Memorial Day Ride through a Civil War Battlefield

Not every weekend can be a camping weekend.  Sometimes, though, in those off-camping weekends, we can squeeze in an amazing bicycle ride, or two.  Such was the case this spring.

We headed to Chattanooga, TN, for Memorial Day weekend.  From his State Trooper days and his experience with Tour de Georgia, Jamie has a longstanding working relationship with a company that produces USA cycling events. Just for kicks, he has continued to serve as the public safety liaison for some races, translating race talk into police talk to ensure traffic safety during road races.

While we were in Chattanooga, we worked in a couple of challenging rides.  On Saturday afternoon, we took to the trails at Enterprise South Nature Park.  Oh, my! What a great ride!  Up, down and around this park.  The paved trails and the weather were just perfect for an afternoon ride.

Then Sunday morning, we ventured onto the roadway.  Though we prefer to bike on trails, a road trip across the state line lured us.  It's only about sixteen miles from Chattanooga to Chickamauga.  We navigated city streets and made our way onto the four-laned U.S. 27 highway heading south into Georgia.

We continued our ride, climbed a steep grade, and made our way onto the sidewalk where the bike lane was non-existent.  We arrived shortly at Chickamauga Battlefield.  A quick stop at the Visitor's Center, and then we cycled on through the park toward the city of Chickamauga, viewing historical markers along the way and basking in the serenity of our surroundings.  

A Memorial Day weekend ride through a Civil War battlefield.  A fitting reminder.  Inscribed on the Georgia monument: "To the lasting memory of all her sons who fought on this field - those who fought and lived and those who fought and died, those who gave much and those gave all"  

Photo opp at the Georgia memorial

We continued out of the park to the south, making our way into the city of Chickamauga.  What a funny site we came upon -- a vintage bicycle fence.

A yard in Chickamauga, GA, marked by a fence of vintage bicycles. 

The ride gave us a good workout.  The climbs challenged us; the descents cooled us.  

Back in Chattanooga, we dropped by the Sunday afternoon Chattanooga Public Market.  Fresh fruits and veggies along with homemade crafts filled booth after booth. 

With thirty-two miles added to the odometer, we returned to the hotel, tired and grimy with road grit.