HONDA HOOT - KNOXVILLE, TN. JUNE 20-26, 2004

Written by Larry Greco, IL Chapter “H”

This year the Hoot would be different for me than previous ones.  I had volunteered to lay out the route (a first for me) to Knoxville, TN.  In previous years we had driven there by way of the super slab.  I was a follower, not the leader.  This year it was decided to take two days and do back roads where possible.

            What a challenge, could I lay out a route and select roads which the group would enjoy?  I got out the Rand McNally atlas and started planning.  After studying several state maps I decided on the route.  I tried to select roads which motorcyclists would like, trying to avoid the larger cities where possible.  After several changes I selected this route:

Day one:

    I-290 to I-294 South

    I-294 to I-394South  (this way selected as to

avoid construction on I 80)

    I-394 to 17 East and this turns into route 2 in

Indiana

    2 to US41 South

    41 to 10 East

    10 East to 65 South

    65 South to 39 South (we have to get some

faster miles in somewhere)

    39 South to 37 South

    37 South to 46 East

    46 to 135 South/50 East& 150 South

    135 to 62 East

    62 East to 64 East

    64 to 65 South through Louisville, KY

    65 to 245 East

    245 to 31 East/150 South

    150 South to Danville, KY.  This is where we

will stay the first night.  Total miles are 447 for this leg.

Day two:

    150 South to 39 South

    39 South to 80 East

    80 to 11 South

    11 to 25E

    25E to 81 West

    81 to I 40 West

    40 to Hotel at Strawberry Planes Pike on the

East side of Knoxville.

Total planned mileage is 686 miles.

            I lay out the route on the computer and download it into my new GPS, a Garmin 2610.

            We all agree to meet at the Citgo gas station at Roselle and Elgin-O'hare expressway on Sunday June 20th at 5:30am.  Our riders are Larry Greco, Joe Hughes, Russ Prichard, Joel Gyurnek, George Riebesehl, Bob Sample and Dick Scalpone riding ROAD KILL.  We will meet Bruce Hirsh at the Hinsdale oasis driving his new hybrid Toyota Prius.  All of us on cycles arrive and gas up.  At the pre ride meeting it is decided that I (being the lead bike) will pay for all the bikes at the toll booths.  I will inform everyone at each toll both weather the attendant will keep the gate up or not.  We depart and plan to meet Bruce at 6:00am.  We arrive and greet Bruce who has brought his guitar along for entertainment.

            Everything is going very smoothly.  Once we had gotten off the tollway it’s some back roads for now.  We are driving in Indiana and I spot a strange looking bird standing along side of the road.  I ask the group and we all agree that it is a Peacock.  None of us had seen this species of bird anywhere around here.  Further down the road Dick is quick to point out that we are passing a nudist colony.  Back on the superslab on route 65 Joel radios up and tells the group to look in the car in the left lane.  It's Dick and Betty Sieple on their way down as volunteers at the Hoot.  We go about 165 miles and stop at Denny's for breakfast.  After our bellies are filled we hit the road and depart the super slab for the back roads at route 39.  Dick Scalpone stays on the highway to make time since he is also a volunteer at the Hoot and has to arrive there today.  Bruce is also a volunteer but he does not have to sign in until tomorrow.  On route 39 we enter our first small town and leave it only to discover that we are on the wrong road.  We continue on since this is such a nice scenic road.  We stop at a fruit stand to ask for directions.  A few miles to our right we get back onto 39.  Further into the trip we enter route 135.  As we enter I can tell that this will be a terrific ride through here.  The turns (and there are a lot of them) are posted at 25 to 35 MPH.  This has lots of twisties and I feel great to have selected this one.  I am now wondering if we are going to get to the motel before dark since it is such a slow speed  limit.  Bruce driving his auto stated he was getting dizzy.  135 is great; great until there is a detour.  This takes us about 100 miles out of our way, but nobody is complaining.  We all want more of this type of riding. We get back to the designated road, turn onto 62.  This is another great road, but we are on this for only about 20 miles.  Now it is through Louisville, where we get on the wrong freeway and take the long way around town.  Back on the back roads we make our way to Danville, KY, around 5:00pm.   Here we stay at a Holiday Inn Express. 

