The weather forecast was predicting lots of rain closer to home with the potential for severe weather as well, it was best to give us time in case things got ugly.
I was able to see my cousin briefly as she dropped off her son Brandon to Grandpa and Grandma's house. Brandon was a little apprehensive, but once it was explained that we were second cousin's, he seemed OK with it. Until he did the math after we told him that he didn't have any first cousins. So he decided that we must be first cousins. The eight-year-old logic was hard to argue with.
After a breakfast of peanut butter and chocolate chip muffins - almost like eating cake for breakfast - we started to pack up the bike. Brandon walked out into the garage and stopped on seeing the motorcycle, "Whoa!"
We had had a great adventure so far, but it was time to head home. And we left around 8:00 into the steamy Southeast morning. Unlike the trip south, we couldn't dither, so it was mostly going to be a day on the interstate.
Traffic was surprisingly light and the temperature was extremely nice, if a little humid. We worked our way north and west. The only place traffic really seemed to pick up was briefly in North Carolina.
Temperatures stayed nice with mixed clouds through the morning. It was good that even with the potential for rain, we didn't feel rushed. As we gained elevation from the coastal United States, and the day progressed, it started to get hot - very hot for late April. Most of the afternoon was near the 90's which is not what we were expecting.
Getting off the interstate for a while, we went around Knoxville. I'm not sure why, but I've always disliked that stretch of I-40/I-640.
And through the tunnel at the Cumberland Gap.
As we got closer to home, SO kept and eye on the radar and saw all the rain was west. Temperatures were still tolerable and neither one of us really felt like ponying up for (and staying in) another hotel. So we slogged it on home. As we got closer to home, we saw evidence of very heavy rain with driveways washed out and some areas with huge puddles and flooding. Whatever deluge happened, I was glad it did earlier in the day.
Suffice to say, given forecasts, what we enjoyed and what we missed, we hit the weather lottery on this motorcycle (and fishing) adventure.
We got home well before dark. It was a slog of a day, but with decent weather and tolerable traffic it wasn't too bad.
Overall, it was a short, but fun-filled adventure. We had an amazing day of riding on the way south, getting to catch up with family for a few days and had some great fishing. And had a good long ride home.
Uncle Dave was wondering if this could be an annual trip - that would be fun, but reality is that there is only so much vacation time. Yet, I know we'll have to do this again.
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