Jeremiah Watt

Its Sunday and a figgy wet morning again, I have about 15 miles to ride to the next town and I dont get a real early start just due to the fog. I am camped on one of the many ridges that make up Dale Hollow Lake, and the ridges down to this lake are indeed steep, honestly, I don't know if I could have peddaled back up from the shoreline...........Poochy Maggie, they look like plus 20 percent for sure.

I ride on to Livingston, and take in a beautiful Town Square. The actual Courthouse has a plaque that reads, made in the years 1868 and 1869 by Little Joe somebody, for a total price of $9,999.00 dollars. And folks, this is one gourgeous Courthouse, all the windows decorated with red/white/blue banners and planty of great trees to add colr to the brick building which stands as an edifice of commitment by the folks of Livingston.

I attend Church today in the town of Livingston. A First Baptist Chrurch on the edge of town. I mmet several of the congregation, take in the Lords Supper, and get best wishes and Prayers from several who watched me ride off.

I ride on inot what is breath taking country, the roads are small and winding, covered in a canopy of multi hued leaves, and more of the rock is exposed as we pass byu which adds to the granduer of this piece of road. Even though the hills are now getting much longer and also steeper, it seems that the beauty of it carried you on with out much effort...................you find yourself tired but not wanting it to end.

My steepest hill to date, at least marked hill is shown here at 12%. Just before arriving in Jamestown, I came upon a level Limestone Quarry, usuallu quarries go down into the ground to dig.........but in this case the quarried strait in, that is until finally it colapsed.

I arrive in Jamestown, which is the home town of the most decorated soldier of WW2 one Captain Alvin York. I missed the Museum and the Armoury under his name. I by a little something to snack on, and while doinf so, I throw my tent and bag out to dry. I see a little black mold staring on the tent, and I will adopt a new practise while riding after this day. I bough a little something to dine on later this evening, and so hit the cranks to the east again.

I came to a halt behind a Church which I had stopped to photograoph since the red setting sun on the Church and trees outside of it had caught my eye. I pitched camp out bakc the Church, nobody bothered me, nor even knew I was there it seemed. The tiny town of Allardt had other things to keep it occupied...................COON HUNTING as I would find out. I had a real feast tonight for supper.

I had bought a can of Mushroom soup and a small pack of 3 Cheese Tortellini and mixed those together along with a cup of Tea and I felt I should have had wine but decided to wait and have coffee later at the little quick stop which marks a junction in the road at Allardt.

About 9, I wander up to the quick Stop. There are 3 "tennesee typical" vehicles parked out in the parking lot.............older and very beat up Toyota's or such type of truck with a 2 compartment dog box in the back and aback window or tail gate covered in bumper stickers that say such as "When the Tail-Gate drops the BS stops", or "Hound Lovers make others Howl" etc. I was actually minding my won bisuness for a change and intent on Coffee, since the night was cooling quickly with dew. I got my coffee, and as I exited I was met with a butt end coming out from under the hood of a rather ruff lookin truck........................"How ya doin buddy" a gruff voice asked?

JUst fine I said looking aside to see who asked. And Dale Reagan smiled with fewer teeth than an adult should have, a cigarette hanging from a relaxed smile that crossed his face. I am Dale he said, and stuck his hand out. Dale is a certified COON HUNTING fanatic as it turns out, and there ain't no dog like a good Walker Dog he says proudly as he pats his dog box. So are these the sorta dogs that make coon hunting look as fun as movies like "Where the Red Fern Grows" I ask. Shoot says Dale.

These here are real dogs, that movie stuff just ain;t real. Why you take old BUtch here, signalling which side of the box is BUtches with a tap............why heck you can tell if he's on a squirrel or a deer or a Coon by his bark.............and you outt'a here him set up the howl when its treed. Oh, now "thet there, thet's music son" says Dale with the pride of a boasting grad night parent. You do that on a full moon night like tonight, and light yer'self a fire to keep warm, maybe drink a little shine while the dogs tree..........and son,you got yourself a movie fer shore. Well what do you do when you aren't out hunting Coons I ask Dale? Shoot mostly screw around I guess, I hate fishin so I cant do that, and a job just gets in the way of the best coon hunting............besides coon hunting takes it out'a a man.

Shoot he says, some times ya doin get in till 3 maybe four in the morning...........and a man and dogs need time ta rest, ya'know whatta mean? Yes I assure him, I can see where the requirements of a job may cut into good coon hunting. BUt how do you live if you don't work I ask, maybe a little bolder than good sense would dictate. Ah, shoot thets easy, I don't eat what them there rich folks eat...........a little Souce and greens will take good care of a man............sides I done drive the new rigs..........I need one like this rat here........something dependable in the mud. I takes a few ol'boys out huntin from time ta time, and I sell a few good hound pups along the way. Its done fed me fer nearly 60 years, no good reason to change the ways I see it.

My new friend Dale stepped both of his well mannered coon hounds out of there respective sides of the truck box kennels. I was then introduced to Butch, a large and thick chested, heavy muzzled Walker coon dog.............Butch made it clear he didn't want a pat from some gimpy bystander in Spandex iether. Then out cam ethe pup, BIlly, only 15 months. He has a great voice says Dale, but gets his scents crossed a little just yet, but he will run and hunt just give a little more time to season and he will make a good replacement for ol Butch here.

Its now 10:20 and the coon hunters dispatch as if on que, dissappearing into the night to find a corn patch to commence the nights activities. And me, I walk back to the tent, all the while thinking that if I had asked, I believe that Dale would have taken me on a Coon Hunt that night. You need to know that Jeremiah has wanted to go on such a thing for the longest time. BUt I also realize that with what I have for biking clothes, they would all be tore up on such an outing and I wouldn't look very smart in the morning would I?

Good Night and God Bless......................I can hear dogs, several, barking and at times howling................then barking somemore.............and I wonder if its Butch and Billie out in the night after a coon with only the Moon to show there way?