Little Tennessee River

We said goodbye to our new friends at the Ft Loudoun Yacht Club and got underway for our next destination--The Little Tennessee River. After a short cruise retracing our track back to the Ft Loudon Marina and refueling, we headed over to the Little Tennessee River and to Tellico Lake. We have posted here that the Tennessee River has been some of the most awesome cruising we have ever done, the LTR is even better. The river is lined on both sides by carpets of trees up steep hills. The river winds through picturesque canyons and meanders around small islands.

Our first stop was at the actual Fort Loudoun-a restored British outpost in the mid 1700's. We were in settled weather, so we anchored just off the peninsula where the Fort stood. We were in luck. They were holding the annual Ft Loudoun Faire this weekend. So we were able to walk through the fort and settlement that was bustling with reenactors. Great fun, which included magicians, tumblers, minstrels and Red Coat and militia soldiers. 

The fort and settlement as seen from our anchorage

Vicki entering the "Sally Port" to the fort.  A sally port is a small entrance.

Life in the fort (or lifeless in the fort?)

Red Coats at morning muster (actually the Faire's opening ceremony)

The traveling fire-eating, needle-swallowing, singing magician.

The "Begger Boys" traveling musicians

Inside the fort looking out over the not-so-Little Tennessee River

The Red Coats and Militia in formation entering the fort's main gates.

Hiking the Smokies with Friends

We were treated by Mike and Peg Wilson our friends and neighbors from Wilmington, DE. They had a Wyndham time-share in Sevierville, TN, just a short distance from Gatlinburg and the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains. So, it was 3 days of hiking the Smokies with them. They also brought their daughter-in-law, Thum and grandson Jack. Son, Joel is deployed in Korea. Thum and Jack did not hike, but instead enjoyed the pool and amenities at the Wyndham. 

 

Vicki Boon, Peg Boon and Mike Boon ready to go hunt bear.

Actually, on one of the trails we ran into another couple heading back to the trail head.  They saw a bear and were frightened.  Vicki and Peg wanted to go back too, but Mike and Norm talked them into continuing.  Well, we never saw and BAR and the hike was great, trekking up to a great waterfall.  Of course Mike and Norm had to endure listening to songs and childhood fairy tales and whistling loud all along the way.  Peg and Vicki wanted to "scare" the bear.

Vicki just showing off on one of the creek crossings. Peg saying "get a move on Vicki--we have a long way to go". 

Norm and Vicki at the waterfall

Mike, Norm and Vicki at the waterfall

No bear, but we did see this deer at pretty close range.

An exhausted group of hikers back at the trail head

Knoxville, TN--Our Northernmost 2011 Cruising Destination

Before departing for Knoxville, we rented a car and rushed to Columbus, Ohio.  Daughter, Colleen, who has had ongoing complications from a c-section in May required another emergency surgery at the Ohio State University Medical Center. This was the third one!!!  Our little Colleen has been through hell.  As we write this, she is improving and things are looking up.  Fortunately, baby Ella Grace, 9 lbs, 22 inches at birth is doing great.

Vicki feeding Ella, grandmiracle No 4, while visiting Colleen in hospital

Dad (Brian) and Ella visiting mom (Colleen) in the hospital

A more recent pic of Ella and PapPap

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One of our stops on the way to Knoxville was at the Ft Loudoun Marina in Lenoir City, TN.  The marina just happened to be on the way home for one of Norm's army buddies.  Bob Rowan and his wife Julie, who Norm has not seen in 15 years, visited.  It's a small world, isn't it?

Bob and Julie Rowan visit us while docked at Ft Loudoun Marina (not to be confused with the Ft Loudoun Yacht Club)  We had a fantastic time getting caught up and promising to get together again, much sooner this time.

