Catching Up or Falling Further Behind? - Part 3

Ok, OK!  I’m losing sleep cuz I’m not keeping up.  Ok, not really, but we are going to get current real quick.  The next ports after Nashville were pretty quick stops.  Each had a little different flavor but all are similar type marinas.  So with the exception of a side trip to Shilo National Park it has been motor, stop, docktails, meet Loopers, motor, lock, stop…repeat.  I’m sure you will enjoy the pictures. 

So here we go…catch up time!

Nashville – 10/6

Our group of sixteen decided to go to Nashville over the weekend.  Rented two vans, ours with ten and another with six.  First stop, the County Music Hall of Fame.  Ok, I’m not a country music fan but I remembered many of the artists from my parent’s record collection growing up.  It was very interesting.  From there we walked the downtown stopping at a couple of Honky Tonks.  I learned I liked Honky Tonks better that shopping…go figure!  Later we went to the Mecca of Country Music, the Grand Ole Opry!  They were celebrating their 87^th birthday!!  It was a great show with famous performers, like Jason Aldean (I didn’t know!?).  It was a hoot…HEE HAW!!!

Forgot to mention...we looked at a couple of boats for sale at Green Turtle.
Chris at the helm of a 52 ft Sea Ray

Chris at the helm of a 70 ft house boat.  Which one does
she look better at??

County Music Hall of Fame

Chris's new boy friend!

Sunday we took a trolley tour of the city.  Beautiful!  After a luxurious night in the hotel time to get back to the boat!!

Paris Landing Stage Park – 10/10

Nice smaller marina.  Starting to turn a little cooler.  Good thing we got Little Buddy!!

Paris Landing State Park Marina

Docktails no matter how cold it gets!!

Pebble Isle Marina – 10/11

One of my favorites so far…why?  Because they fed us!!  The marina sprung for appetizers for docktails and cinnamon rolls for breakfast…mm-mm good!  The topography and view of the river is vastly different than the Illinois, Missip & Ohio.  Mile after mile of gorgeous views.

Feeding the fish.

Free appies!!!!

Celebrating Dick's birthday!

Dick added Joy to celebrate her BD too!!!

Clifton Marina to Pickwick Dam – 10/13-16

Another nice marina meeting yet again more Loopers.  We ended up weathering in a day, which gave me time to change oil and do other maintenance tasks.  Bet your thought it was all fun right?!  Well it mostly is!

And drink too?

Time to eat again?

Yep!

Gay and Mike on Irish Attitude
Home Port - Liberty Marina, Bay City

Getting to Pickwick Dam was another exercise in wills…the ‘will’ of the river which was fogged in and running a 3-4 mph current against you…and the ‘will’ you make it sometime today?!  It knocked our speed down to 3.5 mph!  Good thing it was a nice day, after the fog lifted.  The lock is a lift at 55 ft.  We have locked threw more times than I can count…but it’s still pretty cool!!

After the fog lifted a beautiful day!

Tow going into the large lock.

TVA boat coming our of the small lock we will use.

Bay City friends rafted off us in lock.

We stayed the night in a little cove on the north side of Pickwick Lake.  Awesome homes all around.  As you can see by the empty docks summer is over!  Met a couple of kids on a jet ski from Petoskey, MI visiting some friends.

Grand Harbor Marine – 10/16-19

Pickwick Lake and the Tennessee turn the notch up another click on the ‘beautiful meter.’  We could easily see ourselves living/boating here!  Of course the houses we liked on the water were in the million+ range…so maybe not!!

Grand Harbor lives up to its name.  It’s simply grand!  Huge marina, condos and golf course plus everyone is super down-home friendly.  The place is jam-packed with Loopers that are funneling towards the Fall Rendezvous.  We’ve seen many past acquaintances and made more new friends.  One boat Chris has been eager to catch up with is womanned by two 24-year-old girls from Grand Haven, MI.  As we pulled in Kristy and Jessie were on the fuel dock.  Turns out a Winchester Court neighbor are friends with a relative of theirs.  Small world?  I helped fix their dingy engine so they could get Reggie (the dog) to shore whilst at anchorage.  They are extremely high energy…which they need since neither has had much boating experience.  You go girls!

Chris, Jessie & Kristy

We took a side trip to Shiloh National Park.  This is the sight of one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War.   Within a 48-hour period over 22,000 soldiers died!  The visitor center has a 45 minute detailed movie of the battle…basically General Grant on the Union side against General Johnston on the Confederate side.  Luckily (for us) General Johnston was mortally wounded during the battle as he had the Union army on the run.  The park is full of monuments, signage, and cannon placements that detail army positions, battles and graves.  Not a good time in our history but it’s an interesting compare/contrast for other countries currently going threw their own revolutions.  It’s not easy.  Why can’t we all just get along?!

We have left Grand and are now sitting in Florence, AL.  Plan is to transit from here to the America Great Loop Cruising Association’s (AGLCA) Fall Rendezvous.  More on that later.

Guess what…we are caught up!!!