VACATION!
Trish posted the pics, Chaz reporting, providing captions...
First, we should explain Morgan's new short haircut; Trish went to give her a little trim one day, but Morgan wouldn't hold still. So, in an effort to keep things even, it just kept getting shorter...and shorter...and shorter. But we think it works for her!
We had been kicking around the idea of checking out some more places in the American South, and I have been wanting to catch a few stages of the Tour de Georgia bicycle race (I went up in 2004 and watched Lance Armstrong show 'em who's boss, haven't been able to make it back since). So, the idea for a trip was hatched, and when AirTran announced a fare sale, it turned into a fly-and-drive event...gave us more time for more cities, more fun, without the 4-or-so extra days we'd need to drive up and back. So...of to Atlanta we flew. Morgan did great! She was a little nervous when we first got on the plane, but she held our hands and squeezed when she was afraid...that lasted all of about 2 minutes. Concurrent with the hand-holding, since it was take-off and ear-comfort maintenance is paramount, we gave her a lollipop. Her first one ever...turns out she liked it. She really, really, REALLY liked it. No complaints over her ears, either. She was fine the rest of the flight, and even insisted on getting out of her seat and climbing over me to look out the window, once the pilot turned off the light.
Our first day, after landing in Atlanta and stopping for lunch, we headed up to Chattanooga, TN, which was to be the finish point for the day's stage (Rome, GA to Chattanooga). While I wandered off periodically to check out the race status on the HUGE tv they had set up (and to watch the lead group, of 12 or 13 riders, finish about 30 minutes ahead of the pack) Morgan and Trish held court in the big field next to the finish line. I should add an aside here, one of Morgan's favorite things to entertain herself with outside is a stick. Forget toys, forget scenic hikes, if she finds a stick on the ground she will stop to pick it up, play with it, draw in the sand with it, whatever it is that 3-year-olds do with a stick. It would become a recurring theme on this trip. Anyway, here she is with her stick-du-jour, and a couple of young friends she just met. They amused themselves in various ways while Trish relaxed and I watched the race. Day 1 - success!
Downtown Chattanooga was really nice place. This was a neat-looking fountain, designed to look like the sidewalk erupted.
After the race, we drove around Chattanooga a bit, then went up Lookout Mountain to enjoy the drive and the scenery. I've always enjoyed driving up there, and today we went all over the place. We ended up at Point Park, near The Incline, and got out to stretch, walk around a bit, and enjoy the view. Here Mo is sitting on a little stone wall in front of someone's property...looked like it used to have a house there but now just had a garage, part of the foundation, some trees, and a whole lot of "No Trespassing" signs. I guess it would have killed the owners to allow people to enjoy the view from their property. Yeah, I know, liability and all...
Day 2 and we are back atop Lookout Mountain. This one was an individual time trial (riders go out one at a time, a minute apart, ride alone the whole way as fast as they can) ending at Rock City atop the mountain. I learned many things on this trip, the first of which is that Rock City is actually in Georgia! Grew up my whole life thinking it was in Tennessee, but Lookout Mountain spans the state border and Rock City is on the other side. Mama and Mo entertained themselves as best they could while I watched the racers come in. They found some shade, and for a short while enjoyed a marching band entertaining them. I about lost when I heard...wait...this sounds familiar....no...yes...it's....IRON MAN! Marching Band Sabbath!!! Mama and Mo, in various stages of amusement...I'll spare y'all the pics of Levi Leipheimer (won the stage by 40 seconds or so), Tyler Hamilton (I believe Tyler....was not his old self yet...2 minutes down and looking very tired) and the rest.
If it's Friday, it must be...Huntsville, AL! After the races on Lookout Mountain, we drove over to Huntsville and got set up for a couple days' recon work. Lunch Friday was at a deli near downtown...Trish shared some of her sweet tea with Mo...
...while I enjoyed a fried pickle! I got these as an afterthought with my sandwich and boy was I glad I did! Yummy. As we left, on another whim, I refilled my drink cup with some Dr. Pepper. Hated the stuff my whole life, decided I needed to try it again, and liked it! Go figure.
