6-24-18 running around Knoxville with Tim

We decided to spend a whole weekend with Tim.  So on Sun. we headed off to breakfast.  Forgot the name of the place, but breakfast was good. 

Then Tim took us for a ride downtown.

You know you're in Knoxville when you see the iconic sunshere in downtown.

Knoxville is another neat city.  Only about 186,000 population---about 30,000 more people then Macon.  Same tree lined streets and historic downtown.

Lots of little boutique restaurants and stores.

And today they were holding the Road Bike Nationals in downtown.  We happened upon the end of the women's race.  In fact, by the time we parked and got out to watch a little of it, all we saw was the last woman rider and the enterage of medical and chase vehicles.

So we hopped back in the car and continued on. 

Part of the city that was closed off for the race.

more of the city.

just outside the city is Fort Dickerson.  We had never been there before. 

Tim and I walked up and around the little hilltop earthen fort. 

The forts was constructed to prevent the Confederates from bombarding Knoxville to drive out the Federals.  Confederate cavalry attempted an attack on November 15  & 16, 1863 but retreated when they decided they couldn't take the fort due to the steep terrain and strength of the defending troops.

Tim did his own battle there----some game on his phone where he was able to "take" many spots within the fort.

Not much of a fort, but I guess it didn't need to be.

a wild flower growing along the trail

about the battle

one of the 3 replica cannons that stands there now---I think there were originally 4.

About the siege of Knoxville.  In 1863, Confederate General James Longstreet placed the city of Knoxville under siege. After two weeks and one failed attack, he abandoned the siege.

Near the fort is this lookout to the 350-foot deep quarry

Pinkish gray marble-like limestone was quarried from here up until the start of the Great Depression. 

Now it's a park with swimming and kayaking

Back at Tim's house, the sky opened up and poured on us. 

Still no mountains, but an interesting day none-the-less.