Day 4 – Casa de Waffle and More Backroads

Well, hittin the interstates for just a ways does sometimes have its up side I guess, as our overnighter in Macon had us just two blocks from my favorite way to start a day’s ride…the Casa de Waffle. And lemme tell ya…I don’t know if they’re all like this…but the Quality Inn we bunked down for the night was a damned nice room…with a bed the size of my son’s bedroom back home…and included a free hot breakfast…all for just sixty bucks. But, don’t get too excited over the “hot breakfast”…kinda looked like that “this isn’t a real breakfast either” commercial I saw on the tube. But, it didn’t matter anyways…the Casa de Waffle…within easy access…is just too strong a draw for me to pass up. After scarfin down a tasty waffle smothered in syrup, we hop on the scoot and head out. Since our destination for today is the house…and we KNOW they serve beer there everyday…we don’t even give a first or second glance at the superslab as we pass under it and head on up US-23 where we pick up GA-83 over to Monticello. Upon enterin Monticello, we were wishin we were makin tracks later in the day, as the town looked pretty interestin with its many old style shops and antebellum homes. Since they hadn’t rolled out the sidewalks yet…a phrase my grandfather used to mean nuttin’s open yet…we hang a left on GA-11 and enjoy a really nice, scenic ride along the Georgia Scenic Byway. I had read online somewhere ‘bout 11 bein a right scenic ride…and it certainly lived up to its reputation…startin out thru some scenic woodlands, and eventually morphin into beautiful rollin famrlands.

Not really in a hurry today, but not wantin to be too late pickin up our son from Nana’s, we elect to hang a left on GA-10 in Monroe and head over to GA-20 that, on the map anyways, looked like a good route back over to US-411…but clearin the Atlanta mess at the same time. Well, I gots just one piece of advice for ya’s…whatever ya do, don’t ever hit GA-20…that road has a serious redlight fetish and is well on its way to bein a primary retail loop ‘round Atlanta. Anyways, we finally make it thru all the GA-20 mess and end up in Canton, GA where we pick up GA-140 that loops up and over to US-411. Highway 140 was a very nice putt thru the country…my favorite mode of transportation…two wheels rollin down country byways…’specially the ones you’ve never hit before. There’s just nuttin like experiecing the roads and countryside that have resisted the onslaught of mordern highways and urban sprawl. We passed thru many small towns reminiscient of the days of my youth…where a population of over 5000 was considered a city…towns where ya still bought yer dogfood, building supplies, and farm utensils from the corner hardware and feed store…oblivious to the WalMarts, Home Depots, and Lowes frequented by city folk.

Anyways, I’m just a ramblin now. Highway 140 eventually dumps us out on US-411 where we hang a right and set our sights on home. I know I’ve described 411 as a busy four-lane in the past…but that’s just up ‘round our neck of the woods. Anything between Cartersville, GA and Etowah, TN is quite a scenic ride along a two-lane country highway with glimpses of the Southern tip of the Appalachian range comin into view as ya make yer way north. Once on 411, we settled back in the saddle, set the scoot to a steady hum of ‘bout 55, and just soaked it all in as we rolled on to the house and into the drive ‘round 3:30.

Til next time…follow yer whims…they often add up to the best rides you’ll take.

TJ