Chattanooga

We just finished our first side trip of The Loop to Chattanooga, Tennessee and had so much fun. Over the past couple of years while planning The Loop we kept hearing about people taking side trips to Chattanooga and saying you have to go there it’s amazing. I personally didn’t understand what all the hype was all about. I had been there as a kid to visit my Aunt Susan and cousin Sarah. I didn’t remember anything about it except that they used to live there. Jeff told me that it was supposed to be some of the best scenery of the trip and it was. The final leg of the Tennessee River into Chattanooga was breathtaking. There were high mountains on either side lined with fall kissed leaved trees that were just incredible. Jeff took some pictures but because of the time of day they just don’t fully represent how gorgeous it really was.

At the Rendezvous we talked to several people who said they were going to Chattanooga but weren’t really sure who we would see. We traveled from Joe Wheeler all the way to Chattanooga (three nights) with a beautiful Fleming boat called Bee Haven with Rod and Suzie. We have the same type of boats so we cruise the same speed and went through the locks together and stayed at the same marinas and anchorages. It was nice traveling with them. Our final night before arriving in Chattanooga we were at an anchorage with Bee Haven and two other Looper boats that we knew – LarryLynn and Still Waters II. We all cruised into Chattanooga together and were all tied up on the same downtown dock wall. When we arrived we also knew the other boat that was there Over Ice so the first night we all had “docktails” This is the cheesy name that Loopers call cocktails on the dock if it wasn’t self explanatory. We all brought some apps and drinks and hung out. After a couple of hours we all said our goodbyes and went back to our own boats.

The next day we got to sleep in which is one of the best parts of the loop. So many days we are get up at 6a.m. to go on long journeys so this was a treat for me. We got an Uber and went to one of the must see places in Chattanooga – Look Out Mountain where a cute little railway car takes you up the mountain and there is the most amazing views of the city. I was pretty nervous going up because I guess I have a fear of heights. I thought it was just bridges but apparently it’s all heights. Somehow I survived and glad that I went. We walked around the top for a while looking around and exploring then road the railcar back down. From there we got another Uber and went to Rock City. Now Rock City is harder to explain. Basically a family lived on this property with all of these huge boulders. They thought they were so fascinating they opened it up to the public. They call it Rock City because there are so many of these boulders that it creates pathways and passageways that make a whole little city. It was made to be kinda kitschy with gnomes and music and a very Disneyesk feel. Either way we both really liked it.

We had a nice late lunch at a place called Big River Grill where Jeff had Shrimp and Grits a southern classic. He said it was “amazing.” When we returned back to the dock and the boat all our neighbors were getting back from their days too. Everyone ended up coming over to our boat and we all talked about our day and what we saw and ate and what we were going to do the next day.

We had only planned on staying two days but decided to extend and extra day because we still wanted to ride our bikes and visit the local art museum. Boy were we glad that we did. We launched the bikes from the top of the boat and rode along the 15mile river walk bike trial to the end. It was so nice and peaceful and great to see the river and the city from that beautiful path. After our biking efforts we treated ourselves to a nice lunch at the Boathouse, which happened to be conveniently located along the bike path. Jeff ate a whole trout that he said was, “outstanding.” After lunch we biked to the Hunter House Art Museum and looked at American art for a couple of hours. It was a nice museum and good way to wind down our day. From there we rode across the pedestrian bridge to an area called the North Shore, which has shops and restaurants and bars. We grabbed some provisions and put them on Jeff’s bike trailer and headed back to the boat. By this time it was around dinnertime and we were pooped from our long day of biking. I made dinner on the boat and planned our departure in the morning.

Since leaving Chattanooga we have been traveling with a boat called Tug O’My Heart with Libby and Rob and just now got into Grand Harbor Marina on the Tenn-Tomb River. Our first new stop since taking our side trip to Chattanooga. From here we will continue south all the way to the Gulf of Mexico and Mobile, Alabama.

Rendezvous

Jeff and I have just wrapped up four days of the Great Loop Cruisers Association Fall Rendezvous at Joe Wheeler State Park in Alabama. I had no idea what to expect going into the Rendezvous, as this was my first time. Jeff has been to two other Rendezvous prior to this one but this was our first with our own boat. Prior to arrival I was having some social anxiety but after a day or two that started to subside.

