Really Back Backroad Ride-November 10, 2018

Some say it was 29 degrees, others 30 or 32. but all agreed it was cold when five of us started out at 9:30 am to explore some back roads in Cherokee, Bartow, Gordon, Pickens and Dawson counties. To accommodate the cold nearly all of us had brought along some heat in the form of heated vests and gloves. All except our hearty Englishman who relied on his thick leather jacket.

We started out from Ball Ground but soon turned on to Mineral Springs road and headed West with the sun on our backs. We explored many different roads, some paved, some gravel and some wash-boarded dirt, really enjoying some new mountain vistas and passing through some farms and "ranches'  that kindled thoughts of earlier days in north Georgia. I won't name all of the roads but there is a map at  

Route Map November 10, 2018

We got to Jasper around noon and headed for 61 Main for lunch, and warmth. After a longer wait than usual (there was some sort of celebration in the back) we were seated an had a great lunch.

You'll notice on the route map that we backtracked off of 136. This was our excursion up Monument Road to the top of Mount Oglethorpe and Eagle's Rest. While Eagle's Rest is not exactly treeless Dan, our master drone pilot, thought it clear enough to safely poke the drone through the branches and take a 360 degree view of the area. Some of us had our doubts about flying through the canopy and envisioned a drone search party in the offing, but Dan is the man. Not only did he clear all the trees and branches he brought the drone down to hover a few feet from us all, for a group photo.   

Around 3:30 pm we headed home with a pit stop and fuel for the Ural, at the Foothills Chevron.

In spite of the cold start it turned into a clear crisp sunny day and I good time was had by all.