We have always mentioned how dearly we love biking. We are a biking, and boating family, and Beth and I always look for places where we can have surreal and memorable biking experiences. From trails to walkways, we both have biked everywhere; this time, we were looking for something new to explore. Our exploratory and purposeful living have allowed us to discover so many places in Chattanooga so once again we turned towards the 4th largest city of Tennesse to find something great and refreshing.

Do you know that Chattanooga is known for its gorgeous scenic beauty, exceptional downtown, and amazing and breathtaking riverfronts? Although it is not exactly a vacation destination for the people of the United States, a very small yet steady stream of tourists visit it. Personally, what attracts Beth and me is the natural beauty it holds. Also known as the “ scenic city,” the alluding surrounding valleys, waterfalls, trails, bridges, mountains, and parks are our major attractions. So we dug in, explored, and came across Chattanooga’s Golf and Country Club area.

On Sunday, 7/31/22 – we decided to visit the country club and golf area to ride our bikes. Our weekend started with great news of Chad and Maggie getting engaged on the deck of our former house, so we ensure that we end this weekend on a great note as well. Neatly tucked away in the historic neighborhood of Chattanooga, the Golf and Country club is just minutes from downtown and provides a full array of services. What caught Beth’s eye was how well-maintained, smooth, and packed with greenery the area had. Calling it breathtaking and mesmerizing would be an understatement.

Once we started riding our bikes, I had this urge to tell people that even if you do not bike for years, there is absolutely no chance one can forget how to ride a bike. The joy of being on two wheels and matching the pace with your better half is an indescribable experience. The wind in your hair and the sun on your back, the tranquility and magnificence of tall trees really work and allow us to develop several new perspectives about life.

We ventured out onto the miles in the Golf and country club area, took a very relaxing and leisurely ride, and came across a stall of precious little young girls dressed up with smiles plastered on their faces – selling mind lemonade and snow cones. The two little ones waved and smiled at everyone passing by and asked them to stop for fresh lemonade. Beth and I stopped at the stall, exchanged greetings with them, and had a glass of fresh cold mint lemonade, which refreshed our minds and soul. We shook their little hands and went ahead and completed our biking session.

Daughter Leanne, Justin, George, and Thompson joining us in Chattanooga for the weekend! More bike riding, I’m sure!

George and Thompson joining us in Chattanooga

Whenever we see a smooth and well-maintained trail covered by luscious trees and a river, I and Beth waste no second in bringing out our bikes. By now, you all must be very much aware of how we absolutely love biking. This time we challenged ourselves to bike on the beautiful 13-mile-long path that runs along the Tennesse river. Beth and I have always loved biking on the trails that are engulfed by natural beauty, where the wind light touches our faces, and the sun warms up our back and hearts. We were all set to begin our biking when suddenly we heard the familiar voices of our daughters Amanda and Sarah. They visited us, and to my surprise and happiness, three of my grandkids, Will, Kali, and Madeline, were there too.

You know there is nothing better than family biking down the trail of the beautiful and mesmerizing Tennesse river. The bickering of kids and their questions lights up the entire atmosphere and makes the entire biking session extremely fun. Seeing my grandkids cycling on two-wheelers and laughing made me realize how quickly time has passed. So back at the trail, my grandkids are extremely curious and love exploring the outdoors.

When they saw the exceptional beauty of the Tennesse river and the trail, their jaws literally dropped. They most loved the plethora of parks they saw on the trail. I heard them saying “we need to visit this park” at least three to four times. And who can blame them? The stunning and alluring beauty of the attractions, parks, and marshes we saw on the trail was absolutely captivating.

As a baby boomer, one of the best things about this riverwalk trail was all of the restrooms where one can stop, rest, and eat. Once we reached the dam, it was a sight to behold. The water was raging, and we all felt tiny drops hitting our faces. The calmness, tranquility, and peace it brought to us are indescribable and unmatchable.

If you are also planning to visit Chattanooga soon, I urge you not to miss this splendid treat

Rainbow Lake Falls was an interesting hike on Signal Mountain in Chattanooga, TN. Interesting rock formations, a trail with different terrain challenges (rocks, tree roots, some steep slopes) and a waterfall, a small swimming hole, and a suspension bridge make for a fun hike!

