The Traveling 3some - Day 26 - From Atlanta to Nashville, Tennessee

November 1 - Drove 260 miles today - 35.5mpg

Up early for a free, ear drum popping buffet breakfast. On the road at 10am after stopping at Petsmart for dog food and treats for the furry one. 

Another day of record- breaking heat ☀️ waves along our path.  T-shirt and shorts - we couldn't be happier! For posterity it should be noted that we are the beneficiaries of a record breaking average October heat affecting much of the U.S. east of the Rockies. Wherever the Trumps have gone it seems that "hottest day records" have fallen in the southeast particularly, Tallahassee, Nashville, Atlanta, etc. The Weather Channel talking heads say this pattern will continue into November. Coupled with generally light traffic and relatively few tourists, we are livin' large.

First on our agenda today - one more Civil War site in our Rediscover America road trip. This time it's the Battles of Chattanooga, in which Union forces ultimately prevailed after the obligatory heavy casualties on both sides. 

Lots going on in this assemblage of signs on a back road. The road has a rather impressive, aspirational name. Up go property values!

"Lookout Mountain" was one of the key battles in the Battles of Chattanooga on 11/23/1863. Thanks to this marker we learned that 91 years before, in the very waning days of the Revolutionary War, Chickamauga Indians, supported by the British, were defeated by Continental Army forces.

"Chickamauga" was one of the battles, the first one and a Confederate victory - but not decisive.

This entrance looks like something out of medieval Europe, or Disney World.  

A mixed media tourist trap in the shadow of the park.

A small "official" National Park visitor center -  but as usual very nicely appointed.

This enormous painting depicting the Battle of Lookout Mountain in which the Union prevailed. It was also known as the Battle Above the Clouds because as the picture shows, clouds half way up the mountain hampered the opposing forces viewing each other.

What the Confederate defenders looked out upon (minus a few thousand of the enemy). 

The Civil War aficionados who are deeper into it than most probably have the details of this plaque memorized.  We fully acknowledge that we are but day trippers in Civil War lore. But it's been fun and interesting to try to tie things together.

The impressive monument at the site - Norm was relieved that one can't climb to the top. The monument was erected by the state of New York in honor of all.

Norm, glad he's a few years too late for this bloodbath. But with the success of this battle and the succeeding Battle of Missionary Ridge, Chatanooga's capture was like an "open sesame" to the rest of the Deep South. It was through this door that General Sherman moved on Atlanta.

Is Pam trying to stuff Cricket into the cannon?

Back road leading down from Lookout Mountain.  The leaves are starting to change color.

On the way down, rounding a bend, a young woman waved us into the entrance of this place.  Ruby Falls turns out to be a popular underground cave tourist site. 

Our next stop is just a few miles away - The Hunter Museum of America 

A number of quirky sculptures on the Museum grounds. Pam is posing under the dancing couple. Only later did Pam notice a sign saying "keep off the sculptures". Too late! The sculpture depicts a couple of hep cats energetically carrying out a Swing dance move.

This horse looks like it is made of wood until you feel it - it's made of steel to look like wood.

This is a glass bridge that leads to the museum - and there is no charge as opposed to the glass bottomed observation platform extending out over the Grand Canyon. 

The Hunter Museum is like our Crocker Museum in that the older building houses the traditional portion of the collection and an award winning modern addition grafted on to it primarily contains modern contemporary art. 

A sign by this sculpture also admonished passersby to not climb on it. Pam didn't, despite being sorely  tempted.  This modern addition to the museum was added in 2005, designed by Randall Stout.

 

The entrance to the original 1904 classical revival mansion designed by Abram Garfield, the son of President James Garfield.  

Norm is lost in the entrance hall of the old building. 

Some of the traditional paintings in the old building.

"Orange Lamp and Oranges" (Janet Fish - 1982) oil on campus.

Some of the contemporary art in the new building.

"Listings and Sailings" (Robert Stackhouse - 1982) watercolor and charcoal on paper.

"Six Rooms/Six Days" (Therman Statom - 1999) - mixed media and glass - this piece reminded Pam of something that would fit right in a mixed media show at Blue Line Gallery.

Beautiful view out the windows in addition to the artwork

"Conceptual Narrative Series/Storms" (Ginny Ruffner 1997) - glass and mixed media

Lunch at Tony's Pasta Shop & Trattorria near the museum in the art district.

Can't see it, but the view is out over the bluff, down to the river below.

3:45pm - on our way to Nashville for 2 nights.  We've seen a lot of fireworks for sale signs on this trip but this place takes the cake.

Arrived at our hotel at 6:15pm - after driving through another time zone change again.

The Traveling 3some - Day 25 - From Pensacola to Atlanta, Georgia

October 31 - Halloween

413 miles - 35mpg

We started the day at the Honda dealer for an oil change.  Time to take care of business after so many miles on the road, our oil is DOA...(within 1.5 miles of our hotel)....then on to Mobile, Alabama. With South Carolina and Georgia already under our belts, Alabama is the third Deep South state to be visited on our road trip - the heart of the Confederacy, where the Civil War is still the War of Northern Aggression. Seems that the Union troops at Fort Sumter were being bombarded by love and kisses by those South Carolina boys.

