On the River again, 09okt 2017
In English below
En riktig höststorm i Nordeuropa gjorde att Elsie (Grodan) och Britt-Marie missade flyget från Amsterdam till Atlanta! Men efter en övernattning i höstrusket på hotell på Amsterdams flygplats fick de göra ett nytt försök och sent nästa eftermiddag landade de välbehållna, men tröttsa, i Chattanooga :)
Orkanen Nate (som tydligen också ville gulla med tjejerna) skulle "angöra" Chattanooga om någon dag, nedrans! Det innebar lite ändrade planer, beslutades att "göra" Smokey Mountains så fort som möjligt. Härlig heldag blev det med insikter i MC-folkets liv (det kryllade av dem där) och underbara vyer över Appalacherna.
När vi trötta och hungriga kom tillbaka till Chattanooga, var det musikfest i marinan och vi var bjudna :) Mat, vin, country & western musik, live, mötte oss och vi var inte nödbedda, inte alls! Mätta i magen fortsatte vi mot Ambika men då var det musikfestival i stan, precis bredvid båten. Det var bara att njuta av mer musik och folkfest! Vilken tur vi har!
På lördag kom Nate. Visserligen döende men han hade sparat massor av regn som han hällde över oss. När man varnar i Sverige om stora regnmängder, typ 35mm per dygn, så regnade det 35mm per timme här. Floden fick fart och vattennivån höjdes lite för obekvämt, och till slut fick vi flytta Ambika till en flytbrygga....
Men de dugliga finner råd (😊) och istället för att sura i båten gjorde vi en heldag i det fina Tennessee Aquarium som verkligen var förstklassigt, se bilder nedan. En byggnad om djurlivet i floden och den andra handlade om livet i salta Oceaner.
Nu är vi på väg västerut och ska flodluffa några dagar, ska bli kul!
PS Här i Chattanooga börjar The Trail of Tears där amerikanerna tvingade indianerna att flytta till en "Indian Territory" väster om Missisippi. Främst Cherokee indianerna men också andra stammar, fria slavar och människor med "mixed race".... Under åren 1838-1850 tvingades de lämna sina bosättningar och "med hjälp" av militären att vandra hela vägen under svåra umbäranden och över 4000 människor dog på vägen.
After a few days in Chattanooga and Smokey Mountains, our river tour commenced :)
A violent autumn storm in Northern Europe caused Elsie and Britt-Marie to miss the flight from Amsterdam to Atlanta! But after an night in a hotel in Amsterdam airport they hit the road again, made a new try and late in the afternoon after they landed in Chattanooga :)
Hurricane Nate (who apparently also wanted to cuddle with the girls) was heading our way and would "mess up" Chattanooga a bit. It meant slightly changed plans and we decided to "make" the Smokey Mountains as quickly as possible. We had a whole day with the MC people and wonderful views of the Appalachians.
When we tired and hungry came back to Chattanooga, there was a music party in the marina and we were invited :) Food, wine, live country & western music. GREAT! When we went to Ambika there was a music festival in town, right next to the boat. What a trip we have!
Nate arrived on Saturday, he was dying but had saved a lot of rain that he poured over us. The water level was raised a bit too much to feel convenient, and eventually we had to move Ambika to a floating dock .... Instead of sulking in the boat, we did a full day in the nice Tennessee Aquarium that was really first class, see pictures below. One building contained wildlife in the rivers and the other was about the life in salty oceans.
Well, now we are heading west and wie´ll be River Hikers for a few days, it will be fun!
PS Here in Chattanooga, The Trail of Tears begins where the Americans forced the Indians to move to a designated Indian Territory west of Mississippi. Some say it was due to that they found gold and the Gold Rush began. Mainly the Cherokee Indians was forced away but also other tribes, free slaves and mixed race people .... In the years 1838-1850 they were forced to leave their settlements and "with the help" of the military, wander all the way under difficult conditions. Approximately 2,000-6,000 of the 16,543 relocated Cherokee perished along the way
We needed gas and coffee and ended up in this place - that God must have forgotten :)
No coffee (they did only one pot and today's pot was finished) but we got gas and could continue.....
Doing the Skyway in Smokey Mountain with lots of bikes...
...and nice views!
Another forsaken place on earth.
The tree of shame...
There are a few bikers under 60 years, but NOT many.... There are a few ladies bikers, but NOT many :)
Tennessee Aquarium
Music and high life in Chattanooga
Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga
Welcome onboard girls!
Chattanooga Choo Choo was opened 1880 as the first railway commication between the North and South after the Civil War.
