlain from Houston would make the two-day ride with me from Jackson to the finish line. Getting to the starting point was no problem. I met Barry at his parents’ house in Nashville on Sunday evening, June 28, and we drove to Jackson to lodge for the night. Neither Marcia nor Barry’s wife Mona was available to drive the chase car and bring us back from Memphis. However, two appeals to southern hospitality solved the problem. Brian Wimberley of Poplar Heights Baptist Church arranged for us to park my minivan at their church parsonage for safe-keeping while we pedaled to Memphis. I found Brian on the internet and called him out of the blue. He was most gracious. And it turns out that his uncle Mike Wimberley and I shared the same dorm suite at the University of Tennessee at Martin in 1972. The more I’ve ridden across this state, the smaller it has become.

My second appeal was successful as well. The director of the Baptist Collegiate Ministries at the University of Memphis agreed to drive us from Memphis back to our vehicle in Jackson after we completed our ride. (I promised him dinner as part of the arrangement.)

One problem proved more troublesome. The lodging options between Jackson and Memphis along US 70 are quite limited. Nothing seemed to be available anywhere near the half-way point of our ride. Finally, I located a small motel via the internet near Stanton that looked suitable. We were ready to ride!

Southern hospitality is still very much alive in Tennessee. Barry and I would encounter it frequently in our two days on the road. It’s a southern tradition. And this end of the state holds on to such customs fiercely. There is a large sign, for instance, on a farm near Brownsville proudly proclaiming, “100% Pure Estate Bottled Sweet Sorghum—Preserving a Southern Tradition.” Discovering such traditions and watching local folks preserve them would make this ride an interesting one.

Jerry gave us a sampling of hospitality early on the first day as we stopped at a convenience store for a Gatorade fill-up. Jerry’s attire gave the impression on his being on the lower rungs of the economic ladder, as did his mode of transportation: a bicycle. He had ridden a half mile from home to the store. Being a bike rider himself, Jerry was quite interested in our ride to Memphis. As we started off again, he stopped us and asked, “Can I ride with you as far as my house?” So we had another partner in the ride, for at least the next half mile, after which Jerry peeled off and bade us goodbye.

More hospitality awaited us in Brownsville. This town of about 11,000 was named for Jacob Jennings Brown, who served as an officer in the War of 1812, the war in which Tennessee derived her fame as “The Volunteer State” (and yes, the nickname really does pre-date University of Tennessee football). Brownsville is the only built-up area of any size between Jackson and Memphis. As we stopped to rest in the shade on the lawn of the (traditional) courthouse square, Barry made himself at home lying down on the grass. Soon I noticed a smartly dressed older man speaking with him. Oh no, I thought, he thinks Barry’s a vagrant. But their subsequent laughter eased my mind and puzzled it simultaneously. It seems that a foreclosure sale slated for the courthouse that morning had been cancelled. The kind gentleman simply wanted to make sure Barry wasn’t waiting around for it. Barry replied, “No, but tell me what you’ve got—I might be interested.” Mona would have loved that one—Barry rides with me and comes home with real estate in Brownsville.

Lunch in Brownsville revealed another West Tennessee tradition that the locals defend vigorously: pork barbecue. Backyard Barbecue proved to be no disappointment, with its pulled pork sandwiches, good cole slaw (always a test of a good barbecue establishment), and classic movie posters adorning the walls. We were to find out however, that many such establishments compete for the customers, and every local can tell you which one is “the best.” Indeed, I had already been advised of several “best” barbecue restaurants in Memphis; however, my heart was set on the ribs at Rendezvous.

The deliciously cool morning had quickly turned into a hot afternoon. The stretch of US 70 west of Brownsville has little shoulder, but the traffic was light. Since the power lines ran along our side of the road, the few shady spots usually appeared on the other side. I couldn’t resist stopping at a produce stand some young people were tending in front of their house. It wasn’t the produce—it was the shade of the awning. Enzo and Robin were quite friendly and glad to share their shade with two weary bikers. But our first figurative dark cloud appeared on the horizon as they asked where we were staying that night. The motel in Stanton, I informed them. They scratched their heads wondering what this crazy biker was talking about. “There’s nothing in Stanton,” they informed us. We thanked them politely and rode on, knowing that the internet told us there was a motel there and the internet does not lie!

But as we arrived in this community of 615 people, we discovered to our chagrin that the locals know more about Haywood County than the internet does. We met a friendly young man named Carson at a convenience store (the only commercial establishment in town) who told us our motel was seven miles off the highway near I-40. There were no more motels on US 70 before Memphis. And we weren’t even to the halfway point of our two-day ride. Staying at that motel would put a sixty-plus mile day ahead of us the next day, a doubtful goal in the increasing heat and humidity. While we pondered our dilemma, Carson excitedly told us of the Justin Timberlake movie that was filmed in Stanton (Black Snake Moan). Carson was proud of his little town. Personally, I was less concerned about the cultural offerings of Stanton, than I was about where we’d stop and sleep. Where did Justin Timberlake sleep during the filming? the motel at I-40? Before the day was out, Barry and I might truly be vagrants.

I did have one more drawing card: my internet searching had turned up a bed and breakfast somewhere in the area, Little Acorn Farm. But B & B’s tend to be more expensive, would require advanced reservations, and typically had only one bed per room (not an attractive option to two sweaty bikers). But we were desperate. I pulled out my cell phone (thankfully, I’d written down the number just in case). On the strength of one cell bar, I soon found myself talking to Jaynee Bodansky, who along with her husband Les, runs the B & B. And in a true display of southern hospitality, she welcomed us to come out and even offered us two rooms for a quite reasonable price. The location would put us in a much better position for our next day’s ride. So a few hours later, Barry and I, cleaned up and enjoying our sandwiches on the Bodanskys’ front porch, became acquainted with this delightful couple. We felt right at home. Les took us out back to pick some blueberries for the bowls of ice cream Jaynee was preparing for us. He showed us around the grounds and expressed the hopes they have for Little Acorn Farm. They have been there less than two years and only recently started the B & B. Their establishment was a life-saver to us that day. This sweet couple did as much as anyone we met over our two days on the road to preserve the tradition of southern hospitality. That is significant since they just recently moved to our state from Canada (Vancouver).

We had one more day of riding to reach my original destination of the state line / Mississippi River. But as we enjoyed the southern traditions of the area, capped off by good fellowship with the Bodanskys, I was reminded that the journey itself is the destination.

