Day 5 – Dover - October 9, 2018

    Well today’s quote is perfect for today. We are definitely not traveling too fast. In fact vacations are supposed to be about relaxing and that is what we are doing. We are now on the Cumberland River. After passing through the fifty-five foot Kentucky Dam, we went through a very small canal between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. Both lakes were formed when the rivers were dammed. The birds certainly love this area as the herons are everywhere. We were lucky enough to see two eagles close up. One of them swooped down to pick up a fish stunned by our boat and flew back to the nest. The Cumberland River is very narrow, so from now on the wild life should be plentiful. This is certainly a very different river than the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers which are certainly work horses in transport with the numerous barges that transverse their waters.

    This afternoon we visited Fort Donelson National Civil War Battlefield. Ever since we studied Gettysburg in Junior High with the girls, Tom and I have been fascinated with this part of history. The fort at this little tiny place held the Union Army from invading the south and its capital of Nashville. That was because of the rivers which the Confederate Army used to supply its troops. The rivers were the life blood of both armies. They took us through every step of the three day battle. The first two days were won by the Confederates, but on day three; Ulysses S Grant won a decisive battle. It was the first real Union victory and changed the face of the war. At the time Grant was a little known general but this victory thrust him into prominence. It was most interesting.

“The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel too fast and you miss all you are traveling for.” – Louis L’Amour

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Tom and Holly