an RV flat tire on I 71, just 30 miles north of Louisville, Kentucky |
As soon as we left Cincinnati and, as we were approaching Louisville, the right front tires of
M’A ‘turn blew out (she has 8 in all, 2 in front and 6 at the rear, on 2 rear axles!) It was
such an unfamiliar booming loud noise and I got really
scared (for once?). Luckily, Bill was
able to steer the 20,000-pound rig to the shoulder of Interstate 71. In about
an hour, our Good Sam road assistance was there to ‘unbridle’ us and we continued on to Diamond Caverns Golf and RV
Resort further down in Park City.
The original meaning is: horse
bridles removed. Kentucky is where majestic horses run 'unbridled' in fertile
pastures.
Churchill Downs, where the annual Kentucky Derby is held, shown on its 360 degree screen |
the entry to Churchill Downs guarded by Barbaro a Kentucy Derby Winner |
This land makes the breeding of high-quality racing horses
possible. Churchill Downs, now a World Heritage Site, is in Louisville and is North America’s longest operating horse racing
track. The famous Kentucky Derby is held there first
weekend of every May and this year saw its 137th. We toured the grounds and imagined Derby
Day when 120,000 people spill out of its 54,000 seat grandstand, with its
famous twin spires and millionaires’ row, onto the grass lawn inside the mile
long dirt track. $150M is wagered
through its 3,000 windows. We toured the back barns where 1,500 future
champions are being trained and stood in awe at the many testaments to past and
current champions and the sublime walkway of those who have passed on. A
showcase miniature horse named Winston and a retired champion named Risen Warrior bid
us goodbye.
Frozen Niagara in Mammoth Cave National Park, longest cave system in the world |
North central Kentucky is famous for the Downs, the Derby,
and many horse farms. But in the south central part of the state is the world’s
longest cave system in over 50,000 acres of the Mammoth Cave
National Park. 394
miles of connected underground passageways were formed
by the ‘unbridled’ waters of the Green River. If you remember, in Rapid City we saw the
second longest, Jewel Cave National Monument (154 miles ), and the fifth
longest, Wind Cave National Park (135 miles). The third longest is Optymistychna
in the Ukraine (144 miles )
and the fourth is Sistema Ox Bel Ha (139 miles) in Mexico.
Carol sanitizing her shoes on 'foam-ations' |
The System was formed about millions of years ago under a ridge of sandstone and shale, making
it very stable and dry, though not as gorgeous in formations. We took the easy
(I can’t do strenuous tours anymore!) Frozen
Niagara tour, so named for the waterfall
that comes through a hole on the cave roof and alternates between a trickle and
a downpour depending on water activity above. A huge flowstone with draperies
looks like frozen falls. Unfortunately, I was singled out (not for being pretty,
sigh) but for having been in another cave system only 2 months earlier, wearing
the same pair of shoes! White nose syndrome has killed millions of bats and I
had to be sanitized through the ‘foam-ations’. At the end, all of us had to go through it.
one of the one=car river ferries |
Driving through the scenic byways of Kentucky was also
pleasant. The Cordell Hull Scenic Byway
goes down to the border of Tennessee at Tompkinsville where we found an Old
Meeting House that was built in 1773 during the religious upheavals. Every day
the old game of rock marbles is still played at a unique ‘Marble Dome’ in town.
The Duncan Hines Scenic Byway goes
around and inside the Mammoth Cave National Park, crossing the Green River on 3
points via small ferries, through pretty treed landscapes, many historic cemeteries
of families who once lived on the park, and antique stores full of treasures.
the old Marble Club Super Dome, still in daily use today |
Next: Riding Kentucky's Unbridled Spirit, Part 2
looks like the guy changing the tire had to work in tight quarters!
ReplyDeleteChurchill Downs sounds pretty neat, but where were the horses??
Nice pics!
thanks! yeah...he tried...we had to go to the shop several miles away as soon as the back-up was temporarily mounted. There were no races until October and, unfortunately, we did not get there early enough for their workouts...they were all in their stables getting fed!
ReplyDeleteSorry I haven't been around for a while. You know how it is with computer problems. Kentucky is a beautiful state. I am happy you were able to visit Mammoth Cave. It is truly a wonder.
ReplyDeleteIt's ok, Emma. I read about some concerns from Everyday Adventurer. Just came from the Kentucky Horse Park yesterday...also very nice. By the way, what do you think about transforming this blog into a website?
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