Twit on a Road Trip [Part 1 : Day 1 and 2]

I am freaking exhausted. Before you start, I fully understand that I am only two days into this more-or-less 14 day vacation, but today was a long day. I've earned a little breather.

Yesterday (Friday the 22nd), I got an early start out of Orlando and beat the local rush. But, the intent was to beat the Atlanta rush. I had every intention of making yesterday a Distance Day, since the drive up I-75 to Atlanta wasn't anything new to me. I was headed to Chattanooga, and I needed to push it to beat the traffic.

So, for nine long hours, my snacks of soda water and baby spinach kept me going. Having made the drive through Georgia before, I found the miles passed more quickly than I remembered, probably because it was only day 1 of 14, and I knew I'd have many many more miles before the trip was over.

I did hit Chattanooga at rush hour, though, and was surprised to find out how bad traffic could be in the small(ish) city. I had made a reservation the night before at a place downtown, and it worked great for walking the area. Even at 6 PM, it was exceedingly hot, though. Knowing that Chattanooga had a Dodgers minor league affiliate (the Lookouts), I was able to watch some of the best entertainment for your dollar that exists today. For $10, I was able to watch a baseball game, drink reasonably priced beers, and eat good food. Minor League Baseball is totally under-rated.

MiLB is simply the best

A sell-out crowd of chubby old men and surprisingly-attractive southern belles filled the stadium, and it was one of the best atmospheres I can remember. The Lookouts took the loss, but I was impressed by the product on the field. Seriously, if you're lucky enough to live somewhere with a team, do yourself a favor and take a group out to a game with you. Not getting back to the hotel before 11PM meant that I'd get little sleep, though, since....


... I ran the Amica 19.7 Series Half Marathon in Lenoir City this morning. The only good things I can say about this race is that (1) I PR'd and (2) I crossed Tennessee from the list [race report to come]. It was a small race but still poorly organized. And, it ended with 3 miles of open running beneath the sun. The race and drive there and back ate up much of the day, but I was able to get to Ruby Falls upon my return to Chattanooga. Not knowing what to expect, I was a bit turned off by the orchestrations of the tour guide and long tour, but the waterfall itself was amazing.

Ruby Falls...

Following that, I emerged back into the heat and went over to the Chickamauga Battlefield site. Having a minor in military history, I take every opporunity I can to walk the paths of the war, and this was no different. Quite the experience... It made for a hot afternoon, though, and by the time I arrived in Nashville, I was ready to hit the sack. I forced myself to stay awake, but the time change means that the 9PM time here is 10PM for me. Since I've been up since 4AM... it's reasonable that I get my sorry ass to sleep... ASAP.