FILM
TENNESSEE: Motorcycle roadtrip from Arkansas to Missouri and Tennessee
EDITORIAL SUMMARY
This episode follows a motorcycle journey from Arkansas through Missouri and into Tennessee, travelling from the Ozarks towards the Great Smoky Mountains. Along the way, stops at springs, a fishing lake and a collection of historic buildings shape a ride that ends with an unexpected turn near Cades Cove.
About this film
Part of the USA CROSS-COUNTRY series, the film follows Lea Rieck on a longer motorcycle journey across the United States, from California to Florida. This leg takes her through three states on a Yamaha Ténéré 700. In Arkansas, the ride begins at Barkshed Camp, beside North Sylamore Creek. Blanchard Springs offers a wooded walk to the point where spring water emerges from a cave; a cave tour is unavailable during this visit. Nearby Mirror Lake, coloured turquoise by mineral deposits from local springs and caves, is a stop for views and trout fishing.
The journey
After breakfast at Drifters Cafe in Cave City, Rieck leaves the smaller roads for a route across Missouri. A bridge over the Mississippi River marks the crossing into Tennessee. She spends the night at Green Frog Farm, where Dr. John Freeman and his family restore historic buildings. The site includes more than 20 structures, among them a schoolhouse, a church, a moonshine shed and a cotton gin built in 1910. The following day, she bypasses Nashville and rides towards the Great Smoky Mountains and Cades Cove Loop. An unforeseen incident changes the expected ride through the mountains, giving this section of the trip a more unsettled finish.
What to expect
- A multi-state motorcycle ride from Arkansas into Tennessee.
- Stops at Blanchard Springs, Mirror Lake and Green Frog Farm.
- A Great Smoky Mountains ride disrupted by an unexpected incident.
COMMUNITY
Discussion
Comments are limited to registered members.
No comments yet. Start the discussion.
Sign in to join the discussion. Requiring an account keeps the comments useful and cuts out automated spam.