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 So, We're now in Knoxville. Actually, about 2 weeks ago, we arrived at the Ft Loudoun Yacht Club--our most northern destination this summer. Here's our latest cruise route. Just click on the link below:

Chattanooga to Knoxville, TN

We have not been here much though.  We docked here on Sunday, July 24 and departed by rental car to Wilmington, DE for our annual medical checkups and to visit friends there.  We got passing medical grades and the doc's don't want to see us for another year.  While that is always good news, our real excitement was in reconnecting with old friends.  Vicki set up a nice lunch with a couple of her Chase Bank associates and a separate dinner with the ones that could not get away for lunch. We got caught up on the lives of our "still working" friends and the many changes going on in banking, and especially in the credit card sector.  Also, our neighbor friends hosted a wonderful dinner while we were there.  All-in-all, a fantastic visit in Wilmington, DE.  Sorry, we forgot to take pictures.
We stopped in Asheville, NC on the drive back to Knoxville.  They were having a downtown festival at the time.  So, of course, we had to partake.  We enjoyed Asheville very much but decided it's too far from anything to even consider living there.

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Two days after returning to Tide Hiker, we were off again.  This time on a flight to Milwaukee, WI see two of our daughters and their families; and, to attend Vicki's family reunion.

Daughters Katie and Chris celebrated Norm's and Vicki's  birthdays by treating them to an awesome lobster dinner at the Golden Mast Restaurant on Okauchee Lake.  Grandmiracle No 3, Joyce, was with a babysitter.  We're told her table manners are not up to par yet.

Jake, grandmiracle No. 1 perusing the menu

Evan, grandmiracle No 2 with a fork at the ready

The Wisconsin State Fair was going on at the time of our visit.  So, it was a fantastic time to take the grandmiracles to the Fair.

Joyce, grandmiracle No 3 with PapPap on the merry-go-round

Evan, at mid-mountain and Jake at the summit

Evan and Jake, just foolin around

Vicki also had an opportunity to visit with her friend Cindy at the Fair

One of the many "fried" foods at the fair.  One could also have fried beer, fried cheese curds, etc.--a cardiologist's dream come true.

The Cal Cooper family at the Cooper reunion in Dodgevillee to, WI.  Here is niece Rachel, Norm, Vicki's mom Avie, Vicki and nephew Alex.  The next day we drove over to Richland Center, WI to visit with Vicki's uncle Bill and aunt Donna.  Not to be outdone by the Coopers, Bill and Donna arranged a fantastic Thompson family reunion. 

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While in Milwaukee, we attended the annual Miller Brewing Human Resources Reunion.  We were most appreciative that they scheduled the reunion around our travel schedule so we could make it this year.  The reunion is always held at Miller Stadium, home of the Milwaukee Brewers.  Here, Vicki is hugging the hot dog, her favorite team mascot.  They also have a sausage, a kielbasa and a brat.  But, the hot dog ranks highest.

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We're once again back at the Ft Loudoun Yacht Club.  And, another treat arrived the next day.  Friends Rick and Lynnie Tierney drove down from Raleigh, NC to spend a few days with us.  So, we ate, drank, and were merry for 4 days.  We spent a day at the pool here and also drove into Chattanooga for dinner and a Shakespeare play. 

Rick and Lynnie wanted to see Chattanooga, so a day trip was necessary.  Here's Vicki, Rick and Lynnie at the Riverfront

We then needed an afternoon at the pool at the Ft Loudoun Yacht Club.

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We will be resting for a few days to get ready for a few days of hiking the Smoky Mountains next week with friends Mike and Peg Wilson.  More on that later. 

Hope everyone reading this is well and having an awesome summer.  And, we'll try to be more prompt with future blog updates.

Chattanooga Choo Choo and more..............

A visit to Chattanooga would not be complete without seeing the Chattanooga Choo Choo.  The Choo Choo is more than a train.  It's a museum of trains that are being used as a hotel and restaurant.  Yes, you too can sleep and eat in the historic Choo Choo.

These are the hotel and restaurant grounds.  See the dining and sleeping cars in the distance?

Engineer Norm at the controls of the Chattanooga Choo Choo

Here's Vicki at the Hunter Museum of American Art.  This horse is not made of driftwood.  It's metal.  Cool!!!

The 10-mile long Tennessee River trail includes this "Glass Bridge".  Norm was a bit uneasy crossing it having some fear of heights.  Funny, he's also a pilot and flying never bothered him.

The Fourth of July Fireworks will be shot off from a park just on the other side of the river.  We're told that Tide Hiker has a great viewing spot.  However, we were invited to join some new friends at that park where the Chattanooga Symphony will also be playing.  Do you think the "1812 Overture" is in our future?

