What was going to be a simple ride of a 64km stretch of Tennessee roads know as state roads Numbers 330,116 & 62 became a whole day adventure on The Devil's Triangle and earned the Indian another unusual sticker at the rides end some 8 hours later!

Firstly before I forget this quotation is standard in motel rooms so I hope you appreciate it.

To Our Guests

"The Stranger Within Our Gates"

Because this hotel is a human institution to serve people,and not solely a money making organisation,we hope that God will grant you:

peace and rest while you are under our roof.

May this room and hotel be your "second home'. May those you love be near you in thoughts and dreams. Even though we may not get to know you, we hope that you will be comfortable an happy as if you were in your own house. May the business that brought you our way prosper. May every call you make and every message you receive add to your joy. When you leave,may your journey be safe.

We are all travelers. From "birth till death'we travel between the eternities. May those days be pleasant for you,profitable for society, helpful for thise you meet, and a joy to those who know and love you best.

I left my motel at Newport TN and very briefly travelled the Interstae to refuel then took the Old Newport Highway shown as dirt but actually a very smooth hotmix surface for some ten kms of sweeping bends before rejoining 441 the "new"Newport Highway to State Road 66, no not Route 66, North also known as The Winfred Dunn Parkway and as the name states it is a lush green park like setting with no commercial traffic a real delight to ride. The unfortunatelty another short burst of some 60kms on Interstate 40 to by pass Knoxville a very large city until I turned North at State Road 161 and headed for Oliver Springs via Oak Ridge. Oliver Springs was the lunch stop at Mama's Diner where the locals, including members of the Historical Society, kpt me for one & a half hours- the results of which will appear in their Newsletter complete with photographs. No it was not that I am old but Indian is a legend as the First American Motorcycle. I also chatted with Mama,her staff and other locals as always the Indian gathers a crowd who admire it and revel in the journey it is making.

Actually I did meet another Indian and it's riders today, a local Patrol Officer (Police man) who was a Highway Motorcycle Officers for 7 years. We met as I stopped at an extremely large factory that just appeared while riding in farmland. It is the world headquarters and chief plant of A,J Bush a manufacturer of Baked Beans. This was their original plant surrounded by their fields of beans and so they grew and grew but never left the area,the plant now is actually larger then the town!

After lunch, turkey stuffing & home made banana pudding, I took the first leg of the Devil's Triangle, State Road 330 or Bottom Frost Road, nothing exciting so I wondered why people rave over this road then I started North again on State road 116 or New River Highway. What a change lovely mountains, no barriers to stop you exploring the valley below if you lost concentration and add in steep drop offs some times 30+ cms deep so watch the road boy and of course those warning signs about loose gravel from driveways adding the third dimension. Cornors became sharper ie peg rubbing sharp but at balancing act speeds of 15kph.

The road had a series of switchbacks eventually taking you 180o so Southward bound towards Petros. However a stop was needed to quench the dryness of the throat and out of nowhere came the Blue & White Garage, despite it looks a fully functioning antique shop where apart from a 50c caan of pop (soft drink) I purchased my usual array of "my God why would he bring that home accessories) a CJ8 Champion spark plug (for less then Walmart price) and a 2oz bottle of two stroke oil to add to my collection of mini two stroke oil bottles, it was a bargain at 99c. Moving on I thought gee must be almost finished but the GPS still said 66kms to go? No I didnt get lost but seems the quoted milage is not accurate. Then rounding a bend I was upon a wreck, a lady had fallen victim to the steep drop off and was left stranded. No big deal I thought, no injuries just a tow job. Wrong next thing two very large fire trucks, the local Sheriff and an Ambulance, I left while I could still get past.

I stopped at Brushy Mountain Market to purchase my Devil's Triangle sticker for the Indian only stopping long enough to fight off the locals who wanted to know what the disaster up the road was!

The journey home was largely I-40 as it was now some 7 hours since I left home and the GPS was saying still 189kms to motel. A quick dip in the pool, a chat to other guests and off to the local Chinese for a dinner special two course and drink for $7.99 (plus tax 15%) then back to let you good folk hear and see my latest steps in Taking the Indian home.