         We arrived on Sunday night (10/16/16) so we would have a half of a day to get settled in, clean up the boat and make sure we were ready to go the next day. Monday morning we went for a long 10 miles bike ride into town and saw Joe Wheeler State Park and the town of Rogersville. We picked up some provisions and rode back. We attempted to swim but the water was ice cold. It reminded us of the Pacific Ocean and we were quickly in and out. At the pool we met a nice couple from the Bay Area – Randal and Michelle. We talked briefly then headed back to the boat to shower and get ready for registration, cocktail party and our first dinner. We were early to the registration and waited at the table until the director had them open it up. We were the first ones registered, flew down to the ships store for some new charts and quickly back at the boat. That was my first social test. At the cocktail party we recognized people who we had met previously at an anchorage and had cocktails with – Karen and Scott from Michigan. We then joined them for dinner along with a couple of their friends. It was a nice buffet dinner with nice veggie side dishes for me and fish for Jeff for dinner. We had made it through our first half-day.

         The second day started off with breakfast and then two very informative morning lectures that talked about our leg from Joe Wheeler down to Mobile, Alabama. The speakers where gold loopers (people who have previously finished the loop) and who have a lot of local knowledge of the area. I took diligent notes the entire time. The second lecture took us from Mobile to the gulf crossing into the western side of Florida. For most loopers this is the scariest part of the loop because it involves a 170mile ocean crossing overnight. For the Tidings of Joy that means a 20hr journey for the two of us. While we have ocean experience we have never cruised that far so the information was very helpful. After our morning lectures we were provided lunch and then attended one final lecture before heading back to the boat for the “Looper Crawl.” The Looper Crawl is when people who have their boats at the Rendezvous open their boats up for other people to walk around and look at. When Jeff first mentioned this to me my first thought was, “absolutely not!” But after some discussion and Jeff telling me how invaluable it was for him when he was here and trying to decide which boat would be best for us, I changed my mind. I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned and the Tidings looked great. For the first 30 minutes we didn’t have anybody and I was wondering if nobody wanted to see our boat and then the floodgates opened and people began pouring in. We had non-stop people for the final hour and a half. Finally at 5:30 when the crawl was scheduled to end Jeff told me we had 6 people hanging out on the fly bridge. Not looking anymore just hanging out. Jeff went up to check on them and then they realized that it was time to go. I guess they felt right at home. The second night was much like the first we had a cocktail party for an hour and then dinner. This time we sat with some Canadians who we knew – Mike and Maria, our boat neighbors from the dock – Laura and Arty and their friends who we just met. We drank and ate then went back to the boat and crashed early after our long day.

         The third day was another full day we had a morning lecture about going to Key West and where to go and what to do there. Afterwards we took a group pictures. Check it out. Jeff and I are in the front row and I’m holding the sign. From there we had another lecture on Florida’s East Coast and then a break for lunch. The afternoon lectures were of great interest to us- Cruising the Bahamas and Up the Tennessee River to Chattanooga. Both trips we plan to do and are heading to Chattanooga as I type. All of the speakers were very well prepared with power points and handouts. I was very impressed.

         Wednesday night was a lot of fun. All of the Loopers who wanted to could take a bus into Rogersville to watch a Polo match, go on a hay ride and barn tour, have dinner and listen to a concert by a band from Muscle Shoals. Almost everyone went. First we piled into this school bus from town. You know the yellow ones with green seats that are narrowly placed one behind the other. Boaters aren’t known for being the skinny kind and we were literally all packed tightly into this bus. We had never been to a polo match before so I was looking forward to it. We learned after we arrived that one of the polo teams had a player who held the Guinness Book of World Records as being the oldest polo player in the world at 86 years old. Can you believe it? As the match was going on we took a leisurely hayride to the barn where the horses are kept. It was a beautiful green and white barn and the horses appeared to be happy. We watched a bit more of polo before dinnertime. We sat with our California friends (Randle and Michelle) who we met the first day at the pool. It’s funny because they are pescatarians like Jeff so the topic of food kept coming up. In Rogersville, Alabama and at this Rendezvous there were not a lot of veggie options. I did eat grits for the first time at the polo match. Not bad. Reminded me of polenta. We had fun with the Californians and they graciously drove us back in their rental car so we didn’t have to wait for the bus.

         It was the final day of the Rendezvous and I was starting to get burn out. So much listening, learning, socializing, eating and drinking. The morning lecture was again interesting and it talked about cursing from Jacksonville, Florida to Beaufort, SC. Again, very informative and the speaker coincidently Jeff and I had already met in Fort Meyers, Florida when we met the boat there during spring break. We had our final lunch of the Rendezvous then headed back to the boat for a relaxing afternoon before cocktails and dinner. We got a safety check by a nice man from the Coast Guard Auxiliary and then went out to visit a boat on the Looper Crawl called Shell Bell and two people – Jim and Mandy who Jeff knew from last years Rendezvous. We toured their beautiful boat and then invited them over for a drink and to tour ours. We had a nice visit and swapped boating stories good and bad then headed up to the cocktail party. Again we found the Californians who we seemed to have a natural connection with and a couple of their friends. Our final dinner was spent with them. The director spoke and gave out a bunch of prizes then afterwards Jeff invited our table of 8 back to the boat for a nightcap. We had a nice couple on board who just began the loop on their boat Ellis Island, The Californians, and another couple who are planning to do the loop. It was a nice way to end the Rendezvous.

