jSamsRide2023

Sam's Ride
In early summer of 2023 I loaded my Honda CT125 on the back of my motorhome
and headed to Tennesee to ride a ride my buddy Sam Correro put together.
He's the Trans America Trail creator and always come up with a nice ride.
It would be a 2 day ride starting and stopping at Lake Hill Motors bike shop.
But I would poke down there and back and make a bigger ride out of it.
My buddy who goes by the name "Loosenut" would ride with me most of the time.

The story with pictures and videos is posted below.

I made my way South from my home in Southern Illinois and ended up camping at Natchez Trace
State park which is no where near Natchez Trace Parkway-----a nice ride can be had riding the parkway.
6-6-2023

That has to be my view the next morning-----I only drink coffee in the morning.
Had a nice breakfast in my motorhome. I was unseasonably cool and I left the windows
open that night.

I haven't used that hitch hauler since 2011 when I hauled my Yamaha WR250R to the state
of Washington and rode it with my buddy "Dingweeds" to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska and back.
A month and 7,000 miles on that ride----the CT125 turned over 7,000 miles on this ride.

Rode to Sam's house.
This picture was on a table at Sam's house---------it was the day I met him and rode his
Shadow of the Rockies route in Mississippi. He handed me a rollchart that day---I made a track log
out of it on my laptop in front of him and used it for navigation. He didn't do tracks back then.
Took me about 15 minutes.
We were both younger then-------we have done so much together, he's about 11 years older than
me, but my wife says he looks younger.

And next to that picture was another cherished picture.
Left to right: Sam Correro, Steve Fritchley (Loosenut) and me.
That picture was taken in southern Illinois when Loosenut put a ride on at Fern Clyffe state
park in 2014.

I couldn't leave Mississippi without see my buddy "Homer"--------not his real name !!!
He is head of the service department at Lake Hill Motors in Corinth, Mississippi.
A superb mechanic he is. Has all those part numbers in his head-----I've seen him in action.
Were looking at pictures of his new sicklle barn which I hadn't seen since last year when it wasn't finished.
He rode the ride------I used to be as good a rider as him-----but not anymore.
Wednesday 6-7-23

These geese can be mean and one took a snip at my riding pants when I rode by.
They can run faster than you can.

I took a early evening ride down a dead end dirt road on the South side of of the Lock and Dam
at Pickwick and the mighty Tennessee river.
It was dark when I got back to camp. Didn't want to quit riding.

Video

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Sam is pondering a new bike. Not having a clutch lever on this bike threw him for a loop.

Loosenut took my CT for a spin.
That evening we all went out for a great dinner at the Outpost.
A legendary place to eat just North of Pickwick Dam---and loosenut treated us.
Besides me and Loosenut a lifelong friend of Sam's joined us.
Johnny flat tracker I call him--------he's an old flat tracker and his bike is in the museum
at Lake Hill Motors. He's a great guy and has rode with us before but is no longer able to.

All of us at the Outpost Restaurant.
These are some very long time friends to each other---and we cherished that.
Johnny Flat Track second from right.

Saturday June 10th, 2023
I don't know how many riders actually rode Sam's ride---maybe a hundred ??? I don't know.
Sam fixed us breakfast at his place.

Me and Loosenut love riding on our own and rode the ride Sam had laid out for Sunday on Saturday.
We've done this before and people wondered where in the heck we were.
It was a dustless awesome ride !!!!!

This sign wasn't even on our route------be we seen it and got off route as we had to try and get thru the closed bridge.
But to our dispair the bridge was all fixed and they hadn't took down the sign yet---so back to the route.
Dang it.

Sam told us about the rairoad tracks we would be riding beside--------a legal road.

We got back to Sam's and once again he fixed us a great dinner-------Salmon I believe it was.
A big storm blew in and it blew and hailed on the whole area. It rained a lot and we wondered if
anybody would be able to ride the next day as the red mud down there can become impassable.

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Sunday June 11th, 2023

It was a great day all day-------and not a bit of dust.
We soldiered thru a few nasty spots but our small bikes made it easy.

Just had to be careful at times.
We left Sam's designed route many times as we saw many roads that we wondered. "Now where does that go??"

Found many old bridges and Loosenut flew my drone. He had never flown one but got the hang of it real quick.
He would't fly it over water as he's afraid he'd lose it.
I've flown it over many big rivers and flew it over the Ohio on my way home.

We made a funny video here as you'll see.

Video Part 3

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Tuesday June 13th, 2023
On my way home I camped in Southern Illinois at Fort Massac state Park.
$15 for old people-------I stayed 2 nites and went for a very long all day ride.

First----- from my camp at Fort Massac---I head South on I-64 for about 3 miles then head mostly
West on roads that hug the South side of the Ohio river------the riding in here is spectacular
and you ride thru a wildlife sanctuary.

Definitely in the wildlife sanctuary----------or was it water fowl------I forget.

I've ridden a few times thru this area---there are lot's of ways to go.
Closed a few months of the year--------forget when???
I was always riding fast-------but this time saw stuff I had passed by.
It's beautiful in here..

I rode for many miles and came to this tressel-------it goes over the Ohio into Cairo, Illinois.
The Ohio river is only a 1/2 mile West of this picture.
It is a live railroad.

The road West back to the river was just enough to entertain an old guy like me.

I rode mostly pavement back to my camp at Fort Massac state park.
Below is a huge lock and dam on the way.

Video

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