Knoxville On-Land Experience 8/27 - 8/29 (2018)

We have arrived and accomplished such a fun goal.  Now it's time to tie up, get Cloud Nine settled in for a couple of days for all of us to enjoy a little R&R.  We had a celebratory "adult beverage" to commensurate reaching our goal to travel the entire length of the Tennessee River.  Then it was time to take a walk and explore downtown Knoxville.  We were able to be in a covered slip and we were behind a locked gate which will keep us safe.  In addition, we are in the same marina with the boat for the US Coastguard, Knoxville Sheriff, Fire Department, and Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency boats -- all in the local area to "serve and protect".  We felt extra safe.

Volunteer Landing Marina

View of Downtown Knoxville from Cloud Nine

Gray Heron within 10 Feet of Our Marina Dock

This train engine is a steam engine that will provide rides for passengers

Train Tracks for steam engine above along with Water Tower.  Have we Arrived at Petticoat Junction?!! 

JFG Coffee sign flies high downtown HOME to JFG coffee and tea proucts

Beautiful waterfall along Greenway downtown

One interesting happening was to have a sea plane land in front of our marina on the TN River.  A Couple from another marina near Knoxville had a sea plane fly them from their marina 10 minutes to our marina so they could walk to Ruth Chris restaurant for dinner.  It was quite exciting to see them fly in, land, then the pilot take back off flying under the 3 bridges in downtown Knoxville.  

This is the "couple that got out of the plane onto a very basic pontoon.  The pontoon took them to the marina so they could then walk up the hill for dinner.  

We also had visits from 2 friends while we are in Knoxville:
1) Mary Murphy - a special friend Gene went to high school with and worked with before our retirement!!  She was in town working and calling on her customers that day.  It was great to see Mary 
2)  Joey Dembek -- Joey is a very special friend of our son, Justin.  Joey spent most days at our house while they were in high school.  We could always depend on Joey and Justin cleaning out any leftover food we had in our refrigerator!!  It was great to see and visit with Joey.  We will see him again on September 8 during Vol Navy.

Cloud Nine reflecting in the downtown lights.  Isn't she beautiful?  She has taken great care of us and we so love our time traveling with Cloud Nine.  

After a great day exploring Knoxville and visiting with friends, it was time to call it a night.  Wednesday, August 29 was a day we would relocate from the marina in downtown Knoxville to another marina 6 miles south of Knoxville called Volunteer Cove.  We will keep our boat at this marina until Monday, September 10.  They allow for short-term boaters to stay at their marina.  

On Friday, August 31, we rented a car and drove from Knoxville to Franklin, our "land home".  We hadn't had access to internet so I needed to spend time updating our blog stories, and we needed to check on our house to make sure everything was ok.  All was great and we will return to Knoxville on Wednesday, September 5 so we can be part of Vol Navy on Saturday, September 8 then begin our 606 mile return trip back down the Tennessee River the following week.

Hope you're able to take in a small snip-it of our travels and enjoying our story and pictures.  Although pictures are great and wonderful, nothing compares to being aboard Cloud Nine.

Love my Captain......Love Cloud Nine