We were so torn as to whether a side trip of roughly 400 miles and a week of our time to Chattanooga would be worth it ? IT WAS! Dave and I are both having a city crush on this place. The last two days have been spent riding around town and riverside on the extensive and beautiful bike paths the city put together back in the 1980's. Some deep pockets got together back then and put together a Master Plan for the revitalization of the city and waterfront. They have done an excellent job. People with vision can do amazing things when they put their minds to it. This is so not what we expected of a western Tennessee town.
Yesterday we enjoyed the aquarium.
Jelly fish are so magical.
Sharks!
In the afternoon we rode to "Warehouse Row" that someone recommended. We expected the usual old warehouse turned flea market atmosphere. Wrong! This old warehouse has been transformed into an ultra chic collection of upscale clothing stores,furniture stores, restaurants and office space. Well done Chattanooga!
In the evening we went to a comedy club and sat through 3 so-so comedians. Of course there was a bachelorette party going on and they were pretty rowdy. Good time.
There was a scheduled paddle board race of about 130 people due to start just up river and pass by our boat at 8:00a.m. this morning. We were ready with camera in hand but the fog was so thick still at 9:30 they started and we never even saw them go past the boat! Could not believe we missed them! There were racers in this pretty new sport from all over the country. The were going 30 miles down river with the current. Legs of steel!
In the morning we walked across a refurbished pedestrian bridge. A few years back a new traffic bridge was built and the plan was to tear down the old one. Some citizens with a better idea got together and had a "save the bridge" campaign. With private donations they did save the bridge and turned it into a wonderful pedestrian/bike bridge. It was full of people doing a charity walk for Altzheimers. I love the spirit in this town!
This afternoon we went to the Hunter Museum of Art. The main museum is in an old mansion.
There were lively exhibits and I spotted this:
An old cigarette machine. I started to get all pissed thinking it was a candy cigarette machine but at a closer look it dispenses art objects! Dave was happy to dodge that bullet. These criminal dispensers of death used to be everywhere!
There was also a little exhibit on Black Americana. Since I have put together quite a collection myself through the years I found that really interesting.
Later we took a long bike ride along the river on the gorgeous bike path. Both of us thinking of some way we could MOVE HERE but alas, children and work, friends and family keep us in western NY.
Those things are waaay more important than progressive cities.
In a little while we are walking up to the movie theater to see the Tom Hanks movie about pirates. Not so sure that will be good for me to see. I am so impressionable and all that.
Tomorrow we leave here and take the 4 day trip back down river to the turn off to head south on the Tom-Bigbee waterway to our next destination (Demopolis, Mississippi) to leave the boat for a week while we go home again. After that it's on to Mobile Bay for about a week while we have some work done on the boat and a satellite tv installed! Need those Seinfeld re-runs!! For the first time since we left Pt. Breeze we got a calendar out today and started to get real about where we are going when we get to Florida. Looks like we will be in Long Boat Key and Sarasota at least through February and not sure after that. Sure like Tennessee though!
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