Tennessee in the Autumn

A smokehouse in action curing tobacco.

Abandoned smokehouse used to cure tobacco leaves.

This building was huge - 3 stories tall and 3 loading bays wide.

Stopped by a train; probably the closest I've been to a moving locomotive and train!

No end in sight!

Main Street in Puryear!

Puryear's Post Office and Beauty Salon on the right.

Puryear's water tower and grain storage silos and loading equipment.

You couldn't ask for a nicer day to ride 99 miles. The air was pleasant, the skies partly sunny, just enough breeze although it was stiff at times, and the scenery fabulous.

We took a mellow pace out of Union City this morning as this would be our 4th century in a row. We had rolling farmland until we reached the Kentucky River. Along the way we got stopped by a train; the crossing guard arm nearly hit me as the lights and sirens surprised everyone.

We came upon several operating smokehouses along our route as well as one abandoned one that still had dried tobacco hanging on the drying racks inside.

Although there were plenty of leaves along the road ways today, the trees were quite colorful. Fortunately the roads were dry and nearly vacant most of the day as this made navigating through the blowing leaves much easier.

Lunch was in the town of Puryear, truly small town America. The town square had a covered picnic area were we dined on rice tacos, fresh veggies, made to suit sandwiches - deli or pb&j. Last night was Big Wave Dave's turn to do the grocery shopping for today's lunch feast. In his haste he grabbed "low sodium V-8 juice in cans; he really heard from the group for that blunder. Almost everyone drings a can of V-8 vegetable juice at lunch just for the sodium repenishment.

Next to the picnic area, the ever-present train tracks passed through town. Across town you saw the local grain storage and loading elevator.

Tonight were staying in Erin, TN. Now this is more of the small town America I expected to see. No fast food chains, but many local diners. Our hotel, the Deerfield Inn, is locally owned and operated - no chain. It's clean but lacking the creature comforts of the chains. Yes it has internet but I'm watching MNF in black and white as i write this blog entry!

We ate at Fitz's Family Restaurant for dinner. The locals thought we were crazy; I'm sure we had varying opinions of them as well. When our waitress was asked if the BBQ dinner was pork or beef she responded, "I'm not sure, all I know is it comes from a pig!" The drawl was quite heavy but very pleasant and good natured. I had the BBQ dinner; It was delicious.

Key Stats:
99 miles (close enough for a century - 4 in 4 days!)
15.25 avg mph
only 2,984 kcals burned!
6:29 in the saddle today
1 flat - Grateful Dave, again - this makes 11 for him! (I got 2)
over 4,009' of climb ( I had the GPS turned off for 7 miles today!)

Tomorrow: Nashville and then a rest day as we prepare for the big climbing days - 11,000' + on Thursday followed by individual climbs of 4,000+ feet on Saturday and Sunday.