Map Tracks

Trip Summary

Travel Trivia
We drove 2,897 miles (1,593 miles towing) and got 14.4 mpg on this trip.

The total for the past 11 years is 105,455 miles driven (87,462 miles of towing) and 405 trailer set-ups.

This trip was different in that we did more trailer-less excursions than in the past.  The trailer was only connected 55.5% of the time.

Special Sights & Experiences
  * Civil War history throughout Kentucky
  * Grand Canyon of the South
  * Lincoln's birthplace
  * The Bourbon Trail
  * Downtown Paducah and the floodwall

Disappointments
  * None

Problems
  * The heat, humidity and heavy rain resulted in some uncomfortable days.
  * The rear Fantastic Fan didn't close during a rain storm at the Breaks Interstate Park.
  * Had to replace the Kobalt tire inflator.
  * Got locked out of the Durango on the last day of the trip.

Our Next Trip
We have no ideas at this point.

Day 28 - Walton, KY to Columbus, OH

It was sunny and warm, bordering on hot all day.  It was a good day to drive the 136 miles home.

We left Walton, KY at 10:45 am and got to our RV storage lot at 3:35 pm.

The roads (I-75 and I-71) were good in KY.  I-71 north of Cincinnati was really rough.

We stopped at a Perkins Restaurant & Bakery in Mason, OH for breakfast and got a rude surprise when we left.  Our keys were locked in the car!  This isn't supposed to happen with keyless start cars ... but, it did.  AAA was called and we were on the road again in about an hour.

The rest of the drive was uneventful.

Unloading took two trips plus a third for some forgotten things, as usual.

Day 27 - Bowling Green, KY to Walton, KY

It rained lightly through the night and continued (sometimes heavy) most of the day.

The rain misted as we got ready to pull out.  Dick got wet connecting the trailer, but not drenched.

We left Bowling Green at 10:30 am (EST) and arrived in Walton at 3:30 pm (EST).  It was a 198 mile trip, mostly on I-65, I-264 and I-71.  There were no "scenic drives" today.

Oak Creek Campground is large and "a bit rough around the edges".  Sites are close together, the gravel parking pads aren't very level.  There are lots of permanent campers.

Day 26 - Paducah, KY to Bowling Green, KY

The day began clear and sunny.  It ended overcast and cooler.

We left Bern Lake Campground at 11:00 am.  It was a very nice stay.

We drove to Bowling Green, KY by way of the National Geographics Woodland Trace Scenic Drive.  It was a 179 mile trip.

KY-453 and TN-49 combine to create The Trace.  It runs peacefully through the "Land Between the Lakes".  The Trace is in excellent condition and was lightly travelled today.

We arrived at the Bowling Green KOA at 4:20 pm.  It rained lightly as we arrived in the area.  The campground is nice, but costs about twice that of the next highest cost campground.  It's overpriced for the condition of the sites.

We decided it's time to head for home tomorrow.  We should arrive by Tuesday.

Day 25 - Paducah, KY (Day 3)

It's sunny and pretty warm (90 degrees) today ... a good day for more sightseeing.

We started with breakfast at Cracker Barrel and then headed for the downtown historic district.

First stop was at the Market House Museum.

The Market House Museum

It's located on Marine Way

A peek inside

Next, we walked a few blocks to the Paducah Railroad Museum.  It had a model railroad, lots of historical anecdotes, and a train engine simulator.

Dick observes driving a train in the simulator.

We had a surprise and a bit of fun as we headed back to the market district area.  Four separate teams of new Delta Zeta pledges from Murray State University wanted to take a picture of Dick ... they needed a picture of a man with a hat for a scavenger hunt.  He was happy to oblige.

Oh, to be young again!

Carol is a Delta Zeta, so she got to
exchange the secret handshake.

We had a nice conversation with an owner of a fashion shop on Marine Way and then went to the Tilghman House & Civil War Museum.

The evening was dedicated to catching up on college football and watching the Ohio State - TCU game.

Day 24 - Paducah, KY (Day 2)

Yesterday, we couldn't find a suitable campground near the beginning of The Trace (Land Between the Lakes).  We ended up in Paducah by accident.  Today we discovered how fortunate we are to be here.

We drove to downtown Paducah and learned that William Clark (of Lewis & Clark fame) purchased the land for the city (37,000 acres) for $5.00.  We also ...

• Viewed the Floodwall Murals
• Walked along the Ohio Riverfront
• Had lunch at Doe's Eat Place
• Went to The National Quilt Museum
• Went to the River Discovery Center

Each was special and memorable in its own way.  

The Floodwall Murals stretch for blocks along the riverfront.

Each mural was commissioned by a separate organization

The Riverfront

The riverfront was clean and very peaceful.

The Quilt Museum had approximately 150 quilts on display.  They are phenomenal works of art.

This is a carved, wooden quilt.

The River Discovery Center showcases the Four Rivers Region maritime heritage from the 1600's to present day.  The building it occupies is the only antebellum structure remaining in Paducah.  They even have a boat simulator that allows visitors to "captain" a speedboat, a towboat or a Coast Guard vessel in a variety of scenarios.

