Chattanooga, Day Two

Day two was our "relaxed day."  We definitely needed it after a long day at the aquarium and museum.  Reese absolutely loves trains so we figured while in Chattanooga we would have to ride the Chattanooga Choo Choo.  The train departs three times a day and we wanted to make sure that we got the early one, before it go super hot out.  We got our tickets and hoped aboard.  It was a really cool ride, we went over two bridges and through a pretty long tunnel (it was not very large, the train seemed to barely fit through it).  We reached the half-way station and got out to see the restoration shed and the locomotive turn-table.  This was really cool.  They turn a couple ton railroad locomotive with a turn-table run by a lawn-mower size engine.

 

After that we hoped back on for the return trip.  We headed back to downtown Chattanooga to do a little exploring and had lunch at a hip little burger joint.  While there we made our dinner plans after hearing about a Mexican restaurant that the owners also ran.  Before dinner we took a trip up Lookout Mountain and discovered a small national park with a historic house and a great view.  After letting the Critters run a little bit we headed to 'Taco Mamacita's" for dinner.  Then back to the hotel for a quick swim and then to bed.  We had big plans for the next day!

 

Here are a few pics from the day:

 

Me and the Critters on the Chattanooga Choo Choo.

 

Rian and the girls.

 

Haddie taking it all in.

 

Pooh loving every minute.

 

The girls.

 

The East Chattanooga Station (half-way point).

 

No it wasn't the Polar Express and that is not Santa (as far as we know), I think he said his name was Frank and he was our guide.

 

The huge turn-table.

 

The Tennessee Valley Rail Authority.

 

Grand Junction Station (the starting point).

 

Family pic.

 

Rian loved this sign (and made sure to point it out every time we saw one - which was a lot).

 

Picture at the Cravens House on Lookout Mountain.

 

This was not our hotel.  I just thought it was a cool old sign.

 

The fam @ Taco Mamacita's.

 

It had it's own El Camino - nuff said.

 

Old School Plaza Sign.

 

No that's not a beret.  Yes that's underwear.  We had to make an emergency pit stop as Rian forgot to pack the girls underwear.

 

A big rock with something (we couldn't figure out what) painted on it.

 

Chris