Chattanooga area

Monday July14, we left Zephyrhills to find some cooler weather. Our first stop was Wildwood FL to see a friend in Yalaha.
The next morning, we left for Unadilla, GA

Remember, if you double click on a picture it will enlarge it.

Freddy is happy on his mommy's lap


We were disappointed in Unadilla. Our reason for stopping there was to eat at Country Boy's restaurant. He has won numerous BBQ contests. He closed the restaurant down to spend more time with his daughter before she goes off to college. We hope he will reopen.





Thru Atlanta. I hate to drive here.

North GA, starting to see mountains

into Tennessee











Lookout Mountain as seen from I24.

back into GA











 We are staying in GA but very close to Chattanooga, home of Moon Pies.

They have a store here, so,

lunch of Moon Pie and RC Cola. If you are from the south, you probably had that as a kid.












Next stop Chattanooga Choo Choo

During the Civil War, railroads were very important. 

This one was very much needed by both sides.

More on the war later.

Now the Choo Choo. The first train left Cincinnati on March 5, 1880 and was nicknamed the Chattanooga Choo Choo.











The train

Me, waving good bye to Cathy while I drive this train. Well maybe I did not really move it.













On to Lookout Mountain

pretty drive

We did not come here to see Ruby Falls and Rock City. We came here to see the Civil War stuff.
This painting inside the visitors center is 13X30 feet and weighs 700 lbs. It is called "The Battle Above the Clouds". It is the final battle for Lookout Mountain.

Then into the park.













The Army Corps of Engineering built this park in 1905.  They operated it for many years before it was turned over to the National Park Service










Showing the different battles around Chattanooga

The importance of this area was that whoever had it could watch Chattanooga and the armies stationed there.

Causalities here were very high.

All red, signs are the Confederates

the blue is Union.












Another sign. I will have lots more also.

from the point overlooking Chattanooga

The central monument honoring both sides,called the New York Peace Memorial. On the top is a Union soldier and a Confederate soldier shaking hands

Cathy and a cannon

The "Battle of Chickamauga" visitor center.

This park is the first National War Memorial.
It features the visitor center and a self guided driving tour through the battle fields.
It was dedicated in 1890. 
This 2 day battle, Sept 19 and 20, 1863 was one of the bloodiest during the war, 18,000 Rebs, 1,6000 Union Killed or missing.
 




Inside the center is the Fuller Gun Collection. There are 355 long guns of different sizes, calibers, and type. All are in pristine condition.
they were donated by  Claud Fuller and his wife. He died in the 1950s







Here is 2 of the many cases  in the collection

The guns run  from the Revolutionary War up till around 1940.











 The first memorial on the driving tour is the Florida Memorial.
I will show a few, but, there re over 14,000 monuments showing the different battlefields and troop locations.

Kentucky

15th US Army

A unit monument












 and so on.














 Deer like this park

A young buck 

a field full of memorials. Probably a major battle site

a Calvary units memorial









 At the site of one major battle is the Snodgrass House. The family hid in a ravine behind the house. When the battle moved away, the cabin
was used as a hospital. When the battle went the other way, the other forces used it as a hospital also.

 Me in front of the Snodgrass Cabin

 These are the casualties just at Chicamauga, they do not  include Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain.

The battle line at the cabin










 More deer, this time with  baby

another baby.

We saw another baby even smaller but could not get a picture.

Then the drive home over Lookout Mountain.









 



Glad we were in the car. These are not fun in the motorhome.

We do not stay in a lot of KOAs but this was in the right location.

But, it is on a mountain

I don't know which was more fun in the RV, going up or coming down. But we did Wolf Creek Pass so this is nothing.









and on














To home.
Now to order a calzone from Luigi's. They are so good.
The first day here, the high temp was 92, after that the highs were 78 to 85. Nights were high 50s to mid 60s. We hope for that at the next stop.

Now on to Mammoth Canyon National Park.