Day two starts early, we have a continental breakfast and hit the road about 7:30am.  Bruce makes his own way to Knoxville so he will not be late for volunteer sign in.  I think that it would be hard to top yesterday's roads.  When we get to 39 and find that this road is another winner.  Then onto 192, through The Daniel Boone Forest continues to be a great road, also a few deer run in front of our convoy.  We get to route 11 and decide that we will get to Knoxville early, so here we decide to take a side trip.  After 6 hours on the road I get out the atlas and discover we are about 50 miles from where we started the day.  Now we start back to Knoxville and arrive in the late afternoon.  Total mileage to Knoxville is around 815.

            Monday - Russ Prichard leads us on a ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  The ride starts out on the warm side but starts to get cooler as we get higher up in elevation.  We make a stop at a visitor’s center with several old buildings to view, which had come from several locations in the Smokey Mountains.  As we ride further up onto the mountain the rain starts to fall.  We decide to go back to our motel.  As we descend down the Blue Ridge Parkway into Pigeon Forge the rain stops and it is getting hot.  Here we stop for lunch at a restaurant called Alabama (for the music group with this name).  The restaurant is all 'country'  featuring the singing group.  There had to be 25 television sets hanging around showing a special of theirs from Las Vegas.   In addition there’s lots of memorabilia from country stars, including autographed pictures, cowboy hats, guitars, dresses and clothing and the list goes on from the stars of country.  Now it’s back to the motel for a swim and conversation before we go out for dinner.

            Tuesday - Forecast for today is rain.  Russ, George and Bob decide to visit the venders at the Hoot.  Among several items that they purchased, Bob got much needed front brakes and front tire. Joe, Joel and myself are registered to visit the Wheels through times Museum in Maggie Valley, N.C.  With our pre registration package there is a map to the museum.  Surprise, I had planned in advance a route for this day and had it in the GPS.  We leave for the day at 7:30am since we are going to cover many miles today.  Deals Gap is our first destination.  Arriving at the beginning of the Dragon we all have big smiles on our faces.  An early start and the treat of rain must have scared most of the riders away; we have the road almost to ourselves.  What a treat not having crotch rockets flying around you at high speeds.  We leave Deals Gap and proceed on route 28.  More twisties here, and continue to route 19.  This takes us to Maggie Valley.  At the museum we are greeted be Dick & Betty.  We have lunch as part of the package; the Blueberry pie is to die for.  After touring the museum it’s time to do some more twisties.  As we leave it starts to rain.  We put on rain gear, continue on 19 to route 209, (I think 209 is better than the Dragon).  As we start to get into the turns the rain gets pretty heavy.  We take it slow, even the logging trucks are going faster than us.  Better safe than sorry.  On route 209 in Hot Springs we stop at the Smokey Mountain Diner and have a quick bite.  Back in the rain we make our way back to Knoxville.  Our trip today is 250 miles on some of the best roads around.

            Wednesday - This is our free day with no rides planned.  No rain forecasted for today (figures).  Time to descend on the vendors at Chilhowee Park.  Entering the park we see our leader Dick, he is either directing traffic or doing the Mr. Six dance.  I think a little of both.  We beep our horns and wave at him and proceed to buy more safety chrome and electronic gadgets.

            Thursday - It is raining and the forecast for today is for heavy rains and flooding.  We are scheduled for The Road Runner cycle magazine ride today.  Waiting for the rain to ease us we have to make a decision, ride or not for the day.  Joe, Joel and myself decide to go on the ride.  We start out on the freeway, but there are a few accidents slowing down traffic.  Going to the GPS I ask it to select the fastest route to our destination, instead of the scenic.  We need to make up time or else we will miss out on lunch.  With all the rain it gets cold and foggy in the mountains.  We are the last three bikes to arrive at the ride destination in Huntsville, TN.  There is plenty of food since many chose not to make this ride, they ask if we want 2nds & 3rds.  The High School students had built a museum from memorabilia and points of interest from surrounding areas.  We visit and the students tell us about their projects and participa-tion in the museum.  We are now the last guests and can tell the students want to go home.  We put our rain gear back on and head back to Knoxville.  Tonight is the party at the Museum of the Appalachia.  With all the rain (over 2" for the day) we decide to skip this event.  Arriving back at the hotel and wouldn't you know  it, the rain stops and the sun comes out.