Plans

Have you given any thought to what you are going to do when the leaves change? I mean, besides raking them? I have. What I would like to do is go on a cruise up the Tennessee River on a riverboat. They have special cruises just for looking at the fall leaves along side the riverbanks. I probally will not be doing that as Pat's schedule may not allow it.  

Fall Color Cruise

October 18, 2004 - October 29, 2004

This 4-Hour Fall Leaf Cruise into the Tennessee River Gorge sails round-trip to and from Ross's Landing. The crusie includes a deluxe deli buffet of turkey, roast beef , ham, swiss & american cheeses, hoagie sub rolls, wheat & white bread, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, etc., Homemade Baked Beans & Cole Slaw, Potato Chips, Soft Drinks, Iced Tea and Coffee and Moon Pies ( made right here in Chattanooga) , the Riverboat Ramblers will be performing on the first deck playing music ranging from Patsy Cline's "Crazy", Tennessee Waltz, Sweet Georgia Brown and alot more!  Informative commentary on the promenade(3rd)deck, free bingo with prizes on the second deck!  Make reservations soon, these sell out !

  The other thing I would like to do is go to Mentone, Alabama and DeSota State Park. In the pioneer spirit of the explorer, DeSoto Park ranges over 5,067 acres along Little River. Accented by rushing waterfalls and fragrant wildflowers, the park enhances the pioneer spirit with a unique restaurant, resort and cabin facilities. Also nestled into the lush, green mountain foliage of Lookout Mountain, the park provides a modern campground, laundry and camp store as well as a picnic area, swimming pool, tennis courts, nature center and many miles of hiking trails. Along the extensive scenic drive in the park, you can photograph DeSoto Falls, Little River Falls, and many magnificent vistas along Little River Canyon; the deepest canyon east of the Mississippi River

Musically, the name says it all!  Mentone literally means, "musical mountain spring," and while natural cascades and rippling streams create a melody all their own, it's the sound of church chimes and harmonizing homefolk that draw the most interest, musically, today.

As a special place, Mentone qualifies naturally!  It simply has everything good you'd expect to find in a mountain environment -- clean streams; lush fragrant flora; unobstructed vistas; cool temperatures; and a certain peacefulness so hard to find nowadays.  The air here is clear and crisp.  There are no flashing neon signs -- no shopping malls -- no traffic jams.  There's almost nothing to remind you of the city.  Streets (more like lanes) are narrow and twisting paths of little resistance, with cottages tucked here and there.  The poets have said it best...

Mentone, a place the Great God built,        

Up near the sunlit sky,

There life is new and friends are true           

   And days too quickly fly;

Where wearied souls regain their power     

              And  sorrows leave in the night.

Where peace is born with each new morn, 

       A haven of joy and delight.

                                   Sidney Lanier Gibson