Drive180 miles to ride 80(worth it)

I had planned a ride near Benton Tennessee. On Google earth it looks like the greenest place on earth. It didn't fall far short of that. One of the things that drew me to the ride back when I was planning it at home was a climb of 1600 feet in 3 miles. I couldn't tell but I suspected it was gravel and I would have to take the long way around. After a beautiful ride through the forest and past the rivers and lakes I got to Benton Tennessee and stopped to refill water.

The man outside the store when asked if the road headed east was gravel told me "it has been all my life!". I decided in my wisdom that I would bypass that and take the long way around the mountain. It would put me on a busier road but avoid the possibility of cutting a tire. I drove past the road leading up to the top of the mountain and a half mile later told myself to hell with that! I'm tired of regretting the things I don't do. I turned around and rode up that thing. It was one of the hardest and most rewarding climbs I've ever done. The view from the top was amazing. The effort to get there was more so. There was no stopping on the way up for pictures. Getting started again would've been too hard. Also, I never like to stop in the middle of a climb. It would make me wonder if I stopped because it was too hard.

I stopped at one little mom-and-pop grocery store for water and before I left grandpa and grandma came in with her two grandkids and on their way out the six-year-old was driving.

Then came the most interesting part of the ride. What looks like a nice smooth narrow country Lane turned into 6 miles of the worst deepest nastiest gravel I've ever encountered. It went up and up and up. And as it got worse I found it easier to ride beside the road than to ride on it. It didn't improve and I wanted to turn around but I was afraid it was just about to turn into Asphalt and 6 miles later it did. The pay off was some of the prettiest scenery I've seen yet with a beautiful waterfall beside the road.

It was one of the most beautiful rides yet but I did not come through unscathed. It did cost me a rear tire. However compared to Chip seal from Texas the fact that I have had no flats is an improvement.