UPDATE: Friday, Aug 28, 5pm
Dear Fun Seekers,
The weather outlook tomorrow looks like there is a window of opportunity for our planned ride and lunch. Right now the forecast from the Weather Channel is calling for 5-20% chance of rain between Hermitage and Smithville.
So, we’re an official “GO” for tomorrow. Departing Cracker Barrel at I-40 East, Stewarts Ferry Pike, Exit 219 at 10 a.m.
Hope you can join us.–pm__
by Phil & Lois Matisak
We’re not getting up early. We’re not driving all day. We’re taking a casual mid-morning-to-mid-afternoon casual drive.
Destinations? We’re cruising Miata Roads – does it matter to where? But, we do have a plan. We’ll visit a few of the Army Corp of Engineers’ finest river encumberments, recharging our sanity with the beauty of the lakes, forest and streams along the way. And, of course, there will be lunch….and if everyone behaves — ICE CREAM!
We’ll gather at 9:30am at the Cracker Barrel at I-40 East, Stewarts Ferry Pike, Exit 219. After a short driver meeting, we’ll depart at 10am. First stop will be right around the corner – Percy Priest Dam & Lake, w
here we’ll share a little history and details – feel free to take notes. There may be a quiz.
Then, we’ll be on our way for about an hour along some of our favorite backroads from the Stones River Watershed to the Caney Fork.
On the way, we’ll make a stop at the Twisted Oaks for rest and nourishment. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, and appropriate “facilities.” Their menu has a little of everything, including the required Rueben, and a variety of items to replenish your perishing thirst.
After having our fill, or having enough of Phil, we’ll mount up again and drive through beautiful Edgar Evins State Park with a stop, history lesson and photo ops at Center Hill Lake & Dam. The dam remains under construction to reinforce its structure after the Corps found serious weaknesses in several dams after the floods several years ago that forced the purposeful flooding of downtown Nashville. We may get slightly delayed due to one-lane traffic across the top of the dam.
From there, we’ll head down to the park and river below the dam to take a stroll along to the Caney Fork River for some more photos ops and deep inhalation of some of Mother Nature’s finest.
And, just when you thought – how could it get any better – we’ll make a final stop at the Big Rock Market and Caney Fork Outdoors just outside the park. There will surely be some RC’s and Moon Pies… and maybe some ICE CREAM! You won’t walk back to your car empty-handed.
From here, we’ll head back to Music City. There are two options. We’ll be a few miles from I-40, so those who would like to take the quickest route back may hop on the superslab and be back to Nashville in less than an hour. Or you may follow us back via a slower, but more scenic Rt 70N through Chestnut Mound, Carthage and Lebanon, where you can again pickup I-40 to home base.
Our goal is a good balance between driving, relaxing, socializing and some good photo ops. Let Phil know if you will join us via email at pjmatisak@comcast.net by noon on Friday, Aug 28, so we can alert the restaurant if we have a large group. Masks are optional during the drive and outdoors, but may be required in market and store. It’s good to always have one handy.
Hope you can join us! Be well. Drive safely!