Ok guys, I am about to start a second County Courthouse Tour. This time it will be the beautiful state of Tennessee. I already have all the county seats mapped out but I need more information about "must see places and things to do in Tennessee" before I start. I'm looking for things such as "The biggest", "The longest", "The oddest" "The oldest". I'm also looking for covered bridges and inland ferry locations. I would welcome any suggestions to make the most out of this ride.
Here is a POI file for covered bridges in TN. http://www.gps-data-team.com/poi/united_states/transportation/index.php?poi_data=transportation&file=Covered_Bridges-US
Welcome to Tennessee. I'm in Giles County and IMHO we have one of the prettiest courthouses in the state. If you head this way let me know and I'll buy your lunch. Here are some things I recommend. Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg TN - Take the tour. http://www.jackdaniels.com/TheDistillery/VisitingLynchburg.aspx The Natchez Trace Bridge - Just a few miles after the beginning of the Natchez Trace Parkway. An amazing structure and view. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natchez_Trace_Parkway_Bridge Loveless Cafe - Eat here for breakfast prior to running down the Trace to see the bridge. They're very biker friendly and you'll usually see a group of bikes out front. http://www.lovelesscafe.com/ Deals Gap - Tail of the Dragon and Cherohala Skyway http://www.dealsgap.com/ Great Smokey Mountains - America's most visited national park. http://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm These are a start.
Thanks David, I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I live very close to Western TN (Paducah, KY) and have a daughter that lives in Murfreesboro, TN. I am very familiar with all the major sites and have seen / rode most of them. What I am really interested in is the little known stuff. You know, the odd ball things every state has that few people ever realize is even there or ever bother visiting. I'm sure Tennessee has it's fair share. Thanks again!
What a cool idea. I was born & raised in Madisonville and went to school in Murray. Have you tried http://www.roadsideamerica.com/ ? I use it from time-to-time for that strange out of the way stuff. Again, what a great idea.
Hey, you're practically a neighbor! Yes, I have had several people recommend the Roadside America site. I plan to spend some time on it doing my homework. Thanks for the suggestion! BTW, I highly recommend the KY Courthouse Tour. You'd be amazed what you can see and find in our beautiful state! If you need a Garmin file I'd be more than happy to share.
Google - Mindfield/West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center - It's a wild metal art structure in Brownsville, TN Be sure to hit Dayton (Scopes Monkey Trials), Rugby (frozen in time) and McNairy County (home of Walking Tall's Sheriff Buford Pusser) Other neat spots are the Ocoee River (site of the 1996 olympics kayak events) Copper Hill (SE corner on the state, TN-GA line runs through it) and Townsend (the quiet side of the Smokys) Sounds like a blast, I'd love to be able to tag along for at least part of it. I may ask for that KY court house Garmin file also....
Great stuff! Thanks for contributing. You're more than welcome to KY or TN, I've got both. Just send an email address to mb285@hotmail.com
How about an old railroad tunnel you can ride you bike thru... http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=113090670959526869441.00046f56724ff06d3936b&z=16 it can be full of water but is still easily rideable and it is long enough that you get to a point where you cannot see either end. Make sure you take the tunnel with out the tracks. The other one is an active rail line. For sure a dont miss experience. Coop
I wish I had known about this when I owned my V Strom. Might be a bit much for a Wing. Thanks for sharing!
Backbone Rock, south of Damascus, VA on 133. Shortest tunnel in the world, supposedly. Stop in the Country Store on the left as you continue south towards the intersection of 133 and 421 and ask for a Shady Dog.
Cool. I'm in Dandridge with one of the oldest county seats and hence courthouses so I suspect it's on your list already. Near the courthouse(s) is a cemetary that dates back to the Revolutionary war. Not a lot to look at but something anyway. There's also a cool old steel bridge across Douglas Lake but it's not all that special. Note that Dandridge is one of two "TN's second oldest town" with the other being Rogersville or something. Jonesborough is a little ways North of us and is TN's oldest town. It's kinda a tourist trap so plan accordingly and don't hit it on a weekend if you want some peace and quiet while you look around. Up and down the state are caves or caverns that are fun to go through. If you're overheated already they'll chill ya down some. Up in the most NE corner of the state there are some folks who can only be accessed by going into VA. All their services are provided by VA but they're still in TN. I hope you're going to keep an updated ride report so we'll know if you're around to meet up and buy ya a beer or coffee.
Pat, <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o> <o></o> I plan to be in all the county seats either this fall or the spring of 10. That will include Jonesbourgh and Mountain City in the very northeast tip. Backbone Rock is definitely on my "to do list". <o></o> <o></o> I post daily to my blog on any trip. Mikes Touring Journal Thanks for all the info! Mike
Jonesborough at night is beautiful. My fiancee lives here and I drive through it every night. Around 11 pm it's empty save for the occasional person out wandering.
KY & TN are full of little towns that roll up the streets at night. I guess, for that matter, so is the entire rural America. It's the same way here. That's also why I enjoy an occasional trip to the big cities to see the night lights.