Author: jamesoglass

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Exploring Reviews

Chattanooga Area Hiking Trails – Intermediate

Now that the weather is warming up, it seems appropriate to create a list of our favorite hiking trails in the area. While my kids are little (3 and 5, well we have a baby too, but she can’t really walk yet), they are pretty used to long hikes. I’ve created a tiered list of local hikes which I will be sharing in three separate posts. I’ll share some photos of each place and discuss some details about each.

The “intermediate” trails are 2 miles or longer. They are introducing steeper terrain and challenges. Their paths may be rocky and bumpy, less friendly at times to little feet and strollers, but still ultimately manageable.

Stringers Ridge – Cherokee (Tan) Trail : 2.4 miles, loop, slight hill

Neighborhood access at end of Hiram Avenue – 1052 Hiram Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37415

Neighborhood access at end of Highridge Drive – 898 Highridge Drive, Chattanooga, TN 37405

No Access at Pine Ridge Drive – Rockslide has washed out the entrance and southern section

This trail was once well paved, but time and usage has turned it rather bumpy, but you might only notice if you are trying to maneuver a jogging stroller up the path. Due to a rockslide and trail washout, the secondary entrance to Stringers Ridge at Pine Ridge Drive is closed. The “official” entrance is at the Spears Avenue Trailhead, however, there are two “neighborhood” access points with “no parking” allowed: (1) at the end of Hiram Avenue and (2) at the end of Highridge Drive. The Cherokee Trail has a beautiful scenic overlook for views of Northshore, Downtown, and Missionary Ridge.

Racoon Mountain – Electric Avenue 1 : 3.4 miles, out and back, mostly flat

3800 Raccoon Mountain Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37419

Racoon Mountain is well known for its mountain biking trails, which usually means steep inclines. If you are looking for a level terrain with a clear path, then you’ll want to “rock down to Electric Avenue”. This path is easily accessible from the parking lot by the Racoon Mountain Chattanooga Overlook. We took the path all the way to the road and walked back to the car on the one-way reservoir road that runs all the way around the water. There aren’t many cars that take the road, it is a safe way to travel if you want to avoid the trail on the way back or simply want a new perspective.

Enterprise South – Poe Run Trail to Hidden Lake : 3.8 miles, out and back, flat (Poe Run Trail) small hills (Hidden Lake Trail)

190 Still Hollow Loop, Chattanooga, TN 37416

This is the Hidden Lake extension of the Poe Run Trail mentioned above. Poe Run is a mostly flat path, but once you hook up with the Hidden Lake trail the path starts to take an incline up to the Hidden Lake. It is slightly more strenuous and adds close to two more miles to the round trip, but we think that it is worth it, if you are up to it. The first time we took this trail I just accidentally happened upon the lake, and it was a pleasant surprise. We spent time skipping stones in the water and looking at all the wildlife around the lake.

South Chickamauga Creek Greenway – Faith Rd. to Sterchi Farms : 4.4 miles, out and back, mostly flat, slightly hilly in middle on the boardwalk

3650 Faith Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37406

I really enjoy this path, it runs along the South Chickamauga Creek and the railway system in the area. There are multiple railway crossing points where the path goes underneath the rail. It is really something when a train comes barreling down the track and you are square underneath it! About one mile down the path from the Faith Road Trailhead the path transitions into a wooden walkway on the hillside along the creek. It is a fun place to walk, run, or bike. You’ll pass underneath Bonny Oaks Road and come across some memorabilia for the Historic Trail of Tears before reaching a midway stopping point at Sterchi Farms on Harrison Pike. There is a covered sitting area and bathrooms. We stop here and head back to Faith Road, however, like a choose your own adventure you can continue down the greenway to the North Hawthorne Trailhead or take it all the way to the connection with the Tennessee Riverwalk and go to the Chickamauga Dam, Downtown, or now even St. Elmo.

Make sure to tag @papanooga on social media if you share photos of your adventures online!

Have fun exploring!

Categories
Exploring General

Exploring the Newly Completed South Chickamauga Creek Greenway: Faith Road Trailhead to Brainerd Levee Trailhead

One morning last summer I decided to take my middle child for a walk on the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway. I loaded up the BOB Revolution jogging stroller, some snacks and water, and we were off. We started at the Faith Road Trailhead over by Bonny Oaks and Highway 157. The descent from the parking area to the paved trail is a doozy with its steep incline. At the bottom by the South Chickamauga Creek I noticed thick trees covered by lots of orange tape, cones, and signs saying, “Under Construction”. The posters mention that work was being done to connect the greenway from Faith Road to Shallowford, connecting the path from Camp Jordan in East Ridge all the way to the Tennessee Riverwalk at Lost Mound Drive in Chattanooga. There wasn’t a proposed date of completion, so I just logged it away and carried on with the walk. My son and I had a great time, singing songs, talking about bugs, and just enjoying the calm nature scene.

