day 9
I was up early, made coffee & hit the road. I had some hours to go before I got to my destination & it was going to be slow getting there. On top of that, I decided to make a side trip to see Big Stone Gap. When I’d looked it up, the info made it sound like a cute town. I only knew of the place because of a book I’d read years ago & I knew the movie (which I haven’t seen) was made there too. But the town was bust…depressed & dried up. Old faded movie posters littered the town…really kind of sad looking. The only cute thing I saw, were these two little buildings sitting side by side on a random corner. So, once I figured that out, I was headed back the way I came on towards Louisville KY.
I finally made it to Kentucky & stopped to stretch my legs at a huge building filled with all kinds of upscale crafts, book, food, etc. all made by Kentucky artists or products made in Kentucky. There were so many really cool things inside!
I finally made it to Louisville! I was going to take a day to explore this city I’ve (now) heard so much about but still anxious to learn more. The guy from Wicked Weed had told me Louisville was like the Austin of Texas (which I always say Lawrence is the Austin of Kansas)…the one spot in the state that’s most liberal, most diverse, most unique & most fun! They’re also a university town. The day had seemed long already but it was just late afternoon. I’d started doing some research on breweries & things to do a couple of days ago, so I had a very loose plan. I went to the Grind Burger Kitchen for my meal. I’d read it had been the best food truck in Louisville but they’d moved into a building a couple of years ago. I asked the bartender for a recommendation & then ordered the BBB…burger with brie & bacon & a local beer. I also tried a sample of a bourbon barrel aged cider…a first & it was delicious. BUT THE BURGER WAS FANTASTIC! I’m not sure why…the toppings were amazing, the burger was cooked a little crispy on the edges which sounds overcooked but it wasn’t…not sure if they coated it in something or not, but it was super delicious. The side was flash fried brussel sprouts…TO DIE FOR! OMG.. This was a perfect meal. The bartender bought me a beer he wanted me try to top it all off. ALSO, a woman sitting next me was like the Louisville Welcome Wagon. She was super great to listen to & told me places I should go & things to do. I’d asked her about the free concert by the river tonight & she gave me the whole scoop.
It seems that Louisville is made of up several neighborhoods…reminds me of Portland. And, everyone is proud of the one they live in. This got to be kind of funny as people would recommend things to me…I could always tell what neighborhood they were from! Grind was in NULU & after I finished my exquisite meal, I strolled down the street in & out of a couple of little shops. I was told another good place to have some beer was the Louisville Beer Store, just down the block. But I got caught in a downpour which quickly soaked my clothes! I did buy some beer (Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aged) to go from the Beer Store, but chose not to sit on their uber-cool outdoor patio in the rain. I ran back to the car & made an attempt to dry off. Then I took off to check out the free concert for the night. There’s massive amounts of road construction going on everywhere, so for the next 24 hours, I’d find myself going round & round & right & left & round & detoured & right & detoured & ‘turn off the damn map quest because they don’t know where the roads are closed’ & detour…you get the point.
I finally found the huge river park, grabbed my chair & went to find a place to sit. There were three bands scheduled & I liked the first two better than the third. There’s an old railroad bridge that the city has converted into a pedestrian & bicycle bridge that’s just fantastic! And the icing on the cake is…the bridge lights up at night changing colors all throughout the concert!
The skies had cleared & it was a perfect evening! There was a big crowd & vendors & picnics & dancers ….a fun evening by the river.
On my way to my ‘camp’, I passed this building…have no clue what it is, but thought it was picture worthy!
day 10
I wanted to eat breakfast out….this would be the last day of my trip. I was back in the NULU district at Toast on Market & had a delicious bread pudding pancake, complete with bourbon raisin syrup & fresh squeezed lemonade. The bartender took an interest in me & asked me what I was planning on eating for lunch & dinner….I said I’d eat just one more time. She recommended the Garage Bar…best sweet corn & bacon pizza around! She was sweet & it sounded good, but I had more to do before I was ready to eat again. I finally dug out the bike from the 4Runner & took off up & over the bridge.
