Knoxville Tennessee

We had an early departure from BR to Knoxville on Friday AM.  We decided we would drive over and stay at the Hilton Garden Inn Thursday night.  Once in BR we stopped in a visited Kristen and the kids for a little while ( Mike was in Indianapolis).   Debi wanted to do a little shopping but we were too late - stores were closed.  We decided to stop at PF Chang's for dinner.  Just as we are finishing Diana, Hanna and Lee show up at the restaurant.  We joined them for short while then off the the Motel.  The next morning we left our car at the HGI and take the shuttle to the airport (and they pick you up when you return).  We board the Traveling Tigers charted Air Tram 737 to Knoxville.  Since I had the panic attach on the last trip they put me in the exit row on this trip.  With the extra room I had no problems .  While in route we hit a bit of turbulence, the pilot keyed up the intercom to apologize for the rough air. He told us we were passing over Tuscaloosa Alabama just as we hit the turbulence.  Once we arrive in Knoxville our plane was parked in the General Aviation area. The Traveling Tigers exited the plane and loaded directly onto three waiting buses.  After our luggage was loaded onto the buses and we departed for the Marriott at Volunteer Landing.

View from Bus 2

Check Inn at Marriott 

  After check in there were no planned group activity's.  The Tennessee River (now called Chickamauga Lake) is part of the TVA system of lock and dams.  The lake is just a shot walk from our hotel.  Debi and I head down to the River (lake) for lunch at Calhoun's.

Deck at Calhoun's

Dock at Calhoun's

Ready Reserves for the Vol Navy

Ready Reserves

Geese

 After lunch Debi and I board a Paddle Wheeler for a sightseeing cruse through Knoxville.

Our Captain

This hot blond followed me around all weekend

That's Calhoun's in the background

The Volunteer Navy is growing

Volunteer Navy

Volunteer Navy

We did not go here so not sure what that is.

Neyland Stadium

Neyland Stadium

Someone said Tennessee had a basketball team?

View down River

Neyalnd Stadium

Nice

There she is again !!!

We stopped to celebrate the 1% of Knoxville

God Bless the 1% Without them this Country is screwed!

Is that an Obama sign in the yard?

Nice!

Move Volunteers for the Navy

Vol Navy

They just keep coming.

Vol Navy

Vol Navy at Vol Landing

Vol Navy

Vol Navy

Vol Navy

 After the cruse we returned to the Marriott to rest a bit before Dinner.  We celebrated Debi's Birthday with a wonderful evening at Ruth's Chris at Volunteer landing.  We had a nice table overlooking the River and the place was packed with Tiger Fans.  My camera was not working so no photos - sorry.  I did get it fixed later.

The walk back to the Marriott was ALL UPHILL!  Lucky we had the right amount of fuel in us to make it back.

GAME DAY !!

The traveling Tigers had a tailgate back at Calhoun's.

Tailgate

Tailgate

View from Tailgate

View from tailgate

View from tailgate

You can see the stadium in the background

Tailgate

Dock at Calhoun's

There she is AGAIN !!!!!

Vol Navy Sailgate

Really good food and drinks at the Tailgate.  The Marriott is one mile from Neyland Stadium and Calhoun's is half way.  Now that we are are fueled up its time to knock heads with the Vols !

On our way to the Game.

I let here take a picture with me...

 Vol Navy

Damn GOOD IDEA !

Vol Navy

Vol Navy

Vol Navy

Hey Smokey !

Vol Navy

Vol Navy

Vol Navy

Getting Close

The 1% Vol Navy

Close

Closer

That Game Day traffic looks like hell - RIGHT?

Neyland Stadium is not very attractive from the outside.  It looks like the original Stadium was built for some use other than football.  As is normal with growth this stadium appears to have been added onto many times.  For someone seeing it for the first time its ugly from the outside.  It is a massive steel structure with an old Tiger Stadium type building inside. Here are a few photos going in.

Ok Tiger Stadium may not be the best of Louisiana but it sure beats this.

Building the stadium is built over

Nothing is flat!

Once you are inside all the Ugly from outside melts away.  Other than being in the sun all day we really enjoyed our stay in Neyland Stadium.

Pre Game

Pre-game

View from behind our seats

View

View

She  is still following me !

Pre-Game

Tigers

Vol Band played the Tiger fight song to us !

Then a melody of patriotic songs.

Time for the T

Tigers coming out

Vols enter the field

Wow what a game.  The Vol fans are great people.  Their best feature is that they hate Bama more than we could ever thing about hating!  Here are a few post game photos.

Tigers gather for post game singing

Singing Tigers

I walked down the the field for this shot

Post game at field level

We returned to the Marriott for drinks and dinner after the game.  Sunday AM the Traveling Tigers loaded three buses and returned to the airport for the flight back to BR.  The Traveling Tigers have the WANT for a return flight after VICTORY.

Load up

Early Morning fog over the river

View

Smokey Mountains 

Tigers Return