Our annual fall colors ride was pretty as usual this year. We try and do this ride, starting in Viola, in late October – early Nov, to view the colors on the Cumberland plateau.

Bob, Mitch, Brian, Debbie, Ken, Jeanie and Stuart showed up on a very cool but sunny morning. This year, at Bob’s request, we reversed the usual direction, and headed off toward McMinnville at the start. The Mt. Zion road was pretty – always like going by that “ranch” with fences and pastures. We turned off 127, back toward the south, on 56. The surprisingly tough hills that we have encountered in previous years in this area are still there and just as tough going in the southerly direction.

This section on 56, in the valley between Ben Lomond and Harrison Ferry Mountains is probably the best part of the ride. We paused for pictures before climbing up to the backside of Beersheeba Springs, and looked for but never could spot the rock deck at the Methodist Retreat, knowing it was “right up there”, and that we soon would be looking down on the valley road from up there.

The climb up the plateau on 56 is nice and steady, so anyone who didn’t come on this ride due the climbing – you don’t have anything to worry about. We paused again for pictures, the view, and a snack at the top. Then we attacked what we call ( curse?) the whoop-dee-do’s – the rolling section between Altamont and the quarry on 108. There was a headwind by now, so it was hard to build up speed to carry us over each rolling hill.

The best fall color picture was looking back up the draw in the bend by the quarry, but alas we raced by it, not wanting halt our good run on the tandem. The ubiquitous Hubbard Cove weather surfaced again, with dark menacing clouds and sprinkles arriving as we pushed back into Viola hoping to beat the downpour. But then it cleared up right when we got there – strange??. We hung around for awhile, enjoying some fine apples supplied by Ken and Debbie.