2nd floor has period decorations.

We may return to the downtown tomorrow.

We ended the day with a visit to the Paducah Laundromat.  It was the nicest we've experienced.

Day 23 - Bardstown, KY to Paducah, KY

The Kentucky Bourbon Festival is attracting thousands to events in Bardstown from September 12-16.  We think it's a good time to "get out of Dodge".

We head further west today.  It may be our longest drive as we head for our last weekend stay of the trip.

The Trip ...

• We left Bardstown at 10:35 am.
• The day is sunny, clear and quite a bit warmer than the past few days (high of 90).
• The highways are in very good condition and the traffic is moderate.
• The 204 mile route consists of a combination of the Bluegrass Parkway, the Western Kentucky Parkway and I-24.
• The scenery is pretty, peaceful and repetitive ... lots of trees.
• We crossed the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers.
• Time zone changed to Central near Summit, KY.
• Arrived at Fern Lake Campground, Paducah at 3:30 pm (central)

The big activity in Paducah this week (vs. a bourbon festival) is the American Quilter's Society QuiltWeek Event.  We're more inclined to look into area history.

Day 22 - Bardstown, KY (Day 3)

The morning was cloudy and cool.  The sun peeked out in the afternoon and warmed us up to the mid-70's.

We planned to drive the last half of the Lincoln Heritage Scenic Highway (from Bardstown to Hodgenville and back) today.

It turns out US-31E from Bardstown to Hodgenville was part of the old Cumberland Road (a.k.a.  National Road) ... and it passed in front of Abraham Lincoln's boyhood home at Knob Creek.  We visited the Lincoln Museum in Hodgenville, Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park, Abraham Lincoln's Boyhood Home in Knob Creek and the Abbey of Gethsemani.

The Museum ...
Though it appears small from the outside, the museum beautifully displays many artifacts and presents highlights of Lincoln's life through 10 dioramas.

The Cabin Years (1809-1816)

Lincoln works on Emancipation Proclamation (1862)

The Birthplace ...
We visited this N.H.P. on April 5th 2013.  It's a beautiful setting about 4 miles south of Hodgenville on KY-61.

The Memorial Building

Birthplace cabin (it's not the original)

The Boyhood Home ...
It's located on US-31E about 9 miles northeast of Hodgenville.  The original home was moved and re-purposed as a stable after the Lincoln's moved to Indiana.  It was later washed away by a flood.

The "Gollaher Cabin" reflects what Lincoln's
boyhood home would look like.

The Abbey ...
Carol knew of the Abbey and wanted to see it because a friend from Columbus had attended numerous retreats there.

The Chapel

Monument overlooking the Abbey

Day 21 - Bardstown, KY (Day 2)

It was a cool night, no rain.  Cloudy and calm today.

This will be an explore Bardstown day.

The "Stephen Foster Story" broadway-style show ended for the season on August 11th.  Most other things around here involve learning about the bourbon industry.

Breakfast at Mammy's Kitchen in downtown Bardstown was quite nice.  They let us sneak in a breakfast past their cut-off time.

Next, we went to the Getz Museum of Whiskey History to begin our "Kentucky Bourbon Trail" education. It was a perfect place to start.  Key point:  Kentucky is big in bourbon and whiskey because of the water (it sits on limestone which filters and sweetens the water).

Then we got more serious by taking a tour at the Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center.  We got to sample three premium bourbons and one whiskey.  One of the bourbons, William Heavenhill, was aged for 16 years and sells for $225 per bottle ... there's very few of them left.  

We learned that "rickhouses" store up to 50,000 barrels and that each barrel weighs about 520 pounds.  They mix the brands and ages of barrels stored in a rickhouse to protect against total loss of a particular brand in case of a building disaster.  They're typically 7-stories high.  They aren't fancy ... no air conditioning.  Heaven Hill lost seven rickhouses and a distillery due to fire in November, 1996.

Rickhouses at Heaven Hill

We ended the afternoon with a Walmart shopping trip.

Day 20 - Salvisa, KY to Bardstown, KY

What a change from yesterday!  It was overcast most of the day and the high temperature was about 20 degrees below what we've experienced for the past few weeks.

Kentucky River is running high and fast

We were on the road by 10:00am ... US-127 south to Danville, then US-150 from Danville to Bardstown.

The 84 mile drive from Salvisa to Bardstown included a portion of the Lincoln Heritage Scenic Highway.  We stopped at the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Sight and visited the museum where we learned/were reminded that the battle was one of the bloodiest of the Civil War.  

We attempted to visit the Lincoln Homestead State Park along the way, but we couldn't find suitable parking with the trailer in tow.

We're staying at the Old Kentucky Home State Park campground in Bardstown.

Site #18

It's a small world:

• There's another Airstream camper here.  They're from Columbus, lived in Grandview, and bought their trailer at Haydocy Airstream.
• There's a fellow from Lewis Center camped next to us.  He's a tent camper with an OSU Buckeyes tent canopy.

