Motorcycle trip to tennessee - advice on roads & food (Knoxville: houses, camping)

[bouskaelec]

Taking a cycle trip this July or August from Iowa to Tennessee with a couple friends. Plan on doing the Dragon at Deals Gap and seeing some of the Smoky Mountains. Heard that area was beautiful.
Question is - how are the roads and scenery in the rest of the state? We will be traveling all the way across the state and need some suggestions on curvy, scenic roads and good camping areas. Would love to get off the beaten path and have some good BBQ and catfish if anyone has any eating places to recommend.
Also, does anyone know of any good biker type bars / roadhouses. Would also love to even incorporate a cycle rally or festival into the trip if anything is going on during July or August.
Haven't set a firm date yet, but are planning on 10 days or so. Thanks for you help!

[daniellefort]

Oh tail of the dragon is cool. We drove it in a truck and i actually got sick to my stomach with all the curves. A nice ride is throught the smokey mountains the road that goes up and over to the NC side.

[tsimmu]

Not sure if it's EXACTLY what you're looking for but the Long Branch on the Strip is good. Also, Daniel's on Chapman Hwy but know that a lot of areas around there outside of Knoxville are "semi-dry". Have fun!

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by bouskaelec

Taking a cycle trip this July or August from Iowa to Tennessee with a couple friends. Plan on doing the Dragon at Deals Gap and seeing some of the Smoky Mountains. Heard that area was beautiful.
Question is - how are the roads and scenery in the rest of the state? We will be traveling all the way across the state and need some suggestions on curvy, scenic roads and good camping areas. Would love to get off the beaten path and have some good BBQ and catfish if anyone has any eating places to recommend.
Also, does anyone know of any good biker type bars / roadhouses. Would also love to even incorporate a cycle rally or festival into the trip if anything is going on during July or August.
Haven't set a firm date yet, but are planning on 10 days or so. Thanks for you help!

This is the state vacation website:

http://www.tnvacation.com/calendar/

When the page opens, you'll see a "By Month" tan colored box on the right side of the page. Click on Jul 2007 then scroll down to see the events and festivals going on in the state in July (they are in date order and include the location). Click on the events/festivals to learn more about them. Repeat with August.

For cheap eats or take out, I recommend Buddy's Barbecue which I am told is a chain fast food restaurant just in Tennessee (I asked). Make sure you have the potato salad with the barbecue.

[SPLIT]

B: RoadRashMag.com covers the 2 wheel events and vendors in this part of state, good articles and pics also. All roads smooth good in the state. Almost impossible to find a dirt road even in rural areas. Coming straight in from the WEST on rt #30 would be very scenic and Cumberland plateau / mtn walden ridge. Falls creek falls State Park should have lodging/ camping.
Enjoy The View, or ask again.

[bouskaelec]

Thanks guys! That's some great help. How about some good backwood bars / eating places? Good fish fry joints by a river or lake with a cold one is my kind of dining!
I remember about 15 years ago going thru Spring Hill, TN and stopping at a bar in the middle of nowwhere. I was in my early 20's with a friend from the area. When I ordered a beer the bartender refused to serve me because I was a 'yankee'. No kidding. I wasn't 100% sure what the hell a yankee even was, but I did think the bar was pretty cool the 2 minutes I was in there.
I would like to find some places like that again. This time I will try not to talk so 'Iowan'. My cousins down by Little Rock, AR give me a lot of guff too. They know I'm a hillbilly at heart and plan on living down south hopefully someday. Till then trips are the best I can do.
BTW, that bar was the only place I had any problems, and we had a great time the week I was there. Thanks again for your replies.

[jkmewright]

You heading towards Chattanooga? We have 2 catfish houses on the river and thundercreek harley which holds events every weekend. Also, great gatherings downtown w/live music on Friday nights which is attended by tons of bikers. Then of course since you are so close, head on down to Helen GA for some good times and a fantastic ride. Oh, what about little Sturgis KY?

[JMT]

Originally Posted by bouskaelec

Thanks guys! That's some great help. How about some good backwood bars / eating places? Good fish fry joints by a river or lake with a cold one is my kind of dining!
I remember about 15 years ago going thru Spring Hill, TN and stopping at a bar in the middle of nowwhere. I was in my early 20's with a friend from the area. When I ordered a beer the bartender refused to serve me because I was a 'yankee'. No kidding. I wasn't 100% sure what the hell a yankee even was, but I did think the bar was pretty cool the 2 minutes I was in there.
I would like to find some places like that again. This time I will try not to talk so 'Iowan'. My cousins down by Little Rock, AR give me a lot of guff too. They know I'm a hillbilly at heart and plan on living down south hopefully someday. Till then trips are the best I can do.
BTW, that bar was the only place I had any problems, and we had a great time the week I was there. Thanks again for your replies.

If you're headed to the Cumberland Plateau (and SPLIT is right, Hwy 30 is a crazy, wonderfully curvy road that winds its way around Fall Creek Falls which has awesome camping) head to the Cookeville Boat Dock on Center Hill Lake. It's got a little floating restaurant right on the lake where they serve fresh catfish they caught on the lake that day. It's sooooo good. From there, you can take the back roads west to Nashville; heading down the plateau on Hwy 141 through Silver Point and Lancaster as the road hugs (and is somtimes falling into) the Caney Fork River is fun.

[bouskaelec]

Thanks - I was thinking about Thundercreek Harley after reading about it from the website SPLIT sent to me. Sounds like a great time. Which catfish place do you recommend (less fancy one maybe)? I've heard of little Sturgis as well. We were at a Hogrock rally by Paducah a couple years ago and someone mentioned it was up the road a little bit. Might look into that. Thanks for your help.

[jkmewright]

Lets see, there's the Riverside on Mullins Cove rd. Great laid back place, greasy food, waxy red and white table covers, nothing fancy except the taste! The drive is nice as well, along the river in a valley. We have another on the other side of the river but it's a bit fancier. I have not been to Sturgis KY but I do hear that it IS the miney mee version on the SD ralley which I have been to.