I have never been on a long trip and this was going to be the one.
We met at Lucas Oil Stadium, a central point that proved a challenge to get to with morning traffic and the rain. Nicholas rode down from Lafayette that morning on his Scrambler Icon. As Wayne, Asad, Courtland, Jared and Ashley, Nicholas, and I were pulling away, Greg was right behind us.
We made a fuel stop in Martinsville and picked up Dave J. and Jim. From there it was on to Evansville with the plan to take some State Highways for a majority of the ride. With the rain, we opted for I-69, and by the time we made Evansville, the rain was gone.
We stuck to the highway to Clarksville, where we were stopping for lunch. South of Madisonville, KY, I-69 goes West and the main express way becomes the Pennyrile Parkway. We missed this split and ended up in Dawson Springs, not ‘Dawson’s Creek’, but Ashley was excited either way!
KY-109 to Clarksville was a great ride, connecting to US-41, with a stop in Clarksville at Kelly’s Big Burger for lunch. From there, it was TN-12 towards Nashville, TN. This stretch of road was a perfect break from the express way and appetizer for Natchez Trace Parkway.
Natchez Trace Parkway!!!
No traffic. Sweeping curves. Beautiful scenery. There was a deer… By far the best road of the trip and a definite must ride for anyone near the Southside of Nashville. We rode the stretch from TN-100 to TN-7.
Dave K. from Texas and Alex from Virginia met us in Birmingham. At the Festival, the Alabama Desmo Owners Club hosted us, and any other Ducatista who stopped by. They were very welcoming and a great bunch of people to meet.
We could not avoid the rain this year. Hurricane Nate was fast approaching. Saturday morning we agreed we did not want to be in Alabama Sunday morning when the storm would be passing directly over us.
Several members from Alabama Desmo let us know about a road close to Barber. The “Dragon” of Alabama, AL-25 running between Leeds and Vincent. This will have to wait for next year!
We made the ride up I-65 Saturday afternoon, leaving just before 1pm. The ride home held a strong pace. We fought to make Louisville before dark. From that point, the group started to separate and we hit rain again. Everyone made it home safely.
Barber Vintage Festival proved to be a must for motorcycle enthusiasts and anyone who wants to experience racing, history, comradery, and very clean venue. A trip that I really thought was going to be a once in a lifetime trip is going to become an annual trip for me. I hope to see you next year for more fun and stories!
Article written by Daniel Todaro – iDesmo Member
