Work takes me up to Huntsville every so often, so if the weather cooperates, I try to ride. Gives me a chance to make a few extra pennies on my mileage and increases the fun.
When I head up there, it's pretty much a straight shot up 231 through Oneonta, Blountsville, and Arab. If I manage to leave by early afternoon, I try to take the long way home.
I'd been looking at some of the roads to the west of 231, in the past I'd seen some promising looking roads. I escaped about 1sh, and headed south down 231 and then west on 36. After a few miles I just started looking for interesting roads going south. I found a few goat trails in the Cotaco area, did some winding around and came out on 67 just east of Florette. I turned west and then went south on Eva Road. At the top, I turned west of Peck Mountain Road, wandered around some, then came out on Six Mile Road and then Six mile Creek Road. Six mile Creek road did some nice climbs with a few tight turns, with plenty of sand and dirt in the corners. Fun road on the old GS, definitly a road for bikes with plenty of suspension travel.
Came across a cemetery plot, saw the historical marker, so decided to stop.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Cullman-Blount-Counties-May-19-2021/i-jXjkJpG/0/77e25629/L/Morrow%20Cemetery-L.jpg)
Life was tough in those days;
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Cullman-Blount-Counties-May-19-2021/i-Q4v5Tt2/0/f692517f/X2/Morrow%20Cemetery%20headstone%201-X2.jpg)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Cullman-Blount-Counties-May-19-2021/i-9rZHZhm/0/cdbb2777/X2/Morrow%20Cemetery%20headstone-X2.jpg)
After leaving the cemetery, Six Mile Creek Road took me back to Eva Road, so I turned south through Eva, where I stopped to look at a canoe for sale.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Cullman-Blount-Counties-May-19-2021/i-ckzZ3B6/0/3372fd72/L/Aluminium%20Canoe%20FS%201-L.jpg)
I continued south to Fairview, where I started heading down some more goat trails in the Duck River area. One road was shown on the GPS as going through to 278, but my GPS lied;
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Cullman-Blount-Counties-May-19-2021/i-c5x3Sj2/0/aad3a75b/X2/County%20Rd%20ends-X2.jpg)
Turned around, backtracked some, came out by the Duck River Dam and trailhead. Headed south again, found my self on some dirt unpaved farm roads south of 278. After wandering around some more, I found myself just west of Blountsville on 26, so headed west until I saw a likely looking road going south.
This one looked like it had some promise;
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Cullman-Blount-Counties-May-19-2021/i-WnTwChn/0/5c9d8415/X2/Johns%20Rd%20Blountsville-X2.jpg)
It was John Road, which turned into Joy Road, another dirt road which wound around some and I just followed the GPS south at any turns.
Eventually, I found my self on Chamblee Mill Road, dirt again, and the GPS showed it crossed a creek and continue south. I can't say that the GPS lied this time, but the info wasn't exactly accurate.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Cullman-Blount-Counties-May-19-2021/i-FNTc2GN/0/2c1b783d/L/Chamblee%20mill%20rd%201-L.jpg)
There was a crossing to my left in the picture, but first was a pretty steep drop to the beach, then on the other bank, the climb out was pretty washed out, with a big ditch. Being by myself, with a good sized bike, and no one knowing where I was, I decided to pass on the crossing and turn around.
Found a few more farm lanes, came out just north of Cleveland, where I decided to continue down CR 1 and bypass Oneonta via Boat Landing Road, going through "The Narrows" and turning east on Sims Road, which brought me out near Highland Lake.
I could hear the deck and a cold beer calling, so headed south from there home.
That was interesting, sounds just like what goes through the mind wandering. Thats also how good routes are made, putting together the best of one wandering and next time trying other stuff in between. Good writeup!
Solo trips taking a map or GPS and just finding new and interesting roads are some of the best times on a motorcycle!
I like riding solo sometimes because I can slam on the brakes and make a turn at my whim or stop to take a picture. I was mostly just using the GPS as a compass to make my decisions, not as much of a guide.
I think i could create a fun easy dual sport loop out of some of those roads.
Nice report. Several of those roads, around Cotaca/Eva/Ruth Mnt, were on our "Nowhere To Be" ride a couple of years ago.