The Far C'r Adventure Team heads for Tennessee

B

Bluechablis

New member
Having spent my high school years in Tennessee I have always wanted to return and witness the fall colors on the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers. So that is exactly what we are going to be doing in the Month of Oct/Nov!

We are planning to leave the Los Angeles area on Sept 28th with weather permitting, so much moisture coming up into the South West lately we want to grab a good weather window. Will spend a week getting to Nashville and then hopefully from there we can make it to Chattanooga and back taking it slow and easy.

I have put together this google map with information I have gleaned from C-Brats, Active Captain and Fred Myers's great cruising guide to the Rivers.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid= ... 4bh3wXkRdA

If anyone have any advice or not to be missed spots on the river we would very much appreciate any information that we can get. This will be the most ambitious trip we have attempted so far with our C-Dory and can't wait to get started. We are not getting any younger!

Will pop in time to time with a progress report.
 
Looks like an interesting trip. Would like to read the details - where you leave the rig, how you get back to it, etc.

Hope you have a great time.

Steve
 
I'm with Steve: Sounds like a great trip at the perfect time of year for it. Would love to hear details/logistics, etc.

Here's to a great trip!
 
Steve/Sunbeam

I think most of the logistics have been making a 40+ year dream of being on the Tennessee River a reality by getting the right boat, the right tow vehicle, and moving on out the door for adventure. As I mentioned I have Fred Myers Tennessee and Cumberland River cruise guide, plus every C-brat topic I have read as a resource. My old high school buddy has a recording studio in Nashville and he has graciously offered to store my rig at his place while we are cruising. Depending on how fast we will travel I am hoping to make it to Chattanooga and then return by river, otherwise we will take the bus back to Nashville to pick up our rig.

I am hoping the Fall colors will be fantastic this year, one of the things I remember about living in Tennessee.
 
Sounds like you are all set for a great time. Secure/friendly storage for the tow rig and trailer is the icing on the cake :thup
 
Floyd & Eiko, I was raised in the Nashville/Mt. Juliet area. I went to Mt. Juliet High School. Older siblings went to Father Ryan/St. Bernard High School prior to us moving from Donelson to Mt. Juliet. Where did you go to school?
I would go one way on the rivers…and do a leap frog with your tow vehicle and trailer. And…see more of both the Cumberland and TN Rivers. Doubles your time on the water enjoying places rather than just running past them at speed. Too many of the guide book folks just make the run at around 18-20+ mph and then write a guide book. Just like crossing America on the interstate systems at 70+ mph and never seeing anything but the interstate.
Say like a trip from Celina TN (Cumberland MM 381 area) on up to Knoxville on the TN. If you have the time to travel from Nashville to Chattanooga in back… you have more than enough time to make the Celina-Knoxville River trip. Less river miles than Nashville to Chattanooga and back… and a shorter leap frog trip if you stop your trip in either Chattanooga or Knoxville…if you get to liking some of the river areas. If going to Knoxville, be sure to check the University of TN football schedule this time of year. The VOL Navy simply take over Knoxville…but what a great time on your boat!!
You are missing a GREAT opportunity to see "THE CUMBERLAND RIVER" .. OK I am speaking of the part that 95% of those that travel never see and think Nashville....is the starting place of the Cumberland. Take a look at your map gizmo and plug in Granville, TN for your starting spot rather than Nashville. Not familiar with your map gizmo...but, hard street address for Grandville Maria is 7316 Granville Hwy, Granville, TN. Your last pin point looked to be Travis Hauling & Marina store. Not familiar with that end..but zooming in the Publix store a few blocks away 2010 Town Center Blvd in Knoxville. Using the Granville Marina as your start point and the Publix store as your ending point…you only have about a 125 mile drive.
Just go one way on the river. Go 1/2 as fast on the river and see more river and enjoy what you see and just get a ride between the two spots. We plan on about 50 river channel miles of travel a day. And, we have traveled 120 river channel miles with two lock & dams in a day….traveling like a guide book traveler. Parts of this trip you will want to run around 20mph “ish”… and other parts about 8 knots is great and needed. We leave time to eat both breakfast on board, travel, find good anchorage at least two hours before dark, and have dinner on board before dark. On my last trip we (my brother Mike (GYPSY) & wife Brenda) took a 5 day trip from where we live on the Cumberland River…MM 233 & MM236 going down river towards Nashville with no real particular place to go. We got back home about a month later and enjoyed many miles of the TN river too! We traveled the entire trip at 8 knots and loved it.
We have done a few gatherings on the Cumberland River…in fact Mike and Brenda are up river now with another couple we met on the C-Brat site…Life of Riley. Rob & Karen Coleman.
I am in the Puget Sound area now and will be driving back home end Oct mid Nov timeframe. Clarksville, TN has a new marina and I will be putting my boat there, Cumberland River MM 127.4
A few current links may help if you have not already seen them.
http://www.granvillemarina.com/
http://www.clarksvillemarina.com/
http://www.mappery.com/map-of/Celina-TN ... -River-Map
 