Then comes April 17th, 2022. It is the morning of Easter Sunday and I just had the urge to check in on the current status of the work done to the new section of the greenway. I found some articles from March of 2022 saying the path was completed, but others were inconclusive. After breakfast I took my oldest son and a pack filled with snacks and water to set off on an exploration of the new greenway section. My goal was to determine for myself if it was in fact completed, and if so, how much was finished and where it ended. I didn’t know for sure how the journey would end, but yet, we went into the “wild unknown”. (cue “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” from Ennio Morricone)

We started our journey in the same location, the Faith Road Trailhead. After making the treacherous descent to the path we find that all the orange tape, cones, and signs are gone and the path is clear, so off we went. The path is paved for about an eighth of a mile before you come to the boardwalk. It climbs over the steep slope of the hillside and the plant life below. After some time the path comes to the bridge at Lightfoot Mill Road. After this you will take the boardwalk as it winds underneath the old train bridges and pipelines that crisscross the South Chickamauga Creek. 

Near the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum is a display of the original location of the 1859 railroad track and a sign showing the height of the water from the Great Flood of 1867. This was the largest flood the city of Chattanooga has had on record. There was a four day long rainstorm that caused the water of the Tennessee River and South Chickamauga Creek to rise 58 feet above its normal level. By March 9th most of Chattanooga’s streets were four to eight feet of water. After the waters receded the city acted to raise the streets higher to prevent such a degree of destruction in the future. You can still see some older buildings downtown with doors and windows sticking just barely poking out from the sidewalk or basement doors that lead nowhere. This storm and flood destroyed the only bridge crossing the Tennessee River and the city of Chattanooga was without one until the Walnut Street Bridge was completed in 1891.

Back to the greenway, the boardwalk continues on the banks of the river just outside of the reach of Cromwell Road. After a while the boardwalk path turns back to concrete behind the apartments on Camellia Drive. The path winds its way to Caine Lane following the sidewalk to the intersection at Shallowford Road. If you use the crosswalk and turn right, continuing south towards North Moore Road, you may see a red Circle K gas station in the distance. It is at this place where you will find the Brainerd Levee Trailhead for the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway. 

The section from Shallowford at the Brainerd Levee continues and crosses over Brainerd Road by the Walmart Supercenter. It continues onwards underneath Highway 75 and over the bridge into Camp Jordan. The new section of the greenway does in fact connect Brainerd Levee to Faith Road, creating a 12 mile path from Camp Jordan to the Tennessee Riverwalk at Lost Mound Drive. In fact, if you are brave enough you could even take the 27-mile journey from Camp Jordan to the Tennessee Riverwalk and all the way to the end of the Virginia Avenue Greenway in St. Elmo. 

I am very excited about this extension of the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway. It opens up so much for local and traveling explorers to get outside, unplug, and see all that Chattanooga has to offer! This path has been in the works since 1994. The reason it has taken so long is because there are about fifty different land owners along the now completed greenway. The Trust for Public Land had to ensure that all the landowners were willing and agreed to the plans for construction. The project also needed support from all living Chattanooga mayors since the beginning of the work in 1994. In addition, because of the robust wildlife along the creek bank, an environmental regulator needed to inspect and ensure that the greenway would not harm protected wildlife habitats. 

I greatly enjoyed my Sunday morning walk along the banks of the South Chickamauga Creek using the new greenway. Get out and explore all that Chattanooga has to offer!

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Maddy's Monday Munches

Maddy’s Monday Munches: 4/18/22

Today is the fourth day of Passover. My son goes to a Jewish preschool with kosher and allergy-friendly food guidelines and in adherence with Jewish Passover customers, he isn’t having any gluten for lunch this week.

The menu for today consists of a burrito bowl of rice, black beans, and cheese, celery and sun butter for dipping, and a fruit medley of strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries.

Categories
Exploring Reviews

Chattanooga Area Hiking Trails – Easy

Now that the weather is warming up, it seems appropriate to create a list of our favorite hiking trails in the area. While my kids are little (3 and 5, well we have a baby too, but she can’t really walk yet), they are pretty used to long hikes. I’ve created a tiered list of local hikes which I will be sharing in three separate posts. I’ll share some photos of each place and discuss some details about each.

