Middle TN, GPSKevin's TAT

[kdtrull]

Starting with the last stop.  We spent a lot of time but didn't cover a lot of miles....maybe 300 out and back.

This is the headwaters of the Elk River:











Anyone know where this is?  GPSKevin's route goes just north of here.  I can't imagine why this stop is not included in the route.  It rarely spills at this rate.  I suppose the heavy rains from last weekend triggered the extra flow.  The gates were barely cracked open.  The lake level on the other side of the gates was easily 10 feet above the bottom of the gates.  It's a very nifty design for a spillway....check out the angled geometry to direct the flow.  The vertical cut in the rock is just greater than the full open height of the gates.

[kdtrull]

I've named this place "Klan Camp".  However, there is a small sign that says something to the effect of "Heritage Not Hatred".  I continue to believe that there are a few forks missing from the family tree here.   :D  However, it's the first time I've stopped for pictures and no one shot at us!  So, maybe it's legit.





The orange-red-yellow painted bovine skulls really add a touch of advanced intellectual insight to the camp.
This camp has been here for years and is very near the Nowhere to Be But All Day To Get There Ride from a year or two ago....up around where the old Zion Church and bluegrass festival was.

Anyone remember where the Ural and another bike got water in the intakes in the deep creek crossing?  That road starts just past here.

[kdtrull]

So, it turns out the great majority of the section of GPSKevin's TAT between Minor Hill and Tim's Ford Lake is paved back roads.  It's very pretty and feels remote at times but there is very little dirt/gravel along this section:





That's not to say that there are NO gravel roads....just not as many as I would have liked.





Before we finished up at Tim's Ford Dam, we diverted into the carnival-like town of Lynchburg for some lunch.





I don't care much for this section of GPSKevin's TAT....but don't get the wrong idea.  This is an excellent area for many different kinds of riding.  I ride there a lot and would recommend just making your own route or, even better, forget a route and just go exploring.

[kdtrull]

A little video of the route and some Tim's Ford spillage:

[lazeebum]

Good to see that you're still shooting video. I'm gittin' the itch for a road trip.

[kdtrull]

Good to see that you're still shooting video. I'm gittin' the itch for a road trip.

Well, I'll be durn glad when you get ready to scratch it.

[Hammerdown77]

A couple of weekends ago a buddy and I rode the section from Fayetteville to Westpoint. We actually jumped on it just North of Taft. That first section we hit was gravel, but didn't last long.

I would agree that most of it was paved (albeit, some in not great shape) back roads; however, it is a gorgeous route. I never would have gone down any of those great roads if not following the GPS tracks.

We also saw the Confederate compound. I believe my first reaction was "What the he..."  We were not brave enough to stop.