| Author | Message | ||
     Rotzaruck |
When I first found the Hometown place here, I had illusions of getting out on my bike and getting some shots of some of the great roads and places AROUND Chattanooga. That won't happen for a while, though. I'll get Becksbuell and Nevrenuf to ride, and I'll follow and get some one of these days. I also meant to actually RIDE to "Nightfall" and get some pic's, but once again, had to take the truck. Beck rode though, and I took a few. Nightfall is an every (almost) Friday night affair, in downtown Chattanooga. They close the roads adjacent to an outdoor stage and park, and let the bikes park on the closed roads. Tonight, they changed things, and instead of filling Market St up with bikes, they closed another street and made all the bikes park on the sides. Something about Homeland Security, who must now be in charge of MC parking, and general confusion. Besides all the bikes and people to look at, they have a free concert. A local band starts off, then the headliners have a go. We had a band of sixteen year old guys called something? Orange, infinite maybe?. They warmed things up for a group of Irish sisters called Screaming Orphans.  Pretty good show, even had an Irish fiddle. Oddly, both bands did "Folsom Prison Blues", but neither one did "The Chattanooga City Limit Sign. I'm sure Johhny would have been proud of both of them anyway.  Three chicks show up, ones a BadWebber  jeep! jeep!  specialized tow truck   only one of these, sitting by the dualsport bunch    Two bikelined blocks, I like them all  But, the lone Buell contingent is my favorite. We'll have Nevrenuf there soon, one day me too!!, That'll make THREE!!! Maybe we can compel some of those three percenters, or the corner carvers, or the Huntville, or Nashville, Middle TN folks to show up one Friday. It could be a Buell invasion, Chattanooga would never be the same.  A bit uppity, couldn't sit on the street with all the others  At five years old, lost in the downtown bustle, would have never found my way back to Georges Famous Hamburgers if I hadn't spotted that dome.  enjoying the show Old Federal Courthouse  Now, I'm reduced to this( FOLLOWING in the TRUCK, to IHOP)for supper,  because of this  At least when we got to IHOP they had everything a man needs to properly eat his omelet  | ||
| Ulywife |
But, the lone Buell contingent is my favorite. But of course it was your favorite! Nice write up and looks like you all had a nice time. | ||
| Nevrenuf |
maybe this friday rotzaruk. let's play it by ear. | ||
| Rotzaruck |
I have a retraction, what I called the old Federal Courthouse is was actually the old Post Office, then it was TVA offices for some time and NOW it's a Courthouse. North of Chattanooga, thirty five or forty miles is the nice small little town of Decatur, in Meigs County. Outside of town, my folks have a little hideout on a slew off the Tennessee River, the Northern part of the Chickamauga Reservoir. Normally we would have spent one weekend up on some isolated creek in the mountains, but slick rocks and bum knees don't mix, especially when a genuine klutz is involved, so we spent both weekends and the Fourth at the lake. Decatur is surrounded by just pure old country, lots of cows, curves and beautiful countryside. Beck has managed to ride the XB a couple of times, and has loved every mile. We even managed having some BaDWeB folks up on the Fourth. Neil(Nevrenuf) and his wife Diane came up on his fine lookin' M2. We burned a few dogs, and they took a canoe ride. I had my camera ready--I was confident with getting off an M2 and into a canoe, that leaning thing would surely get them upsot. I guess that Navy thing pulled him through, didn't put on a show!!   Did a little fishin'  after dark (after the kids contstant impatience) we made lots of noise, and flash.  July Fifth  Managed a late canoe ride Sat evening, Beck & I were having trouble getting Ashton(9) to go until he found out the destination was the Marina for ice cream.  Spooked this guy off his perch  On the way to the store, I finally took a pic or two of some architectural wonders I've been admiring for years.   I'm fond of spring houses(guess that's what it is) and old barns  It seems like this barn looks just like it did when I first saw it twenty years ago. I think that horse was standing there then too, trying to decide if it was safe to go in or not. | ||
| Rotzaruck |