The “easy” trails are flat or mostly flat with some slight changes in elevation. They are two-miles or less. In addition, their paths are clear and accessible for little feet and even strollers.

Blue Blazes Trail : 1.5 miles, loop, flat

409 Moccasin Bend Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37405

This short, flat loop trail is located in the Moccasin Bend National Archeological District. It loops towards the Tennessee River and finds its way going parallel to the Moccasin Bend Golf Course  on its way back towards the parking area. There are some spots with significant mud, or as my 3-year old calls it “Mega Mud”, however most of these spots have a “walking bridge” (wooden walkway going over the swampy/muddy areas. Depending on the weather prior to your trip, there may be muddy spots not protected by a walkway, just beware.

Enterprise South – Sunshine/Storybook Trail : 1 mile, loop, slight hilly

190 Still Hollow Loop, Chattanooga, TN 37416

This short, slightly hilly trail is located right behind the visitors centers at Enterprise South Nature Park. This trail provides some literary entertainment along the way! It connects with the Sunshine trail to extend it for more adventuring! After a short nature walk and reading time the path finds its way right back to the parking lot behind the visitors center.

Enterprise South – Poe Run Trail : 2 miles, out and back, flat

190 Still Hollow Loop, Chattanooga, TN 37416

This short, flat trail starts at the parking area to the left of the visitors center at Enterprise South Nature Center. Along the path you will find multiple bunkers along the way. On occasion they are open and you can wander around inside, enjoying the dramatic echoes of footsteps, or on top of them. The Poe Run trail ends when you encounter the second cross road, at this point it becomes the Hidden Lake Trail, more on this extension below.

Glen Falls Trail : 2 miles, out and back, slight hills

Ochs Highway, Chattanooga, TN 37409 between Sanders Road and Ochs Highway turnoffs

This is a great trail with slightly rocky and “root-y” terrain. It starts going on a slightly downward incline and continues rolling up and down the rest of the way. When you get to the bridge and water pool you are about halfway to the falls. At the falls you can climb in the rocks to get a higher point of view or walk along or inside the stream to get to the falls. We enjoy walking in the steam and exploring the top of the falls. The journey does come to an end when you end up at the “big bend” in Ochs Highway, but it’s a fun, easy hike with some water play options too.

Make sure to tag @papanooga on social media if you share photos of your adventures online!

Have fun exploring!

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Maddy's Monday Munches

Maddy’s Monday Munches: 4.11.22

Today’s menu consists of vegan “chicken” tender, spinach nuggets, ketchup, mozzarella cheese stick, strawberries and an apple sauce pouch.

It’s amazing to me how much this kid hates vegetables, yet he begs me for all assortments of veggie nuggets. Whatever man, it works!

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Maddy's Monday Munches

Maddy’s Monday Munches: 4.4.2022

Today’s menu consist of a sun butter and banana sandwich with honey, apple slices, circle cheese, and carrots with hummus.

Covering all my required dietary bases while #keepingitkosher and #allergyfriendly!

If you pack a lunch or serve it at home, what do you like to give your little people for lunch?

Categories
Exploring Reviews

Pot Point Nature Trail

This morning was just beautiful outside and I decided to take my kids on a hike I have long been wanting to try out. I made breakfast, packed my “Papa Pack” full of diapers, wipes, snacks, and plenty of water. We hopped in the car, cranked up some India.Arie, and trekked out to the Pot Point trailhead just outside of Chattanooga near Prentice Cooper.

At this trailhead there are a few different trails options, but we went for the Pot Point Nature Trail. It is a 3.7 mile loop, which is a little long for nature trails in my opinion, but oh well. I learned from the trail map that there was a campsite about halfway and I’m very thankful that it’s there. When taking little people (aged 5, 3, and 1) on a long hike, a midway point to rest and play is an absolute necessity.

We started at the trail map side of the loop, however you can start across the street at the wooden walking path leading to the Tennessee River. Ultimately, the trail goes up and then back down the mountainside no matter which way you begin. Although, I think starting at the hillside, trail map end of the loop is probably best. You get the uphill part over with at the beginning of the hike when you (and your little people) have lots of energy and excitement. 

We stopped along the way to rest a bit, drink some water, and look at mossy rocks. Just when you think the midway campsite is going to be around the next bend, it isn’t. Along the path you will see little poles with numbers engraved on the top. You might find yourself wondering that purpose they serve. There is nothing on the trail map mentioning them. They aren’t distance markers. I’m not certain what their purpose is. Although when you see post #10, the trail gets flat, you can see the top of the mountain clearly, and there are lots of massive boulders you are almost there.