Ohio River
Jeffersonville, IN is on the other side of the river. It’s a little town with lots of green space for Farmers Markets, concerts, & other outdoor entertainment. I rode around the downtown & through an historic neighborhood of quaint little old but well kept homes. It was all pretty cute!
I rode back over the bridge, hot & sweaty & loaded up the bike. My next stop was Against the Grain brewery…I wanted to try a bourbon barrel aged wheat wine listed on their website.
Love these wood turned tap handles! But when I got there, the wheat wine was tapped out. I tried another BBA Imperial Stout…which was okay, but not thick & full of bourbon taste like I really like them. The Bartender was super friendly, handwriting me a list of places to go complete with directions in the Frankfort Neighborhood. I originally intended to go to a place called Hop Cat (in another neighborhood called the Highlands)….132 beers on tap then to a place that didn’t open until 4pm called Holy Grale….then I was leaving town with a long drive home in front of me. But she suggested I go to Craft House instead which has 50 local beers on tap. Well, I was only going to be drinking one beer or a flight & wanted to try more local beer, so I changed my plan.
On my way to the Frankfort Neighborhood, I passed the same place I had last night in the dark. Funny to discover it’s only a front…not an entire building. I still have no clue what it is!
Once in Frankfort, I popped into the Bourbon Barrel Food store & found two super happy chatty women working there. I don’t usually buy stuff like this, but ended up buying some of their special Pimento Cheese (yes, I asked them what was up with all the grilled pimento cheese sandwiches in the south? It’s just their thing I guess) & some OMG bourbon soaked pecans….super yumeeee! They also told me Craft House didn’t open for another two hours. EEK…not in my plan. They had all sorts of ideas of where I should go instead (of course all ‘local’ as they refer to their neighborhoods rather than just city-local) but I could tell they weren’t beer connoisseurs so didn’t take their suggestions…just their cheese & pecans!
I made my way (getting to know the area better today) to the Highlands neighborhood & went to Hop Cat. The bartender (they are the friendliest people!) was super nice & fell in love with the jewelry I was wearing (yes, we chatted about that a bit). I had lots of local beer to choose from & bought 5 samples (she gave me two free) trying 4 local beers & one coffee/choc quad…wow!
Then I walked around the neighborhood a bit, on the hunt for a Louisville postcard, & found myself in a toy/bookstore for kids. I was in there about 30 minutes, leaving with a book for Claire, but no postcard. The only one I found, which I didn’t buy, was of the Kentucky Derby. Maybe I’ll draw her one of the blinky-light bridge with a bike on it! It was a little past 4 & my last stop would be the Holy Grale….housed in an old church. Several people I’ve met here keep telling me how great this place is & it was. I ordered a pretzel (which I’d heard is like NO other pretzel in a bar….it was super delicious!) with beer cheese dip & an Imperial Stout from the Netherlands. WOWZA! Thick, creamy & dark…just the way I like it. The bartender & I chatted up all things beer & he told me of a big beer festival that is coming to town in October….Louisville was chosen as this years site (it moves around all over the country) & how excited all the beer geeks were. I ended up drinking one more beer that he said was rare but the staff favorite, & I can see why…super good!
My last stop was across the street as I walked into Starbucks got a dark coffee with a shot of espresso & headed west! It would be 530+ miles & 8.5 hours to get back home….long drive, but I love road trips! (The going to more than the going back.)
rAnDoM tHoUgHtS
I so much love to travel! Whether it’s a trip I’ve planned for weeks or one I’ve planned for a couple of hours…I’m always ready to GO!
North Carolina is a super beautiful place. And the Blue Ridge Parkway is just fantastic…I would love to drive this in the fall (but never in bad weather!)
I kept wondering if I was seeing more waterfalls or visiting more breweries? I think the waterfalls won coming in at 13 to 12 breweries (one I didn’t drink at, but one I drank at twice) & several brew pubs (they don’t brew beer, just serve it, so I didn’t count those), but in the end all that matters is I saw some magnificent scenery, got to do some awesome end of summer hiking, saw so many unique, graceful, powerful & beautiful waterfalls, ate some amazing food & drank some super fine beer!