Looks like a band of smog hovering over the city. But no one from Sacramento should point fingers. 

. 

Mobile was the original capital of France's Louisiana Territory. New Orleans was not founded until 1718, 15 years after Mobile. Mardi Gras was first celebrated in Mobile in 1703. When the Capital was transferred to New Orleans (in part for better hurricane protection), Mardi Gras moved also. 

The Mobile Carnival Museum is a history museum that chronicles over 300 years of Carnival and Mardi Gras. The museum is housed in the historic Bernstein-Bush mansion on Government Street in downtown Mobile. Carnival, or Mardi Gras, was and always has been a really big deal in Mobile.

We visited Mardi Gras World in New Orleans several years ago and it's main claim to fame is 400,000 square feet devoted to parade floats - completed floats, floats under construction and the like. The Mobile museum is totally different.

These are the only floats in the museum. The one on the left is actually the back and front of what was originally a 100 foot dragon.

Today there are 70 mystic (masked) societies involved in Carnival activities, about half of which put on parades each year over the weeks that Mardi Gras in Mobile takes place. "OOM" is the oldest of these mystic societies.

Fire trucks became involved in parades at a time when they were pulled by horses. Parades were lighted by people carrying large natural gas lanterns with open flames. A bit dangerous in proximity to floats made of paper products. Today, when parade goers see the fire truck come into view it signals the end of the parade, nothing coming behind it. 

The Mardi Gras queen circa 1964. 

When chosen to be King or Queen, they design and pay for their own suit, gown, and long cape.  It was evident that lots of money is involved and a lineage of past Kings/Queens in the family. The man shown was our docent - wonderful presenter and all kinds of arcane details to relate. The hour and a half zipped by. And it was " take all the photos you want, please!" Snooty museums take note.

There are rooms full of the most beautiful finery in pristine condition. These are not some moth eaten, side show stuff. The cost runs tens of thousands of dollars. While anyone can join a mystic society, as in gathering of humans there is the 99% and the 1%.

Photos don't do these justice, as they say. The materials, detailing and workmanship are exquisite. Whether for men or women, over the top.

Overwhelming.

It was a "White" thing until 1934 when African Americans formed their own thing.  They remain separate, but comingle at each other's balls, parties and high jinks.

Hanging from the ceiling were a dozen umbrellas that women carried to watch the parade - many costing upwards to $1,000.  Gotta keep up with the Joneses.

This museum was definitely not put together on the cheap. It has the financial support of some very influential locals. All of those past kings, queens, ladies in waiting and other poobahs have a certain self interest. To them, that rubbishy New Orleans Mardi Gras is held by a bunch of Johnny Come Latelies.

Donald Trump eat your heart out.

Two elaborate posters for past events.

That masked dude was bad enough - but now, the FINAL humiliation. Still, he's a guy so why not enjoy the view?

We bought a box of Moon Pies ($2 for 12 mini pies) to try tonight.  The people riding on the floats throw the moon pies and beads to people on the sidewalks as they pass by. They used to throw boxes of Cracker Jacks but realized that the boxes might be sharp.  That's when they switched to moon pies and go through about 3 million every year.

Our cashier was a Madrid Gras Queen in 1955.  She said that all the queens get together for lunch every year. Quite a refined lady. We didn't gather she needed the job. Social register, anyone?

Our next stop- Montgomery, Alabama, a city with a history, as they say. But for devotees of the War of Northern Aggression, Montgomery was the first capital of the Confederacy from February thru May, 1861. It was from here that the Articles of Confederation were approved and issued. It was after hostilities commenced that the capital moved to Richmond.

Jefferson Davis lived here - everyone needs a home. Davis was positive that England, desperate to keep the cotton coming, would recognize the Confederacy and join it in fighting the U.S. Not the worst plan, but it transpired that no other nation, in particular England, ever recognized the Confederacy as a nation unto its own rights. 

Norm passed on going inside the house to face the inevitable docent. Also, in today's parlance, Davis was a loser and no Trump tours the home of a loser.

Notice, not the civil "war" heritage trail. This sign in front of the Davis White House.

The state Capitol sits serenely, recalling how for one brief, shining, heady moment in time it was the Capitol of the entire Confederacy. Pam checks out the statue in front of the flagpole flying the Stars and Stripes. The statue honors police officers.

If history is written by the winners......

The archives building next to the Davis White House looks like IT should have been the residence. Take THAT Mr. Lincoln!

Our time zone changed again crossing in to Georgia.

We've visited Savannah and now we head to Atlanta - just like General Sherman, sort of. Except that he "visited" Atlanta first before slashing his way to Savannah and marching into the history books. Our road trip is a bit more gentle on the land.

We arrived at our hotel in Atlanta at 9pm at 74 degrees.