There is a little exploration trail called Boulder Trail and it reminds me of The Hobbit, this terrible PC game from 2003 based on the story of J. R. R. Tolkien’s story. There is this section on the game when you sneak around big stinky trolls to steal their mutton or something like that. Well, these massive boulders remind me of the many “adventures” I took and hours I invested into this game when I was 10. Might be kind of cool to reenact this with an imaginary game with your kiddos if they are familiar with the story, or even if they aren’t.

When you’re at the top, take some time to rest at one of the three campsites. Host a talent show on the camping platforms. Enjoy the beautiful views. You will have sacrificed much to get to this point with your little people.

The hike back just continues on the trail, but this time down the mountain. The trail crosses the River Canyon Road on its way down to the Tennessee River. The section at the bottom by the river is pretty swampy and muddy at times, so either wear hiking boots that can handle that or just plan on getting muddy moccasins and soggy socks. 

There are a couple nice “pull-offs” along the river section of the trail for a dip in the water or skipping stones, including another campsite, but this time on the river bank.  

The trail then leads to the River Canyon Road and you’ll need to walk on the road for maybe a quarter of a mile before a new trail emerges leading back into the woods. Although, you can stay on the road and follow that back to the parking area, but I recommend getting back on the trail. This final section of the trail is beautiful. You will find the Butterfly Meadow, a beautiful, flat section right along the river with lush grasses and wildflowers covered in butterflies.

 The journey back to the parking area is easy from the Butterfly Meadow following the trail and a wooden walkway over some swampy areas. 

It’s a very nice trail for a long outing.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The ascent up the top of mountain might be tough for little legs (or bigger legs too). The campsite area and the Boulder Trail is great for rest, exploration, and imaginary play and the spots on the river section a good getting your feet wet and skipping stones. 

We spent a total of four hours on the hike, but we did take our time along the way. Which is probably best if you are heading out with kiddos.

If you try out this trail make sure to tag @papanooga on Instagram or Facebook to share your adventures.

Have fun exploring!

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Maddy's Monday Munches

Maddy’s Monday Munches: 3.28.22

New Weekly Series:

Maddy’s Monday Munches

My son goes to a preschool that has some food allergy prevention and kosher guidelines that make putting together lunches a bit of a creative endeavor.

No peanuts, no tree nuts, no meat.

Making his lunch requires some forethought in order to get the appropriate servings of proteins, fruits, vegetables, and grains.

Today Maddox has a hardboiled egg with salt and pepper, broccoli and sweet potato nuggets, ketchup, a mandarin orange, and parmesan, garlic, and herb pita chips.

It’s not the standard PB&J, but it get’s the job done!

Categories
Exploring General

Riverside 7: The Surprise Car Show

(If you know anything about Chattanooga you know that it is an event city: music festivals, farmers markets, marathons, marathons, marathons, ultra-marathons, bike races, the Little Debbie Ironman, and more marathons. Or at least it seems that way if you try to spend time near the First Horizon Pavilion on the weekends. We have had the misfortune of hyping up the skatepark only to (1) not be able to go or (2) have to park blocks away and walk because of seemingly countless events. Don’t get me wrong, I love that Chattanooga is an event city, but if you don’t proactively plan in the “good” weather months of the year than you might find yourself in endless traffic and detours.)

This morning Lynae, my wife, went out to grab coffee with a friend at Mean Mug on Northshore. After dropping her off we scooted over to the Chattown skatepark near Finley Stadium and the First Horizon Pavilion. Well, there was another event blocking off the whole area near the skatepark, but today it wasn’t some athletic event, it was a car show, the Riverside 7 Spring Meet. I walked and the boys rode their bikes a few blocks to get to the skatepark as I reminded them again and again to “keep your eyes forward”. It’s easy to get distracted with super fancy lowriders cruising right next to you, pull your bike handlebars towards the direction of your eyes, and then scratch a car that is worth more than an average house prior to the 2020 market inflation.

After some time refining BMX skills we walked through the rows and rows of shiny, “race cars”. Again I had to remind my boys to keep their hands to themselves and look where they were walking. But, I can’t blame them, the cars were pretty awesome. 90% of the cars were homogenous, but there were some very unique cars. In papanooga-style, I took time to point out the vans that were dropped down low, loaded with custom rims and interiors. There were two Honda Odyssey’s and one old model Toyota Sienna. I’ve seen my fair share of MTV’s Pimp My Ride and I can recall one particular episode with a lowrider, hot pink older Dodge Caravan. These weren’t quite tacky, in fact they were very tasteful.

