Day 6 Birmingham to Chattanooga

We planned to be on the road by 8 AM and run on the highway and not the Power Tour route.  The tropical storm is bring a lot of rain this direction and we don't want to get caught up in the rain on back roads.  We didn't run into any rain but it sure looks like it could at any time. The temperatures have been great all week. It has been in the 80's to maybe low 90's. The problem is the humidity and I'm sure as we get closer to the coast that will keep going up.

We both slept much better and felt pretty good to start out the day.  David was checking fluids in the car before heading out and look what he found.

Apparently this little tree frog was looking for shelter from the rain last night and thought he found a good place.  I'm so glad he was discovered before we left, that could have been messy.

Well, the hotel we staying in had a Chick Fillet right in front of it.  So, guess what we had to have for breakfast ... yum.  This hotel was really good, the staff was great and very friendly.  This is one of the magnolia trees surrounding the hotel.  They were beautiful but not so good for my allergies.

Well because of the frog and the need to have Chick Fillet for breakfast we got started about 15 minutes late, not too bad.  Our first stop was just before crossing into Georgia.  The guy working at the convenience store was very nice and told us about how much there is to see and do in downtown Chattanooga.  So, hopefully we would have some time to check some of it out. 

On the outskirts of Chattanooga is Lookout Mountain.  All I can say is WOW.  The drive up the made my life flash before my eyes when when a bus was coming down around the same curve that we were going up. 

We went straight to the hotel and checked in about 1 o'clock and got ready to head out to the venue.  I told all of our traveling buddies that they may want to fire their travel agent  (me) when we got to this hotel.  It certainly was not up to my usual standards.  Everyone was very kind and said it was fine, but I sure was disappointed.

The venue for today was at Chattanooga State University.  They had a really good set up for us and we had no problem getting in and out without a long line.  There was a great photo op as we were leaving the venue, right on the Tennessee River. 

We left to head downtown around 3:30.  We didn't eat lunch and were starving.  At the suggestion of the guy at the convenience store this morning, we decided to go eat at the Big River Grill.  We were not disappointed with our meal but by the time we were done we didn't have time to check out anything else downtown.  It was time to head over the Coker Tire for the big event they were hosting for us.  It was a big open house of all of their facilities, museum, etc and a block party with live music etc.  David was like a kid in a candy store.  He didn't know what to look at or where to go first. 

 

Coker was a great host, they know how to throw a party.  It started raining on us just before we got back to the hotel.  So, once again, we had great timing.

Over all, we all agree that Chattanooga is the least friendly city that we have been to. 

Tomorrow is the last travel day of the tour and it's going to be a really tough one; we will put the most miles on and we have a sponsored lunch stop at Rousch Yates.  We will need to get an early start.