Scooter Overland Adventure Route

03/02/2025

Until we get a videographer to showcase the Scooter Route we’ll “borrow” clips from other YouTube videos.
In this video, beginning at 6:40 you’ll begin paralleling the old Tennessee Central Railroad, now the Nashville & Eastern, just east of Watertown. You’ll follow this for several miles and then veer southeast to Alexandria. At 8:40  you will again intercept the railroad at Brush Creek. Here the SOAR parallels the N&E for several miles until just outside of Lancaster where the railroad continues north, but we continue east along the Caney Fork River eventually crossing over  Center Hill Dam complete with an overlook and interpretive center. Following the SOAR north along this 45mph highway you’ll again encounter the railroad at the community of Buffalo Valley. In this area, you may wish to camp or rent a lodge at Edgar Evans state park and spend a day rafting the Caney Fork at one of the local outfitters.
The SOAR Route and the N&E  again parallel each other through Buffalo Valley, Silver point, Roberts Switch, Boma, and into Baxter where there are plenty of murals and a depot/museum. Be sure to shop for supplies at the Baxter Bi-Rite grocery shown at 27:12 in this video. We need to keep the small town groceries going! Just up the street there is also a restaurant.
From Baxter we again leave the N&E rejoining it on the westside of Cookeville as shown on this video at 32:12.  plenty of restaurants in this area plus the depot, locomotive, and well… Just enjoy the video! Better yet get out and ride!
At 1:12:26 center Hill Dam is shown that the SOAR Route passes over.
This is along section 6 of the SOAR Route.

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15/01/2025

Got a chance to help work on this Cushman paratrooper model scooter with a build date of April 1944. It was having carburetor issues and sediment bowl leaking badly. Anyway, got it straightened out and gave it a test ride here at my house.

21/11/2024

Located west of Crossville, Tennessee, Section 6 briefly passes the Caney Fork River featuring a picturesque cascade, while the SOAR Route crosses the river on a slender bridge in the background. Curiosity leads me for a closer examination.

19/10/2024

The SOAR Route follows Highway 197 along the North Toe River from Relief, North Carolina to near Huntdale.

Donations to the Yancey and Mitchell county GoFundMe:https://gofund.me/68be0185Donate to the victims in our neighborhood:https://gofund.me/7cbce1f4https://go...

19/10/2024

Damascus, Virginia, situated along our scooter route, suffered substantial impact from Hurricane Helene. This town, aptly nicknamed Trail Town, serves as a convergence point for multiple trails, including the SOAR Route, Appalachian Trail, Mid-Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route…MABDR…for dual sport motorcyclists, and the Virginia Creeper Trail, frequented by hikers and bicyclists. The following video shows some of the damage to this community. 

18/10/2024

Here is a short video about the sycamore tree I posted earlier today.

The Standing Tall Life Skills Program at Wildwood Stables in Crossville actually got its name from the tree that stands in the center of the property. The m...

18/10/2024

Approximately 8 miles from the beginning of Section 1, a majestic 160-year-old sycamore tree, the second-largest in Tennessee, is located at the intersection of Chestnut Hill Road and Westchester Drive, in front of a horse stable. The stable's closure on December 31, due to land sale for development, (owners refused to renew lease)…poses uncertainty regarding the tree's fate.

18/10/2024

A perfect conclusion to a day of scootering: unwinding with a soothing chai latte beside a warm campfire.

18/10/2024

Crab Orchard, TN population 720, was the site of a car show hosted by the Crab Orchard Christian Church. This town is located approximately 12 miles from the beginning of Section 1 of the SOAR.

18/10/2024

At the end of Section 1/beginning of Section 2 of the SOAR Route, be sure and spend some time and enjoy Cumberland Gap National Park, especially Pinnacle Overlook by following a road that twists its way up a challenging road to a fantastic overlook.

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located at the border between Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, centered...

18/10/2024

I’ve posted many links to videos about the geologic history of the Appalachian Region and some of our favorite businesses and communities we’ve visited. Plus a few about the people of these areas. Now a video of economic collapse and depopulation of this land.

