The California Beach Girl's Guide to Life as a Mobility-Challenged Traveler: 2016 Vacation Day 3

The Motel 6 in Knoxville on Harry Lane Blvd was the best hotel we have stayed in. The room was spacious and very clean. The bed was awesome. It was the best night's sleep we had on this trip. We woke up to a very hot, sunny day. At check-out it was 91 degrees. We wanted to get to the Ijam's Nature Center and hopefully get on the water and cool off.

Following the map we went around downtown and across the Tennessee River.

It looked like it might rain but it didn't.

In the picture below the Sunsphere is just visible between the two tallest buildings. We will see it later and get a good photo of it.

We saw more of that Ivy that was taking over the country.

The road to the Nature Center went through a suburban neighborhood.

We found it and it looked like a pretty great place.

But we wanted to rent a canoe to go on the water so we had to drive down the road to Meads Quarry.

There were families with children and dogs so I think it is a great place to go on little trail hikes and there are guides and shows. There is a Butterfly Habitat. But it was so hot we just headed to the Quarry.

We rented the canoe for 2 hours...

I didn't bring my big camera, we just brought the little Nikon and I was sitting in the front of the canoe facing forward so I took pictures over my shoulder...

that's why they look like this... lol

Awbri wanted to jump in the lake. There was a lab swimming around with a woman and Awbri wanted to go in with her.

I don't know how we didn't get flipped over.

Buddy was just chillin' with me up front.

It was beautiful.

A very large bird of some kind flew up and perched on the very top of the branch here, below, but we couldn't tell what it was. Since I didn't have one of our cameras with a zoom lens I couldn't get a closer shot.

It was very hot. We paddled to the shade under the trees but it was very still, no breeze, and we decided 1 hour was enough. We pulled the canoe up to the landing and let Awbri out to play in the water and got Buddy wet to cool him off.

They have drinks and snacks and a Beer Garden so we enjoyed a cold beverage in the "Garden" while we all dried off.

When we got back into the car it was 93 degrees.

I had read about Knoxville's Market Square and we really wanted to get some lunch in a cool place. I mean cool as in comfortable, with fans and cool air.

We headed back into town.

I love the "Trolleys" in the cities we visited. I read that you can take the Trolley all over and most of the time you can have your dog with you. With parking such a challenge the Trolley is a great thing.

But we didn't take the Trolley. We drove around in the city and found a parking structure.

What I love about Knoxville is that they have kept the old and restored it. It is clean and friendly.

We made it to Market Square...

This has been totally restored and renewed. The storefronts on the ground level with apartments above the businesses. They have out door movies, theatre productions, concerts, always something going on.

Almost every business had patio seating with umbrellas or fans and water bowls for the pups.

Giraffes!

Flowers!

Here is the Historical Marker...

At the end of the street...

And the Art in the Park...

This appears to be a rendition of Noah's Ark...

Awbri met Benji, a Cocker/King Cavalier mix... :)

We decided to try the Trio Café...

When you're on vacation you gotta have the full experience. You have to try new things.

A word of advice, here... Always have your ID on you. They will card you in Tennessee.

Everything was fabulous! The food, the drinks, the service. The waiter brought water for our pups. (there's Awbri's little face behind Richard's food)