During their visit in Tennessee in February, Laurie and Eric took a side-trip one day to Chattanooga, to ride the famous Incline Railway and visit Point Park, a National Military Park commemorating the Civil War's "Battle Above the Clouds." The Incline, a technical marvel called "America's Most Amazing Mile," travels up the side of Lookout Mountain and is the steepest passenger train in the world, boasting an incline of 72.7% at one point. The first Incline was originally built in 1886 to transport passengers to a luxury hotel at the summit. The second Incline, completed in 1895 and still in use today, is a National Historical Landmark and has been honored by the National Association of Mechanical Engineers for its design and construction.

During the Civil War, the Confederate armies of Chattanooga used the East Brow of Lookout Mountain as their lookout point. The panoramic view of the Tennessee River Valley, 1,600 feet below, gave the Confederates an advantage over any approaching Union army. However, during the bloody battle for Chattanooga, the northern troops waited for clouds to fall upon the point and advanced under the cloud cover. Before the Southern troops knew what was happening, their fate was sealed - the Confederates were defeated and the post captured. Point Park and Ochs Museum commemorate this struggle, known as the "Battle Above the Clouds."

A view of the incline from the bottom, at St. Elmo Station	The view looking down the Incline Railway

View looking out the ceiling windows of the Incline Railway. Eric is only a few steps behind Laurie as they board the train, these two pictures were taken at the same time - the one above facing straight ahead, the one to the right looking down upon Laurie who is only a few steps ahead of him.	View of Laurie boarding the Incline Railway for the trip back down.

An old photograph demonstrating the steepness of the Incline Railway.	The second Incline to the summit of Lookout Mountain was completed in 1895, and is still in operation today.	A ride on the Incline Railway has been a thrill for over 100 years.

Point Park, where Ulysses S. Grant's Union Army defeated the Confederates in a decisive battle	Laurie poses with Rebel cannons overlooking Chattanooga.

According to local legend, on a clear day, one can see seven states from the top of Lookout Mountain. However, a Park Ranger in the Visitor Center at Point Park commented, when questioned by a tourist, "That's if you're standing at a certain point in Rock City [a popular roadside attraction/tourist trap on Lookout Mountain]. And if you can ever actually see seven states, you come back and let me know."

View of Chattanooga from Point Park

Commemoration of the "Battle Above the Clouds"	Would-be Rebel Eric poses next to a Rebel Cannon installation.

Laurie & Eric stopped to check out this UFO which apparently landed outside Chattanooga, and was converted to be used as a house.

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