Sunday, November 2, 2008

The river trip from Joe Wheeler State Park is absolutely beautiful!  We took 4 days to travel to Chattanooga.  We had 30 miles thru the “Tennessee River Grand Canyon” right before Chattanooga — it has got to be one of the most scenic trips ever! 

On arriving in Chattanooga on the 28th we met my cousin Bill & his friend Steve at a southernmost gas dock & they traveled thru the city with us, thru the Chickamauga Lock to the Chattanooga Yacht Club where we spent 4 days.  Cousin Libby & Don picked us up & shared their lovely home with us for laundry, showers & much food (thank you Don for dressing Hank).  We met wonderful friends of theirs  — Jack & Elaine (thank you, Elaine, for the use of your car & thank you Jack for entertaining us in your lovely home) and Steve & Donna (thank you for showing us your trawler & for the orange ball fender & for the loan of the charts —  and we think that maybe you’ll come go exploring with us!!).  We all had  “too much fun for grown-ups” together!!!  We really have enjoyed the beautiful city of Chattanooga — lots here to see & do, especially for boaters.  I think that there were about 10 looper boats who came up here this week.  The aquarium is world class; Lookout Mtn. is wonderful with panoramic views;  the Bluff View Art District is most charming.  Great restaurants — loved Tony’s and The Chop House and there are more to try!

We’re now headed up river toward Knoxville to see Cousin Catherine & Eli & go to a Tennessee football game (Hank’s first).  Still beautiful weather — how much longer can it last?  I keep thinking that cold weather will hit us, but then I remember that we’re much farther south than Des Moines & that we’ll be heading much further south next week.