Camden to Jackson

March 25-26, 2009 Camden to Jackson

I knew it was too good to last: two days of beautiful spring weather with partly sunny skies and warm temperatures. But Tuesday night the storm clouds rolled in. Marcia, her mother, Josh, and I sat in The Catfish Place happily doing our part to support the local economy (channel catfish is the official state commercial fish). Using his ubiquitous Blackberry, Josh obtained the weather forecast: thunderstorms through the night, rain possibly continuing until noon on Wednesday. It was that word possibly that disturbed me. If it was seventy percent or more chance of rain, I could honorably end my riding for this trip and return to Nashville with Marcia and the rest. If it was only a slight chance of rain, I could continue my ride in confidence. But with an almost even chance, I’d either have to dig out my clunky rain poncho and prepare for a wet ride OR chicken out on the ride and maybe live to regret the wasted opportunity. In the end the words wasted opportunity disturbed me far more than the word possibly. So I bid the others farewell and secured a room for the night.

Why was I so worried about rain, anyway? Didn’t I start this ride in the rain last fall near Newport? Yes. And didn’t I thoroughly enjoy beginning this fabulous adventure, even in the rain? Yes. And were my soggy wet clothes really that uncomfortable? Yes. (Oh well, two out of three ain’t bad.) But rain is part of the fabric of Tennessee as surely as colorful leaves, historical sites, and tasty catfish. Indeed it plays a major part in the culture of agriculture so prominent in West Tennessee. Agriculture and Commerce—that is the Tennessee state motto. On this part of my ride I would experience the overlap of both as I rode through several small towns whose livelihood depends largely on the produce of the surrounding farms.

I took the luxury of sleeping in late Wednesday morning. Not only was I tired from two days of riding, but I also wanted to give the rain that had been falling all night a chance to dissipate. Loading up on a breakfast of bacon, eggs, biscuits, and gravy at the Best Western Inn in Camden, I prepared to meet the rain head-on about 9:00 a.m. To my utter amazement the clouds showed signs of breaking up as I started out. The rain had slowed to a mere mist. I donned the poncho, tying my backpack straps around my waist to keep the plastic from billowing up around me as I rode, and took off. My pedaling took me within three miles of the site of the plane crash that killed Patsy Cline. What a rich, expressive voice she had. It took my mind off the misty cool weather.

Bruceton was the first of numerous tiny towns I would traverse on my ride this particular day. It looked like a ghost town. I don’t recall seeing anyone there, just an occasional passing car. One of those temporary advertising signs in a parking lot in front of a boarded up building seemed to sum up the local mood: “Where the ____’s my bailout?” Maybe the next town would be a little more inviting. Hollow Rock. Yes, now I was definitely in Carroll County. Believe it or not, I had been to Hollow Rock before, actually knew a resident there. She was a fellow freshmen at the University of Tennessee at Martin back in 1972, a girl named Pat. My roommate John Claxton (fortunate enough to have wheels, a 1966 Chevy II) had given me, Pat from Hollow Rock, Debbie from MacKenzie, and Linda from somewhere, a ride to Nashville, where they attended a Christian conference and I attended to my (then) girlfriend Marcia, who was finishing high school that year. On the way back to campus Sunday evening, Pat talked John into swinging by her house for a few minutes, where we visited with her mother. Hence, my introduction to the town through which I was now pedaling. A cute little community, it didn’t appear to have changed much in thirty-seven years.

Soon the houses and businesses of a larger town came into view. Huntingdon was the last town I’d see before I began to pass the large open fields of West Tennessee. Huntingdon boasts about 4300 residents. John and I knew a UTM upper classman named Bobby Tucker from here. He called the city “the capital of Carroll County.” I guess it is—the county courthouse is located here. I stopped at a bank off the courthouse square looking for a familiar ATM that wouldn’t charge me a user fee. I was down to $8.00 cash, and small towns still run largely on cash, not plastic. A friendly teller informed me that my bank didn’t have a machine in the area. However, she was impressed with my bike ride and suggested nearby Mallard’s restaurant for lunch. Instead, I pedaled on out toward WalMart, where I could buy some cheap needed item with my debit card and get cash out for free. Stopping on the way at CB’s Barbecue, I enjoyed a pork plate, which left me a dollar to spare. A few minutes later I found WalMart, bought a cheap tire gauge, and obtained my needed cash.

I hardly recognized anything in Huntingdon from my UTM days passing through here. However, I recalled another student, Debbie Cannon, who made her home in this town. She had survived the devastating tornado that ripped through the area in 1970. Debbie, who had a strong faith in the Lord, calmly went through the house opening windows (as experts suggested in those days) as the funnel cloud was approaching. The Lord spared her and her family’s house. Debbie once told me that the town was named for a carving a hunter left on a nearby tree, “Hunting done.”

Huntingdon brought me to another decision point: U.S. 70 splits into 70 going to Jackson and Brownsville and 70A going to Milan, Humboldt, Bells, then Brownsville. I wanted to explore both routes and see all the Tennessee I can. So I hit on a compromise: 70A to Humboldt, lodge there for the night, and then on back to Jackson on a different highway. Next time I could ride Jackson to Memphis on 70. Not exactly U.S. 70 all the way, but hey! it’s my ride, isn’t it? Oh, the freedom of starting out here and going somewhere before day’s end.

The rain was long gone by now. But everywhere I looked around me I could see the fruits of its labor: fields with lush green wheat (it turns golden-amber by June) or the remains of last year’s cotton or corn crops. When I was a young college student, West Tennessee had struck me as bland and unattractive. But bicycle speed improves one’s perspective. I was riding through some of the richest farm land in the country. And those open fields and big sky were frequently punctuated by patches of woods and the cute little houses of hard-working families who made their living off this land.

The highway itself was not the best I’ve ever pedaled over. The shoulder, when present at all, was composed of eight inches of rumble strip, designed to keep vehicles from straying off the road. Personally I resented this design by the same Department of Transportation I once worked for, which favored the safety of numerous cars and eighteen-wheelers on this route over the comfort of the occasional bicyclist like me. Where are their priorities? At least the motorists seemed to know how to drive around bicycles. The traffic was annoying at times but not frightening.