Arrived at our first Tennessee Destination: Chattanooga

We promised earlier to post some more pics/videos of the "Grand Canyon of the Tennessee River."  Connectivity was bad then.  It's much better here so we will include those pics here now.  First, here is our cruise map for our final leg to Chattanooga, TN from Guntersville, AL (our last map posting location):

Guntersville to Chattanooga

Here's those videos and pics we promised:

As you can see, there's lots of culture to be learned here on the Tide Hiker blog.  Acutally, the river scenes are breathtaking, no matter what they're called. 

Cruising up the Grand Canyon of the Tennessee River

More of the Grand Canyon of the Tennessee River

We've actually been in Chattanooga for three days now and have been exploring the city and surrounds.  So far, we like what we see.  Just steps from our downtown riverfront dock is a 10 mile walking, biking, roller-blading trail along the beautiful Tennessee River.  We're liking that!!  Movies, restaurants, shopping, fitness center and attractions (including the famous Tennessee Aquarium) are also just a few steps from Tide Hiker. We're liking that!!  The riverfront here has been transformed over recent years.  It is home to music festivals, art museums and sculpture gardens.  We're liking that too!!

These water fall steps are enjoyed by the public as place to cool off.  Acutally, they are part of a memorial to the "Trail of Tears" american indian forced relocation back in the 1800's.

Tide Hiker is right in the center of this downtown riverfront bluff dock.  Those are condo's up on the bluff. The Tennessee Aquarium is the upper right building with the trianglular roof line.

Hunter Museum of American Art

No More Locks, Please!

We cruised from 6:00 this morning to 3:30 this afternoon and made it to Nickajack Marina, locally known as Hales Bar Marina and pronounced as Hells Bar Marina.  One lock today which we're sooo thankful that the tow and barge on our tail and the lockmaster decided to let us lock through ahead of the tow.  Otherwise, it would have been a couple hour wait in the strongest current we've seen yet.  We've been cruising over 8 mph, but were at 4.9 mph as we were passing the tow just below the lock.  It was truly a case of the racing turtles.  Fortunately, we put the pedal to the metal and beat him to the lock by.....well, seconds.  But the tow had to break down his barges to go through the lock.  So, the lockmaster and the tow captain agreed to let us go first.  Awesome!!!!

We've had threatening skies for what seems like a week.  Sometimes they turn into vicious storms, like the one at Guntersville.  Sometimes they don't amount to anything except "I'm watching you, Tide Hiker."  Today was no exception.  We have very limited connectivity here, so will add the pictures later.  BTW, we crossed into Tennessee today; and, tomorrow we change back to Eastern Time Zone.  Imagine that!

Lynnie Tierney asked me a while ago how the locks have been.  I told her " a piece of cake" and most of them have been easy.  Must have jinxed it-- we've had three that got the heart pounding.  The first was the one where we tied too loosely to the bollard and I fell into the lazarette.  The next was the tallest lock on the TennTom - the Whitten Lock.  It has depressed panels along the wall that a fender could easily get caught it and there's no way to position the fenders to avoid all those panels.  We ended up repositioning fenders along the way up the way -- a bit of a panic.  The other challenging lock was probably our fault again -- we tied very tightly to the bollard so there wasn't enough room for the boat to float away from the wall.  We thought the forward fender was going to tear right off the boat and both of us pushing off couldn't budge the boat from being mashed up against the wall for much of the vertical trip.  No more locks for awhile - thank goodness!

We're practically within spittin' distance of Chattanooga, our first destination.  Only 35 miles upriver, 4 hours tomorrow if the weather cooperates.  Can't wait!

Stormy in Guntersville AL

We tooled around Guntersville today in the courtesy car and saw many trees down from yesterday's storm.  Winds were reported at 60 mph.  Had a great lunch at The Rock House and Vicki got a nice pedicure at the nails place in downtown Guntersville.  Then, off to Walmart.  We hadn't accounted for the small cab in the truck we were driving, so most of the groceries resided in the truck bed as we raced to the boat to avoid yet another storm.