Trail of Tears

[JSparks]

The Trail of Tears (aka Trail of Beers) ride will be on Saturday, Sept. 18th this year. This ride ends at Waterloo near Florence Alabama. A few of us will be riding up from Jasper to the park in Florence and on to Waterloo. We usually leave out before the whole group comes in. Afterwards we usually ride a while down the the Natchez Trace or we may ride up on up toward Shilo TN. If you would like to ride up with us we will meet at Jacks on 9th Ave. Hwy195/5 in Jasper, at 700AM and leave at 800AM. My cell number is 205 300-3701.
Jeff Sparks
R1150R

[R90srider]

Jeff.

Thanks for posting your ride to Waterloo. Are you going to ride with the Trail of Tears group, or are you going to ride to Florence and Waterloo as a group from Jasper?

[JSparks]

No, we do not ride with the actual Trail of Tears ride, they will be coming down from Tennesse. We just ride up from Jasper to McFarland Park and Waterloo because they have some vendors and other displays up, and because it is a great little ride down to Waterloo. Sometimes we meet the group coming in as we ride out.
Jeff Sparks

[R90srider]

Thanks Jeff. I will try to meet you guys at Jacks for breakfast. Glad you are not riding with the ToT group!!

[R90srider]

Jeff.

I am finding two addresses for Jack's in Jasper: Jacks Family Restaurant, 5182Curry Highway and Jacks Hamburgers, 3204 Hwy 78 E. The 9th Ave/Hwy 195-5 address was not listed. If it is at the intersection of 195 and 5, I know where that is.

[JSparks]

Bob,
I found it on map quest as #61 195 HWY. If you are coming through Jasper on HWY 78 it is on the west end of town, toward Carbon Hill. It is the 5/195 exit, the same one that you would take to go to Harbin Hotel up in Nauvoo. The Jacks is on the left side of the road after you take a right at the top of the exit. Hope that helps, let me know if you need more.
Jeff Sparks

[R90srider]

Thanks Jeff.

I looked on Goggle and my GPS software and didn't find the location. I had forgotten about Mapquest, and will use it more often in the future. Hopefully, I can get away to meet y'all for the ride to Florence and Waterloo.

When you go to Waterloo, do you ride CR 45?

Bob

[JSparks]

Bob,
No we haven't ridden that road but it looks great coming down from Tennesse. It is a real short hop over to Waterloo from McFarland Park via County Road 14. It runs beside the river with some really nice curves and sweepers along the way. Last October, Jake, Flatrabbit and I (Jasper area members) rode from Waterloo up Lauderdale County Road 1 to HWY 69 in Tennesse to the RAMS "Best Rally by a Dam Site" meeting at the Pickwick park. That was an incredible road through some beautiful farm country, and we just picked it off Jake's GPS.
Jeff Sparks

[R90srider]

Hi Jeff.

If you haven't ridden Hwy 45 and want to do it, you are in for a real treat. I judge it as one of the top 5 motorcycling roads in Alabama.

[jdubeemer]

Great day for a ride

Thanks Jeff for leading the great ride up to Waterloo. What a beautiful day and you have some likeable friends there in Jasper.

[R90srider]

Same here Jeff. Thanks for letting us know about your ride to McFarland Park and Waterloo to see the Trail of Tears goings on before the ToT ride arrived. I enjoyed meeting Ronnie, Phillip and Bill and look forward to riding with you guys again. I'm still tasting that excellent Philly cheese steak sandwich we had at Waterloo.

[JSparks]

We are so glad you and Bob rode with us today, great that you all made it safely home. Thanks for showing us County road 45, it was great, I will certainly ride it again, most likely next month if I ride up to the RAMS rally at Pickwick. After we hit Tennesse the pavement wasn't as good as it was in Alabama but it wasn't too much further until we hit TN 69. We made it on up to Pickwick and came back through Iuca Mississippi.
Jeff Sparks
R1150R

[R90srider]

Glad you enjoyed CR 45 and made it home safely.

[JSparks]

What about the fried oreos and banana pudding Bob? The guys and I had a great time, thanks for riding with us and showing us that a new road. It was much more fun than getting up on the Natchez Trace like we had been doing.
Jeff Sparks

[R90srider]

Those fried Oreos were really good for sure. Fortunately I mustered up enough will power to stay away from the banana puddin', and it took a lot of will power I assure you