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[Midnight Rider]

Took a little ride this past Monday as the temps here were in the upper 80's, and it was just too nice a day to stay home.  There's a couple of rides I do around here that are fun and away from most of the traffic....the route eventually takes you out to Courtyard 280, which used to be called 29 Dreams.  When it was Dreams, it was restricted to motorcycles only and was a place people went to on the weekends for food, beverages, and to look at everybody's bike.  Dreams shut down a couple of years ago, but the owner of Courtyard 280, who also owns a couple of other bars here in Birmingham, purchased the property and buildings and made some improvements so that both bikes and cages could enjoy the place.  They serve good "bar" food, and the most common adult beverages found around here.  They have great Raw Oysters, brought in fresh from the Gulf Coast area every week.

You can get there several different ways, but I prefer a "back way" along a couple of twisty roads, by a couple of nice creeks, and a lake.  There are some nice, twisty roads too, so that's a bonus.

Spring has definitely sprung here in Alabama, with unseasonably warm weather, so everything is blooming, and the leaves are starting to come out on the trees.  It's my favorite season because the colors of the landscape are so pastel, with the new growth.


IMG_1695 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Crossing the Cahaba River, about 1.5 miles from my house...the leaves are really coming out!

IMG_1696 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Going through a nice office park/shopping area about 3 miles from the house

IMG_1697 by TCnBham, on Flickr

A nice reflection pool is at the bottom of this man made waterfall, with outdoor seating above so that the folks in the offices can take a nice break outdoors...

IMG_1699 by TCnBham, on Flickr

A guy fishing in one of a series of small lakes along Blue Lake Road

IMG_1701 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Another shot of the Cahaba River, upstream from the previous one.  Birmingham gets some of it's water supply out of this river.  It is one of the most diverse rivers in the country in terms of plants, fish species, etc.  Also one of the last free flowing rivers.  It's a nice river to canoe when the water level is like it is now.

IMG_1702 by TCnBham, on Flickr

SNAKE warning  

IMG_1703 by TCnBham, on Flickr

This is the road after crossing the Cahaba...it's a nice little twisty road that runs about 6 miles, mostly along the Little Cahaba River, which flows into the main Cahaba...

IMG_1704 by TCnBham, on Flickr


IMG_1705 by TCnBham, on Flickr


IMG_1707 by TCnBham, on Flickr


IMG_1708 by TCnBham, on Flickr

[napalm]

Did you happen to see Forest Gump???

napalm

[naitram]

TC is the album public?

[Midnight Rider]

TC is the album public?

No...does it need to be in order to imbed them?

[Trapperdog]

affirmative

[Midnight Rider]

More curves...most of the curves are sort of short sweepers and can be taken at a pretty good clip...not much traffic on this road

IMG_1713 by TCnBham, on Flickr

The Flag is located near a ballfield along this road...

IMG_1714 by TCnBham, on Flickr


IMG_1715 by TCnBham, on Flickr


IMG_1717 by TCnBham, on Flickr

This road continues several miles, passing some horse farms, and finally going by Barber Motorsports Park...when some of the CVO members came down for the AMA races back in about '07, I took them along the road ahead, after coming accross a small mountain road to the right in this photo...that's the direction I'm going this day...up the hill to the right...

IMG_1718 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Up and over...a couple of 90 degree turns on this narrow road..


IMG_1719 by TCnBham, on Flickr

[Midnight Rider]

This is taken from a small bridge that crosses Lake Purdy (not Pretty, but it is that too), where Birmingham and surrounding areas get more of their water supply.  I can remember my Grandaddy taking me fishing on this lake when I was a little boy...back then it was way out in the country, but now the area is considered within the Metro Area.

IMG_1721 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Chairs, anyone?  The road I just came accross is Grants Mill Road...this is at the intersection of it and Hwy 119, or as is referred to around here, Cahaba Valley Road...it's a nice little two lane road that connects the Southern end of Birmingham to Leeds Alabama and I-20.

IMG_1722 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Some nice horse farms along this road...

IMG_1725 by TCnBham, on Flickr

The Wisteria is in full bloom...a beautiful plant, but can be a pest in your yard if left unchecked.  Very sweet smelling flowers...each time you pass a group, you get a nice big whiff...that's what makes riding a bike so nice!

IMG_1727 by TCnBham, on Flickr

[mjb765]

This is taken from a small bridge that crosses Lake Purdy (not Pretty, but it is that too), where Birmingham and surrounding areas get more of their water supply.  I can remember my Grandaddy taking me fishing on this lake when I was a little boy...back then it was way out in the country, but now the area is considered within the Metro Area.

Metro area

I wish we had areas on Long Island like that to ride...if you go way out to the east end it's nice, but no where near like that

[Midnight Rider]

Tara!  This is a nice Southern Mansion located along the road, with some horses and nice barns on the land..
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IMG_1731 by TCnBham, on Flickr


IMG_1733 by TCnBham, on Flickr


IMG_1734 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Ok...now I've turned off the main road to travel through a country residential area to get over to Hwy 25...this is a feeder creek for Lake Purdy.

IMG_1737 by TCnBham, on Flickr

These are flowering fruit trees, probably either Peach or Plum, located in someones front yard...