The road between Atwood and Milan revealed that the term agriculture takes in more than just crops. It also includes the raising of livestock. I saw a variety of animals in the fields along this stretch of highway, including goats, mules, donkeys, cattle, and horses. Rounding one bend, I came upon fifteen large black bulls lying in the grass next to the fence, barely ten feet off the road. Another bull was standing, facing them as if he were giving them a lecture on cleanliness or proper grazing etiquette. As I pulled up to snap a quick picture of this bovine conclave, I apparently spooked the principals involved, and the cattle conference dispersed. Further down the highway I passed a field full of spotted, speckled, and mottled goats. I wondered if they were descended from Jacob’s flock (see Genesis 30:25-43). And how does one differentiate between a donkey and a mule? I really don’t know, but if you take your best guess and identify them with confidence, probably no one will challenge you (they don’t know either).

Outside of Milan I made another one of those serendipitous discoveries: the West Tennessee Agricultural Museum on the site of the University of Tennessee’s Research and Education Center at Milan. The museum showcases the agricultural products of the area, including a variety of products made from cotton and cottonseed oil. There are also displays commemorating the hard life of early settlers in Tennessee as they cleared and cultivated the land. One display, however, revealed the more recent pioneering efforts on this very site by Tom McCutcheon relative to conservation tillage.

Tennessee is blessed with good, rich, fertile soils in many parts of the state. Unfortunately, these soils are often highly erodible, a major problem for farmers. But the tireless research efforts of McCutcheon and others developed the agricultural process called No-Till. This method allows planting in narrow slots or small drilled holes without extensive tilling of a field, both cutting down erosion by sixty percent and dramatically reducing production costs. No-Till is now the preferred method of tillage by most Tennessee farmers and is appearing in many other countries as well. Since 1981 Milan has hosted the bi-annual Milan No-Till Field Day to highlight the latest innovations in this agricultural method.

The curator of the museum was quite helpful in explaining the displays and suggesting a place for lodging once I made Humboldt. She studied at UTM at the same time that I was there. I asked if she knew Debbie Cannon from Huntingdon. “Dr. Debbie Cannon,” she corrected me, had earned her doctorate in home economics and done quite well. I was not surprised.

Was West Tennessee not as flat as I remembered? Or were even mild upgrades wearing on me after nearly three days of pedaling? I don’t know which, but I was sure glad to see Humboldt come into view. I knew very little about the town. Another former UTM acquaintance, who went by the moniker Chickee, had called Humboldt home. And a sign on the outskirts informed visitors that Doug Atkins is a native son. Atkins played football for the University of Tennessee in the early 1950’s, was personally recruited by Coach General Robert Neyland, and went on to play pro for the Browns, the Bears, and the Saints. He was inducted into both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.

But despite those glowing recommendations, I still had some trepidation upon entering the city. One store clerk I had met a few miles back had warned me not to ride my bike through the city—one side of town was pretty rough. Not wanting to get shot this trip, I planned to lodge out on the bypass, then bypass the downtown on my way to Jackson the next morning. And, spying a decent-looking mom and pop motel, I opted for a second opinion on the lodging. At a major intersection a car full of twenty-somethings stopped at a red light. A young man yelled and pointed, asking what was that strange-looking stick protruding from my helmet. Taking optimum advantage of the quickly waning red light, I hastily replied, “My rear-view mirror. Do you know Humboldt? Where’s a good place to stay the night?” As the light greened up, he pointed across the highway and waved as the car sped on. Who could argue with such a sterling recommendation? I stayed the night there. It was clean. I think they’d even washed the sheets.

The next morning early I did a brave thing: ignoring the clerk’s warning, I pedaled on into downtown Humboldt—right through the rough part of town—and lived to tell about it. Actually, I’ve ridden my bike through worse areas. Why let one individual spook me? This was my opportunity to see Humboldt firsthand.

As I entered the quaint downtown area, my feet exerted their independent will and pedaled right past Highway U.S. 45 to Jackson. Their message soon reached my brain. Why not pedal on to Bells, then back to Jackson? Marcia would not be down from Nashville to pick me up till almost noon, I had plenty of time, and I’d never been to Bells. Oh, the joy of starting out here and pedaling somewhere.

What a morning for a ride. This was one of the prettiest stretches I’d seen in West Tennessee—mild hills, groves of trees, and of course open fields, similar to what I had ridden the day before but somehow more picturesque. The early morning sun threw my shadow off into the adjacent pasture as I pedaled by. A yellow halo encircled the shadow. I snapped a quick picture as I rode (in between passing eighteen wheelers) and continued on to Bells.

A charming little town of 2171 residents, Bells was founded by John and William Bell, who in the early 1800’s bought up land at a dollar an acre. Originally called Bells Depot and located in Haywood County, the name was changed to Bells and the town annexed into Crockett County in 1887. Bells sports a homey downtown with a diner, bank, scattered stores, attractive homes, and one of the largest frozen vegetable suppliers in the United States, the PictSweet Company, specializing in blackeyed peas, okra, sweet corn, carrots, and other local commodities. An annual highlight of this city is the West Tennessee Okra Festival, which features a horse show, beauty pageant, street carnival, and other activities. Everything in this end of the state seems tied to agriculture. A nearby state historical marker even informs that large-scale strawberry growing in Tennessee was brought into the state by David Brandenburg of Maryland in 1867.

I finally departed U.S. 70A for Highway 412 and the twelve miles back to Jackson, where I would link up once more with U.S. 70. The only noteworthy sight along that interstate-like route was the old house with a junked vehicle in the front yard—not the usual car or truck but a car-turned-helicopter. I have no idea the story behind that out-of-service rustbucket, but I wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with agriculture.

Agriculture and Commerce—an appropriate motto for the state I’m pedaling through.

Dickson to Camden

March 24, 2009 Roots and wings—those are two gifts all parents should bestow on their children. Marcia was sitting in a Nashville restaurant with her brother Wilburn. They were recalling family memories in the wake of their father’s recent passing. Wilburn observed the value of giving children roots, i.e., a family heritage and values. But it is equally important, he continued, that parents also give their children wings, i.e., permission and blessing to leave home, pursue their goals, and stand on their own two feet. Cutting the young ones loose involves risk; but if a foundation of family heritage and godly values is established early, the rewards far outweigh the risks. Josh and I would reconnect with some of our roots while enjoying the fruits of our wings on our second day of riding together.

It was a sunshiny Tuesday morning as we started out from Montgomery Bell State Park en route to Waverly and beyond. Despite the troubles of Monday, our spirits soared. We were riding! We were beginning here and going—somewhere. If we hit more trouble, Marcia could come fetch us. Besides, a bad day bike riding is better than a good day working.