🚀 Get 2 months of YouTube Premium FOR FREE 🤑 and enjoy this video AD FREE: youtube.com/premium?cc=geographybygeoff&utm_campaign=ytpcreatorMonthly paid subs...

10/10/2024

When passing through Bluff City, TN, allow time to stop at ‘Backyard Terrors’. This is just off the SOAR Route and well worth a visit. This is located about the midpoint of Section 2.

Backyard Terrors started in 2007 with our first dinosaur sculpture in our backyard…where else? Since we have created and put together a plethora of things for all themes, pirates, monsters, dinosaurs, aliens, you name it! We do set design and can make an entire display or just make one unique piec...

10/10/2024

Great place to stop in Cumberland Gap, TN. Tell the “Judge” (curator) that you are following the SOAR Route and that Gordon…(the guy w/black scooter & sidecar) says ‘Hello’. Interesting place. I was into bicycle touring for several years so this museum really brought back memories. Located just off Section 3.

Bicycles function as reminders of the way things were and harbingers of things to come. Our mission is to represent the past with carefully selected bicycles which combine styling that is principally based upon market, theory and engineering with historical and cultural significance.

05/10/2024

Received notification of these state parks along Section 3 in Tennessee are closed, temporarily we hope. Rocky Fork is southwest of Erwin. Sycamore Shoals located in Elizabethton.
ROCKY FORK STATE PARK
Current Status: Closed
Rocky Fork State Park experienced significant damage from the storms, but visitors and park staff present during the storm are safe. Currently, the entire park is closed to the public for safety.
Reservations: All reservations for Rocky Fork State Park will continue to be rescheduled until further notice.
If you have a reservation with Rocky Fork State Park and have not been contacted, you are welcome to contact Central Reservations at 1 (888) 867-2757 Monday - Friday from 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM CST.
Additional Updates: Follow the park's page for additional updates.

SYCAMORE SHOALS STATE HISTORIC PARK
Current Status: Closed
Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park experienced significant damage from the storms, but visitors and park staff present during the storm are safe. Currently, the entire park is closed to the public for safety.
Additional Updates: Follow the park's page for additional updates.

29/09/2024

Too many road closures of the SOAR in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina to list. Emergency agencies have requested not to travel to these areas so emergency personnel can restore power, clear, roadways and assist communities in this disaster.🛵

24/09/2024

https://youtu.be/UNntsOSJCPU?si=-Yc1sUKDU2b7rTgi

Section 1 ends at Middlesboro, KY which is built in an impact crater. This video will explain how this geologic feature aided explorers and settlers in passing through the area’s rugged landscape to settle lands west of the Appalachian Mountains.

The Appalachian Mountains aren't the largest mountains in the United States, but they still present lots of rugged topography which can present an obstacle t...

12/09/2024

The W Road Northwest of Chattanooga heading up Signal Mountain is one of our favorite rides along the 1,100 miles of the SOAR Route. This is located on Section 5. From here you’ll follow Palisades Drive to the town of Signal Mountain then descend back towards the Town of Red Bank on US Highway 127. Once in Red Bank turn right onto State Route 27 and proceed to River Canyon Road/Mullins Cove Road (could have two names) and enjoy the ride along the Tennessee River. Be sure and watch for the ruins of the community of ShakeRag on the left several miles further west in this scenic area. 

01/09/2024

Section 6 of the SOAR Route passes within 1.5 miles of the France Cemetery and worth a side trip. Located on the right side of Highway 84 1.5 miles past where the SOAR Route turns south onto Mack Floyd Road. Setting the clock back 160 years, it’s difficult to imagine the carnage that took place in this now peaceful valley. The following video tells of Captain Champ Ferguson’s revenge for the murder of his son and the manner in which his wife and daughter were treated. Returning to Mack Floyd Road continue on the SOAR Route seven miles to Calfkiller Brewery, one of the best microbreweries on the SOAR. Or continue an additional four miles to Happy Trails Brewery and Taproom in downtown Sparta. Google their website for the hours they’re open!

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