History and Geography

If we had known how much fun these two topics actually are, we would have paid more attention when in school. 

First off, everyone knows of the 13 original colonies, which became the first 13 States in the Union.  What was the next state, the 14th?..............................................Give up yet?

It was Franklin and Greeneville was its capitol.  This area was at the western end of the colonial state of North Carolina, but was ceded back to the federal government after the War of Independence.  It lasted for 4 years until being absorbed by today’s state of Tennessee.  There are also a lot of Civil War sites near here, but we found the history of Franklin to be more interesting, especially after meeting with a man who reenacts the history of the 1780’s last week at church.

Greeneville is also the home of our nation’s 17^th president, Andrew Johnson, who was Abraham Lincoln’s Vice President when Lincoln was elected for his second term.  Johnson became President as a result of Lincoln’s assassination in 1865.  He made a lot of enemies during the post war reconstruction, and became the first President to become impeached.  During his trial by the Senate, he was acquitted by one vote.  We learned a lot about this man and his politics at the National Parks Visitors Center on Friday afternoon.

On Saturday we had gorgeous weather.  We took the motorcycle for coffee and a donut in Asheville, North Carolina, a little over an hour away.  The shortest way there is TN70-NC208 and it was a great ride.  After our donuts and a short freeway detour, we returned on an even nicer motorcycling road – NC209 also known as “the Rattler”.  According to the website http://www.goldenvalleygetaways.com/bestrides.htm this is the 7^th best motorcycling road in the whole state.  We came across this by chance and rode all 264+twists, turns, and curves.