Plan A was to look for a bicycle shop in Dickson. Perhaps they could fix my out-of-round back tire. But alas, even the waitress’s brother Carroll at a local diner where we stopped for breakfast did not know of one. However, between bites of biscuits and gravy, the massive white-haired man did encourage us with the news that the hills would flatten out within a few miles.

Plan B was to find a gas station with an air hose—not one of those that you feed quarters while it dribbles out air, but one with some real pressure behind it. Jeff at The Bike Zoo in Knoxville advised me (by cell phone the evening before) to deflate and inflate the tire, massaging it till the flat spot popped out. But on our route I spied no such station. So I bump, bump, bumped all the way to McEwen, about fifteen miles away.

McEwen is a town of 1700 residents located in Humphreys County. When we reached there, the hills would magically flatten out, or so we were told. As we entered about mid-morning, our first order of business was to find a drug store. A passing delivery van a few miles back had slung some roadside glass up at Josh and given his left knee a significant cut. We needed fresh band-aids. He also needed an ace bandage for his ailing right knee. Despite his wounds, Josh was performing quite well with the ride that day—no soreness, handling the hills like a pro. Surely McEwen would have a drug store. But I held out no hope of a bicycle shop in a town so small.

Then I saw it: the solution to my tire problem, right there across the highway. Why hadn’t I thought of it sooner? “It” was Abernathy’s Tire and Auto Repair. O.K., so their specialty is car and truck tires, but just maybe. . . . I sent Josh on ahead in search of his bandages while I approached a big thirty-something good ole boy about my tire troubles. His name was Billy. (I’ve always wondered why average timid Williams like me go by “Bill” and big tough Williams like this guy prefer “Billy.”)

Billy was friendly and helpful. In no time his boss David had my bike up on a rack rubbing the rear tire with tire grease. Within a few minutes the flat spot popped out, and David had it aired up full. I was even more pumped up than the tire! My bump problem was solved!

David wouldn’t let me pay him anything. He and Billy seemed interested in my cross-state ride. Billy was raised in Humphreys County. As I told him I of my roots (way back) in that area, I was shocked to learn that he’d actually heard of my great-grandfather William (“Pa”) Horner, the horseback physician from a hundred years ago.

Josh had found his bandages and rejoined me. I was eager to get started again toward Waverly and another Billy I’d never met before who also knew of my great-grandfather—primarily because Pa Horner was his great-grandfather also.

We met Billy Tucker in Waverly after a quick sandwich in the early afternoon. My Dad having told me about this cousin, I had talked with him by phone a few weeks earlier. He agreed to show Josh and me some sights connected to our roots.

Billy is a lean, tanned outdoors-type with thinning hair (O.K., so he doesn’t fit my previous assessment of “Billys”). In his seventy-six years he has worked hard both as a surveyor for the Tennessee Department of Transportation and a businessman managing his properties in the area. His father and my father were first cousins.

Josh and I parked our bikes and climbed into Billy’s car. Our first stop was Pa Horner’s old home place. It is only a cleared lot now out on Clydeton Road, backing up to Kentucky Lake, which inundated most of the farm when the dam was built in 1944. I had not seen the site since 1960 (at age seven). Billy stepped off the locations of the front porch, back porch, and Dr. Horner’s eight by twelve foot office, where he often saw patients. But Pa also made house calls on horseback to see his patients. One winter night on a late call, after fording streams to reach a house, Pa required assistance to chop ice out of the stirrups so he could dismount. For such dedication Pa was often paid in chickens and vegetables.

Billy told me a Pa Horner story I’d never heard before: On one particularly difficult case he asked a respected doctor in town, Dr. Slayton, to make a house call with him. After attending the patient, they each presented the man with a bill for services. Dr. Slayton’s bill was $4.00; Pa Horner’s was $2.00. “Why,” asked a puzzled Dr. Slayton, “did you charge him so little?” “You don’t know that man like I do,” Pa replied. “He’ll never pay a dime to either of us. So you’re out $4.00, and I’m only out $2.00!”

I responded to Billy with a Pa Horner story he’d never heard before. In 1936 Pa’s son Bill (my grandfather) received a long distance call from his brother Jesse. Long distance calls back then were expensive and unreliable, so Bill knew the matter must be important. “Pa died,” he heard his brother say. “Can you come on down here?” Bill assured him he’d leave Nashville immediately. What did he think about during the (then) long drive to Waverly? It was so unexpected—Pa was elderly but had been in good health. When Bill finally arrived to the spot on which Billy, Josh, and I now stood, a small group assembled on the front porch to meet him. But Bill stood and watched them in utter shock. For there in the midst of the group was the “deceased” Pa! Fortunately Jesse saw Bill’s face and discerned immediately what had happened. Pulling his brother aside, Jesse explained that Bill had heard wrong—it was Ma who had died. They never told Pa about the mix-up. Pa lived another eight years, still practicing medicine most of that time. He died at ninety-six, his county’s oldest resident and his state’s oldest physician.

Billy showed Josh and me the graves of Pa and other relatives. He drove us around to others sites I had not seen in decades. It was a wonderful afternoon for one who has lived many places, but never long enough to put down permanent roots.

Pa Horner gave his eight children roots. A strict Primitive Baptist, he sought to instill a love for God and proper values. Several of his children remained in that area all their lives.

Pa was wise enough, however, to give his children wings also. He allowed them to use opportunities to develop their potential, even if it meant their moving away. Among his progeny over the generations would be country music performers (George Morgan and daughter Lorrie), a Washington lobbyist for the U.S. Post Office, businessmen, farmers, technicians, a T.D.O.T. surveyor, and even a preacher/bikerider. The behavior of some of his descendants, I’m sure, was disappointing at times. But the blessing in giving children wings far outweighed the risk.

Pedaling on to Camden, I crossed the scenic Tennessee River into West Tennessee. I had now crossed two grand divisions of the state and entered the third. By this time Marcia had caught up with us and picked up Josh. I rode a little further, pondering the blessings I’d experienced that afternoon, reconnecting with my roots while simultaneously enjoying my wings.

