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LAST
RIDE 2022
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A Tradition I
Am Trying To Keep
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December
29, 2022
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The
'Last Ride Of The Year' at Stockton, Alabama is tomorrow and several of
my riding friends are planning on being there. Since I have not taken SweetTreat
out on a long trip since I replaced her engine, this is a great opportunity
for a longer 'shake down' cruise. |
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It's
not a particularly interesting ride as most of it is straight down I65. |
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But this event gives me an
opportunity to see some riding friends that I don't get to see very often.
The weather is not supposed to be 'cooperative' but it is what it is.
It's a red sunrise as I leave Nashville and I remember the old adage -
"Red sky in the
morning, sailor's warning"
"Red sky at night,
sailor's delight".
There is Scripture and science
to back that up but that's for another day.
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I am
so glad that I am getting out of town in the opposite direction of the morning
traffic. Nashville traffic with all the growth has become a real issue in
the mornings and evenings. |
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Down
around Decatur there is a new Buc-ees that has been built. I've had a hankering
to check them out and it lines up with a refuel stop so I do. I have never
seen so many gas pumps in one place in my life. In the store, it has about
everything you can imagine and would ever need on the road. |
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Next
point of interest is Birmingham, one of the few large cities I will pass
through today. Traffic is pretty reasonable and for that I am thankful. |
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Since
I am passing right by Prattville, I have contacted one of old riding buddies,
Bamarider and we are going to do lunch together. When I reach out to him,
he tells me which exit he will be waiting and that there is a large orange
there. The 'large orange' turns out to be a water tank decorated to look
like an orange. |
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He and
his lovely wife have decided to just cook lunch at their house so I follow
him along some back roads to get there. |
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I even
get a free tour of the old Prattville downtown area on the way in. |
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We have
a lovely time catching up over an excellent home cooked meal. It has been
quite a while since we have spent time together. But I've still got a ways
to go, so I wish them both well and get back to the slabbing it. |
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I get
into Bay Minette where I will be spending the night at the Log Cabin Inn.
Shuey, one of my riding friends, found this place so this where I stay when
I am in the area. |
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We do
our 'usual' super at the nearby Monterey Mexican Restaurant and it is good.
I try to lighten up for supper because I will have a good breakfast tomorrow
and then a scrumptious heavy BBQ lunch later. |
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It's
time for this old hillbilly to check his eyelids for holes, so I bed down
SweetTreat for the evening. She has been running really great with no major
issues, so I am really thankful for that. We have a tremendous amount of
memories together so it's a real joy to have her back on the road. |
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December
30, 2022
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Breakfast
is at Street' Seafood Restaurant as usual ... |
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and
it is good as usual. I go for an omelet and a couple of biscuits but skip
all the taters and such in view of lunch. |
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Several
other of my riding friends are there plus some friends that I have not met
before. |
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When
we get to the Stagecoach Cafe in Stockton, we can tell the weather has scared
off many riders. |
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But
we mill around a while and the crowd does pick up a little bit. |
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A rider
pulls in on a new Triumph Rocket 3 which I am interested in. I purchased
a Triumph Trident back in 1973 when it was the first Triumph triple. In
those years the Rocket 3 was the same basic bike as the Trident but badged
as a BSA. But this new Rocket 3 has the world's largest production motorcycle
engine capacity of 2500cc and is a totally different animal. We have a nice
conversation about how it rides, gas mileage, reliability, dealer network
and such. |
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Soon
enough as the weather appears to be closing in, we light out for Brewton,
Alabama - home of the Camp 31 BBQ restaurant. |
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Given
what the weather weenies are forecasting, Shuey decides wisely to take us
straight there via the interstate so we might have time to get home without
getting a free bike wash. |
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We enter
Brewton proper and it is a very short ride to ... |
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our
destination. |
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The
food is excellent as usual and plentiful so once again I get a to-go box
for the 'remains' so I can enjoy the ribs and brisket again later on. |
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Oude
Geit who lives in Northern Alabama and I decide we'll ride part of the way
back. He'll peel off somewhere along the way and I'll keep headed north
to Nashville. |
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As the
sun starts to go down and the weather starts to move in, I make a needed
fuel/defuel stop about 160 miles from the Holler. I figure from here I can
make it all the way home without another stop. Given what the skies look
like, I go ahead and suit up in my rain gear so if I do hit the storms,
I can just keep rolling. |
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And
as I figured, I do and it's pretty nasty. But he who minds the weather seldom
rides and it ain't my first rodeo in the rain. |
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The
storms come and go - just like they do in our lives - but I just keep rolling
on until I get back to my beloved Holler. SweetTreat has run like a champ
and I am very thankful and grateful for that. It's been a good ride with
great friends, great food, and great memories - what better way to end up
the year! |
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THE
END
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