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My American Splendor Cruise – Part 5

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. My journey continues in Savannah Tennessee and the adjacent area to the west on the other side of the Tennessee River.

On Saturday October 03RD 2026 our ship docked at Wayne Jerrolds River Park – a relatively small 10-acre municipal park. It was the only port-of-call where we were docked alongside another cruise ship. In fact – it was another American Cruise Lines cruise ship – the American Symphony. In fact – it’s my next cruise ship next July !

(My ship is on the left, and my next ship is on the right.)

It was a chilly, gloomy, and drizzly South Tennessee morning, but that wouldn’t stop the shore excursions from moving forth.

In the morning I was on 1 of 2 full luxury coach buses for a trip 10 miles away to the Shiloh National Military Park. That’s where the Battle Of Shiloh – also known as the Battle Of Pittsburg Landing – was fought between Union and Confederate soldiers on April 06TH and 07TH 1862. Our first stop on our tour was Pittsburg Landing on the west bank of the Tennessee River. Much of our tour was on the bus; although, we were able to get off the bus, walk around, and stretch our legs twice.

Our guide on the bus tour narrated the entire way through from start to finish (pick-up to drop-off at the port), and he was an expert on the U.S. Civil War. He clearly had a passion for sharing the war with others. He served as a National Park Service Ranger for over 40 years, and he just recently retired a few years ago. He likes to stay busy in retirement.

It was a lot of information to take in over the course of over 2½ hours. I would have preferred a third stop to get off the bus and stretch our legs, as well as slightly longer stays at the two stops where we did get off the bus.

While the morning shore excursion was a slight disappointment – the afternoon shore excursion was a surprise gem – once we figured out where we were going.

In the couple of months leading-up to this cruise a “Savannah Air & Transportation Museum” shore excursion intrigued me. There was a nice description of what to expect on the 2-hour trip, and I was interested so I signed-up for it. No matter how much I searched online on Google and on social media – I could not find any references at all to this museum. I was beginning to think that this museum did not actually exist, and that #ACL mixed-up Savannah Tennessee with Savannah Georgia. I told that to a few of my fellow passengers who also had that shore excursion booked. This destination was definitely a mystery to us.

Even on the bus ride over there on that Saturday afternoon – we drove and drove and drove. Were we driving to Memphis ?

No. After almost 16 miles we finally turned off U.S. 64 and made a right-turn onto Airport Road. We arrived at Robert Sibley Airport (#SZY). The Air & Transportation Museum is owned and operated by Byron Conaway. Byron is a lifelong aviation enthusiast, a former Manager at Savannah-Hardin County Airport, and a 2025 inductee into the Tennessee Aviation Hall Of Fame. It is a family and friends run museum located in and in front of a hangar right along the flightline. There is a lot to see there – vintage aircraft, antique cars, and other 20TH Century memorabilia. They even serve free homemade ice cream.

Tomorrow on Facebook (#FollowUpFriday) I’ll share photos of some interesting items from our past that were on display at the museum, and next #TravelThursday I’ll write about Grand Rivers Kentucky. Let’s keep traveling together.

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

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Animals Blogging Geography History Military Nature Photography Travel

Village Between The Lakes

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. Last week I wrote about the other Savannah – the one on the Tennessee River known as the “Catfish Capital Of The World”.

Continuing downstream on the river on my upcoming American Cruise Lines paddlewheeler ship cruise – it’s Grand Rivers Kentucky down in the southwestern corner of the state. It’s about 167 miles downstream from Savannah, and the journey is scheduled to take about 17½ hours, for an average speed of about 9½ MPH. There is no elevation drop between Savannah and Grand Rivers, as the entire journey is actually on Kentucky Lake – created by Kentucky Dam at Grand Rivers. At 160,309 acres it is the largest artificial lake by surface area in the U.S. east of the Mississippi River.

I’ll be part of a 3-hour-plus shore excursion that afternoon in Land Between The Lakes – the federally-protected national recreation area between Kentucky Lake (Tennessee River) and Lake Barkley (Cumberland River). Our first stop will be the Woodlands Nature Station. Our next stop will be the Elk & Bison Prairie.

Paducah Kentucky (“Quilt City U.S.A.”) is another option on this day while docked in Grand Rivers. It’s about a 30-minute luxury coach ride into downtown, and then you’re on your own to do your own thing there for up to 3 hours before the coach returns back to the ship.

That night back on the cruise ship we will officially transfer over from the Tennessee River downstream to the Cumberland River upstream. (Both rivers flow into the Ohio River.) The 1.75-mile Barkley Canal essentially acts as a short-cut between the two rivers near their closest approach to allow vessels to bypass the Ohio River some 22½ (Tennessee) to 30½ (Cumberland) miles downstream. The Barkley Canal was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) from the late-1950s through the mid-1960s. It was completed and filled in 1966. The water depth runs from 11 to 15 feet depending on rainfall.

Once on Lake Barkley our 22-hour journey upstream on the Cumberland River begins. The river narrows into a traditional river and winds its way southeastward towards downtown Nashville, and that’s where I’ll be – next – #TravelThursday. 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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1990s Blogging Driving Geography Military Nature Travel Weather

The Yellowhammer State

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. The great state of Alabama is known as “The Heart Of Dixie”, “The Cotton State”, “The Camellia State”, and of course “The Yellowhammer State” – named after the state bird – the yellowhammer woodpecker. Those “northern flickers” are flying and making lots of noise all across North America and southward into Central America. Alabama must be the staging point during the wintertime months for those snowbirds.

I was actually born in “Sweet Home Alabama” – Selma to be exact – 59 years ago. I lived my first 2 years there before my parents moved us up to Maryland in 1969. (My dad was stationed at Craig AFB at the time.)

I’ve visited (and driven through) Alabama many times since 1990. Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex (former Gunter AFB) in Montgomery was a memorable visit during the early part of my USAF career. I mentioned one of the trips last week to pick-up my little brother at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville after a fun week of Space Camp. (He attended during the Summers of 1990 and 1992.)

A whole bunch of my first church friends from Homestead moved to the Mobile / Semmes area during the late-2010s, and I’ve visited them a few times on my way to North Texas. I also got to sightsee a bit in and near downtown Mobile. There’s a lot to see and do in and around “The Port City”, and I’ll have to visit again to complete more items off of my Mobile checklist.

During the Summer of 2020 my family drove southeastward, and I drove northwestward. We met for a fun 5-day vacation in Orange Beach. I remember back when I was a kid I would send away for free travel brochures of Alabama via the mail – basically to help me research and learn more about the state where I was born. I would dream of some day in the future visiting the Gulf beaches of Alabama. 40 years later it became reality.

Most recently – my 18-day, 7-state, and 2,807-mile April 2024 “Retirement Road-Trip” took me west across South Alabama (through Mobile), and then back east across Central Alabama (through Tuscaloosa, Montgomery, and Eufaula). You can look back at that eastward trek (Days 15 and 16) across Alabama here.

I’ll soon be returning to Alabama via the Tennessee River on an American Cruise Lines ship. I’ll be visiting Decatur, Huntsville, and Florence. I’ll write more about those 3 cities in a few weeks. Incidentally – my upcoming cruise also visits Mississippi – sort of. About 9.3 miles of the river forms the border between Alabama and Mississippi, and then those 2 state lines meet the Tennessee state line at the river. With an average cruising speed of about 9 MPH – Mississippi will be on the port side of the ship for about an hour. (I won’t see it, as that will occur in the middle of the night.)

Next #TravelThursday – I’ll take you back to “The Bluegrass State” – Kentucky. Let’s keep traveling together.

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