After an interesting drive through the Smokies we arrived later in the day at Chattanooga, Tennessee at the Holiday Travel Park, located right off I-75 at exit #1. We found the park to be fairly nice with seasonals on one side and travelers on the other. there where a few group parties and everyone was pleasant.
In quick order we saw Lookout Mountain with Rock City, Ruby Falls and the infamous incline railway in one day, WOW! Rock City was an excellent 2 hours of plesant walking through gardens and boulders, once a private residence, outstanding time! next we drove down the mountain road to Ruby Falls. This is an underground waterfall in a cavern with a drop of 145 feet, cant say much for the tour or the guide but the actual waterfall was very nice. Next we went back down the mountain and rode the incline railway back up to the top where they have a battlefield museum of the Civil War battle of Lookout Mountain. Chattanooga was an integral battle point for the North with it's railroad lines leading to the East to Atlanta. The incline rail car was a trip, it keeps getting steeper as you go further up the mountainside with the last 100 yards or so being darn near vertical, very interesting and a little scary when you read the history and it was first built in 1895!!! I had a chili dog at the mountain grill for lunch which will come back into play a little later :(
The next day I let Sue rest while I spent part of the day about 4 miles away at the Museum/battlegrounds of another Civil War site called Chickamuga. highly important to the later battle of Chattanooga. I realized that the Civil War had many issues beyond the politics, such as communication problems among the Battalions and getting supplies to the troops let alone food and water, and how about those horses and mules pulling canon and ammo? now add the fact that they had to climb over two ridges which are heavily forested and in August! heck, they where too tired and hungry to fight! Anyway, if you enjoy Civil War history look that battle up on the Internet, it is very interesting history. the museum was another excellent one and the road tour was 7 miles and well done also.
We where stalled for 2 days while we had our dog trimmed and dipped for fleas-she got a bad case in Virginia and North Carolina, the grass was wet and thick with them. One old Southern boy told me while he was on his rockin chair it was because they hadn't had a hard frost this winter? We also "bombed" the motor home to fumigate them! Another 2 days I laid in bed with severe stomach cramps we believe was due to the "infamous chili dog" I ate on the mountain top:(
After I recuperated enough to walk we finished our visit with the Aquarium. This is the center piece of a rejuvenated downtown ( unfortunately that was about it) and surrounded with restaurants and a store selling "segway tours" of the city ( which looked kool). Let me tell you, it beat the Boston Aquarium hands down. It actually comprises two buildings and the Ocean part is not all that great but the Fresh water building had excellent exhibits. We also did the combo ticket and took the hydrofoil boat 26 miles down the river gorge but where disappointed they only opened it up on two short stretches, it was plush and air conditioned and can go fast but they where sissies!
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