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My American Splendor Cruise – Part 2

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. My journey continues from the Hotel Indigo in downtown Chattanooga to the American Splendor cruise ship on the Tennessee River about a half-mile away. The American Cruise Lines (#ACL) owned and operated luxury coach buses picked us up in 3 groups to take us to Ross’s Landing (on the river). I was in the middle group (2).

I walked on the American Splendor cruise ship just after 12 Noon on Wednesday September 30TH 2026. I was 1 of 176 passengers on the ship. I thought about heading straight to my stateroom on Deck 3 port side, but instead I headed straight ahead to the restaurant right there on Deck 1. I wanted my first river cruise meal (lunch) immediately !

A lady eventually joined me for lunch who was on her 25TH #ACL cruise. We talked about many of them, and she gave me advice since it was my inaugural #ACL cruise. A couple from 30 miles southwest of Fort Worth Texas eventually joined us, and I chatted with them about my family who lives caddy-corner from them in the vast DFW Metroplex – 30 miles northeast of Dallas Texas. I’d encounter (and sit and chat with) that couple a few more times that same day.

After lunch I headed to my stateroom, and I was impressed. It met my expectations. My single balcony cabin was everything I expected it to be. I especially appreciated the modern digital Honeywell thermostat that controlled the temperature and fan. I’ve never had one of those in a cruise ship stateroom before. It’s the little things that matter.

We pulled away from the dock several minutes early, and we headed downstream on the Tennessee River towards the Central Time Zone and northern Alabama.

After dinner (which started at 5:30 PM) I headed back to my stateroom, went out on my balcony, and enjoyed the sights, sounds, and smells of the Tennessee River. We went through our first of 6 locks at Nickajack Dam. I watched most of the operation as we slowed down, pulled-in, stopped, attached ourselves to the walls of the lock, and dropped down about 39 feet from the higher lake level to the lower lake level. It was quite impressive to watch how it all worked from three decks up. It was my first such experience ever. Gravity is amazing !

Fun Facts: Out of the 176 passengers I was – believe it or not – not the youngest of them all. I saw a few women who were definitely younger than me – perhaps in their 40s (maybe even 30s). But the other 170 or so were definitely in their 60s, 70s, 80s, and even 90s. That’s my type of crowd ! I live in a 55+ neighborhood where I’m one of the youngest residents. I serve with the Sebring Historical Society where I’m one of the youngest volunteers. I attend Highlands Community Church where I represent the youngest one-quarter of the congregation. I’m in my element onboard the American Splendor cruise ship !

Tomorrow on Facebook (#FollowUpFriday) I’ll write about our entertainer on that first night, and next #TravelThursday I’ll write about our first port-of-call in Decatur Alabama including my shore excursion to the Huntsville Botanical Garden. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2026 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Blogging Food Geography History Military Nature Photography Travel

Catfish Capital Of The World

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. Last week I wrote about Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia Alabama – collectively known as “The Shoals” locally.

Downstream the Tennessee River from The Shoals by about 66 miles is Savannah Tennessee – “Catfish Capital Of The World”. It’s the next port-of-call on my upcoming American Cruise Lines paddlewheeler ship cruise. It’s about 55 to 60 feet lower in elevation than Florence Harbor, so less than a foot every mile on average. But nearly the entire drop actually occurs at the lock at Pickwick Dam – 17 miles before (upstream from) Savannah. That will be an early-morning 45-minute drop in the “elevator”, as we are scheduled to arrive in Savannah by 7:30 AM – about 40 minutes after sunrise.

I’m booked on a couple of shore excursions that day in Savannah. In the morning I’ll be touring the historic Shiloh National Military Park about 10 miles southwest of Savannah. It was the site of the American Civil War Battle Of Shiloh (AKA Battle Of Pittsburg Landing) on April 06TH and 07TH of 1862. It was established as a National Military Park 32½ years later on December 27TH 1894. President Grover Cleveland signed it into law. It was transferred from the Department Of War to the National Park Service effective August 10TH 1933 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

So you’re wondering about the catfish. The stretch of Tennessee River adjacent to Savannah is known for its abundance of various types of catfish of all sizes – including some really big ones in the 60 to 80 pound or more range. Catfishing anglers come to Savannah each Fall (September and October) to participate in various tournaments. The locals welcome the visitors, as the city celebrates with pageants, parades, and fish fry gatherings along the river.

As for Savannah itself – it was settled 200 years ago during the 1820s. It was originally named Rudd’s Ferry – named after – well – James Rudd (an early settler) – and his ferry across the Tennessee. His wife was Elizabeth, and she was originally from Savannah Georgia. In 1830 – Rudd’s Ferry was renamed to Savannah Tennessee so that Elizabeth could still live in a town named Savannah. Nowadays over 7,000 residents call Savannah home, and over 28,000 residents live in surrounding Hardin County (including Savannah).