We stopped for some snacks of oranges, kid protein bars, and some jelly beans from a nice vendor, put in some more time at the skatepark, and then walked/rode back to the car to pick up mom from Northshore. It was a nice surprise to our morning, especially when I saw the traffic and road closures expecting yet another marathon. Looking forward the St. Elmo Corgi Parade on April 3rd and the 4 Bridges Art Festival by the Association for the Visual Arts on April 9th-10th.

Get out there and have fun!

Categories
General Reviews

Stroller vs. Carrier

My 5-year old took this photo. Call NatGeo we got a prodigy.

We are all about getting out and exploring the great outdoors. Take your kids on a hike, a walk, on an art crawl around Southside, Glass Street, Montague Park, or the Riverview Art District. Take your kids to explore downtown or Northshore. Just get out and go, but be prepared.

Little legs get tired and then the little bodies get whiny. Sometimes, the little legs aren’t able to walk yet. So, what do you do? 

Baby carrier or stroller? Let’s break this down.

Baby Carrier

We have used three different baby carriers with our three kids: WildBird sling, SollyBaby wrap, and Ergo baby carrier. My preference is the Ergo. However, the SollyBaby is the runner up, but only for newborns. The SollyBaby is the better option for newborns because it holds them tight and close, but it has a weight limit as your baby gets older (around 25 pounds). I’ve found it yanks uncomfortably on your sides and begins to stretch out as your baby gets past 6 months. 

We have had and used the Ergo almost daily for six years. The Ergo 360 is amazing because you can wear them in front or, as they get older, on your back. The Ergo 360 can hold up to 50 lbs. Which according to the internet is an average 6 year old! It is designed well with support straps that spread out of the weight of your little tanker truck so as not to cause discomfort. 

Carriers are also great for getting stuff done around the house. Pop your little potato in the carrier and wash some dishes, make a meal, stand and fold laundry, sweep, vacuum, mop, whatever! There are times when my kids make it impossible to get anything done around the house (I know that absolutely NONE of you can relate) and the only way to make it work is turning on some showtime for the two bigger kids and popping the baby in the carrier.

Whatever carrier you chose, you will also benefit from the all-loving snuggle nap. The gentle sway of your walking combined with the warm embrace of the carrier will almost guarantee that your kid will fall asleep. There have been seasons of our parenting with all three of our kids when I have gone out on a walk with the sole purpose of having my kid nap. I began to start reading while walking and was able to power through over fifty books every year from 2018-2020, but then the world changed and life got more complicated. Anyways…carrier naps can be a life saver.

Stroller

For some people the go-to is a stroller. Which is totally get, less stress on the body, a little easier to get out and go, and the STORAGE! You’ve got the whole gamut of strollers from $20 umbrella strollers that I associate more with a child pushing around a babydoll to the $8,000 Silver Cross Surf Aston Martin made in collaboration with the luxury car brand Aston Martin. Just as some people are obsessive about the color and type of their baby carrier, you find staunch defenders of “this” stroller or “that” stroller.

We didn’t even have a stroller until our second kid was six months old. We just made it work with an Ergo 360 and occasionally a tricycle with a push bar. The type we got was a BOB single jogging stroller. It’s great for long walks when I had both kids, the littlest was in the carrier and the older one in the stroller. It’s nice because it has that little footrest that another kid can sit in and you can squeak out a fake double stroller with your single. Obviously, it’s great for taking on a run. 

There are some downsides to a stroller. First, they are big and if you don’t have a garage like us then you have a storage problem. We tried leaving it just on our covered porch, but that didn’t work out. So, we have resolved to just leave it in the trunk of the car rendering our trunk entirely useless. Second, if you are using a jogging stroller with the front wheel locking feature, make sure that you actually lock the front wheel when going for a run. One day I took my kids out, the oldest was biking and I was running with the middle child just sitting in the stroller. Well, unknown to me he had unbuckled himself and I had forgotten to lock the front wheel. Well, long story short… a speed bump flipped the stroller over and sent my son flying through the air like a t-shirt from one of those cannons at a New York Knicks game. Talk about a very “middle child” situation.

Summary

It’s probably a little obvious that I prefer a baby carrier, but it should also be known that my kids are young enough that the carrier is mostly all we need. The only times I use the stroller is for a run, which usually is with my oldest son who is riding his bike, and when I have all three kids with me on a walk. In this case, my baby is in the carrier, middle kid in the stroller, and oldest on the bike.

You do you. 

If you prefer a carrier, rock it!

If you like a stroller more, roll it! 

Whatever you do… just get out and have fun!