Chattanooga, Tennessee

"Keeping it Real" well, I lied on the last blog post. We started to head out to Raccoon Mountain and Caverns Campground and hubby noticed that the driver's side back two tires on the rig didn't look right. During the leveling process the leaf springs can swivel and so you must start driving to have them move back into place. The leaf spring is connected to the axel. Well, we started moving and I was keeping watch so that the back tires would not rub each other, and it just wasn't working out. Hubby went under the rig (poor guy it had been raining and it was muddy) to see if he could jack the axel up to try to get it back into place and that is when he noticed something didn't look right. He went to the other side and then saw what had happed, the leaf spring weld broke from the frame. We went to the front office to see if we could stay at least one more night to try to figure all of this out. Unfortunately, most companies that handle this type of thing are closed on the weekend. We stayed until Tuesday. Monday, a mobile welding company came out and made the repair. Hubby had him reinforce the other leaf springs.

This is how it should look.

This is the broken one.

Let the sparks fly!

Finally, Tuesday, we headed out to Chattanooga, and it felt good to know that we were fixed, and everything was holding together. Of course, hubby checked everything when we stopped at the rest areas. 

The drive was really pretty.

Wish I knew the name of this island.

Can you see the ice on the rocks? As we were driving we would see some waterfalls, 

but on the rocks that had no sun, it was all icy.

We will stay here until March 25th and then head out to Asheville, North Carolina. Our spot for the week and a half is very nice and I am personally enjoying having some cement to walk on. 

Our site for the week and a half.

Wednesday, we ran errands. Also, along this trip we had to get a new toilet. So, hubby and I went to Ace Hardware to get a hose and then hubby fixed it Thursday. 
 
Thursday, after the toilet was fixed, we headed out to Ruby Falls. Only about 10 minutes away from us and what a change in scenery. Ruby Falls is located on Lookout Mountain. In 1905, the natural entrance to Lookout Mountain Cave was closed during the construction of a railway tunnel. In the 1920's a chemist and cave enthusiast named Leo Lambert thought that he could re-open the cave as a tourist attraction and formed a company to do so. He planned to make an opening farther up the mountain than the original opening and transport tourists to the cave via an elevator. For this purpose, his company purchased land on the side of Lookout Mountain above Lookout Mountain Cave and in 1928 began to drill through the limestone. In doing so, they discovered a small passageway about 18 inches high and four feet wide. Exploring this opening, Lambert discovered the formerly hidden Ruby Falls Cave and its waterfall. 

On his next trip to visit the cave, Lambert took his wife Ruby, and told her that he would name the falls after her. After the discovery of the cave housing Ruby Falls, the tunnelers kept digging to locate the original cave the were searching for, the Lookout Mountain caverns, which they reached 1,120 feet underground. On December 30, 1929, the Lookout Mountain caverns were open to the public, and by the following year in June the Ruby Falls cave was expanded and opened as well. By 1935 the lower of the two caves was blocked off due to Ruby Falls being the far more popular of the two caves. In 1954, the pathway around the basin was cut in order to allow tourists a better view of the falls. Fun fact: This began the tour-related quip regarding not drinking the falls' water. Though pure and safe to drink, it has a large concentration of magnesium from the strata of the mountain, which makes it a natural laxative. 

Ruby and Leo Lambert.

The tower was built out of the limestone they dug through to get to the cave.

"Our problems may tower over us, but God towers over our problems." Dillon Burroughs

Cactus and Candle 

Can you make out the fish to the left?

Can you smell the bacon?

Potato chip.

“Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and 

Your waves have rolled over me.” Psalms 42:7

Beehive.

Steak and potatoes.

On top of the tower. Tennessee River behind us.

Hubby took a panoramic picture of our view.

Friday was a rainy cold day and I was able to get a chunk of laundry done. That was nice. Also made chicken pot pie for dinner. That was nice to eat in the cold rainy weather.

Saturday, we made plans to meet up with two couples that we met while attending the same church (unfortunately Roger's wife, Brenda couldn't join us). Our children grew up with their children until around the time that Tressa was in the fourth grade, basically we haven't seen them in 23 years. Both couples moved for job purposes. One couple to Georgia and the other to Tennessee. It was an amazing time catching up with them. Sharing stories about children and grandchildren. We had a great time. Six hours later, we were ready to head out back to our homes, but want to meet up before another twenty-three years pass. 

The restaurant where we met up with the gang.

Meet my new little friend.

Hubby, me, Glenda, Mike and Roger.

Today, I want to make reservations to walk through the cave where we are staying. I will let you know if that happened and all the pictures on our next blog. May God place His peace that passes all understanding upon you over this next week.

If there is something special you would like me to take a picture of, please let me know!
 
Drop a comment for me and let me know your thoughts on the blog.
 
God, the RV & me...