Monterey - where the hilltops kiss the sky - is a quaint town of just under 3,000 in Putnam County, Tennessee. It is the perfect place to meet up with your friends for a day trip through the mountains, or to start a longer trip. It offers a hotel with free WiFi, several service stations and food stores, a hardware store and an auto parts store — everything needed to stock up for your trip.

Monterey is easy to find — it is off exit 301 off I-40, and the amenities are also easy to find. Once you get off the interstate, you will see the hotel to the right. If you continue up Stratton Ave., you pass the Dairy Queen on the way to the supermarket. Take a right at the light, and you will see the hardware store and the auto parts store on the right.

If you visit for a ride in October, be sure to plan your trip around Standing Stone Day. This year – 2011 – it is on October 8. You can combine two trips into one – attend Standing Stone Day and take a trip over the mountain to view the changing colors of autumn.