Chattanooga Days Inn Lookout Mountain/Downtown

... Antietam. The civil war vets were at the height of their political power at that time. Seems the legislation passed without decent quickly. The establishment of the park was celebrated with a bbq between the vets from both sides and their families.

After the movie we work our way over to the gun exhibit. I am amazed by all the different muskets and rifles that they have there. I get to the point where I stop reading the ...

... for a touring bike - a lot of ruts and unstable due to gravel. It was a sunny day and the view was spectacular. Dan & Darla had visited the overlook a month earlier and it was an overcast day. This day was clear and the visibility was immense.

We left the overlook and when we reached the end of the gravel road we turned right and turned ...

Jamie, Zach, and I can now say that we have done what all the barns and bird houses across the southeast has been requesting people to do: See Rock City. Rock City is a Labrinth of rock formations on the highest peak in Tennessee. From one spot we could Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee. Zach enjoyed looking at the rocks that loomed overhead and the massive waterfall.

Today we toured the Chickamauga National Military Park--site of the September 19 & 20, 1863 Civil War Battle.

The area is beautiful! There are roughly 600 monuments scattered throughout the entire park. Much fewer tourists than Gettysburg. My biggest disappointment is ...

... Hotel which is in very close proximity to the Luxembourg Gardens and the Pantheon.

Our final destination will be Rome, the Eternal City. Besides the ancient ruins, I am especially excited to see the Vatican and also enjoy gelato while slowing down the pace and enjoying everyday life in this fascinating city! Our Roman Hotel is the Albergo Occento (I apologize completely for this spelling!) which is located right on top of the famous steps.

I can't wait to begin this journey and know that this will be an experience that I will not soon forget! Bon Voyage!

... Chattanooga. I was very impressed by this blood center. It is twice as big as Indiana Blood Center- I am almost embarrassing my co-cyclists because I am asking a bunch of questions and looking into the platelet rotators and even retrieving some of the products from the blood center's stock to ask questions or show the riders what I do for a living and showing them what happens to the blood after they donate. I have impressed a few of them ...

... and had my people pass them out during the toast. And boom, I got up in front of 200 people and led us all in song. I tell you what, there is no better feeling than taking an absolutely croakadelic voice and burning out the lyrics to a tear-soaked diddy. It was crucial my friends. I almost wanted to sing the last verse twice. In truth, it made for quite a moment, no kidding, and I actually felt that I'd done a good thing (rare for me). Oh shoot, this is my song...take me ...

Go with me? The holidays are here, according to the twelve-day Christmas countdown. We've rung five golden rings and the calling birds are about to call on us. Company will arrive at any moment! It's time to start the ambrosia. Let's go to the outdoor market. Even if you aren't expecting guests, you'll want oranges to fill your stocking. And whether you've been good or bad, there is no better treat than Indian River citrus. The stalls at Earl Roden's and ...

... to the Wall for teambuilding training and never-to-be-forgotten birthday party thrills. It's an ideal place to emphasize the challenges of any endeavor - "set a goal to reach the top, study the route, execute the plan, give 100%, and celebrate the results!" Whatever kind of mountain you want to tackle, the Wall will help you learn to climb it. See you there. Walnut Street Wall, North Shore Under The Bridge, Chattanooga

As with every good Trip, I wonder why I haven't spent more time there before, and vow to spend more time there in the future. So many things I want to go back and really, really relax and enjoy. For now, I'll review my tapes, pore over my notes, and re-read all the brochures I picked up. Tomorrow, I head north again.