I've really enjoyed my two weeks without crutches, and now I've gotten a reprieve on my surgery. I get a whole nuther week before crutch days again. So I've been getting out and walking and, of course, playing with my new camera. Bear with me, the new will wear off eventually. I enjoy walking around the river front area, I have a fondness for rivers and bridges. We do have a Choo Choo, I stopped as I drove by. It used to be the train terminal, but now it's Holiday Inn. You can't catch a train here now, but you can sleep in one.   Inside is a huge dome, with shops and restaurants in the back, and restored sleeper cars to sleep in. We've got a new pier going out into the Tennessee, don't know why. You're not supposed to jump or fish off of it.  The River Walk goes forever up the river, you can bike, skate or walk. No Buells.  They Market Street Bridge has been getting a face lift forever. The cantilever weights assist in raising the bridge for tall vessels. There are no longer any tall vessels navigating the Tennessee, but they open it on a regular basis anyway, just so they know they still can.  These steps go up to the worlds longest pedestrian bridge(some say; I can't prove it) 2,376 feet long. The steps were not so bad for a gimp. I counted 95 coming down. I think it's more like 147 going up. We'll hike up there later.  | ||
| Nevrenuf |
nice show and tell rotz. | ||
| Rotzaruck |
Thanks Nevr, we've gotta get time to get out and document some of the roads around here, for posterity, you know. Since it looks like this is gonna be your home town now, you'll have to drag your camera out. Here is how this river front development started. Long long ago....  The reference to the Cherokees going West is now known as the Trail of Tears, a sad sad story. Many didn't make the forced journey to Oklahoma. There is a huge commemorative ride staring here every year. Bikes for miles and miles and miles. There are just lots of things to ponder around here... we got Ducks!!  These guys load up folks probably 3/4 of a mile from the river, haul them down the road, and roll right on in. They go to Maclellan Island, an Autubon sanctuary in the middle of the river for a tour. They call them the Chattanooga Ducks.  My Dad told me yet another of his "Uncle Starling" stories several years ago. Uncle was driving (as in herding) a (rafter? gang? flock?), a group of turkeys from Sequatchie Valley, over the mountain to sell in Chattanooga. They were trying very hard to get the deal done and start back that night. Their plan was to drive them into the river, so they would fly across, then start on in to town. Being late in the day, the turkeys had a better idea. They flew to the island and went to roost and refused to go to town until the next day. My Dad thought having to spend the night , and all the trouble to get them off the island was funny. Just the thought of herding turkeys did it for me.  just looking across, tween the bridges  You just never know what you'll see if you start looking around and paying attention. We know about dogs and fire hydrants, but I was starting to wonder just what kind of weird puppyhood this guy had until I watched for a while. He would hop up on that hydrant, dance till he got his footing, turn around and wait to leap off and catch the frisbee sp.?( my Webster's is too old to have that in it, no help). Then run and drop it at his master's feet, and do it all over again.  We've even got art for you cultured types. Or stove wood, depending on your personal interpretation  You can learn to do the twist, didn't work for me.  First time I saw that, I was sure I'd found that Hoffa feller. | ||
| Rotzaruck |
There's no way to get all those steps in a pic, but here's some of them from the bridge.  This is the South end of the Walnut St Pedestrian Bridge. I'm old enough to remember driving on it before it was determined unsafe for vehicles, I think 1978. It was a narrow scary ride, especially when you were driving a dump truck, pulling a backhoe!!  The Old and the New  The old mansion, that sits on the bluff overlooking the river is the Hunter Museum of Art. They have built a new building to expand the museum. I have always admired the old one, I'm still thinking about the new one.  Maybe it'll grow on me, nobody asked my opinion anyway. Across the river, between the the bridges, is Coolidge Park, named after Medal of Honor recipient Charles Coolidge.  It's got a carousel with real hand carved critters and a fountain with concrete critters that spray all the kids.  If you visit with kids, like mine in the blue shirt, be prepared, they'll get wet.  | ||
| Rotzaruck |
I guess this is where someone used to work when they opened the Market St. bridge when they needed to instead of just when they want to. The refurbish is nearly done, supposed to open soon. We've missed it.  From the pedestrian bridge, you can see the north shore area, lots of shops and places to eat.  When you get to the North side of the bridge, be sure and visit my brother and sister-in-law at their new "Go Fish" store, lots of neat stuff from all over the world. A great company with a mission, helping folks help themselves. Tell them Rotzaruck sent you, you won't get a discount, but they probably won't throw you in the river either.  | ||
| Rotzaruck |
There's lots more around here to stop and look at, or wander through. We have a pretty impressive aquarium. They keep fresh water fish and critters in the original, and salt water fish and butterflies in the new one. You can't take your fishing pole in though. Kids and old folks enjoy the entrance area to the aquarium. Lots of water, history stuff, and the bridge. I don't know why we have a bridge, it just goes up one place and comes down another. It's pretty though, guess we'll keep it.   The new one. The butterfly room is great They're everywhere!!  Beside the new aquarium is an area called "The Passage"  The water steps down to a wading pool near the river, Cherokee related art is in the tile under the pools and on the walls.  I can't translate or even pretend to understand much in the way of art, but on some level.........well, I mean...I just know that feeling  Lots of artsy stuff around, and extra bricks   This is how we fill the river----- NO Wait--that may be art too!! Heavy music  Ya'll come see us!!! | ||
| Nevrenuf |
rotz, you ot to be head of the visitors bureau or vacation bureau, what ever one gets people to show up in your city. nice pics. let me know when your going off on a pic run. | ||
| Rotzaruck |
Nevr I still find old rolls of film that I never got around to developing. But this digital stuff has set me free in a brand new world. I feel obligated to document ALL of it. My lack of photogagraphicalistic skill has been completely overwhelmed by sheer exuberance. It's a good thing for badweb I've been crippled during the digital honeymoon. If I had been able to walk and ride, it never would have survived me and the 1125 thing at the same time. There are so many things around here to look at and take a couple hundred shots of; I'm just gettin' warmed up. Soon as you get this move behind you, I've got to get behind you,(in my dadblasted truck) and Beck, and whoever we can round up) and get out and show off some of our pretty country and crooked roads!!! I need some Buell pic's!! | ||
| Rotzaruck |
Back in September, before it got too cold and ugly, I managed to get my son's little dirt bike in the truck, and my grandson's four wheeler hung on the back of the truck, and off we went to the wilderness. My older kids were already camped in there, so they brought my grandson out and met us where the real road ends. This area is some of the remainder of land company property that has not been sold yet. I've been going up there for years, but I know it won't be long until it has keep out signs all over it. The area is on Waldens Ridge, the edge of the Cumberland Plateau. It's north of Chattanooga, kind of between Spring City, Rockwood and Crossville. You get there off of Possum Trot Road. I love that name. This was the first time these boys had ever been able to actually ride a long ride to a destination. It was a real adventure for them, much better than around in circles in the field. It's about forty five minutes to an hour of bouncing and rattling through some very pretty places. Just don't run off the road. You may never get back. Here's all of my riders a few days before this trip. The little one didn't get to take his Gator.   Starting out.   off the edge of the trail, don't mess up!!  a little help   the rides great, but being there is nice too!     Dead in the water. A near perfect trip, SOMETHInG had to go foul. My daughter found a big rock in that big puddle.  | ||
| Rotzaruck |
Got my first little ride, since April, in today. Was about to ride just anywhere and remembered I needed to winterize a cabin and trailer in Decatur, Tn, about an hour or so north of Chattanooga. Too busy enjoying the ride to stop much, but I couldn't help stopping a time or two. Highway60, Georgetown  I've been admiring these old barns for years. I don't know what the little one was used for. Up off the ground and a wood floor, maybe for tobacco or something? Maybe some enlightened agricultural type can splain that to me. Meanwhile, I'll just remain in awe at the stacked piers and how well they've stood the test of time. Fortunately, we don't get too many tremblers around here.      Do they grow it cheaper out in the country? I could only squeeze in half a gallon.  Cottonport Rd. I have a thing for country churches too.  The Hiawassee River(from the new HW58 bridge)comes from those mountains you can barely see for the rain.  And runs into the Tennessee  They do some heavy duty fishing up this way. They're after those BIG cat's.  Oh Man!! He got his bait!!  | ||
| Rotzaruck |
A couple of weekends ago (pre mc riding time) I took my son and his buddy for a little bike ride. We decided to go to the Chickamauga-Chattanooga Battlefield Park. This was the first military park commemorating the civil war. Veterans from North and South came together when the park was established in 1890. Memorial monuments from various units are all over the 5000 acre park. Some are pretty impressive. The park has a museum with an incredible gun collection, and locally found artifacts. More than 120,000 troops were involved in the Battle of Chickamauga, over 35,000 died. Those were some ugly days.    Later we went to Rock City on Lookout Mountain. This is the park that made itself well known with all the "See Rock City" painted barns and birdhouses. They have a special bunch of Christmas displays every year. On clear days you can see seven states from the lookout. Of course you're standing in one(GA) and could throw a rock to another(TN). You might make out the 3%er's and the Carolina Corner Carvers's, and Hey!! could those two little specks riding on the top of that blue ridge be FB & D??  | ||
| Rotzaruck |
 Sunday, after the rain was mostly gone, I found myself, once again, in the great state of Georgia. I stopped at Red Clay Park where the Cherokees had their last big council before the removal. They have an interpretive center and some reconstructed buildings showing how the Cherokees lived at the time, which was pretty much like everybody else.     | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
and Hey!! could those two little specks riding on the top of that blue ridge be FB & D?? we were waving - didya see us???  | ||
| Rotzaruck |
Whew!! Jerry, I was worried, from here I couldn't tell if that was a wave or that one finger thing, I was afraid ya'll were irritated about me spying. I headed on down the road and went by the biggest Ceement pond I know of, Jethro would love it.  Riding through Cohutta Ga. I remembered spending part of a night here long ago. Our Boy Scout troop had camped at Sylco campground in the Cherokee National Forrest in the dead of winter. We got up early the next morning and started a fifty mile bike ride for the merit badge. It snowed most of the way, we had to stop regularly and knock the ice off our ski masks or bandanas. Miserable. Sometime after dark we made the Cohutta Post Office and moved in. Heading on down Georgia 2, (you don't go anywhere in this part of N GA without getting on or crossing GA 2) I made a water stop at Prater's Mill. They have those craft fair things there all the time.    Heading toward Chatsworth, I looked up and saw these badboys in the distance. If it wasn't for them, Suches would be so easy to get to from here, but then what good would it be?  Up in these mountains are some lovely lakes, one is the highest lake in GA, I think. I would surely die trying to get there on a Blast though. It's pretty exciting in my truck. Crookedest rubboarded loose graveled roads you ever saw. I love 'em. Close to Chatsworth in the little community of Spring Place is the Chief Vann house. A pretty nice place in the very early 1800's. I haven't been in it in years, and decided to wait and go back with my youngun to take the tour. It's furnished in period style and pretty impressive. It was a huge plantation in it's day. Apparently much too nice for a Cherokee.    The spring hose is in pretty bad shape, but still there  None of the original outbuildings survived, but they've relocated or built some to show how things were. This is the kitchen which was outside of the main house. I think they kept their cornmeal in the rubbermaid containers to keep vermin and weevils out.  Down the road is an old cemetery that is all that's left of a mission school for the Cherokee's.   Heading back up Highway 41, I stopped in tunnel Hill Ga. The historical monument explained that for some time the railroad stopped on both sides of the ridge. They hauled people over the ridge to the train on the other side. getting that tunnel through there was a huge improvement. They closed it when they put a bigger one right beside it. Now for a fee you can go inside. I can't decide if I want to know why.  | ||
| Rotzaruck |
I'vealways admired this old pink house in Tunnel Hill. It's been old and pink as long as I can remember   Nearly back home, I stopped at the Old Stone Church at Highway 41 and old reliable GA2.     A guy in Ringgold has a train collection. He keeps them in the yard. 1:1 ratio Even closer to home, I stopped at another interesting marker. It marks the spot where the locomotive "General" was abandoned by Andrews Raiders after they stole it and started the "Great Locomotive Chase". It's just a mile or two from my house. Some of those guys or the ones hunting them might have gone right through my yard.  | ||
| Nevrenuf |
looked like a great ride rotz. wish we were up there for that. and happy new year to you and your family. | ||
| Rotzaruck |
Last Saturday I was able to get away again and headed toward another section of GA.(and TN and Al) I sorta kinda had South Pittsburgh Tn in mind as a destination. I thought about looking at some boots there and then heading up the mountain toward Sewanee Tn and Monteagle Tn. I-24 was the most practical and least attractive option. I headed down the backroads and onto Ga 2A, then headed down Chattanooga Valley through Flintstone Ga. I wasn't exactly sure how to go where I was going, but refused to let a little issue like that slow me down. I took off up the mountain on Nickajack Rd.  I rode right by Cloudland Canyon State Park (a pretty place to visit) and down the other side of the mountain to Trenton GA   Square and courthouse in Trenton, with the mountain I just came over in the background. After a loop around the town square, I crossed over I-59 and started right up the next mountain. I found Bryant AL right where it used to be and started down the other side of that mountain, and got distracted.  It really wasn't a Blast road, but it was intriguing!  Somewhere in the Bible it talks about a time to ride and a time to walk, or something along those lines. I decided it was time to walk!!  The view was worth the hike and the mud. I even saw a barge working it's way up the Tennessee.  I went on down to Nickajack Dam  Everything seemed okay there so I carried on. It was starting to get late and cold so I gave up on the boots(the ride was what I was after anyway) and headed back toward I -24 and had one of those "personal moments" and had to stop and reflect. Since my dramatic exit from a curve in April, and several months of not being able to get right back on that horse, I've been, well....a little beyond nervous about curves. I propped that little blast up on the shoulder and looked behind me  Then I walked out in the road and looked in front of me  I had to be thankful for all I have, and for being able to get out and have some relaxing fun. I was having a ball, right in the middle of all those curves. Still slow(may always be), still cautious and even slightly nervous at times, but SO much better!!! Life throws some curves sometimes, you just gotta roll right on through them and keep on grinning!!!   | ||
| Rotzaruck |
Nevr, I wish you could have been here too, especially for that ride Saturday. It was glorious. I'll have us some loops all worked out when you make it back for some ride time. I'll aim you in the right direction and you can stop and wait for me to catch up. I didn't think I would find as many nice roads and pretty country on the way to where I was going and never even got there anyway!! | ||
| Ulywife |
Cool story and pics Ed! Thanks for taking us along. Glad you are enjoying your time on the Blast! Will we see you in March? | ||
| Court |
Great pictures and what a gorgeous area. The last time I rode the Buell through Chattanooga was late at night and I remember how pretty it was riding through town. Keep'em coming . . . | ||
| Nevrenuf |
looking forward to taking a ride over there when it gets suitable for 5+ hr ride over there. it's been a little chilli lately to spend a whole lot of time on the bike. | ||
| Rotzaruck |
Thanks Folks!! Kristi I saw that profile pic, I wonder if those are some of my tracks straightening out that curve(I drive like that on four wheels too). I have hopes of making it to MB, one way or another, see you there. Court Next time, save a little time to look around, I'll be watching for you. Neil We'll surely hit it right sooner or later, I'll chase you up one of these mountains yet!!   | ||
| Nevrenuf |
there's some guy wanting to change his m2 to a standard on the old school site. don't know whether you caught that yet or not. hint hint. | ||
| Jstfrfun |
Great tour, Thanks for taking us along Rotz, Here in the west(Nevada) we don't have that kind of scenery,mostly long straight open wide vistas, I really enjoyed your view. Thanks again. | ||
| Dino |
Rotz - Great thread! Thanks much for the tour! | ||
| Rotzaruck |
Nevr--I'm on it, thanks! Jstfrfun and Dino, thanks!! I hope one of these days I'll get to see some of the country out your way, maybe when I get over being old and pore!! Last weekend, I had my son who won't even THINK about riding a MC with me(which is okay, I wouldn't haul him yet anyway), so we went for a little bicycle ride. Ashton, his buddy Mitchell and I went down a trail to the levy that attempts to contain Chickamauga Creek when it gets rowdy. I don't know what all is in that creek water, but we, as usual, soon developed a problem.   We had come across a large pipe crossing the creek, in a steel frame that is doing its best to stop the creek up.  Naturally, whenever you find a bunch of junk, some of it has to be good junk.  They both just had to have a basketball, so the gimp climbed down and retrieved them. We realized transporting our find was going to be a problem, and I had announced before I fished them out that I wasn't carrying them. I wedged my ball bat(hey! I need good junk too!)in my bottle holder, and it didn't take the boys long to figure out how to carry theirs. Fortunately, everything came out okay.  The levy is a nice place to ride or walk. We started at Camp Jordan Park in East Ridge TN that's between Chattanooga and Georgia. The park has soccer and baseball fields, a RC plane area, and an arena that the have various shows and functions in. In the winter, it is set up with two indoor soccer fields (is it a field if it's inside or a court?) Then we went down the trail by the creek and over a bike and pedestrian only bridge.  Though the woods and right under I-75   We went under Brainerd Road on the way out, but coming back, we crossed all six lanes at a traffic light. I'm still wondering what all the people at the light thought about two pregnant boys and an old man hop skip pushing his bike(chain came off) across the highway. Walmart has a new program training these guys to be greeters   |