Byrdman, thank you so much for your local knowledge exactly what I was hoping for. I spent my high school years in Cookeville Tenn while my dad was teaching at Tenn Tech and I have a lot of family in that area. Going to Nashville was going to the big city!

Our plans are far from being set in stone, actually I was planning to make only 30 miles a day and enjoy the river. We might make it to Chattanooga and want to continue on to Knoxville and in that case we would probably have to ferry back to Nashville to get the rig.

I would love to explore the river from Granville, and now the wheels are turning on just how to do that. Perhaps leave the rig in Granville and when we get into Nashville go grab it and bring it to my friends place.

Of course it is my belief that I will be coming back again and again to explore this fascinating waterway. Like you say I don't want to do it at 20 miles a hour!
 
Small world! Was at Tech Jun76 thru Mar78. Dropped out of college, got engaged & join the military all on the same day! 16Mar78. Lived in Tech Village Dec78 until we bought our first house. Worked at the new Lowes store, store # 297 until going full time military. I may have spent a dollar or two at Johns (Quart of beer & John dog many..many times) and Bud's. Quart bottle was 90 cents, giving the bar tender the dime for a tip each bottle. I tried to limit my intake back then to 6 bottles a day...& lived! Bar tenders there were Shakey, Bobby, Randy & Albert. Made a visit in about 2000 and when I walked in Albert set me a quart of Miller on the bar and asked what my friend was having before I could even say hello. @ Bud's, the Garrison family were all close friends.

Many days on the water of Summer 76 on Center Hill Lake...Smithville exit but can not recall the name of the marina we had a 20' SeaRay in. When my Father was alive, still living in Mt. Juliet, we would take week long trips to Center Hill often tossing tents on the bank. Enjoyed fun fishing and skiing. My little brother still lives on board his house boat @ Pates Ford Marina. Great lake...although we can not lock thru the dam.

Let me know if you need any help in the area if your family members are no longer in Putnam County. Have family & friends in Mt. Juliet, Nashville, Clarksville and I think my little brother on center hill uses Smithville address.

Nashville City Dock...or I think today it is called River Front Park is at the base of Broadway....easy walking distance to many of the local Juke-Joints. Easy after getting up the stares from the dock to street level anyway. Cumberland MM 191. Lets chat more before your trip.
 
I left Cookeville in 73' and joined the Navy in 76' I think my Dad was at Tech until 74 or 75 then he went to work on his doctorate at Sam Houston in Huntsville Tx. We had 2 different 30' Cris Crafts on Center Hill lake at Cove Hollow. Lots of good memories on that lake! Yes, and I am hoping to put in there during this trip.

Just turned 18 when I left but met a lot of putnam county bootleggers in my teen years!

I still have some family in the area but getting to that time of life where you lose a lot of people. Wouldn't hurt to have some contacts in case we are in the area and run into problems, thanks!
 
Thought I should give an update on our trip. Unfortunately we made it to Canyon De Chelley in Arizona and learned about a family emergency so we made a beeline back home. Everything is fine but it is going to throw off our trip until next year. I am sure the River will still be there!

I will pick this thread up then.
 
Sure sorry to hear of the misfortune and emergency. Was hoping to hook up with yall once I got back to TN water areas. Keep us posted.

Byrdman
 
Floyd & Eiko,

Sorry you are having to delay this trip. Hope All is still well on the home front. This trip sure looks like a great choice for some excellent fall color, and comfy weather.

WOW, in another year it might be great timing. Want to lead a Fall Spectacular. The timing might be right by then.

Will be watching for you to bring this back up next summer/early fall.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

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