Here's a brief take on Highway 41A through the Cumberland Plateau region of Tennessee:
Due to the nature of the current commercial driving regulations our touring trucks are never able to stay with the buses so our first off day ends up being the off-load day. My act doesn't work consistently enough to keep the container loaded so we end up off loading at Sound Check, one of Nashville's premier storage/cartage/rehearsal facilities. Located on the banks of the Cumberland river it is unexceptional in appearance located in a gritty warehouse district just across the river from downtown.
For me it's a 168 mile commute north to work and some days I get lucky and can ride the America. I'm double lucky that the interstate route is actually scenic cutting through the Nickajack gap, crossing the Tenneessee river, passing over Monteagle, running through the rural rolling hills past the Bonnaroo site and not sucking until you get to the urban sprawl that joins Murphreesboro to greater Nashville. Then it's just grit and fumes and careless cagers.
Yesterday I chose to take Hwy 41A south on my way back home, I didn't get many pictures but here's the gist of it: It's nice trip through Americana and Tennessee horse country.
Not overly hilly (and that's a shame) but nice enough roads loaded with gentle sweepers and lovely views. Once you get to Cowan, TN that all changes and it's a nice twisty charge up Monteagle to Sewanee followed by a quick right onto TN 56 a very secondary road that twists it's way down the eastern side of the mountain. You have to be careful due to the landslides having changed the roadbed to off-camber turns but it's very secluded and the traffic is light. TN 56 becomes AL 117 at the state line and it's a quick ride across the Tennessee river to Sand Mountain where the climb is very steep and lots of fun.
I'll admit to taking I-24 east to just outside Smyrna before I hopped onto Hwy41A, the thought of an hour stop-and-go traffic to get out of Nashville just isn't appealing. Tennessee attempted to build a huge bypass around town but it looks like some landowners were successful in blocking the northern loop so it hasn't achieved Interstate designation, yet. Currently it's labeled TN 840. It's lovely, smooth wide and mostly deserted.
Some eccentric guy has built what looks like a medieval castle in the woods but I think you'd have to intrude to get a good look. Anyway, that's only a mile or two before the jumping off point to access the two lane and what was a nice but not too challenging commute back home.
Not to bad a ride for this long distance commuter. Next time I'll run Hwy 41 and see what difference there is between the north and south sides of I-24.