I rejoined Marcia and Josh at The Catfish Place in Camden for dinner. The waitress brought us out plates piled high with more catfish fillets and hush puppies than I’d ever seen assembled in one place. And those cats died for a worthy cause! Our meal consisted of local pond-raised, grain-fed catfish. (They taste a little milder than river catfish and are served boneless.) But I’m sure their ancestors came out of the Tennessee River some generations back. So even these catfish had roots. But apparently they also had wings—which ultimately landed them on our plates. Roots and wings—what a blessing!

Nashville to Dickson

March 23, 2009

“You’re doing great, Bill!”

I didn’t feel great. In fact, I felt like a wrecked car on its terminal trip to the salvage yard. The future looked bleak, uncertain. As I strained to see ahead, life looked like a dead end street.

But Dr. Smith was an experienced surgeon. He was also brutally honest, no-nonsense, even gruff. Barely three weeks earlier he had operated on me, removing my colon for ulcerative colitis. At the time of the surgery, he himself—at age seventy—was recuperating from an auto accident. He still wore a large metal brace about his chest. He was a heavy smoker. Nothing seemed to stop him. And he was adamant that I was doing well. “Bill, the day I operated on you, you had one foot in the grave! You wouldn’t be alive now if we hadn’t operated when we did! You just need time to heal,” he insisted, almost angrily.

Maybe he was right. Maybe the end of the road up ahead was really just a ninety degree bend in the road.

In the fall of 1975, barely two months after Marcia and I married, the inflammatory bowel disease that had been smoldering in my body for two years suddenly burst into flame, putting me into St. Thomas Hospital for a ten week tenure of more pain and sickness than I had ever experienced. Drs. Richard Schneider and Roy Elam, excellent physicians both, struggled to no avail to bring me into remission as I wasted away to a skeletal wraith of my former self. Finally, they called in the late Dr. Daugh Smith to perform the life-saving surgery. It was a long recovery.

Those dark, uncertain days were but a distant memory as I stood outside St. Thomas Hospital recently with family and friends to celebrate God’s grace and my health at age fifty-five.

My bike ride across the state of Tennessee ended for the winter last November at the intersection of Eighth Avenue and Broadway in downtown Nashville. Now on this cloudy March Monday morning I was beginning again. The day would prove to be full of uncertainties. Would the rain hold off? Could we make it the five miles to the hospital for our 8:45 am celebration without being stopped by a flat tire (a common problem on major city streets)? Would anyone even be present besides Marcia? A new aspect of this ride was my partner Josh. Living in Ohio, he was not used to pedaling the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee. Would we make our ultimate destinations of Montgomery Bell State Park that afternoon and Waverly the next day?

Many of my fears flew the coop as my son and I pedaled up the driveway into the St. Thomas complex about thirty minutes later. There waiting for us were a small group of family and friends, including two hospital representatives, Paul Lindsley and Jerry Kearney. And celebrate we did. The irony was not wasted on any of us. Here I was a senior citizen riding my bicycle across our great state and stopping in to salute the hospital where I lay dying as a young man. What a difference thirty-three years makes! And how gracious is our Lord. Paul snapped photos for the hospital newsletter. He and Jerry commented on the boost to morale their 1800 employees receive in hearing success stories from former patients.

The St. Thomas experience certainly lifted my spirits. But there were still clouds on the horizon—literally (and riding in the rain is no fun). Maybe the rain would hold off. I was becoming concerned, though, by another emerging problem: Josh was slowing down considerably on the steeper hills. I had forgotten about his knee injury from playing football a couple of years ago. Tennessee grades were taking more of a toll on it than flat Ohio roads. Would he and I be able to crest the dreaded Nine Mile Hill? (I was a little out of shape myself after a cold, wet winter.) My Dad had warned me once that it is not all downhill to Memphis. But “Nine Mile Hill”? What was it—nine miles worth of steep upgrade? We were greatly relieved as the nine mile marker came into view at the top of one not-so-daunting hill. The name merely referred to the distance out from town. We had crested the hill and lived to tell about it.

We pedaled out of Nashville, pausing just long enough to take pictures of Belle Meade Plantation. It was turning out to be a good dry day. Hugging the muddy Harpeth River, the highway wound its way through Pegram and past the Narrows of the Harpeth State Natural Area. Josh remembered well the day fifteen years ago that our family hiked around there and saw the tunnel and remains of an old forge run by Montgomery Bell (whose namesake state park would be our shelter that evening). We found a trilobite fossil back then near the old slag pond. Years earlier my high school pal John Claxton and I had camped a couple of nights at the top of a nearby ridge. I enjoyed reliving such memories and sharing them with Josh.

Still about six miles shy of White Bluff, we stopped a few minutes, ostensibly to check our map. A lunch break in that town could provide some needed refreshment. I was becoming increasingly concerned that Josh might have to end his part of the ride that evening, but I so wanted him to make it to Waverly on Tuesday and meet a cousin who lives there. When a grizzled local man of about sixty approached us on the roadside and asked if we needed directions, I confessed to him that the primary purpose of our stop was rest. We took the opportunity to ask him a question we would ask frequently after that: was the road ahead hilly or flat? He told us it was “uphill both ways” to White Bluff. But he assured us that a good Mexican restaurant awaited us there. I hoped so. My only previous recollection of the town was from my high school days when we passed through there on a long trip, pulling a pop-up camper behind our car. We had eaten lunch in a diner only to come out afterward and discover that someone had stolen the spare tire off the back of our camper.

El Monte Restaurante would be a more pleasant experience, however. It certainly lived up to its recommendation. It felt so good after thirty miles of pedaling to sit at the table wolfing down sizzling fajitas and drinking cold tea. We were amused at some of the local good ole boys’ attempts to communicate with the meseros waiting the tables. “Fway-go! Mooey cally-entay!” they exclaimed in mock protest, pointing at their enchiladas. Our delightful Latin dining experience was spoiled, however, as we mounted up and began to pedal off. I heard and felt the sickening bump, bump, bump that signaled a flat tire. Normally a flat is just a minor annoyance, a fifteen-minute fix. This one would prove to be a threat to the rest of my ride however. For try as I might, I could not get the tire properly inflated. It was badly out of round. We limped the few miles left to Montgomery Bell State Park, but I had no idea how to fix the problem.

Meanwhile, we encountered another challenge: the approach to the Inn at the park was a one-mile-long steep upgrade. I knew we could get up it, but I was sure it would be the straw to break the camel’s back for Josh. He had not complained all day, but I doubted he would want to tackle another day of such hills. And then, as if to add insult to injury, the desk clerk at the Inn could not find our reservation. She came up with a room for us anyway. It even had a nice view of the lake. I couldn’t enjoy it much, though, for trying to fix my back tire. So the day that started with uncertainties ended with the same.