         At this point we have traveled over 2500 miles (Jeff asked me to include that) and are currently on a side trip up the Tennessee River to Chattanooga.

Loopers at Rendezvous - Jeff and I Front Row Behind Sign

Jeff and Joy - Joe Wheeler State Park Marina

Jeff and Joy at Polo Match - Oldest Player in World Mounting Horse

Two Polo Teams

Sunset at Polo Field

Loopers Having Dinner After Polo Match

Tidings of Joy at Joe Wheeler

Pulling into Joe Wheeler

Pickwick State Park Marina

Hello everybody. It’s been awhile since we’ve last checked in with you guys. Currently we are in Counce, Tennessee at the Pickwick Landing State Park Marina. It is so beautiful here the leaves are starting to change color for fall and we are surrounded on all four sides by the forest that makes up the state park. We have been fortunate enough to stay in two of the incredible state parks here in Tennessee. The first was Paris Landing State Park Marina and now this one. The parks have cabins and campers, vast wilderness, hiking trails and hotel that will pick you up at the marina if you want to come to their restaurant. This along with all of the southern hospitality and charm you would expect when in the south have made these state parks two of my favorite marinas to be in.

A tow with freight passing by

View from our anchorage

A deer onshore getting a drink

Sunset on the Tennessee River

House on stilts on the Tennessee

Tidings of Joy at dawn taken by another looper at anchorage with us

A few days back we were at an anchorage and meet another couple on the loop who invited us over for drinks. After dingying over and chatting for a while they mentioned that when we go to Pickwick we need to take some time and visit Shiloh Military State Park. It is the site of the Civil War battle of Shiloh and is rich in history. We made a note of this and when we arrived yesterday asked the park ranger who checked us in if he knew how we could get to Shiloh. Have gave us a man’s name who he said gave tours and to told us to give him a call. Larry DeBerry is the man’s name and he picked us up here at the marina for our three-hour tour (wink wink, Gilligan’s island). We were greeted with a handshake and our own individual folders that were filled with information outlining the tour, battle history, history of the generals, important locations, monuments, historical letters, a quiz and a certificate. I was impressed already. I kind of pictured a guy from around the corner who would just pick us up and give a general overview. Not the case at all. Larry told us upfront he was a security officer at the local hospital and was just getting off of his 12 hour 7pm to 7am shift so if he said anything funny it was only because he was sleep deprived. Again I was amazed he could pull this off. As he drove us to Shiloh he offered some background information leading up to the battle, filled us in on key military people involved in the battle – Grant, Beauregard and Johnston just to recall a few. As we entered the park at Shiloh he told us how his grandparents lived on the land as caretakers and their house until recently still existed on the land. We didn’t stop at every single monument or site to see but were given this complete historic story of what happened from the beginning to the end of the battle – strategies, flaws in plans and ultimately how the union won the battle. For me, a non-history buff who has a hard time paying attention for any lengthy amount of time was fascinated from beginning to end. Larry knew how to tell this tale in such an interesting manor and with such influx in his voice that you felt like a child listing to an old tale by your grandparents. After our three hours were up he asked us if we wanted to see his museum. We said, “of course.” So he drove us to his Shiloh Battlefield Museum. The only one in the area and filled to the brim with artifacts such as bullets, cannon balls, old uniforms and ruminants from Vietnam and also WWII which he served in. We were given cokes and walked around the museum while he told us the story behind the artifacts. As we were about to leave he asked us if we would like some bullets from the battle at Shiloh. We said yes and thanked him. He opened one of his display cases and pulled out four different kind of bullets, some from the union and some from the confederacy. He also gave us a shell of some sort. I think it was from a cannon ball. We were very grateful that he gave this to us and was such a wonderful tour guide and interesting person.

Larry DeBerry Tour Guide

Ohio Monument at Shiloh 

Jeff, Joy and Larry in Shiloh Museum

Back at the boat we are planning our next few days which will take us to an anchorage on the Tennessee River, to Florence Alabama and then to our Great Loop Cruisers Association Rendezvous in Rogersville, Alabama where were will spend five days attending seminars and lectures about places to come on the loop and also catch up with other loopers. Should be a fun and informative week to come.