Sometimes the end of a bike ride rewards one with a special treat. Today’s ride on the Blue Goose Hollow trail, we enjoyed a beautiful sunny day with all of the sights along the Tennesse River with a treat for peddling all the way to the end just past St. Elmo at the bottom of Lookout Mountain.

Lookout Mountain has been a popular tourist destination in Tennessee and Georgia for centuries. Over the years, several businessmen have built hotels on the mountain to allow visitors to experience its attractions and breathtaking views.

The special treat was the Incline Railroad loading spot where tourists and locals this rail ride to the top of Lookout Mountain. Occasional presidents (Teddy Roosevelt) and stars (Elizabeth Taylor) have enjoyed the mile-long “chug” up the mountain.

The city of Chattanooga is known for its interesting activities that keep visitors busy, thrilled, cool, and astounded. From Signal mountain to Edward’s point – the “scenic city” Chattanooga is known for its exotic beauty and refreshing environment. The charming city tucked away on the Tennesse river’s side holds several places we should wander around. And one place that specifically caught my eye was Coolidge Park. It is located on the city’s north shore and is adjacent to countless art galleries, shops, and restaurants. We were looking for water adventures, and what better place than Coolidge park can it be?

One of the first things we noticed when we arrived there was how absolutely breathtaking it looks to watch over the entire beautiful Tennesse river. The interactive water fountains and green spaces provide a very relaxing place to sit and relax. We looked and strolled around the park and saw several activities like rock climbing, where adults and kids played and tested each other’s skills. The 13-mile-long greenway trail caught’s Beth attention and we immediately regret not bringing our bikes. The trail runs along with the Tennesse river and looks extremely magnificent.

The lush greenery and calm water splashing were not only mesmerizing to look at, but it was mentally calming and refreshing. We clicked tons of pictures and saw some regal flowers there. Thankfully, it was a nice day, and enjoying the water felt extremely great. The historic carousel and the blue rhino particularly caught the kid’s eyes. The elegant landscape and world-class attractions provide an outstanding view no matter where you turn.

We also visited the shops close by, including the art galleries, shops, and museums. The liveliness and joy of people around the park made me realize that Chattanooga has it all. Be it wild, carefree nightlife, water adventures, scenic beauty, or history – Chattanooga provides it all, and that’s why it is known as the most memorable, versatile, and affordable destination. Near Tennesse aquarium, we also come across “the passage,” which I nicknamed waterfall steps.

For those who do not know that the waterfall steps is a stairway waterfall, or I think it’s a weeping wall that was built to make us remember the tears and struggle of the Cherokee clan. The waterfall steps were my personal attraction because they provided us with great water adventures.

If you have seen sci-fi kids’ movies like the Jungle Book, Jurassic Park, or Jumanji, you’ll understand this. Do you know how the main character leads the team through the lush, thick green jungle where the exotic wildlife resides and suddenly discovers magnificent and beautiful waterfalls after a little hike? This is exactly what happened to us when we visited the falling waterfalls on signal mountain. The falling waterfalls are situated 10 miles north of Chattanooga downtown in Tennessee.

Before going there, we did some research and found that falling waterfalls are one of the most iconic, most loved, and preferred places by people on Signal Mountain. Since we did not want to spend our day quietly and boringly, my daughter Sarah and my grandkids Will and Kali decided to explore the magical falling waterfalls. We all hopped into our car and drove downtown to Chattanooga. We soon reached the trailhead parking area, which by the way, was pretty small. We parked our car there and began our hike, which was not that long.

The trail to the falling waterfalls was extremely rich with greenery. Since the falling waterfalls are located near the Urban area, the lush green trees and diversity of the forestland on this trail gave it a refreshing and significant look. The trail to the falling waterfall winds through the forest, leading us to the creek. The soft smell of sand and water filled our noses and cleansed our souls. The cold wind was hitting our faces, and I gasped at the view in front of me. Dramatically beautiful. It looked like it was straight out of some movie. For a minute, the trees, water, and clouds looked like a very precise and neat painting on the glass. Although the scenic beauty was melting me away, something important I noticed there was how edgy the place was. Therefore, it is important for people to be extremely cautious when they are exploring this place.