First, we should explain Morgan's new short haircut; Trish went to give her a little trim one day, but Morgan wouldn't hold still. So, in an effort to keep things even, it just kept getting shorter...and shorter...and shorter. But we think it works for her!
We had been kicking around the idea of checking out some more places in the American South, and I have been wanting to catch a few stages of the Tour de Georgia bicycle race (I went up in 2004 and watched Lance Armstrong show 'em who's boss, haven't been able to make it back since). So, the idea for a trip was hatched, and when AirTran announced a fare sale, it turned into a fly-and-drive event...gave us more time for more cities, more fun, without the 4-or-so extra days we'd need to drive up and back. So...of to Atlanta we flew. Morgan did great! She was a little nervous when we first got on the plane, but she held our hands and squeezed when she was afraid...that lasted all of about 2 minutes. Concurrent with the hand-holding, since it was take-off and ear-comfort maintenance is paramount, we gave her a lollipop. Her first one ever...turns out she liked it. She really, really, REALLY liked it. No complaints over her ears, either. She was fine the rest of the flight, and even insisted on getting out of her seat and climbing over me to look out the window, once the pilot turned off the light.
Our first day, after landing in Atlanta and stopping for lunch, we headed up to Chattanooga, TN, which was to be the finish point for the day's stage (Rome, GA to Chattanooga). While I wandered off periodically to check out the race status on the HUGE tv they had set up (and to watch the lead group, of 12 or 13 riders, finish about 30 minutes ahead of the pack) Morgan and Trish held court in the big field next to the finish line. I should add an aside here, one of Morgan's favorite things to entertain herself with outside is a stick. Forget toys, forget scenic hikes, if she finds a stick on the ground she will stop to pick it up, play with it, draw in the sand with it, whatever it is that 3-year-olds do with a stick. It would become a recurring theme on this trip. Anyway, here she is with her stick-du-jour, and a couple of young friends she just met. They amused themselves in various ways while Trish relaxed and I watched the race. Day 1 - success!
Downtown Chattanooga was really nice place. This was a neat-looking fountain, designed to look like the sidewalk erupted.
After the race, we drove around Chattanooga a bit, then went up Lookout Mountain to enjoy the drive and the scenery. I've always enjoyed driving up there, and today we went all over the place. We ended up at Point Park, near The Incline, and got out to stretch, walk around a bit, and enjoy the view. Here Mo is sitting on a little stone wall in front of someone's property...looked like it used to have a house there but now just had a garage, part of the foundation, some trees, and a whole lot of "No Trespassing" signs. I guess it would have killed the owners to allow people to enjoy the view from their property. Yeah, I know, liability and all...
Day 2 and we are back atop Lookout Mountain. This one was an individual time trial (riders go out one at a time, a minute apart, ride alone the whole way as fast as they can) ending at Rock City atop the mountain. I learned many things on this trip, the first of which is that Rock City is actually in Georgia! Grew up my whole life thinking it was in Tennessee, but Lookout Mountain spans the state border and Rock City is on the other side. Mama and Mo entertained themselves as best they could while I watched the racers come in. They found some shade, and for a short while enjoyed a marching band entertaining them. I about lost when I heard...wait...this sounds familiar....no...yes...it's....IRON MAN! Marching Band Sabbath!!! Mama and Mo, in various stages of amusement...I'll spare y'all the pics of Levi Leipheimer (won the stage by 40 seconds or so), Tyler Hamilton (I believe Tyler....was not his old self yet...2 minutes down and looking very tired) and the rest.
If it's Friday, it must be...Huntsville, AL! After the races on Lookout Mountain, we drove over to Huntsville and got set up for a couple days' recon work. Lunch Friday was at a deli near downtown...Trish shared some of her sweet tea with Mo...
...while I enjoyed a fried pickle! I got these as an afterthought with my sandwich and boy was I glad I did! Yummy. As we left, on another whim, I refilled my drink cup with some Dr. Pepper. Hated the stuff my whole life, decided I needed to try it again, and liked it! Go figure.
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