Camping/Hockey Weekend

It was unusual for a camping weekend to go to a hockey game on Saturday night, but that's what we did last weekend. We camped at Cedars of Lebanon State Park just 30 min. out of Nashville. Since Ryan got some free tickets at school for the game, we switched our camping destination plans to closer to the hockey game and had a great weekend. An added bonus was that Connie and Phil came to join us for a hike Sabbath morning and then lunch. After they left, we got on our bikes to explore the state park a little further before going to meet Carrie and Ryan for a Taco Bell supper before the game.

We headed home Sunday after a walk around the campgrounds, and got home just in time for the formal fall banquet at CA at 5 p.m. We left in too big a hurry to find the camera to take along.

Face off action

Listening to "Oh Canada" brought back lots of good memories of our 17 years north of the border. But this time we were NOT singing or rooting for the Canadians. By the way, they lost. And there wasn't one fight on the ice - but yes, several penalties.

Beautiful Day for Biking the River Walk

It's been a few months since we've biked the River Walk. Yesterday was the perfect day for it - with 70 degrees and blue skies and no wind.

Two spillways were open at the Chickamauga Dam so there was quite a current. The herrons were all lined up along the bank waiting for a catch, but they appeared to be a little hesitant to take the dive for any lunch. It was fun watching them and taking pictures.

We enjoyed watching the "Head of the Hooch" Regatta Rowers Race that was going on as we biked along the river. This event moved to Chattanooga in 2005 and is always the first weekend of November. There were over 8,000 rowers (mostly high school and college age) in over 1400 registered boats. They had to launch a boat every 27 seconds.
Click on this picture and notice the green hats or hair - maybe they're from Ireland?

There were 143 national and international teams from 25 states and 4 countries. It's the second largest head race in the country that is along a 3 1/2 mile stretch of the river. We stopped to listen and watch them go by at one point and when we got to the Walnut Street Bridge, the boats with just pairs rowing were finishing the race and pulling out at Ross's Landing.
They race for the best time. (The golf course across the river was busy Sunday.)

Approaching the Bluff View District and Back Inn Cafe where we had dinner this fall for our first time. We enjoyed the view, service, and eggplant parmesan, but not the price. As you might guess, we had a two for one coupon from the Ham. Co. school booklet.

The Delta River Queen is tied up beside McKenzie Park. Tonight when we were walking on the Walnut Street Bridge and McKenzie Park, we took a tour of the boat. It's a hotel and restaurant. You can have dinner and a show on weekends for just $42 each ;) What a deal.

The marsh had a lot of geese and we ran into Sam and Gloria James
stopping for a break there too.

There were a lot of ducks in the swampy area having a preening party it appeared.

It was fun seeing Ida and Danny for the first time in years.
Danida and Kim are expecting babies just a day apart in June she told us!

The fall colors were nice here and there, but past their peak for sure.

Saturday Night Settlers move to Cleveland

What a great weekend it's been. We enjoyed having Jeanne (Denski) over Sabbath. Hopefully next time Rick will be able to come too. We enjoyed visiting on the screened in porch with our perfect weather we've enjoyed for the last week. Right after that we went to Terri and Brian's for a faculty social. So here are the "Settlers" who joined in the game we brought.

What a hoot trading is with six playing!

(So how many does that make, Stephanie?) I hope we'll get to play with this bunch again. It was lots of fun and they let me win both games that were very close. Randy said it wasn't good for me to win both rounds of the game we brought but I disagree!

They're Coming Down

Tonight after our walk Randy brought the camera out for a few pictures around the yard.
The trees are gorgeous still even after all the wind and rain Fri. night and Sabbath morning.

Seems like old times . . .

It was so nice having Jaclyn here for the weekend. She was able to catch a ride with someone back in AK on Friday and left this morning to go back.

Stephanie spent the weekend here too. What fun. We four went to the Heritage Singers concert Sabbath evening after a relaxing afternoon at home. Then it was Settlers time - with Randy cleaning house two games in a row.

Ryan and Carrie arrived Fri. evening and brought us home from the Sean McDonald concert in the gym part way through it. They went to Calhoun to a family reunion on Sabbath but were here Sat. night for the last part of the World Series and Sunday too.

We had brunch together Sunday and then Hollie joined the six of us us for a visit to a favorite haunt - McKay's after Ryan played some tennis. We topped off the beautiful weekend together with a visit to the Olive Garden Sunday evening before Ryan and Carrie headed back home.

This was taken from our deck of our back yard Sunday morning. The colors are so nice now.