But as I suggested to Josh that Marcia could drive out and pick him up the next morning, he asserted resolutely, “I want to try to make it to Waverly.” He had trained for this ride. He didn’t want to let a few hills stop him. Wonderful! If he was willing to try it one more day, I could bump, bump, bump my way into another town and perhaps find a way to fix my tire. Maybe that end of the road ahead was really just a bend in the road. The next morning would tell.

Goodbye to an Old Friend

March 2, 2009 Alright. I know it’s an inanimate object. I admit it. But it feels like an old and reliable friend. And I will miss it.

It is my Diamondback Crestview hybrid bicycle. Affectionately referred to here as The Bike, this vehicle has been a near constant companion for almost seven years. We’ve had some marvelous adventures together. Like Johnny Cash, “We’ve been everywhere, man” (well, almost).

We rode out Deal Island Road on a daily basis in Princess Anne, Maryland. Those rides were for regular exercise and stress relief and kept me from becoming a fat preacher. But there were more exciting trips, also. For instance—Bike New York. Jim Thompson and Matt Wallace rode with us on that one—forty-five miles with 30,000 other bikers through all five boroughs of New York City. That was the one time the old girl let me down. In the middle of Central Park, suddenly and inexplicably the rear derailleur disintegrated, damaging the rear wheel and bending the frame. By the grace of God, we found an open bicycle repair shop some blocks away from the bike route. They fixed the damage quickly, and we rejoined the pack of bikers and finished the tour.

The Bike and I have seen Cape Hatteras and Okracoke Island together. We actually arrived there in Jim Thompson’s little Cessna. We’ve also wound our way around the nation’s capital on at least three occasions, looking at the cherry blossoms or going to the Library of Congress to do research. We’ve been camping together in Tennessee and enjoyed long rides around Topsail Island, North Carolina, during a family reunion trip. Last Memorial Day my good preacher friend Lon Chenowith and I pedaled from my house in Caryville, Tennessee, to Cumberland Gap on the Tennessee/Kentucky/Virginia line (about forty-three miles away).

But lately the old Diamondback has been complaining more and more frequently—slipping gears, worn brakes, broken spokes, sluggish shifting—not at all like the early days of effortless, quiet shifting and smooth riding. In fact, in those days I didn’t even have to use many gears because the part of Maryland where we resided is so flat. Indeed, before receiving The Bike I rode around on a one speed cruiser bike with coaster brakes that I bought used from a bike rental dealer near the beach. But in July of 2002, upon returning from a mission trip to Sandy Valley, Nevada, I discovered The Bike sitting in my living room, a gift from the same Matt Wallace who later rode with us in Bike New York. I had earlier admired the bikes Matt and his wife Gretchen were riding, and big-hearted Matt went out and bought me a similar one. He probably does not realize even now what a blessing The Bike has been to me.

Well, 9000-10,000 miles (my best estimate) is a lot to put on any bike. Even the dealer-repairman in Knoxville was impressed. However, to repair, adjust, and outfit the old girl for more years of service puts me in the price range of a new bike with the benefit of more recent design changes. So I have acquired a Specialized Globe to take up where the Diamondback Crestview left off. I look forward to many new adventures with my new bike. But I’ll still feel a twinge of sadness putting the old one out to pasture. After all, she got me half way across the state on my “Slice of Tennessee” ride!

Lebanon to Nashville

Nov 21, 2008 Good food and good company—nothing like it after pedaling fifty-seven miles. Having just arrived in Lebanon, I found myself seated across from new friends, Jonas and Colleen Taylor. Jonas pastors West Hills Baptist Church in Lebanon. Ironically, what I discussed with my new friends was: old times. Colleen and I had both attended Donelson High School in Nashville, one year apart. Jonas had attended rival Two Rivers High School. We have several mutual friends from those days. Years later, at different times, Jonas and I had each pastored on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. New friends, old times—such a blend of new and old would characterize my ride the next day into Nashville.

It was a bone-chilling thirty degrees with light snow falling as I started out for Nashville on Friday, November 21. I was on the last leg of this three-day trip. And it would have to be my last trip until next spring and warmer weather. Nevertheless, I was on my Diamondback Crestview and I was going places! On this day I would ride past the house that knew me as a teenager, two buildings in downtown Nashville that knew me as a young engineer, and many other familiar sights from days gone by, if only the city had not changed too much.

My fears were alleviated on that score, for it seems that the more Nashville changes the more it stays the same. It is a unique blend of old and new, ancient and modern. Pedaling that morning into the community of Hermitage confirmed that delightful mix. The rural two-lane highway I remembered from my high school days is now multi-lane all the way out to Mt. Juliet and is lined on both sides with commercial enterprises. The intersection with Rachel’s Lane does not even exist anymore, as the lane runs under US 70. Undeterred, I lifted my bicycle over the split rail fence and pushed it down the hill to this road and pedaled the quarter mile to Andrew Jackson’s old home. Built in the early 1800’s, this splendid mansion with the large white columns immediately transports the visitor back to horse and buggy days, even in the midst of the bustling metropolitan city.

Directly across Rachel’s Lane from the Hermitage is a large cow pasture, beyond which is the house and neighborhood where I resided in my high school days. Lebanon Road (US 70) bears no resemblance to the rural two-lane of 1968 when we moved here from Knoxville. But the house at 355 Monaco Drive looks as if maybe four years have passed, not four decades. Only the presence of a small satellite dish bears witness to more recent times. The rest of Hermitage, though, is almost unrecognizable from those old days—which is why I so looked forward to crossing the old steel truss Elmer Disspayne Bridge over Stones River.

Stones River is a small body of water that flows into the Cumberland River not far downstream from that bridge. Not far upstream is an Army Corps of Engineers dam that forms Priest Lake, where my pal from high school, Barry Chamberlain, and I often swam and camped out. Barry grew up about a quarter mile away from the river. He says that during the summer the water level was so low that it was possible to walk across it and keep your head dry. One cold New Year’s Eve he and I found ourselves down by the water’s edge at midnight shooting off fireworks near the base of a huge concrete abutment, all that remains of the original bridge across this river. So even rivers and old bridges can hold fond memories for old sentimentalists.

