Sweet Home Alabama Day 3

September 25th, 2005

After standing on my saddlebags to close them I was ready to leave the hotel.

North Alabama has no large mountains and no twisties that compare to the roads of the Appalachians. What you do have, though, is mile after mile of gently rolling mountains and hills peppered with fun roads. The scenery on my trip was really quite nice and unexpected. Since I needed to make good time on Sunday and the weather was threatening rain I decided to ride straight through but it was nice.

On my way east from Huntsville the morning started with more cotton fields. As the day progressed the threat of rain decreased with each curve of the road. But, interrupting my ride were treacherous northernly winds which threatened to blow my rear wheel out from under me. Fortunately, as I began to enter the mountains again I was able to beat the wind on the forested mountain roads. Stopping for a rest break I saw the following sign.

Fans of the South Park television series will be surprised to see Mr. Hanky is alive and well in North Alabama!

Located on top of a mountain overlooking the Tennessee River, the town of Menlo,Alabama was my highlight of the day's ride. Menlo began to prosper at the end of the 19th century when it became a resort town thanks to a Northern doctor who had moved South due to health issues.

After recovering he built this Inn which continues to operate as a resort. There are shops for the ladies, curvey roads for the riders, and great restaurants for everyone in your group.

Confident I had beaten the rain I took a half hour to ride some side roads outside Menlo. I will have to return with a county map in the future. This area holds some great roads I want to discover!

Stopping to rest before the final push back home I realized that the Northern third of Alabama is a riding destination that's never gotten the praise it deserves. Menlo is maybe a one and a half hour ride from home for me and provides a great jumping off point for moto-adventures in the area. I can't wait to return.