Yesterday started out overcast after a thunderstorm overnight (several in fact) but we bravely headed out toward Lookout Mountain anyway. Couldn't see the top - is this going to mean we won't see down when we get there? Pretty much! But it was still an enjoyable and very enlightening visit to the first of the National Military Parks. The best information gleamed from this visit was that the Union named their armies after rivers and the Confederate named theirs after states. So there were Union forces called the Army of the Tennessee (after the river) and Confederate forces called the Army of Tennessee. Shiloh would have made much more sense with that little tidbit of information!
Shortly after we started into the park it began raining. Then it began storming. Then it began hailing. And here we stand with our own personal lightening rods on top of the highest mountain in the area. What's wrong with this picture?
We were in touch with Surona (Peter and Cheryl) as they had returned from Midland, Ont after celebrations of birthdays and an anniversary (Peter and Chery's 40th - congrats on that!!). Their boat was still at Pebble Isle Marina on the upper Tennessee with some issues and agreed to meet us at Goosepond Colony Marina (two days downriver from Chattanooga). So we met them, left their rental car at the marina and they will spend a couple of days traveling through the best part of the upper Tennessee back to Goosepond! We've had a lot of fun already and it's only Tuesday :-) First of course breakfast and the a visit to the Delta Queen which has been turned into a hotel - near a park on the opposite side of the river as we are docked. Very nice facilities!
Then a trip to the aquarium. There are actually 2 buildings: fresh water fish and salt water fish. We started with the fresh water. Steve joined the fish in the tank - I am standing by the otter tank. I particularly liked the sign on the glass by the alligator tank :-) 
After a wonderful stop at McDonalds, back to lookout mountain we went - just in time for it to rain again! But it blew through pretty quickly and we had a great view of Chattanooga below. Steve showed off his strength by holding the tilting rock in place while Peter, Cheryl and I walked under it.
Back again to the aquarium - this time the salt water. Thankfully it was much smaller as we spent 3 hours at the first one! You were allowed to pet the sting rays and sharks so we all did that - it was weird how smooth the sting rays were. And you know Steve loves penguins - this display was perfect for him! Meanwhile, I tried out the shark cage. No fear here!
Walking back along the fountain to the boat, it's a reminder again of the plight of the Cherokee. Reminds me of the t-shirt for sale on the Navajo reservation which says: Fighting Terrorism Since 1492More on this topic is available at: http://www.cherokee-nc.com/index.php?page=62 (you may have to cut and paste this into your address bar).
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