Hire Car, Hotels and 2,000 m / 3,219 km's

We picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off and set off on the road in our hire car.

We’d dropped Dude off with the most enthusiastic and helpful Collision Repair Team in Lexington and knew they would do everything they could to have him back to us as soon as possible. Unlike our Insurance Company that were the total opposite.

Kentucky Horse Park

Needing some distraction from the recent events we made a short detour to the Kentucky Horse Farm on our way out of Lexington. This place is a horse’s heaven where they are waited on like royalty.

We spent the day touring the International Horse Museum, watched the Horse Breeds of the World Show and the Hall of Champions presentation where legendary horses now reside.

World Horse Show

Cigar

One of the Champion stallions "Cigar" the all time money winner of $10 million was sold for $25 million for stud work at $75,000 per mare but as they soon found out he was sterile.

We ventured north to Paris before turning south through Winchester to Fort Boonesborough where the Transylvania Purchase took place and its stories of self interest, deceit and sieges made this Fort an interesting place to visit.

Fort Boonesborough

Another storm was brewing so we called it a day when we arrived at Berea and checked in at the beautifully restored Daniel Boone Hotel Tavern. We learnt it was named after Daniel Boone as a tribute.

With Berea being a Liberal Arts College town the Hotel was run by the students and furnished with lovely handcrafted furniture made by students.

Daniel Boone Hotel Tavern

Driving to Cumberland Falls SRP I noticed we would be passing the town of Corbin and I mentioned to John how cool it would be to see the place where Kentucky Fried Chicken began....much to John’s disdain but he did detour there so I could have a look.

Colonel Sanders Cafe and Museum

We were glad to stop for a few days at Cumberland Falls after some frustrating conversations with the Insurance Company. It wasn't long before the rain set in and all thoughts of hiking were washed away so we spent our time driving through the area.

Cumberland Falls

Our spirits lifted when we passed through the tunnel at Cumberland Gap and into Virginia. A place of historical significance for its use by the Shawnee and Cherokee Indians as a war path, then as a trail used by hundreds of thousands of Pioneer Settlers making their journey to the west into Kentucky and as a strategic location for both Union and Confederate troops during the Civil War. 

It's also the 3 States Cornerstone for Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee. So we climbed the incline to the Gap to ponder all this history.

The Appalachian Mountain Range rose imposingly in the distance as we headed east and deeper into Virginia.

Appalachian Mountain Range Virginia

The Natural Tunnel State Park looked like an interesting place to stay for the night but they were not yet open for the season so we walked down 200 steps to the Natural Train Tunnel still in use today for transporting coal.

At the bottom the heavens opened up so we had to make a dash back up the hill to our hire car before setting off for Big Stone Gap in search of a place to stay the night.

We arrived in the town of Damascus and were greeted with a sign across the road "Trail Days 17 -19th May". I realised this was the event the Appalachian through hikers had been talking about when we were on the trail.

The town offered lots of adventure activities such as taking the shuttle bus with your bike to the top of Mt Rogers and then then riding 30 miles downhill back to Damascus.

One of the Appalachian Hikers I had spoken to at Springer Mountain said you have to see the wild ponies at Grayson Highlands State Park so here we were driving up 5,000 ft (1,524 m) to the State Park.

Grayson State Park

When we got out it was as like we’d been transported back into winter with the cold icy wind and the trees just beginning to get their leaves.

Ridge Trail to Appalachian Trail

We braved the elements hiking over the ridge to the Appalachian Trail and a short time later the wild ponies came into view. They had long flowing manes and thick coats of hair and I had a wonderful time taking photos of them.

After passing through Floyd we took a rural road through farmland to the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was lovely driving through the trees with occasional views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.

I spotted some wild turkeys grazing in the grass and John saw a black snake crossing the road. Cloud filled the sky during the afternoon and by the time we pulled into the hotel in Lexington it began to rain.

Local communities

Rural life

Our arrival at Shenandoah NP was so different to all the other NP's we had visited because we had no activities planned. I felt I was a regular tourist stopping just long enough to snap a few photos while we drove along the Skyline Drive. It was very disappointing. With Dude still in for repairs we had to spend the night in Luray before completing our drive through the Park. 

The next day did bring about some excitement when we saw a black bear in the trees and a large snake crossing the road  before we exited the Park at Front Royal.

Then driving 70 miles we were in Washington DC where we got a glimpse of the Pentagon Building and the Potomac River. We drove through heavy traffic due to road works and got shaken to bits on the rough surface. We saw Washington Memorial Monument (covered in scaffolding) and the dome of the US Capitol Building. The city seemed like a mass of concrete overpasses. I wondered where all the beautiful grassed areas were as we continued east into Maryland.

Washington DC

We crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and I was surprised to be driving through rural farmland bordered by large trees that had been kept for wind protection. Here the farms had no fences and I was pleasantly surprised the whole area hadn't been built out. 

Rural Delaware

It wasn't long before we crossed into Delaware and with the day slipping away we found a hotel in Medford for the night.

We visited the quaint coastal town of Lewes with its sandy beaches and views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Lewes

Before we knew it we were driving out of Delaware and back into Maryland with its high rise buildings, themed Mini Golf places, restaurants and souvenir shops. Ocean City was hosting a hot rod show and we looked on as they drag raced each other at the lights.

Ocean City

Farming areas on way to Cape Charles

All in a days work

Bed and Breakfast Cape Charles

After a quiet night in a Bed and Breakfast in Cape Charles we crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and stopped at the viewing area to see where the bridge descends into the ocean.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel

The tunnel part of Chesapeake Bridge Tunnel

We visited the first landing site at Fort Story Military Base in Virginia Beach and got to see a Submarine doing maneuvers’ in the Bay.

Sub manouvers'

After navigating our way through several cross harbour tunnels in Norfolk we arrived in Yorktown. It was here the American Revolution culminated in 1781 with British forces surrendering to American and French Forces. 

The day was getting away so we drove the Colonial Parkway to Jamestown where the first English settlement began. We entered the Museum and stepped back in time.

That night proved difficult finding accommodation as Richmond had several events that weekend along with graduation so the hotels were booked out and charging an arm and a leg. We were grateful to eventually check into a sad and sorry looking place in Waynesboro then headed back out for take out. It was then the heavens opened up with heavy rain.

Humpback Bridge in Covington

The rain continued as we crossed back into Kentucky and into Lexington. 

During the afternoon we tuned into Speed Channel 31 and watched the Australian V8 Supercars competing in Austin Texas.

We had just driven 2,000 miles in 13 days and tomorrow we were picking up Dude....!