The Road Ahead ................. (Florida Ride 2013): On To Chickamauga

May 28, 2013
Confederate forces won the two-day Civil War battle of Chickamauga in September 1863. But not really, if you consider the nearby prize of Chattanooga, a strategic railway supply hub, was still in Union hands after their short retreat. Nevertheless, from the lofty heights of Lookout Mountain, the Confederates felt confident it was only a matter of time before they wrested Chattanooga from the Yankees far below. What they failed to consider was the tenacity of the beard-stroking-cigar-smoking general President Lincoln put in charge of Union forces in the region who subsequently replaced the inefficient William Rosecrans who led the failed fight at Chickamauga. By the end of November General Ulysses Grant's boys had scaled the steep bluffs and the Confederates were on the run back to Georgia. The stage was set for Grant's right hand man, General William Tecumseh Sherman, to begin his devastating march to Savannah. History calls the Chickamauga-Chattanooga Campaign the death knell of the confederacy.

My two-day plan to ponder the hallowed ground of these battles was to start with a late afternoon arrival after my ride on the Tail Of The Dragon, not that far away; only 104 miles; two hours if I accessed I-75 at Sweetwater. I wasn't sure how much traffic congestion to expect in Chattanooga. Though it didn't appear to be a huge city it was certainly big enough to have a "rush hour", which, according to most rush hours, would be in full swing when I arrived, if I kept going.

It wasn't a hard decision to opt for a fresh start in the morning. I consulted the GPS about nearby lodging while passing through the small city of Vonore. Not having ready access to the paper Tennessee map I bought last night in Andrews, I took her advice on how to get to the Quality Inn at Sweetwater. You guessed it. We took every goat trail in western Monroe Country getting there and even the GPS was scratching her screen in confusion trying to get us through Sweetwater to the motel (why pass by the high school when the town has main street?), which turned out to be right next to the freeway. In checking Google Earth later, I realized we could have covered those 16 miles in as many minutes if we'd have stayed on Highway 33 to Highway 68, which leads right to the motel's doorstep. But, argued the GPS, think of all the scenery we'd have missed, and the uniqueness of sharing those country roads with more tractors than cars. She's right. Who cares how long it took? We're on vacation.

It was a leisurely ride this morning, paralleling I-75 via state route 11 to Chattanooga. After a brief visit to the Harley Shop (bought a souvenir shirt) I made my way here, to the $35 per night Royal Inn in Fort Oglethorpe. It was 3 p.m. before I finally went to battle the evening mosquitoes at the Chickamauga Battlefield next door. Actually, not next door, but just a few blocks south is the entrance to the National Military Park. Admission is free.

I started my visit with a visit to the Visitor Center. Though it closes at 5 p.m. the park itself remains open well after sunset. In fact, a major Highway runs through the center of the park and only the gated side roads are closed at all.

I watched the orientation film and wandered through the small museum, drinking in the fascinating history. In the waning afternoon light I slowly cruised the park, taking far more pictures than I'll ever use but didn't want to miss anything. As it turned out, however, like General Rosecrans before me, I retreated, hoping to resume the battle another day. While my wimpy excuse was fatigue and hunger, his was a little more serious; something about annihilation of his entire army.