Fields of the Wood

April 4th, 2004

   
    Yesterday, we rode 300+  miles so today looked like it would be a short day. Everyone who attended today was also on yesterdays ride, except for Ed & Melissa Rockefeller. So, off we went from McDonalds (like yesterday) over to Alcoa via the Interstate to Exit 398, then Straw Plains Pike, to John Sevier, then Alcoa Highway to the Waffle House. A bit colder today than yesterday but still 5 bikes and 7 riders.
    We rode South to Vonore and got off the four lane for a much more casual route with gradual curves. We came out on Cherohala so we opted to go see Bald River Falls as some of the group had never been there. The wind was starting to pick up and I felt a bit of a chill. I was starting to think about heading home when Bruce announced he and Yvonne would be heading back to Chattanooga shortly. Maybe we would just all head back?
    We rode back to Tellico Plains and decided the main group would go see Fields of the Wood so we left Bruce and Yvonne at that point. Heading South on Rt. 68, we eventually passed through Liberty, N.C. and started to see state  owned signs telling us we had 4 miles to go.
    I had recently heard about this place from another biker. The description was "ten commandments on a hillside".  Another description I read was about the same. A photo showed the hillside but there was not really much more said about it. All I can say, is you need to see this place...especially if you are a Christian. The photos attached to this article tell more than I can write.
    Our time at Fields of the Wood was much more than I anticipated but, with the time change,  we still had plenty of day light left. We traveled South East and eventually crossed the Hiwassee Dam before ending up in Murphy. It was about 4:00 when we stopped there for lunch. The quickest route back appeared to be right back over the Dragon which we had just been on yesterday, but we knew the temp. would drop after the sun set so we had to get back the quickest way possible. We were back in Knoxville, at the Amaco station on Straw Plains Pike when the sun set. Still, the temp had dropped to 42 degrees by the time I got home.
    Another good day with great folks.