Chattanooga Post #4

This is the final addition to my Chattanooga trip!! If I've bored you, I apologize. Wait, no I don't. This is MY blog, and as far as I know, you're just a visitor!

I'm kidding, but seriously, I know this has been a lot of pictures to look at.

I don't find it too torturous because my family is so irresistibly cute!

Don't you agree?

Final stop, Rock City!


Obviously I don't remember going here at all as a kid, but I'm sure we did because my parents took us almost everywhere there was to go when we were little that was within driving distance.
Six Flags, check.
White Water, check.
All major beaches on the Florida Panhandle, check.
Stone Mountain, check.
Cabbage Patch Museum, check.
What? You didn't know there was a Cabbage Patch Museum? Well, like, duh. There is, and it's in Cleveland, Georgia. You didn't think those things just birthed themselves did you? Of course not. In Cleveland, there is a place where pregnant cabbages go, a "Vegetable Hospital" if you will, where the cute little newborn patches emerge. There is one delivery we watched, and the nurse let the audience name her. First name: Trisha...Second name: Denise. It was obvious who the outspoken one was at the time. NAME HOG!!
Anyway, I know in the annals of my past, I can remember vague glimpses of Rock City, and lord knows if you drive up the interstate toward Chattanooga you pass around fifty red, black and white barns instructing you to "See Rock City", but it was much cooler than I remember.


There were passageways both high and low where you had to squeeze through, which was kinda difficult with Charlie, but we managed. It was almost otherworldly, like something from The Shire in Lord of the Rings. It was beautiful, and I know we picked the perfect time of year for our trip. All the trees were in full bloom and the weather was so cool, it was ideal. This place seemed much more adventurous because you weren't at the mercy of a tour guide. They just let you through the gate and set you on your way.




It was kinda tough to keep the boys slowed down because they thought it was so much fun to run through the rock paths. We wanted them to slow down and enjoy the scenery, but that was hard for them to do.




There were rock-lined paths up high and down low, narrow and wide.

So lush!

He was so excited about this place!

This hanging bridge was lovingly referred to by Mikey as "the stupidest thing we've ever done"!

It was scary to both of us, and he was carrying Charlie!

This was the view from the top! Beautiful...and terrifying!

This was the view of the waterfall known as "Lover's Leap". This picture just doesn't do it justice, and it was much higher than it seems.

For some reason, every time I see a picture of him, I say his name in this deep voice like CHHHAALLLEEEE! I don't know why. It just invokes that strange reaction, kinda like the little boy on the YouTube videos, you know, "Charlie bit me" or whatever, but all jacked up on Arnold Schwarzenegger(sp?) steroids.

Here we are in front of the spot from which you can supposedly see seven states. I'm a little skeptical.

Three little birdies sittin' in a tree.

I couldn't leave this southern landmark without buying one of the "See Rock City" birdhouses. It's now hanging proudly from one of the Crepe Myrtles in my front yard. It's a nice addition to the landscaping, and it gives me a reminder of the awesome trip we took(the first one as our complete family without any outsiders). I hope we get to do more things like this in the future. I can already see where our little family is headed, and I like what I see!