Avoiding felonies in Tennessee

My time from southern Kentucky to Winston-Salem, NC was largely characterized by trying to meet a mileage goal. I like seeing what sort of distance I'm capable of covering, but I'm glad I wasn't traveling like this the whole trip. 

Misty morning in central Kentucky after a rainy night. 

Near the beginning of day 74, my drivetrain stated making noise, and I felt play near my cranks. After inspection, it seemed to be an issue with the bottom bracket bearings. I lacked the tools and spare parts to service this, so I just kept riding.  

This makes Jesus sound like a zombie apocalypse. Maybe he would be categorized as one if he came back from the dead. 

Rock formations in Cumberland Falls State Park

Overlooking Cumberland Falls State Park.

Kentucky resident was interested in my bike, and me in his. We hung out for a while and discussed travel, bicycles, and life. 

Kudzu vines in Kentucky. These are prevalent in many southern states I've ridden through. They coat everything like a heavy snow, and smell like grape.

Crossing through Cumberland Gap at night. The sign reads: 

Salt seeking buffalo

Moccasin clad warriors

Battling Civil War soldiers

Each was here

in the Historic Cumberland Gap

and now so are you

This is the

Historic Cumberland Gap

Riding over Cumberland gap pass I heard a sudden crack from my bottom bracket area. I had been riding with a broken bottom bracket for ~150 miles now, since there were no nearby bike shops. It quickly became more loose with each pedal stroke. Soon, it was impossible to turn my pedals in any useful way. Luckily, it was mostly downhill, and only a few miles to Harrogate, where I would stay with a Warm Showers host. I pushed and coasted the rest of the way there. 

Multi use tunnel on the way to Harrogate, TN.

To my pleasant suprise, the Warm Showers host happened to have a compatible bottom bracket, and the tools to install it. Does that make me lucky? Or am I unlucky for breaking it in the first place?

The broken bottom bracket. This is a cartridge bottom bracket, so the ball bearings are not meant to ever be visible. That is, it was very broken. 

 

Sometimes riding on a highway is nice. Big shoulder, little traffic, easy pedaling.

Several generations of this family were all working a farm stand together on the side of the highway. Eastern Tennessee.

I paid $2 for a pint of fresh cucumbers, and John, above, gave me an apple and peach for free. 

Veterans Overlook at Clinch Mountain

I've heard that a recently passed law made camping on public property in Tennessee a felony. 

My second night in Tennessee was spent along an access road, behind some bushes near a vacant lot/truck stop sort of area. I was on the shoulder of the road, and I'm not sure if it was public property or if it belonged to the truck stop. I didn't cross any fence lines, or disregard any private property signage. My understanding of the law is that you could be convicted of a felony for camping on public property, but you must receive at least one warning.

 

I didn't get a felony, but it wasn't a great campsite, due to mosquitos. 

Former railroad right-of-way road paralleled the highway near the TN/NC border.

After the railroad right-of-way pictured above, I rode up perhaps the steepest paved road I've encountered. There was this earthworm-sized snake trying to cross the road. It was aiming perpendicular to the road, but travelling diagonally, because it kept sliding downhill. Wish I got a video. 

Final Tennessee campsite was National Forest near the Appalachian Trail. 

I had no idea there was an eastern continental divide. 

Route through southern Kentucky, Tennessee, western North Carolina.