TAT Report Day 4 8-12-10

We got underway about 8:45A, clear and low 80's.

Traveling through last leg of TN and into Mississippi today. Plan on staying at Sam's tonight.

Things were going pretty well. Both gravel and sand based roads. Found one closed bridge, and a detour around, then early afternoon, 2nd closed bridge but no way around, so we back tracked out to a paved road, and went around.

Typical TN gravel road-loose stone

Typical Sand based road. Both shoulders have been scraped by a grader, and the loose stuff put back in the center. Makes for some interesting riding. VERY dusty. We have to separate 1/4 mile or you can't "read the road".  Rich noticed a big drop in gas mileage this AM when we refueled. He checked his air filter, and it needed cleaning. The KLR's seem to be less dirty, may be due to the way the air-box gets air in.

So..we're working our way around this closed bridge, and we enter a little town, called Ashland. An honest to goodness one light town (or sign I should say).

Mr. Bobby Rogers-seated (owner)

Honestly...how long has it been since you've seen a stop sign HUNG over the intersection. Last time I remember was in the 50's or early 60's. Note car facing me...TN Hwy Patrol, unmarked car. He just looked at the four fools on motorcycles (95 degrees), and went on.  Two hundred feet past the intersection, Brooks sees this abandoned garage, with a nice shady spot to park/rest. We're drinking our water, eating a granola bar, relaxing, and talking, when a young man across the street at the Texaco station calls over and invites us over to their air-conditioned office.It's HOT, so why not.
The garage is over 75 years old. An honest "service

station". We take a seat at a large table in the center of the office after informal introductions. They are interested in what four middle-aged guys are doing so far away from home. They are even more surprised when we tell them. The young man (owners son) who called us over, goes back out to the bay, and continues working on the vehicle owned by the man in the blue striped shirt, who is sitting in an overstuffed chair next to us. His car is soon ready, and he goes over to the desk to settle up (back to us in picture). One of the guys  passes over today's local newspaper that was sitting on the table.I look at the picture on the front page.  It's the man paying his bill with Mr. Rogers. The picture in the paper shows Mr. McMullen accepting an award...Mr. "Sheriff" McMullen. I inform the group who has been sitting with us. The Sheriff  smiles, walks over, shakes all of our hands, and gives us each his business card. Like Rich says, we meet the most interesting people when we make our little "rest" stops.

We load up and continue our detour back to the "TAT". Our destination is the home of Mr. Sam Correro. Sam is responsible for creating this wonderful trail across America. We arrive about 6PM.

Left to Rt: "Little John", Sam Correro, "Columbus"

Left to Rt:  Brooks, Sam, Doug

 Sam couldn't have been nicer, or more hospitable. He knows we're hot and tired. We shed the riding gear, and he immediately takes us inside, and gives us a cold beer. We sit and talk a little, then take quick showers and put on clean clothes for dinner. Sam drives us South about 15 miles to a town named Granada. There we eat at a local place named "Jake & Rips" (owners two labs).

We all had a great meal. I had fresh catfish ($7.35 for half a catfish dinner, $7.95 for a whole catfish dinner)No hard decision there.

We went back to Sam's after dinner, but didn't sit  around much and talk, we were just too tired.

A great nights sleep, and we departed at 7AM Friday morning.

I'll talk a little more about Sam and how he created the TAT in another update. We had a great stay at Sam's, and it vwas an honor for all of us to meet him. He's a special guy who has his heart into the TAT 100%, and doesn't seem to tire of it at all. One last word, some "special" news...Sam has been invited this October, to Hollywood, to a premier showing of a new movie about the TAT. The producers are trying to get it shown as a documentary by someone like National Geographic Society.  We of course wish him and the movie the best of luck, and know a lot of people who will want to see it. It should rate up there with "On Any Sunday" (1972).

END OF DAY STATS: 223 miles, Avg. 35.7 mph, 9hr 47min