Waterfalls are such a remarkable creation of God that never stops mesmerizing us. The strong stream of burble and splashing of water was so deafening. The falling waterfalls were there, with their all glory. The whitish-bluish water was cascading over the rocky outcrop, and the lush green trees surrounding the waterfall made us forget our problems and worries. It felt so lively to stand there and witness and marvel at this glorious wonder of our Lord.

While Sarah and I sat in a corner where the tiny drops of water were splashing and touching our faces gently, those tiny droplets allowed me to soak myself in the magnificent beauty of the waterfalls. Kali and Will rushed toward the waterfalls with full energy to explore how magical it felt to sit and stand under the waterfall.

We clicked a lot of pictures but, to be honest, no camera can capture the mesmerizing beauty of falling waterfalls. It can only get captured in the heart, and the memory will keep you refreshed and energized for your whole life.

I heard Kali and Will laughing and shouting. Their laughter was coming straight from their hearts because I could feel their voice’s happiness and pure joy. I looked at my side and saw Sarah gently staring at her kids and then reaching out to me, “doesn’t this feel great” I looked down at our feet, which were submerged in the warm and fast-flowing water. It indeed felt great putting our feet in there; it was incredible.

Just then, the sun came out, and its light rays were on the water, turning it into a glitter silky silver sparkling water. The tranquility, freshness, and water left us mesmerized and tranced.

At the end of August, we returned to Atlanta to re-pack for Fall weather and visit friends and family. One of the highlights was attending granddaughter, Kate’s, Etowah High School volleyball game. In a previous game that we missed, Kate made the game’s initial serve for a point and then served 24 consecutive serves to win the game 25-0. That is a very rare and exceptional feat!

There are three things that we all love doing together as a family, and that are biking, boating, and eating. Many of our readers might think that we are a hardcore biking family, but we love boating as well. In fact, it is something that my grandkids enjoy the most. There is honestly nothing better than spending long summer days on the water. Since it was vacation, we decided and planned to visit the extremely gorgeous and mesmerizing Chattahoochee river.

As soon as we reached the edge of the Chattahoochee river, I saw my grandkids’ faces and their nanny Beth – they were gleaming. Family boating, for us, is the time when we all venture into the unknown together and spend long hours that bonds us together. The joy and excitement on everyone’s faces were very clear, making me super happy. The Chattahoochee river has become the number spot for us, especially when looking for exciting water adventures and fun outdoor activities.

We have previously visited the Chattahoochee river, but honestly, it is a place that one can never get tired of. The scenic beauty and its riverside trails are magical and captivating. As rightfully said by others, the Chattahoochee river has a stunning landscape that is covered and engulfed by luscious green trees.

Once we reached the middle of the river, the sun came out, and its rays were hitting directly on the water, making it look like some magical silver waves were under our boat. Honestly, it looks and feels like an exotic getaway. The soft whiff of the wind and crashing of waves, when accompanied by the gorgeous scenic woodland in the region, looks and feels extraordinarily beautiful. It not only refreshes our minds but also rejuvenates our souls.

Although Chattahoochee is not our home, this river holds such a special place in my heart that I know all about it so well. The dense bushes, trees, and hills surrounding add more beauty to the landscape.

In planning for our PTL journey beyond January and February of 2023, we wanted to return to Carolina Beach. Heading North was worrisome from the standpoint of leaving the warm climate of Gulfport, FL for potentially cooler March/ Early Spring environs of North Carolina and Georgia. Nevertheless, we arrived in Carolina Beach in cool weather but enhanced with the warmth of family! Austin was facing the week with Magen leaving town for work and we could be of help with two granddaughters, Eliza (4) and Lydia (18 months). Our time was short in CB but we enjoyed family time and when Magen returned home, we were surprised by a visit to a house they wanted to show us in Wilmington, just north of CB, and upon arrival a “SOLD” sign greeted us! They had committed to their first house in a great neighborhood. It was exciting to see the house and witness the happiness in their big step into suburban living!!