Linda...A True Space Cadet

Our last two days at Grand Harbor Marina ( Saturday/Sunday, 9/21-22) were spent with a friend, Steve Slattery, from McFarland.  He is helping a friend, Joey, deliver a boat from Lake of the Ozarks to Punta Gorda, FL.  We spent the weekend chasing football games with them  We were lucky enough to find the Badger game at a great little place called Freddie T's in Counce TN.  We had a geat time even though we were the only group yelling for Bucky.  There was one couple from Ohio who came over and thanked us for beating Michigan.  Either we were just deprived of some "at home" socialization, or we just needed an excuse to have a down day, but we managed to continue our gathering with dinner on WaterMarks and then the guys seemed to think they needed a little more in the way of spirits, so Conrad brought out the Peach Crown Royal, the Double Double Chocolate Vodka, and the Tennessee Salted Caramel Bourbon.  Needless to say, a good time was had by all.  The next day finding a place to watch the Packer game was not so easy.  The four us got into the Marina courtesy van and drove over an hour to Florence TN to find the game, which we watched at a Buffalo Wild Wings  in Florence TN.  A couple of things about this area...I had my Packer Tervis tumbler to pour my drink into when it arrived at the table.  About 2 minutes later I had a manager that told me all drinks had to remain in the glass they were served in.  So I poured my drink back into their glass and poured my water into the Tervis.  Also, they won't serve a 2nd drink as long as you have one on the table.  (Maybe Wisconsin should take some lessons.) Good-byes were said when we returned to the Marina and Monday morning we proceeded on our way to Chattanooga.  We spent Monday and Tuesday at Joe Wheeler State Park Marina in Rogersville, AL.  The Marina is just off the Tennessee River and is absoultely beautiful.  We drove to Joe Wheeler two years ago to attend the American Great Loop Cruisers Association convention, as Looper Planners, so we were familiar with the marina and park area.  Linda managed to get one morning walk in that was beautiful.  Can't wait for the temps to go down a bit so walks can happen again.  When it's close to 80 at 8 am with dripping humidity, walks just are not very comfortable. We used this location as our Amazon drop-off station, including the new microwave/convection oven for the galley.  The 30-year old was still working, but intermittenly. Now we can be assured that chocolate chip cookies can be made!

On Wednesday morning, 9/25, we left Joe Wheeler and headed for Ditto Landing in Huntsville, AL.  (We will return to Joe Wheeler after our week in Chattanooga to attend the AGLCA Conference as actual Loopers.) Ditto Marina is part of a state park, and again, a very nice area.  We rented a car for a couple of days and toured the Huntsville area.  Had no idea that there are actual small mountains in Alabama.  The highlight of these few days was our visit to the US Space and Rocket Center.  This was of particular interest to Linda because both her parents worked for NASA and the space program was very much a part of her life growing up.  This museum did not disappoint.  We spent the better part of an entire day there.  The pictures show different space crafts and they are all to size scale.  The lunar vehicle that Linda is sitting in is a replica of the actual one used by our astronauts on the moon.  

Friday and  Saturday, 9/27-28, were spent doing the more mundane chores of inside boat cleaning, laundromat, grocery shopping, etc.  It has been so hot that the outside boat cleaning needs to wait.  Weather forecasts finally get us into the high 80s by next weekend, but for now, the next 5 days are still in the 90s and still no rain in almost 6 weeks.  We left Ditto Landing this morning and travelled about 45 miles east to Goose Pond Marina in Scottsboro, AL.  We travelled through Guntersville, AL on the Tennessee River this morning and looked at miles and miles of beautiful scenery, bluffs, and gorgeous homes on the River.

We will travel about 47 miles tomorrow (Monday), and then into Chattanooga Yacht Club on Tuesday for 3-4 days.  We will move into Chattanooga River Front Marina on Wednesday and await the return of our friends, Tom and Angie, who left a week ahead of us from Sturgeon Bay and who we have been travelling with.

This "Looper Comraderie" is really amazing.  You travel with the boats flying Looper flags that are in the marina you are at the night before.  We ran with 3 other Loopers today and we are all slipped next to each other here at Goose Pond.  Looper docktails may be in order tonight.