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....!

Kentucky Derby Demolition

Kentucky Countryside

On our way to Louisville we stopped at Abraham Lincoln's Birthplace at Sinking Spring Farm, near Hodgenville, where he lived until he was 2 years old.

A reconstruction of the type of Dwelling they lived in

Sinking Springs

His parents paid $200 for the farm in 1808 and then due to a land title issue they moved to Knob Creek in 1811 where they leased 30 acres for farming.

Dandelions under the trees

We stopped to have a look at Knob Creek and learnt that by1816 law suits over both land titles had the family moving again across the Ohio River into Indiana.

A disused Tavern at the Knob Creek site.
Built in the 1930's by a local couple as a memorial and promote tourism.

Hence the myriad of places we found claiming Abraham Lincoln lived here.

Continuing up the road the name My Old Kentucky Home State Park in Bardstown piqued our interest and so we stayed the night in the campground. The Park was set around a golf course and a lovely Mansion with beautiful manicured gardens.

Georgian Style Mansion

We drove up to the Georgian Style Mansion the next morning and enjoyed a guided tour given by a lady in period costume. It was built by US Senator John Rowan in 1795 and his cousin Stephen Foster wrote the ballad “My Old Kentucky Home” after he visited the Mansion that was later to became the State song.

Hanging around in Bardstown

Bardstown is the Bourbon Capitol and as we walked around we found ourselves within walking distance to the 1792 Kentucky Bourbon Distillery.

Entrance to Bourbon Distillery

That will be one oak barrel to go....

So we joined a tour that culminated in a taste test….after a small sip the burning sensation had me thinking this would be just the thing to keep you warm on a cold winter’s night in the Yukon.

Tasting bourbon and homemade chocolates

At the distillery we saw our first Ground Hog also known as a Woodchuck….

We named him Chubbs

With one more night before our reservation at the Kentucky Derby we made a detour to the US Gold Depository at Fort Knox just to get a glimpse of the imposing building and planned to stay a night at a nearby campground but when we arrived we were advised it was only open to the Military so we continued to the outskirts of Louisville where we camped the night in a Walmart car park.

I read the prohibitive list on the Kentucky Derby website declaring no umbrellas, no backpacks, no detachable camera lenses, no handbags bigger than 12 inches (30cm) and so on…… and I began to think this had been a silly idea.

Thunderstorm approaching 

Derby day arrived and after a huge thunderstorm the previous afternoon it was not surprising it was still raining when we left for the racetrack.

For a tip we got a ride with a local couple to Churchill Downs and were grateful to at least arrive dry.

We purchased the general admission tickets that offered, well, nothing. No view of the track and no access to covered areas and after going through airport type security we stepped outside into the rain.

Derby madness...

I was glad to see the poncho was the most fashionable item of the day and considering the amount of water pooling on the pavement I was glad to be wearing my waterproof hiking boots. I saw everything from bare feet, thongs (flip flops), stiletto’s, Nashville’s country style leather boots and very fashionable gum boots (Wellingtons).

The paddock area

We edged our way through the crowd to the paddock area for a look at the horses as they were paraded around and photographed with their owners before the race.

Horse and riders on parade

We continued to stand in the rain as we watched the race on the large TV screens.

Our day out in the rain...

The rain eased up for awhile and the humid air turned cold and began to seep into our bones.

I think he looks like a winner...

I watched a horse paraded around without a saddle on and looking at his long body I thought that horse is going to win. Then when he was saddled I saw he was number 8. I should have placed a bet because He did win his race.

Huge crowds had gathered under the sparse cover of the numerous betting windows and the tunnel that led to the infield. Suddenly in the middle of this human squeeze I wanted to flee but John held my hand firmly and finally we emerged into the infield.

The infield

Our only glimpse of the racetrack

Here hardy race fans had tied tarpaulins to the fence for shelter obscuring any chance of a view of the racetrack. The area was covered in water, mud and rubbish. You could buy Mint Jellup’s and any number of alcoholic drinks and fast food but no hot drinks like coffee and tea. By now the cold had seeped in and I was struggling to keep warm. Looking around at the ladies fashionably dressed in their short sleeved soaked dresses, sagging hats and high heels my distress faded into insignificance.

The tall people said
"Have a picture your taken with the horses head"
so I did

In the rain we stood in line for over half an hour to enter the Cafe and Gift Shop in hopes of buying a coffee to warm up but when we passed through security they advised the Café was closed for a private function. We stood in the entryway for another half hour just to be out of the rain.

Back at the parade area

Back outside the rain eased and cigar smoke filled the air. With an hour and a half before “the race” at 6.35 pm we left Churchill Downs sporting our reentry bracelets and walked down the street in search of a place to buy a nice hot cup of tea or coffee. We settled on some freshly roasted corn on the cob and BBQ ribs in hopes that it would warm us up…and it did.

Waiting to watch the race...

With renewed enthusiasm we walked back to watch the famous race we had come to see. 

and there racing...

The rain was holding off as we stood with the crowd in front of the paddock looking up at the big TV screens watching the horses lining up at the gates…...2 minutes later the mud covered horse and riders crossed the finish line and Orb took first place.

It was a muddy track..

We walked back to Dude and made a hot cup of coffee with a dash of Baileys in it to warm us up. We had just finished drinking our coffee and were sitting on the bed reading with a blanket over us when a loud bang sounded and next thing John and I were airborne...Dude was moving and everything inside hurtled like projectiles towards us. In an instant everything was a mess.

John scrambled out of bed searching for his shoes and dashed out into the rain trailed by the fire extinguisher and contents from the cupboard that spilled onto the pavement. The tent campers next to us were shouting at the driver not to drive away. I couldn't believe I was actually calling 911 and advising them we had just been smashed into by a driver who had careened off the main road and into the RV Park collecting the front of Dude. How the driver missed all the pedestrians crossing the road and the tent campers standing in the rain beside us we will never know but we were thankful no-one was injured. While the police were in attendance booking the drunk, uninsured driver and towing his vehicle away another drama unfolded just down the road with a bicycle taxi being struck by a vehicle. What a night this was turning out to be. We had seen these earlier and commented on their lack of helmets, lights and high visibility clothing at night in the rain. Chaos ruled supreme......on this night.

Dudes demise...

Our road trip had suddenly taken a new turn….for the worse. After driving the short distance to Lexington Dude was no longer driveable and would have to go in immediately for repairs. We were now homeless.........