Therefore you can understand my consternation at finding that the Disspayne Bridge has now been closed forever and all traffic diverted to the newer but far less imaginative reinforced concrete structure. State workers have already laid sod down in front of the old crossing in preparation for its demise. And to add insult to injury, they have even given the new bridge a new name—the Richard Harrington Bridge. How dare they! I knew the Disspayne Bridge. The Disspayne Bridge was a good friend of mine. And you, sir, are no Disspayne Bridge!

In a fit of pique, I refused to pedal across the new structure. Pushing my bike through the freshly laid sod, I proceeded over my old friend, past puzzled-looking laborers, and then back onto the highway. At least Barry’s folks still live in the same house near the river. I could get some physical and emotional warmth there. The Chamberlains graciously provided plenty of both. Senior citizens tend to keep their houses warmer, and on a thirty-degree morning, their house felt toasty. And then they lifted my spirits when I lamented the demise of the Disspayne Bridge. “Why they’re not tearing that bridge down,” Mrs. Chamberlain explained, “they’re going to leave it up for pedestrians.” Wonderful! Common sense has indeed prevailed! And it will be so typically Nashville—the combination of old and new. Remnants of the oldest bridge still standing, the older bridge left intact for pedestrians (and bicyclists?), and the new bridge bearing the load of vehicular traffic.

Pedaling on into downtown Nashville, I passed by a discount grocery, formerly the H. G. Hills store I worked in as a teenager; a café that used to be a Shoneys that even had curb service, where every Friday and Saturday night teens used to cruise around looking for something to happen (nothing ever did); and finally a modern bridge over the Cumberland River replacing the old Shelby Street bridge, which has been preserved for pedestrians. Remnants of the old amid the new.

I would finish this leg of my ride at Eighth and Broad, but first I had to check out two landmarks. The State Capitol Building reminds visitors and locals that Nashville is the Athens of the South. Designed ca. 1845 by prominent nineteenth century architect William Strickland (who is interred within its walls), this unique Greek revival edifice has four Ionic porticoes and a Doric basement. Rumor has it that Tennessee residents insisted that, Greek design or no, their Capitol must have a dome or tower like other state capitol buildings; hence, the square tower with the round cupola on top. Ancient Greek culture combined with modern southern culture in one building—again, a symbol of the old and new in Nashville.

The other landmark was a more personal one: First Baptist Church. Dr. H. Franklin Paschall married Marcia and me in that church in 1975. Staff member and old friend Sandra Gentry arranged to let me into the building to take some pictures for auld lang syne. Parts of the structure have been renovated to the point that I barely knew where I was. But the sanctuary looked the same as it did when completed in 1970. Almost forty years old, this auditorium nevertheless looks quite modern. The earlier 1886 building was literally falling apart when the church voted to build a new sanctuary, much to the dismay of some of the old guard members. But in a spirit of unity, the spire from the original building remained and was incorporated into the design of the new building. What a fitting addition to the skyline of Nashville, a city that so blends the old with the new.

It is winter now. I am stuck for awhile at Eighth and Broad in Nashville. But just wait till spring! I’ll be back on my Diamondback Crestview and riding (and writing) again. I am not finished with my slice of Tennessee!

Smithville to Lebanon

Nov 20, 2008 “A City for the Children, A Character Counts”—so reads the message on a billboard along U.S. 70 welcoming the traveler into Lebanon. And it seemed to be the perfect theme for my ride that day from Smithville.

“Character” refers to features that are distinctive or interesting. That term can apply to much of what I’ve seen so far on my bike ride across our interesting and distinctive state. But it seemed especially appropriate on this leg of the journey.

After checking myself out of the Center Hill Inn, I pedaled into Smithville on Thursday morning looking for a light and quick breakfast. Passing Me-Ma’s Restaurant, its window proudly proclaiming its #1 Breakfast, I was tempted to stop. But, no, with miles to go before I next slept, I wanted to be on my way, with a light load in my stomach. Passing Hardees, I almost stopped again, thinking a quick sausage biscuit might fill the bill. But wait—was I biking across Tennessee just to eat at another ubiquitous fast food joint? No, I wisely overcame all resistance and stopped at Susie’s Restaurant for a sit-down breakfast of eggs, biscuits with gravy, sausage, hash browns, and orange juice—a breakfast with character. Susie’s itself was full of characters that morning, white-haired men’s clubs dawdling over their coffee and solving the world’s problems, apparently a daily ritual.

With a happy tummy I pedaled down the broad five-lane section of U.S. 70, looking forward to Liberty. Now there’s a town with character. Founded in 1797 by Adam Dale, a Revolutionary war veteran, this community likely was named in honor of liberty from Great Britain. Boasting 367 residents, the town has one claim to fame: the caricature of a mule painted on a limestone bluff next to the highway. When the state widened the highway in 2003, local citizens were fearful that the new construction would destroy their local masterpiece. They began a letter-writing campaign and placed signs along the road saying, “Save the Mule.” Apparently the State of Tennessee agreed.

For decades no one knew who had painted the old girl in the first place. Some thought perhaps it was Lavader Woodard, a local photographer whose name is painted on the bluff. But historian Thomas G. Webb cleared up the mystery upon finding a 1957 article in The Smithville Review by Dr. Wayne T. Robinson of Dallas. As a 21-year-old college student and resident of Liberty in 1906, Dr. Robinson had climbed the bluff on a lark and painted the mule with coal tar. His creation was patterned after Maud the Mule of a popular comic strip of that day.

I had no idea where to look for Maud. However, local residents were only too glad to direct me to the site. Naturally, I was expecting this limestone mural to be as large as the Mt. Rushmore sculpture, or at least as big as a Mack eighteen-wheeler. But it was only about six feet across. I almost missed it altogether. I was not disappointed, though. It was worth seeing just for the story behind it. A whole town defending a piece of bluff graffiti? Now that’s character.

From Liberty I pedaled on down toward Watertown. The road narrows down to two lanes somewhere along the way and bypasses the town proper altogether. A town with character, however, will not let the traffic just pass it by. A large sign proudly proclaims, “Historic Watertown—Next 4 Exits,” as if U.S. 70 were a major controlled access multi-lane freeway. (The “Exits” are short side streets.) The town lives up to its billboard, with its picturesque collection of specialty shops and restaurants on a square centered around a gazebo with piped-in easy-listening music.

