Southern Comfort Ride

We were sitting at our usual table down at Hooters Thursday night, for bike night enjoying the music and the company.  As part of the normal conversation the suggestion for a Sunday ride came from somewhere. That along with plans to go see Russell were set in motion.

 

The next day I get a PM from Jason (autiger2) saying he was coming and bringing Randy (Gladiator) and Mike (Jethro) from the Southern Comfort Victory Riders with him. We made plans to meet at Cracker Barrel for breakfast and head out from there.  What started out to be, at most, a possible 4-5 bike group ride, quickly grew once the club found out we would get the chance to ride with a

couple of our misfit neighbors to east.

 

That morning while Chick and I were getting ready to go I get a call from Juan saying that he and Mark wanted to join us and requested we meet them in Fayetteville. We coordinated a time and agreed to a rendezvous at Mark’s place. I knew a stop at Mark’s place would be a treat for those in the group who’ve never been there.

 

When we get to Cracker Barrel, Pam and David along with Joel were waving at us from the back of the lot. It wasn’t long before my friend Mike from work pulled up and then Eddie and Shelly, followed closely by Jason and Randy. One by one they all rolled in. A bunch of the group had already made it over to

By - Wendell Rogers - Aka: Rocketcitymadman, Photography by Pam Bodie and Wendell Rogers

Beautiful ladies all in a row!!

Enjoying the atmosphere at Mark and Cheryl’s place!

Click on any of the pictures to see more pictures from that day.

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the restaurant by the time the remainder of us got to the porch. Before we could get inside they were coming out with word of a 30 minute wait. As we’re standing there we spot a bike on the main road and it was determined to be Mike, our other guest from the east.

 

“Ok guys, lets give him the Jethro salute”, Jason says as he pulls in the lot. As if on queue the whole group shoots him a bird as he approaches. He quickly answers and comes to a stop amongst us.  With the introductions out of the way we point him to the place where all the bikes are parked and not long after, our name was called for a table. We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast and by about 10:30, a little later than I had indicated to Juan, a group

of ten bikes were on the road to Fayetteville.

 

Mark and his wife Cheryl have a wonderful little hide-away just off the highway as you enter Fayetteville, that up until a few years back, served as a youth camp as far back as the 1930’s. I think the best way to describe it; it’s one of those places where when you see it for the first time the first thing through your mind is “man, what I wouldn’t give for a place like this”. Just standing there, you feel like you’re wrapped in a comfy old coat with a warmth that soothes the soul. The group took the opportunity to hit the rest rooms while we ooh’d and awh’d over the scenery and turned green with envy. We stayed there a little longer than I had planned which is not hard to do. It’s not easy taking that comfy coat off once the warmth reaches the bones.

 

A few minutes later we were hitting 231 winding our way through the countryside North of Fayetteville. The weather was perfect and looking in the mirror at the long line behind me I new this was going to be a nice ride. Picking up Juan at Mark’s place the group now consisted of myself, Chuck, Randy, Mike, Jethro, Jeff White, Joel, and Jason with Chick riding on the back. Yes the wife stealer was in rare form this trip. Then came Eddie and Shelly, Juan and wagging the tail on this leg was

Even the Trees Whistle Dixie!

The Pack Got Bigger At Every Stop!

Hidden Treasures!

David and Pam, making it a total of 11 scoots. Mark and Cheryl would follow later and meet us in Bell Buckle.

 

There is by far no better way to get to Lynchburg from Fayetteville than US231/TN129.  Yes, you can get there quicker but what’s the point in that? When you’re riding roads like this, no way is long enough and they all end too soon.

 

We circled the square in Lynchburg between 12:30 and 1:00 and it was surprisingly void of bikes. There were bikes there but usually you can’t find a place to park. The portion of the

group that have been here countless times found a shady spot under the large oak tree in front of the court house and began telling lies while the first-timers explored the various shops along the square. Tiggerjet’s twin was there and I  gave his owner my card and one of our brochures while he and Jason swapped words about the two brothers.

