Fellow cyclists, I just took a trip to Tennessee and wanted to bring
two cycling highlights to your attention.

1) The Bicycle Museum of America, New Bremen, Ohio. About 100 miles
south of Toledo on I-75 I saw a sign saying that the next exit would
lead me to the Bicycle Museum of America. It was about time for a
break so I pulled off the freeway and drove 15 miles eastward on
route 274 and found the museum. It houses a spectacular collection
purchased largely from the Schwinn family. Some of bikes on display
include:

An 1816 German Draissine
An 1869 Dexter (first freewheel)
An 1885 Humber highwheel racer
An 1883 bike with nickel plating
An 1885 three wheeler with chain drive, differential gears, rack &
pinion steering which really shows how bicycle design inspired
automobile design.
An 1891 Columbia military roadster, early rear suspension
An 1895 Schwinn triple
A 1941 Schwinn Paramount which had a 57 tooth front chainwheel and a
six tooth rear sprocket giving it a 252" gear with a 9.5 to 1 ration
allowing it to set a world speed record of 108 mph (drafting behind a
car).

There were bikes with drive shafts, kerosine lamps, folding bikes
used by british paratroopers, Swiss army bikes, etc., etc. etc.

I'm thinking of putting together a one day winter break trip by bus
from Birmingham, MI. I'll put together some cost figures and get
back to you. Please let me know by reply if such a trip might
interest you. For more info go to www.bicyclemuseum.com. If you
want a brochure please send me a SASE to Jon Levin, One N. Saginaw,
Pontiac, MI 48342.

2) Natchez Trace Parkway out of Nashville, TN - Imagine taking a ride
on perfect blacktop, no potholes, clean shoulders, no billboards, no
buildings or stores whatsoever, intersections occuring maybe once
every five miles, serpentine curves, undulating hills, nice villages.
For more information go to www.nps.gov.natt