Next #TravelThursday – I’ll write about Grand Rivers Kentucky – where two rivers almost but not quite converge. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2026 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Blogging Driving Food Geography Nature Photography Travel

The Scenic City

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. This week I’m writing about Chattanooga Tennessee. I’ve only been there once – back in August 1992 with my brother. We were on a road-trip from Huntsville Alabama to Atlanta Georgia by way of Tennessee. We spent the night in “Chatt” after crossing The Great Smoky Mountains earlier in the day via U.S. 441 (Newfound Gap Road).

34 years later I’ll be visiting Chattanooga for the 2ND time in my life, and I’ll be spending a single night at a hotel (just like the first time). The next morning I’ll be at Ross’s Landing to board my American Cruise Lines paddlewheeler ship with about 180 fellow passengers. It’s about a 15-minute walk from the hotel that the cruise passengers will be staying at the night before embarkation. (We’ll actually get a luxury coach bus ride over to the ship with our luggage.)

If my plane arrives on time (or earlier) at Chattanooga Airport (#CHA) then I should have about 4 hours of daylight in the afternoon and evening to check out the downtown area and riverfront (and also eat dinner). I hear that City Cafe Diner is a good place for any meal at any time.

Fun Facts: U.S. 27 runs right through downtown Chattanooga about 670 miles north of my home (which is also located along the historic route). Chattanooga is a border town, as its southern city limits straddles the Tennessee / Georgia State Line. Chattanooga shares the border with the city of Rossville Georgia. Much of downtown Chattanooga sits at an elevation of about 620 feet (along the river) to about 680 feet. Southwest of downtown elevations climb substantially to about 2,369 feet above sea level along the slopes of Lookout Mountain.

Next #SundayScripture – I’ll share more about my visit to Homestead Florida last weekend. Check it out on Sunday here at revchrismday.com.

Next #TravelThursday – I’ll write about Decatur and Huntsville Alabama. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2026 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Blogging Driving Food Football Geography Holidays Movies Sports Travel

The Buckeye State

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. This post is all about the great state of Ohio. My brother lived there on two separate occasions during the early-to-mid-2000s (Columbus area) and from 2013 to 2019 (Cincinnati area). My sister-in-law was born and raised there (Upper Sandusky area). My favorite canine nephew was born there in 2017 (Amish Country).

Just as with Indiana (which I wrote about last week) – my first visit to Ohio was a drive-through way back at the end of October of 1985 as an 18-year-old. I had just graduated from Tech School at Chanute Air Force Base adjacent to Rantoul Illinois, and I was driving back to my teenage home in Fairfax County Virginia to visit my parents, brother, and cat. I drove I-70 225 miles from west to east across Ohio. (I may have taken I-270 around Columbus.)

I visited my brother often both times he lived in Ohio – flying in and out of Port Columbus International Airport (#CMH) and Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky International Airport (#CVG).

Sometime in 2003 or 2004 me and my brother went on a road-trip northeastward from Columbus. We visited the Pro Football Hall-Of-Fame in Canton; although, I don’t remember ever visiting it. My brother insists that we did, so he may be right. I do remember us driving to downtown Cleveland after that, and we saw a movie. We probably ate somewhere nice before or after the movie, but I don’t remember which movie it was or where we ate. (That was long before the arrival of the smart phone, so no pictures apparently exist of that road-trip.)

A year or two later we went to the Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati to watch the Reds get routed by the Astros 9-0. Ohio native Roger Clemens was the winning pitcher – a month shy of his 43RD birthday.

We visited Ohio Caverns up in the hills of western Ohio (about 12 miles from the highest point in the state). We went there a couple of times more than 10 years apart. That was a lot of fun. The first time I flew in to Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky in May 2014 – our very first stop was at the American Sign Museum. The next day we visited the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. 18 months later we visited nearby Dayton and the National Museum Of The United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

We visited downtown Cincinnati often and attended a few sports events (wrestling and hockey) and a music concert at the U.S. Bank Arena (now known as the Heritage Bank Center).

I loved visiting Ohio – more so in the warm summertime rather than the frigid wintertime. I was actually disappointed when my brother announced in 2019 that he and his family would move away (again) to the Dallas Texas area (again).

My last day in Ohio was the day after Thanksgiving of 2018 when my brother took me to the airport for my flight back home to Miami.

Soon I’ll be visiting Ohio again as part of my Ohio River cruise. On the third day of the cruise we’ll be docking in Cincinnati. I signed-up for a morning tour and an afternoon tour. Both are 3 hours each. The morning tour is at the Cincinnati Reds Hall-Of-Fame & Museum. The afternoon tour is mostly inside a luxury coach bus with various stops along the way. A couple of days later we’ll be docking upstream in Marietta Ohio. I’ll be visiting a historic house museum as part of a guided tour.

Next #TravelThursday – I’ll look back at past visits to “The Mountain State” – West Virginia. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2026 Christopher M. Day, CountUp