IMG_1739 by TCnBham, on Flickr

After riding about 4 miles through the area, you reach the junction of the road I was on and Hwy 25...this is a destination ride for many motorcycles in the area, and is know locally as "Copperhead Road".  It's a nice twisty road going up and over Oak Mountain, then down the other side towards my next stop...

IMG_1741 by TCnBham, on Flickr

I took some of the guys over this road back when they came down for the races...it's a fun road, and can be pretty challenging, with some off camber and decreasing radius turns, not to mention 90 degree curves uphill...this was the first road I took Judi (my new BSR and wife) on the first time she ever got on the back of the bike.  Figured I'd break her in right and get the knots worked out of her stomach!    She kept her eyes closed on parts of it, she told me later...

IMG_1744 by TCnBham, on Flickr

[Midnight Rider]

A nice little series of S turns along Hwy 25, headed through a valley prior to climbing the mountainside...

IMG_1746 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Made it to the top...Birmingham is surrounded by the very last part of the Appalachian Mountains...nothing very tall, but it is not all cotton fields like many folks think who haven't been here before.  South Alabama is where all that is...it's flat all the way to the Gulf Coast.  Birmingham is a fairly young city...didn't really spring up until after the Civil War, and was founded on the Iron Ore deposits in the surrounding areas.  In fact, one of the mountains overlooking the main city is called Red Mountain, due to the rust color of the ore that was exposed at one time.

IMG_1748 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Time to go see a man about a dog...   This used to be known as 29 Dreams, a Motorcycle "resort".  It closed a coupld of years ago, but has now re-opened under new management.  They have made some nice improvements, like paving the parking lot, which used to be gravel    It's a great place to go on the weekend for a beer and something to eat.  In good weather, there will be hundreds of bikes here.

IMG_1749 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Did I mention they had good Oysters?  Most of the oysters you get around here come from Appalachicola Florida, along the Panhandle.  If you've never had an oyster from there, you are definitely missing something.  You can see that the place only gears up for the weekend...

IMG_1750 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Some of the other facilities located on the property..
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IMG_1751 by TCnBham, on Flickr

This is the main building, where the kitchen and bar is located...the covered area also has an outside bar in warm months.

IMG_1752 by TCnBham, on Flickr


IMG_1753 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Had to get a pic of my scoot sittin' in the driveway of the place...the gates are kept locked when they are not open.

IMG_1756 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Let's continue on down Hwy 25 another 15 miles or so...

IMG_1757 by TCnBham, on Flickr


IMG_1759 by TCnBham, on Flickr

[rlede84178]

Thanks for sharing......

[Midnight Rider]

Then Hwy 25 junctions with Hwy 231, which leads out to Hwy 280...I'm making a big loop back to the Oyster bar and back over the mountain on the fun road...Hwy 280 goes South all the way to Opeilika and beyond...it terminates in B'ham on it's Northern end...I'm headed North

IMG_1763 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Listenin' to some tunes through the headset, just cruisin' on 280 for a few miles...

IMG_1764 by TCnBham, on Flickr

My new FXRG boots I got new for $60!!  Also shows the way I like my hiway pegs...I can stretch my short legs out enough with them in this position, so that I can just put my toes on them, but keep the heel on the floorboard...just pivot to the left and you're covering the rear brake...

IMG_1765 by TCnBham, on Flickr

A giant phallic symbol located in Chelsea, along 280...  Actually, it's some kind of monument...

IMG_1766 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Now I've turned right off of 280 and onto County Road 43, which will take me back to Hwy 25...so that's my loop...

IMG_1768 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Back at Courtyard 280, in the Driveway again...had to go see another dog.    I know...I've got to do something with that tacky assed plate holder, but the new LED's and smoked lenses look pretty good back there, IMO.
IMG_1771 by TCnBham, on Flickr

[Skillet]

Wow. Beautiful country. Thanks for posting.

[Midnight Rider]

Another pic of the bike....

IMG_1775 by TCnBham, on Flickr


IMG_1776 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Headed back up the mountain...the road doubles back on itself.  This is a first gear turn to the right, just about to the top of the mountain...

IMG_1777 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Back on top, looking out from a pulloff on the side of the road...this is looking back the other direction from the previous photo...

IMG_1778 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Goin' down...

IMG_1780 by TCnBham, on Flickr

This is a cool old farmhouse that was restored and is an Historic Marker...I'm back on Hwy 119 now (Cahaba Valley Road), headed home...

IMG_1781 by TCnBham, on Flickr


IMG_1782 by TCnBham, on Flickr

You learn something every day...I've passed this place 100 times, but never took the time to stop and read the sign...

IMG_1783 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Spring is great in Alabama...

IMG_1785 by TCnBham, on Flickr

You know I couldn't leave without walking accross the road and getting this one...

IMG_1786 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Another, passing view of Lake Purdy...this is a slough off the main lake...

IMG_1792 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Almost home...passing through an area called Meadowbrook, which used to be farmland.  I looked a a few homes in this area when we moved back to Birmingham from Tuscaloosa in '87.  That was with my first wife, Tracey, who I was with for 30 years...we met in college at The University of Alabama in the early 70's.  Did I mention that Alabama won their 14th National Championship last year?  

IMG_1796 by TCnBham, on Flickr

Gettin' dark, and I'm only 1/2 mile from the house, so bye everybody...

IMG_1798 by TCnBham, on Flickr

[ak]

Great Photo;s  AK