South To Warm Springs

In January Timothy's Motorcycle Club took a long shot and scheduled an all day ride to the Little White House for mid-February. Week after week they watched the weather trends to see if they would be lucky. Sure enough a week before the ride the forecast brightened to a prediction of sunny skies and temperatures in the 70's. The ride was on.

On the 19th they took off from Woodstock at 9 a.m. heading for Dallas (no not that on), Villa Rica, Carrollton, Newnan and points south, on the road to Warm Springs. Keeping off the Interstates brought them through towns that were only dots on the map before: Whitesburg, Sargent, Moreland, Luthersville and Allie. Arriving in Warm Springs it was evident that the warm weather brought many bikes out of winter storage and on to the roads. The town was packed with Harleys. Sta-Bil was in the air.

The Little White House Historic Site has seen the benefit of upgrading through the years and the tour is well done and informative. The grounds are superb. Some of the exhibits brought back memories to those old enough to remember them happening (ok just Bob S.). WW2, rationing, scrap collection, victory gardens, war bonds, block parties, V-E and V-J days and FDRs death are remembered, as is the March Of Dimes and the fear all kids (and their parents) had of being knocked down with polio and dependent on an "iron lung".

http://www.gastateparks.org/LittleWhiteHouse/gallery

After the tour the hungry guys went into town for lunch and, given the crowd and overwhelmed staff, had a one star meal, but never-the-less left only empty plates . The ride home was through Pine Mountain then a zip up the Interstates to exit 51 and Palmetto. Around Campbellton the point rider navigator (Bob S.) lost SR 92. He claims the signage was misleading but admits it could have been a mini senior moment. All was not lost as the group was on the home turf of Flip and Mike (Living Hope Lutheran) and they led them to Lost Mountain Road and Mars Hill. From there the ride up SR 92 to Woodstock was a piece of cake except for the constant stopping for poorly synchronized traffic lights.

The weather was great, the ride, though longish (265 miles) for the first of the year, was good. Everyone enjoyed the day and now have appetites whetted for more rides this Spring.