Another good day down!
04/08/08OK now, I have finished the garden for Mom...another good deed down and dirty!Finished up yesterday at 1.30pm. Fixed lunch for Mom and me, then showered and changed clothes for a good ride! Put on 112 miles yesterday...face is kinda wind burned...but it does feel good!Headed up Hiway 91 north to Shady Valley...and Hiway 421. I have only been east on 421 from Shady Valley...the second have, (or first half, depending on which direction your coming from,) of "The Snake." A great local road that many say compares to "The Dragon." I must tell you, I like it better than The Dragon. Anyway, I headed west on 421 to compleate the 2nd half of The Snake, and found it a very pleasent ride indeed!

Switchbacks, nice winding roads with somewhat interesting sceanery. I wasn't too happy with it's origins though...as the ride ends (when heading west) at Bristol TN. I really don't care for that town....It was in my plan to follow 421 west through Bristol and into VA. then see where it leads from there, but what a pain in the arse...the road ends, then you pick it up after getting lost in a bad section of town a few miles later...at one point, I decided not to slow down for a stop sign...yeah, I'm not one to tempt evil demons when I don't have to. The section of town was that bad.Once I got out of town...421 disappeared again. Screw this...I pick another likely looking road to meander...and I am glad I did. I found a little two lane road Hiway 58, and headed west again. This put me in VA. and I am gonna tell ya...it's a differient country! This is farm land...with huge boulders buried under mounds of soil...with only their heads poking up from the ground, the cow paths pick their way around these "upcroppings" of stone...and the contrast between the white of the boulders, and the emerald green of the super moistened ground from all our recent rains was just damn breath taking. I wish there was a decent place to pull over and simply admire the view, take pictures and what not, but that was not to be...the side of the road featured sharp drop offs from the heavy rains....creating thier own gutters...very dangerous...not for the two wheeled motor conveyence what so ever! The only thing I would take off the road is a farm tractor! So there are no pictures of this VA. wonderland. Next time I go...I figure, I will slow down...and do a fine look out for an egress point...as well as a good re-entry point...I really want to get some pictures of what I saw here!eventully 58 will take you to a point where you will join up with Webb City...and that is where I had to turn off to return home. Jeff, (my lord and master,) was to be home around 4 pm, and I had promised to be home no later than 4.30 PM...he told me he would call out the troops to look for me if I wasn't home by 5.30! Lord that man knows me too well!I jumped on I-26 for about 5 miles, then got off at Kingsport, which is just north of Johnson City...and took Roan Ave. into the city. I kept her at 45mph and below until hit I-26...then took her up to 55 MPH for the five miles I was on 26. I was really a good girl...didn't get over zealous yet! I have discovered something else that really pissed me off. When I took the bike into the shop, I told them I wanted the breather rerouted. I insisted on it. When the bike was done, and I picked her up, I noticed there wasn't a charge for the rerouting kit, I inquried about it...and they said, with the work we have done with your bike, this should take care of the problem. I told em..."I have had this bike for four years, got it with 1200 miles on it. It blew oil out the air cleaner back then when it was almost fricken brand new...nothing you do will make this any better...I wanted this rerouted. They told me to take it home and try it anyway. Well, here we are at 180 miles into the break in...and the filter is clogged with oil, and is dripping down onto the cases and my leg...just like always. So, yeah, I'm pissed, cuz now I will have to pay AGAIN for them to take off the carb and install the damn rerouter...RAT BASTARDS! Now I like my mechanic, and it's not his fault it wasn't done. The service writer did not include that on the WO....and since they write all this shit in a computor now...and not on hard copy in front of you when you are there telling em what you want done...then it don't get done! Since this is the first time I have encountered a shop who don't write hard copies in front of ya...I didn't know any better. Well, I do now! The Rat Bastards.OK done for now...