“My Favorite Thing” is a regular feature in which Chattanoogans from all walks of life write about the one thing they enjoy the most in the Scenic City. Installments unearth hidden gems, offer fresh perspectives of local mainstays and reveal the rich diversity of Chattanooga.
The best thing about Chattanooga might well be its views. Mountains circle our city, the wide Tennessee River meanders through town, and lakes abound between it all.
There are so many places where you might be strolling along a path or even a neighborhood street and marvel at what appears around a bend. Come down from Forrest Avenue, and the Walnut Street Bridge, surrounded by mountains, seduces you to cross the Tennessee. And at that perfect time of dusk, swaths of purples and pinks stream over the mountains and paint the world in pastel hues.
The views from the river and the mountains themselves are dramatic and beautiful. A drive up and around Lookout Mountain, especially toward its Georgia side, can’t be beat. And you’ll marvel at the view of all of Chattanooga below Point Park as you try to pick out your favorite buildings and sites. Signal Mountain has spectacular views as well; driving down the back of it and into the valleys is not to be missed.
One of my favorite views is the drive up to Raccoon Mountain and around the TVA Reservoir loop. I’ve seen eagles soaring all over that mountain, usually in January. The fall colors my husband and I enjoy from all of our Chattanooga vistas are mighty fine, but at Raccoon, every one of them is there in a single, expansive panoramic view that’s simply stunning.
So, what’s my favorite view? I can’t pick just one, so I choose the one that holds the most beauty and awe-inspiring terror of all of them – hang gliding off one of our mountains.
I’ve spent many hours at the top of Lookout Mountain Flight Park watching people walk or jump off the huge rock ledge into... well... nothingness. Sure, they’re crazy, but in an enviable and wonderful way. I wanted to follow them; I wanted that rush and that view. But my view – launched from the ground – was just as wonderful.
In the valley below the glider center runs a road with excellent views at every bend. So, we signed up at the top, and then during our drive into the valley, I told my husband I felt sick and suggested he take my glider ride. Concerned, he glanced over and asked what was wrong. At a loss for a good disease of the moment, I exclaimed that I had a rash! He was quiet for a good while and then hesitantly asked, “Where?”
At that point I gave up and decided to enjoy my potential demise amongst the beautiful views of Chattanooga.
There’s a vast field at the bottom where it all begins. After I was secured to my tandem guide, we were hooked to a tow plane that took us up, up, up. We trailed along behind it like a puppy lost on its leash for a distance and then were suddenly free. The noise of the plane ceased as it returned to earth, the wind and the glider pilot took over our flight, and I was finally able to admire the views below instead of humming “Amazing Grace” over and over with my eyes squeezed shut.
I’d admired the views around our town for many years, and then suddenly they were all there at once – Lookout, Signal, Elder and Raccoon mountains; the ridges, valleys, and trees – lots of trees – and the farms and homes scattered up and down and through the mountains and valleys.
We ascended to 1,500 feet and then climbed to 3,000 feet. Why not, right? What’s another 1,500 feet when you’re attached to a scaffolding with wings? I screamed, “Those cows looked like ants from up here,” to my guide. He just stared at me. I chalked that up to the wind keeping him from hearing my enlightened observation.
Back on the ground, he admitted to hearing me but firmly said that people always say the cars look like ants. Nah, it was the cows. Definitely.
Although not certain she has the time, Rosemarie Hill is well and truly retired. She practiced law for 40 years in Chattanooga and was almost getting the hang of it when she decided to live a life of unbridled leisure. She’s grateful to Chambliss Law for her excellent last years of practice and to her marvelous husband for making her happy to be home.