 

No visit to Lynchburg is complete without at least a quick run through Judy’s leather. David got him a much needed pair of chaps and I picked up a bell for David and Pam’s bike which Chick presented to them before we even got out of Judy’s. Pam got her chaps fixed at no charge by the nice folks at Judy’s as well. I’m not sure what the problem was

Tell me, do you ride with this crazy bunch often?

Clear roads ahead!

but I thought I heard something about her waist being too big? We lounged around the square for about an hour making one last stop at Lynchburg Choppers. They finally had the half-helmet Chick’s been wanting and it was in her size.

 

As we’re coming out of Lynchburg Choppers, heading for the bikes, I ran into a couple we know from bike night, Jeff and Jennifer inviting them to join the group. Them, along with Kevin who was standing under the big oak as we drove up, made it 13 bikes for the next leg. Of course the wife stealer swiped another one. Pam climbed on back of  Tiggerjet  for the ride to Bell Buckle.

The misfit table!

I heard David say, as we’re getting ready to throw our legs over the seats, “Lookie here, I haven’t no more got that bell on the bike and it’s already working”! All I can say is, if looks could kill.

 

Instead of doubling back down 129 over to 231 and going through Shelbyville, I decided to try a route that took us North out of Lynchburg on TN55 skirting by Shelbyville and through Wartrace.  This would be the first time I’d been to Bell Buckle this way and I was a little unsure, but with only one missed turn, that turned out not to matter, we got there just fine crossing the tracks about 2:00. The route wasn’t as enjoyable as

Finding a good spot for that bell!

Paris said that bell did the trick! It kept all those gremlins away.

The good guys table!

Fayetteville the group of 14 had dwindled down to 4 and taking the Governors Dr. exit back in Huntsville toward the hospital, with Eddie and Shelly keeping South it made it just Chick and I along with Pam and David.

129/231 but not far from it. Once again a scouting party headed over to the café to stake a claim on a table and by the time the rest of the posse made it over, we’re told it’s gonna be about a 30-45 minute wait.

 

We all found a spot to rest a butt cheek and long before 30 minutes passed we were called forth. Having such a large group meant we were split into two tables but that was the only black eye of the whole deal. I didn’t get my favorite, smothered pork chops, because they were out but I found a new favorite in the chicken fried steak. Not long after we were seated Mark and Cheryl arrived to round out the whole stinking bunch. All told we ended up with a total of 14 bikes and 19

The whole dang bunch!

riders. Not bad for a last minute let’s do a ride Sunday, kinda thing!

 

Judging from the all the belly rubbin’ and groaning coming from the porch of the café afterwards, I’d say everybody got to eat and then some. The only thing missing was the bluegrass house band twanging in the background. We made our way over to the little red caboose by the tracks to get a group picture before we all dispersed in different directions and with a to-go batch of fried biscuits in hand for Russell, we hit 231 leaving Jason, Randy and Mike heading in the opposite direction toward I24.

 

By the time we left the rest stop in

When we got up to Russell’s room Juan was still there. Not long after we got there Mark and Cheryl came in as well. As it turned out we had just missed Paris but got to spend some time with Russell. We presented him with his favorite Bell Buckle fried biscuits, and that, along with the Gremlin Bell David brought him back from Judy’s and tied to his bed, seemed to do wonders for his mood. Nice touch, David! You really had a great idea there! As we’re leaving one of the nurses passes by and says, “so it’s you guys causing all that ruckus up here”! We pleaded guilty as charged and instructed her to take good care of our friend. She promised to do just that.

 

On the way home driving down I565 I was thinking back to last September at our first meeting as a chapter. At that time I was trying to look ahead and see what it might be like once we got things going. I don’t think I could have imagined anything any better than a day like today. The only thing missing from today was that familiar black cherry Vision and with the good Lord’s help, not for long. Guys you never cease to amaze me. Just when I think it can’t get any better, we just get together again.  Until next time, ride safe!