Finally, I entered Lebanon itself, with its character-proclaiming welcome sign, and I was not disappointed. From the log cabin and still-flowing spring on the main square, to the plaque designating the spot where Sam Houston once had a law office, this bustling town of 20,235 exudes character. Even its name is distinctive—in the Middle East the word is pronounced LEB-uh-non; here it’s pronounced LEB-uh-nun, or simply LEB-nun. And before this ride was ended I would see mailboxes that looked like a motorcycle, a dog, and a hair dryer. I would see—honest-to-goodness—a large authentic-looking Statue of Liberty complete with an electric torch on its own little island in somebody’s front yard pond. And then there was the used car dealership with a 1940 Plymouth for sale for $5999, right alongside its later model vehicles (my Dad says such a car originally sold for $700). Interesting. Distinctive.

Did I say earlier that I thought the southern U.S. 70 route from Crossville to Lebanon might prove boring? What was I thinking? This is Tennessee! The state has character!

Crossville to Smithville

Nov 19, 2008 The northern route just made more sense. It is shorter, flatter, and looked far more interesting. Good accommodations for food and lodging are more readily available. The southern route looked bland by comparison. How could such towns as Smithville and Liberty possibly compete with the major university and railroad museum of Cookeville? Liberty’s claim to fame is—honest to goodness—the caricature of a mule painted on a local bluff by a local resident. Besides, I had already ridden seven miles down the northern route west of Crossville on my previous ride. Yes, the northern route was the logical choice. So I chose the southern route.

Just west of Crossville I had a decision to make: U.S. 70 splits into U.S 70N, which follows a northern path through Cookeville and Carthage, and U.S.70, which winds a southern path through Sparta, Smithville, and sundry other small towns. All along I had planned to ride U.S. 70N. At the last minute, on a lark, I opted for the southern route. After all, I had never been to Sparta or Smithville that I could recall. Besides, this route crosses the Caney Fork River/Center Hill Lake, and bridges spanning broad bodies of water are always fun to bike across. At any rate, I would see some Tennessee I had not seen before. I was game. And I was in for some surprises.

This ride was different from those I had taken so far. Being this far west now required more creative planning to get dropped off and picked up at the right place at the right time. But with a rental vehicle and with the time zone change working in my favor, I set out on Wednesday morning to Crossville. The clerks at Enterprise were actually encouraging—if they thought I was crazy, they didn’t let on—as I set out in 28-degree cloudy weather. I didn’t have Marcia in the area for a safety net. Yet the whole day had the feel of a “Go!” A good start would be the first of many serendipities on this trip.

ser·en·dip·i·ty--noun: the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for ; also : an instance of this[1]

The term serendipity was coined by Horace Walpole of England in 1754 after a Persian fairy tale entitled The Three Princes of Serendip. In the tale three men on an adventurous road trip make many seemingly irrelevant discoveries which prove in the end to be quite fortuitous. In layman’s terms a serendipity is something real good you weren’t looking for.

The road to Sparta reminded me that there are still Tennesseans who are not ashamed of their Christian faith and values. One billboard loudly proclaimed, “Jesus said, ‘Ye must be born again.’” A little further along a lighthouse and large sign marked the home of Jesus Never Fails Church. A few more miles revealed The Way Café and Pizzeria (its sign shaped like a cross). The tiny stop-in-the-road town of Pomona boasted no less than four churches (two Baptist, one Methodist, and one Full Gospel). Of course this is the Bible Belt, but I don’t always see much evidence of the faith anymore, even here. A nice little serendipity.

Bad surprises can come along, too. Guess what? It’s not all downhill to Memphis from Crossville! There were plenty of hills that morning and a raw headwind to boot. But how could I despair? Middle Tennessee hills are milder than their East Tennessee counterparts. Besides, the day had turned out beautiful—clear skies of deep blue, a waning half-moon setting over the western horizon, trees reluctant to let go of their colors. And I was finally on my way again, no longer stuck in Crossville. I was on my bicycle and going somewhere despite major logistical problems. Serendipities all.

As even these mild hills began to work a number on my leg muscles, a long downgrade suddenly appeared ahead—with no corresponding upgrade! I was finally coming off the plateau. I had earned this easy, breezy section many times over, but I did not expect it so soon. Half way down this hill and around a bend a scenic overlook beckoned me to stop and rest and enjoy the vista of hills and valleys. How soothing to both the eyes and legs—a real serendipity. Near the bottom of the downgrade, a sign lured me onto a side road to see the “Historic Rock House.” This one-room, 187-year-old native sandstone building was used as a toll house and stagecoach inn for decades in the 1800’s. Such notables as Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, Sam Houston, and Sequoia had spent nights within the same walls in which I was standing. Proprietors Bill Austin and his mother Girda graciously showed me numerous historic relics and gave me a detailed and colorful history of this wayside station. Girda even gave me pointers on where to eat lunch in Sparta. This stop was a delight I was not anticipating—a serendipity!

Sparta is a charming town with friendly people and obvious civic pride. It is the home of the late Lester Flatt. The Calfkiller River, which winds through it, begged me to pause and snap a picture. This scenic stream is much more docile than its violent name. Lunch took place at the 2nd Act Deli (Girda’s first choice). It is not a deli and has more of a Hollywood than Broadway motif—but they serve swell hamburgers. Pictures of Audrey Hepburn, Paul Newman, James Dean, and of course, Lester Flatt adorn the walls. The owner came around to make sure I enjoyed my serendipitous meal.

Around 3:00 pm, my bones weary, I finally came upon the Caney Fork River/Center Hill Lake crossing I had been looking forward to. If you’re expecting it, it’s not really a serendipity. But this was an old two lane steel truss bridge, only the second one I’ve encountered on my ride so far. With my engineering background old bridges fascinate me. And the lake was breath-taking with the afternoon sun cutting across it. Only six more miles from there to Smithville and the mom and pop motel I was searching for. Actually it was about five miles, but I was trying to fool my mind so my destination would appear sooner than expected (such tricks rarely work). But I was no sooner off the bridge and up the hill than the Center Hill Inn came into view, farther out from town than I thought. Nicole, the pleasant desk clerk, said I arrived just in time, for she and the other employees were about to close up and leave. I would be the only guest that night at this twelve-unit establishment that sat high upon a hill overlooking the lake with a fantastic view. And Nicole graciously stayed long enough to fix me a meal off their restaurant menu so I would not have to pedal all the way into town and back out that evening. A wonderful day, a wonderful stay. Serendipity!
[1] Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary