I remember a time when the words “road trip” meant adventure, top down on the Jeep, & a duffel bag. Fast forward five years and “road trip” takes on an entirely different meaning — it’s six duffel bags, a dog leash & a container of kibbles, the stroller, toys, diapers, & hauling our beast of a Pack-n-Play. I’m all about having a strategy too, because Babycakes is on the EAT EVERY THREE HOURS diet.
Anyone who has children knows that car rides can be the pits, but luckily our baby is fairly enjoyable! She slept through most of our scenic trip through the Smoky Mountains, but someone else enjoyed his view from the driver’s seat!
There is no easy way to get to Chattanooga. I’d like to suggest that the most important thing you could pack for a car ride through Tennessee is PATIENCE. I found myself asking that dreaded question, “Are we there, yet?”
Once we arrived, our hotel was easy to locate. We stayed at the Chattanooga Choo Choo– a converted train station & “vacation destination.” The important thing was that our room was clean & comfortable, but I would not recommend running off to the Choo Choo this summer. They have a good thing there — it just all needs a coat of paint. I kept daydreaming about taking a power washer to different parts of the hotel!
On Sunday afternoon, we took a little trip to the top of Lookout Mountain where the Battle for Chattanooga was lost to the Yankees during the Civil War. Coach was born & raised in the South — Rebels love talking about the Civil War like it was recent news. By the way, I didn’t have a dog in the fight. My Irish & English great-greats didn’t come until after the war. That doesn’t stop Coach from telling his Southern friends that he can’t believe he married a damn Yankee. The picture of the cannon is from the top of the mountain at Pointe Park. The Yankees climbed up the mountain to defeat the Rebels. I get winded carrying laundry up the stairs — I can’t imagine trying to climb a mountain in a wet uniform, carrying all that gear, all the while getting shot at by cannons. Now that’s a busy & stressful day at the office…
Chattanooga is a great little city — I wish we had a bit more time to explore the area. I wish I had found the shopping district — anyone out there know where that may have been? Babycakes was so happy to get home on Monday evening. After being hauled around for three days, strapped in & out of her car seat, and carted around to restaurants way past her bedtime she let out an approving giggle at the first sight of her exer-saucer.