And the people…
All the bartenders were so nice, helpful, fun, interesting & genuine… (I keep wondering why of all the jobs I’ve done in the course of my life, why did I never learn to bartend?)
the couple in Brevard that to offered me a place to stay….
the couple from Missouri that kept buying my beer….
the couple from Wisconsin who hope to travel more & more….
all the people who sat next to me at the bars…..
there are so many friendly people in this world…even if it’s just for a conversation, I’m so happy I get to interact with them!
I’m not going to get on the scale for a few days…
Kantha quilt….so after visiting the store with the Kantha quilt three times, I decided not to get one…just too much money & I didn’t really NEED it. But then while I was lying awake one night during this trip & was a little cool but didn’t want to cover myself with my down sleeping bag or the fleece I keep close, I thought how nice it would be to have a light weight cotton cover…just like a Kantha quilt. Also, I use the fleece to throw on top of the sleeping bag during the day to keep the sleeping bag clean. But how cool would it be to have a ‘camping quilt’ that was bright & pretty to keep on top instead & to cover up with when it’s just a little chilly out? I thought maybe I could use all my cotton scraps of fabric I have at home to piece the quilt & then try the Kantha way of quilting. An idea & a project was born!
Solo travel…I love it! I make so many U-turns & get lost so frequently, but mostly change my mind 20 times a day…it would drive anyone with me crazy. Sometimes, I do miss the company of Danny or Jill (that’s all I know because those are the only two that will travel with me.) I miss the laughter…(other than laughing at myself which is not infrequent). I hear it when I’m in camp, & the people next to me are cracking up…then I’m envious. At the camp near Linville Falls, there was a group of motorcyclists…one man in particular had a loud voice. They were camped around the corner & through trees, but I could still hear every word he said. A tiny bit annoying, but it wasn’t intentional…they were having a good time. But when they quieted down, or in between their ramblings, I could hear the couple camping across the road from me singing. No accompaniment…just their low, soothing & melodious voices…together. It was beautiful!
Music & Books….my personal life blood when I’m at home & on the road. I can’t imagine life without either. My music calms me down when I’m cranky, wired, or pissed. It mostly brings me joy & smiles & I love to sing big & out loud (which is another reason solo travel is better for me!) My choice of music while coasting up, down & around the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway was Bear McCreary’s songs from the Outlander series & Lindsay Stirling's new album Brave Enough (thanks Pete, for the suggestion!). I also have a playlist called “road trip” that will play different songs continuously for 12 hours..the length of time it takes me to drive to Crested Butte. My reading is as varied as my music…just the way I like my life! I mostly love books about others’ travels (of course) but also read fiction, a few self help books, a little poetry & a tiny bit of biography & history. I read the words but also love audio books. Most of the time when I drive either music or a book is playing…once in awhile I just live in my mind while driving…but I’ve been warned that ‘distracted driving’ is dangerous….distracted is always where my crazy mind goes. Better to listen to something else! The book I listened to on the way home…for the 6th time…was Big Magic by Liz Gilbert. I love this book! (obviously) & it makes the boring miles (through any midwestern state) go by as fast as they possibly can (which is still monotonous, but just part of the road trip). The invention of the iPod & iTunes was magnificent…I’m a huge fan!
I have some good things to look forward to…
Sara, Kevin & Claire come in town next weekend & I CAN’T WAIT TO PLAY WITH THAT PERFECT LITTLE GIRL!
Luke is coming in post-Burningman later this month
My 4Runner turned a milestone on the way home….She’s the perfect wonderful beast of a travel partner!
Change is coming. The super hot days are cooling off & fall is just around the corner. It’s my favorite season for being at home. Coffee on the back porch in the mornings, dinner on the front porch in the evenings. At this time, I have no other upcoming travel plans for 2016…but who knows what’s next? None of us really do & surprise & spontaneity is really what adventure is all about!
