THANKSGIVING! A very favorite, special, time of the year; SONATA in Knoxville, we traveled to Virginia Beach for Thanksgiving, then back to SONATA and down the Tennessee to Iuka, Mississippi.
The table which we all gather round to give thanks to God, to eachother, for all that has been given to us.
The abundant, delicious, home prepared, family prepared, friends prepared, food to be enjoyed by everyone.
Family, the most important part of the Thanksgiving gathering. (Bonnie her, daughters Brandi and Rhonda, granddaughter Taylor)
Charlie with Bonnie's mother and father, Leighton and Joyce Croom
Dinner is served and a great time of dining and fellowship is enjoyed by all.
Back to Knoxville and down the Tennessee from Knoxville to Iuka where Bonnie will again return to Virginia Beach. Back into the locks....
Down the River from Knoxville, to Fort Loudon Lock and Dam, to Euchee Marina in Ten Mill, Tennessee, then out of Chattanooga . . . this view of Lookout Mountain is spread before us.
Just around the bend placing Lookout Moutain behind us . . . we are engulfed in the fog. Speed is reduced to near zero, fog signals sounded, navigation lights on, radio calls made to announce our presence, radar is used to scan the river ahead.
The fog clears after just a few minutes and again we can see the beautiful countryside.
The River is powerful, the current pushes us down stream, supplies nourishment for the birds we pass . . . and then there is the nuclear power plants along the way.
As was just said, speed . . . 12.4 mph as shown on the GPS Plotter (I love my Garmin). Water depths from 4-6 feet below the keel to over 100 feet in some areas.
Science and man at work here . . . at the top of Racoon Mountain TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) created a lake, and, at slack times pumps water from the river into the lake; then, at time of high electric demand allows the water to return down the mountain to the river through turbines generating electricity....
Throughout this trip the vistas we enjoy, repeatedly, are awesome! Words cannot describe them. A sample of just one day. The view ahead in the mist.
The river bank.
The view ahead...
....the quiet trail we leave behind.
WHO IS A LOOPER??? This question was recently addressed in a Tennessee Valley magazine. The article describes a looper's personality traits: "They have a sense of adventure yet not necessarily to bungee jump off Lookout Mountain. They've proven themselves in their career but want one more hill to climb. They have an aura ... more than the rich tan and glistening hair that's proof of the sunshine's kiss on their trip. The aura to thse around them is having a sense of what's important ... an innate ability to be organized both in their thoughts and their life. To prioritize, appreciate, and respect the world around them. Most of all, they constantly grin and smile with their eyes."
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