We got set up by 4:45 and headed to the Old Talbott Tavern which has been serving guests, including Abraham Lincoln and Jesse James, since 1799.  We had wonderful dinners and toured the Tavern & Inn.

Kentucky Observations:

• There are no Tim Horton's
• There are lots and lots of small colleges
• Small towns are packed with history and churches
• Everyone must have attended the same lawn mowing class

Surprise, surprise!  We've got the heat on tonight.

Day 19 - Salvisa, KY (Day 3)

It was pouring rain at 11pm when we went to bed last night and it's doing the same at 8am today.  This doesn't look good for a day of sight seeing.

Noon:  It's been raining steadily since early this morning.  Everyone's staying inside.  Thankfully, we're well above the Kentucky River that flows beside the campground.

A view outside

3:00:  We took advantage of a brief rain break to attempt some sightseeing.  

Kentucky River flows by the campground

Flooded lawn along KY-1988 on way to Harrodsburg

We drove to Harrodsburg to see Old Fort Harrod State Park.  The rain returned before we got to the fort.  We got to see the fort from afar (a car in a parking lot).  Oh, well.

We drove around the historic district of Harrodsburg.  It was established in 1774 and is the first pioneer village built in Kentucky.  The downtown/city center is attractive and lined with historic buildings.  Many mansions sit on the hills surrounding the downtown.  This would be a fun city to come back to.

Day 18 - Salvisa, KY (Day 2)

We slept with fans and open windows for the first time in days.  It was cool and the humidity was acceptable.

There was a brief rain shower at 6:30 am. The Fantastic Fan closed as designed and we stayed dry. It was overcast and rained off-and-on all day.

We took the 30 mile Kentucky Heartland Drive from Harrodsburg to Lexington and returned.  The Kentucky River Gorge and Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill were highlights of the scenic drive.

We attended an Orientation Tour, a Shaker Music program, and visited a few of the Shaker Village buildings.  A late afternoon shower interrupted our visit.  We plan to go back tomorrow.

We had dinner at the Family Affair and followed the OSU-Rutgers football game on the cell phone.  The Buckeye won 52-3!

We planned stops for our trip through Wednesday.

Day 17 - Stanton, KY to Salvisa, KY

Up by 9:00.  The morning is overcast and cooler, but still very humid.

Got hooked-up and on the road by 10:30.

The 93 mile trip to Cummins Ferry Resort was pleasant.  Sunny and calm.  Traffic was moderate and the roads were very good.  We passed Lexington and are camped about 15 miles north of Harrodsburg.

Cummins Ferry Resort is located on KY-1988 about 5 miles east of US-127, on the Kentucky River.  It's tucked out of the way.  It's well managed and quite nice.

Heading for campground on KY-1988

Campground entrance

View of the Kentucky River from the camp store

We got set up at the campground by 1:30, then went to a highly recommended local restaurant (Family Affair) for lunch.

We drove to the Walmart in Harrodsburg after lunch for some groceries and RV supplies.

5:30pm - it's overcast, calm and humid.

Day 16 - Stanton, KY (Day 3)

We slept late and woke to a sunny, hot day.  It didn't stay that way.

This was a low-key day.  With nothing planned, we just made it up.  

We spent the morning planning our next leg of the trip.  National Geographic's "Kentucky Heartland Drive" is tomorrow's destination.

Then, we headed to Hemlock Lodge at the Natural Bridge State Resort Park for a late lunch.  Hemlock Lodge seemed like an odd name for a place to eat.  We laughed it off and arrived with thoughts of a sandwich.  We ended up enjoying their lunch buffet.  Lunch included dessert and a 79 year-old fellow (waiting for his carryout order) who just needed to talk with someone ... and he did, with us.

We drove around the area after lunch listening to Rachel Maddow's podcast from Wednesday night.

Adjusting to our new way of travelling is more difficult than expected.  We worked on the approach after we got back to the trailer.

The sky started darkening around 5 pm.  Hamburgers came off the grill at 6:40 and the rain started at 6:40.  It's dark.  There's thunder, lightning and rain.  It sure is nice to be safe and dry.

Day 15 - Stanton, KY (Day 2)

The day started as clear, sunny, hot (83°) and humid (62%).  We did some wandering and exploring.

First, we drove to Stanton for some groceries.  The drive along Compton Road revealed a lot about the folks living out in the country here ... it's pretty hard living.

Then we went to Natural Bridge State Resort Park and took the Skylift (chair lift) to see the Natural Bridge.  The ride was exhilarating.  The walk from the lift to the "bridge" offered many views of the massive formation.  We were grateful for having round-trip lift tickets.

Up we go

On top of the bridge

Taking a look below the bridge

Glad we had a light breakfast

The way down

Under the bridge

We ended our exploration by driving the Red River Gorge Scenic Byway.  Unlike last night, we had sunlight and cameras in-hand.

Nada Tunnel

Single lane, 900'

The byway snakes through the forest.

Yep, There is a Red River.

We stopped at Subway for dinner on the way back to the campground.  It was an easy way to escape from grilling on a hot, sticky evening.

Clouds appeared in the late-afternoon.  We may get some rain tonight.