A Covered Bridge Ride

A Bit of History

This Saturday morning, I set out about 40 miles to see a covered bridge that’s been standing for generations. It was engineered by Horace King—a man who was once enslaved but bought his freedom through his work in construction.

King earned what was called the “uncommon honor” of co-building alongside his former owner, John Godwin. Despite the times, King’s skill and reputation grew so highly respected that the Alabama senate passed a special law allowing him to remain in the state after gaining freedom. He later purchased land near his old master, and when he passed away, that same former owner built a monument at his grave.

It’s a story that feels complicated—acknowledged for his work while still living in a time when slavery even existed. Reading about King makes you wonder why such a cruel system ever existed, and leaves you curious if there are films or books that dive deeper into his life.

The inside of the Red Oak Covered Bridge

The Ride

Now, back to the ride itself. The OEM tires on my bike left me wanting more; they struggled on the fresh gravel, which has me seriously considering a switch to knobby tires for the next adventure. Even so, the roads out here were enjoyable, and thankfully the bridge wasn’t flooded.

The bridge does show its age, with a few rough patches and holes I was lucky to avoid, but it still stands strong. Rolling across it was a good reminder: rides aren’t only about the miles but also about slowing down, stopping, and appreciating places with history and character.

2024 CFMoto Ibex 800 T

If you’d like to see the roads, the bridge, and the full ride experience, check out the vlog HERE

Road to Radium Springs – Post-Ride Recap

A Relaxing Start

The ride was long and peaceful—long sweeping turns through open rolling hills made for a perfect early Saturday morning.

I slept in a little later than planned, which meant leaving later than I intended. But that’s the beauty of riding on my own schedule—no rush, no pressure. Sometimes it’s better to go with the flow instead of racing the clock.

Not used to carrying a backpack on rides, I double-checked everything before heading out. Unsure which Canon lenses I’d need, I brought them all. I ended up using all but one while at the park, so I’m glad I packed them. I still need more practice with the Canon, but this trip gave me the chance to put it to work.

On the Road

Before leaving, I filmed an intro. As the ride went on, the backpack’s weight became noticeable, and the lack of wind protection made itself known. The cool morning air reminded me just how nice heated grips are—something you really feel when you’re wearing thin BMX-style gloves.

The ride itself was still a joy. Sure, I’ll feel it tomorrow, but I knew that going in. I stopped for fuel about every 80–90 miles. With the CL-X’s small tank, this wasn’t a fuel economy trip—it was about enjoying the time on the road.

First Impressions of the Park

I’ll be honest—the park was a bit of a letdown. At first, walking into the garden felt dreamy and magical, but the water wasn’t the vibrant blue I’d pictured. Maybe it was the recent rain, maybe my expectations were off. Instead, it looked more like lake water than spring water.

The turtles didn’t mind—they darted under the surface before I could get a photo. I skipped walking the full park or visiting where it meets the Flint River. Based on the water color in the garden, I figured I wouldn’t see the distinct water separation I’d been hoping for.

Entering the Spring

The Spring Landing

Heading Back

I snapped some photos, filmed a bit, and decided to head out before the rain rolled in. After a quick restroom break, I grabbed a drink, some beef jerky, topped off the CF Moto CL-X 700, and hit the road.

By this point, the backpack was reminding me I’m not the same rider I was in my early 20s—probably time to hit the gym again. A little rain fell here and there, but it was light enough to actually be enjoyable.

When I rolled back into the driveway, I’d logged 273 miles. A garden visited, open roads enjoyed—not a bad way to spend a Saturday.

🎥 Enjoy the Vlog Here

Road to Radium Springs, Ga

Why Radium Springs? I think the better question is why not! Like all of us I saw a post or a reel about this place that talked about its mineral water and it being pumped from a cave at 70,000 gallons per minute!! I thought that sounds interesting and unique. Also close enough to ride one of the motorcycles to it. Roughly two and half hours, 135 miles one way sounds like the perfect day trip. Also a chance to make a vlog or YouTube video about the ride. The bike chosen, the ‘24 CFMoto CL-X 700 Sport. Why this bike? Why not the Pursuit, the Ibex 800T or even the Ninja 1000SX? They all are clearly better choices. And that is the point. They are the better choice. Why not live a little? When I purchased the CL-X 700, I went to Athens, TN to buy it along with the Papio CL. That was 198 miles one way and a three and half hour ride, in the rain, back home. The bike did just fine and so did I.

Let's be real here though. I’ve been riding the high of recent YouTube growth and honestly I am wanting to keep that momentum going. The one video I posted on the CL-X has done surprisingly well, which tells me there may be an audience for this motorcycle and I enjoy riding it, so again I ask why not? One of the things I look forward to when looking at google maps about Radium Springs is where the spring water meets the Flint River. The water doesn’t appear to mix. I always thought it interesting to see water that makes clear lines like that

For this trip I will pack the Insta360 AcePro 2, Insta360 GO3S, the DJI Osmo Pocket 3, and bring my Canon T7i with most of the prime lenses. The CL-X doesn’t offer panniers and the sport pillion doesn’t offer much for tail bags either. I will need to look for the pillion seat possibly in the future as I don’t want to scratch the plastics using a tail bag. I invested in a Quad Lock for the phone and an SW-Motech Pro Tank ring for this trip to assist with navigation and carrying my wallet and keys. I already have tank bags, so adding the ring to this bike just made sense. I think for carrying the cameras I will use my camera backpack, but as of writing this, it is honestly still in the air as to which bag I will load up for the day.

This past weekend has been a wet one, with rain coming and going quicker than I can pour myself another cup of coffee. I look forward to this coming weekend, the 9th to be exact, as that is the day of the trip. Even though I have intentions to make a vlog of this journey, ultimately it is to get me on the road again. With limited time for traveling (single empty nester with two dogs at home), this gets me back on longer day trips post chemo and I am looking forward to that. I may struggle with video structure and clearly conveying a story, but I enjoy the process. The opportunity to make mistakes and learn from using my gear. The editing process and the attempt at creating something. Getting lost in a nine to five with the stress of building something for someone else at times has me feeling unfulfilled. These moments help to not only clear the head, but to see something new and try something new. Whether it is a success or not in the internet world, it doesn’t really matter. It’s doing something for yourself, then sharing it unabashed and raw. A sense of connection for those who aren’t polished creators.

And at the end of the day, a deeper connection is what we all ultimately search for. Whether we admit it or not.

Vlog