Despite my best efforts I'd been just about the last rider to leave our camping area- I must remember not to chat so much, this meant I didn't get too far on my day's riding...I'd been expecting to camp somewhere in Tennessee but my map is small and I somehow managed tobe in a different state, though on the plus side I did get an unexpected view of that archway thing in St Louis which I've heard about on the telly.
I ended up in and stumbled across a great camping spot, which I have to admit I accessed via a small footpath which was a squeeze for Thelma, but when I saw the view from my tent in the morning, it was worth it
I'm sure a real camp site would probably charge a fair amount of money for this type of location. Further round it became even more picturesque
Much as I enjoy camping, I was looking forward to a couple nights in a real bed having spent the past 14 nights in my tent. Humidity was rising as I went southwards and arrived at Fabrizio and Geoffrey's house in Atlanta, that bastion of southerness. The combination of a warm latin american welcome combined with legendary southern hospitality welcome was fantastic, some wine, great conversation and a comfortable bed awaited me. I also had a go on Fabrizio's BMW bike...
It looks a bit like Thelma without her seat
and was a lot of fun to ride.
I stayed in Atlanta for a couple of days, my hosts were amused by my version of a GPS
Yep folks, that's right good old pen and paper (and a nice view of one of the dents in Thelma's fuel tank!) A close up of the pages, and apologies to those of you wincing at my liberal use of sellotape on the petrol tank, but a few adhesive marks are nothing compared to the the battle scars that Thelma has.
