Day #17 – To the Mothership!

LOCATION:  Jackson Center, Ohio.  About 1 hour NW of Columbus
CAMPGROUND:  The terraport at the Airstream Headquarters.  Full hook-ups.  Available for owners who are having work done on their Airstreams.  About 25 sites.  Level, paved.  Free! 
WEATHER:  Another gorgeous day.  High 74
DISTANCE DRIVEN:  3 hours

We left the hilly area near Hocking Hills in the morning, and drove more on scary, curvy roads.  The landscape changed and we drove through miles and miles of farmland – mostly cornfields and wheat.  The farmers were out spraying the land.  Several times, we either followed or approached a HUGE farm vehicle on the road…

I joke about all the signs warning me about hazards on the road….”Watch for Fallen Rocks”, “Road May Flood”, “Animal Crossing Next 10 Miles”, and today — “Amish on the Road”.  Sure enough, we saw several horse and buggies, and passed houses where women had just done the laundry.

We arrived at the Airstream office and got set up in the terraport.  It is pretty full, and they said they are super busy.  They gave us instructions for tomorrow’s appointment – They will pick up Joy at 7:00 AM.  We just have a few minor things to be repaired – front door, wobbly steps.  They will do everything tomorrow, and then we will stay a second night before heading out.

Since we were here last, they have built a museum.  We checked it out today – with lots of old Airstreams, a history on the founder – Wallly Byam, and the caravans that he and his wife led all over the world in the 1950s and 60s.  Incredible – around the world, down to South America, across Russia, Capetown to Cairo, etc. 

DINNER:  Shrimp sauteed in butter and garlic.  Served with a combo of rice, sauteed onions, and peas.  Very tasty. 

Day #16 – Four more hikes in Hocking Hills

LOCATION:  Hocking Hills State Park – about 1 hour SE of Columbus, Ohio
WEATHER:  Another beautiful day.  Sunny.  High 78

We mapped out 4 last hikes to do in Hocking Hills – all but one with steep cliffs with no barriers. 

First we did Cedar Falls, misnamed by someone years ago who should have called it Hemlock (tree) Falls.  It was beautiful…

Then, a second trail called Ash Cave, culminating in a cave covered with ash and topped with smoke marks, probably from the Native Indians who made a lot of fires there.

Back to the campground for lunch – sandwiches at the picnic table.  After a bit of rest, we headed out again for two more hikes. 

The first was Conkell’s Hollow.  It had 2 options – a concrete path or a rugged rim trail.  The concrete path offers a nice opportunity for wheelchair-bound tourists.  Indeed, we met a guy who said he was on an outing from a nursing home, and a child in a wheelchair who looked so happy. 

Our final trail was on a gorge, then a rim.  It was tough -going.  At one point, the bridge was out due to a tree hitting it, so we had to scoot down to the creek, tiptoe over the logs, and then scamper out the other side. 

The colors in the rocks are beautiful. George took an unattractive photo of my behind….from behind.

At Beer-Thirty, it was time to call it quits for the hikes.  We went back to Logan and checked out a new bistro that has a winery, brewery, and distillery inside.  Dinner options looked very tasty, but expensive, so we headed home.

DINNER:  Ribeye steak and baked potato (leftover from the Kentucky Dinner Train).  Side was broccoli, onion, mushrooms, and garlic.  Better than paying $39 for a ribeye dinner at the restaurant!

Day #15 – Back to city life

LOCATION:  Hocking Hills State Park, about 1 hour SE of Columbus, Ohio
WEATHER:  Superb.  Sunny.  High 76

It rained overnight, and we assumed that the trails would be a bit muddy/slippery today.  So, instead of hiking, we decided to give our muscles a rest and to check out the nearby town of Logan. 

To get a few steps in, we walked around the campground.  There are several antique campers here having a get-together.  So cute!

Speaking of rallies, there was an Airstream rally in Logan just a few days ago.  Wish we had known about it!  More than 100 Airstreams, all shapes, sizes, and years parked/camped on the streets of Logan.  This photo from Visitors Center shows what it looked like…

After lunch, we headed into town, about 12 miles away on windy, hilly roads.  As one approaches the top of one hill, there is no visibility beyond the hill, so it is a bit scary.  We will have to make that same trip in a few days with Joy.  Of course, the gas tank was below empty all the way to town.  As George drove, I kept worrying about no place to pull over (no shoulder) if we ran out of gas.  Silly me….we had 1 gallon left in the tank when we finally found a gas station.

We went to Walmart (ugh) and then I bought some long pants in a Goodwill store. Then, to a nice grocery store.  The trip culminated in a stop at a local brewery. 

Back at the campground, we admired the pretty dogwoods surrounding Joy.

DINNER:  Meatloaf.  We haven’t had this in a long time, and it really hit the spot.  Side was an heirloom tomato that George found in the grocery today, and a “takeNbake” ciabatta roll. 

Day #14. Hiking Hocking Hills

LOCATION:  Hocking Hills State Park, about an hour SE of Columbus, Ohio
WEATHER:  Gorgeous.  Perfect for hiking.  High 75

Hocking Hills has been named one of the most beautiful state parks in the USA.  In addition to the state park, there are lots of cabin and lodge rentals in the area.  A high school friend told me that she honeymooned here years ago.  It really is beautiful.

Our day was full of hikes.  While George piddled around in the AM (yes, he piddles), I did some power walks around the campground.  It is always interesting to see all the different makes of RVs and the states where people are from. 

Then, we took off for our morning hike.  We cut through the campground to the Visitors’ Center and were given some good maps and trail recommendations.  our first trail started out at the Old Man’s Cabin.  Apparently, years ago, there was a recluse that lived in these hills. He lived here some and in a cave. 

We started the gorge trail starting at Upper Falls.

Since it had rained yesterday, there were parts of the trail that were slippery.  I was glad to have a walking stick.

Everything was green with moss. 

Near the tunnel was Old Man’s Cave, where apparently he lived/hid.

After about a 2-hour hike, we returned to Joy for some lunch and a bit of rest.

Then, off again to another hike, this time around a lake in the park.  It was a good hike, but there were parts where we had to hop on some logs to cross over water.  We got in another 1.5 hours of hiking.  Our muscles will probably talk to us tomorrow! 

We spotted a bunch of wood left over from a previous camper, so grabbed a handful for tonight’s fire. 

This is what we love about camping…..rustic area with lots of woods, campfire smoke in the air, and lots of opportunities for hiking.

DINNER:  BBQ’d chicken.  I cut up leftover rotisserie chicken and added sauteed country ham, onions, and mushrooms.  I added BBQ sauce and some hickory smoke flavor.  Side was a baked sweet potato.  George finished the cooking with the iron skillet over the fire. 

Day #13. Bourboned out?

LOCATION:  Logan, Ohio – in southeast part of state
CAMPGROUND:  Hocking HIlls State Park.    Supposed to be one of the prettiest state parks in the USA.  We have electricity only site @ $34/night.  Paved site but not level.  Woodsy.  Nice, but dated, shower room.  Fire pit with grill.  4 stars out of 5
WEATHER: Stormy in AM; nice in PM.  High 78
DISTANCE DRIVEN:  5 hours

I walked around the distillery grounds where we stayed last night with Harvest Hosts.  So  nice and peaceful! What a great way to end our visit to the Bourbon Trail.

We have really enjoyed our 4 days on the Bourbon Trail, but are a bit “bourboned out”.  We have tasted enough.  Five distilleries in four days was just about right.  I heard someone tell about their 20-distillery week.  Too much! 

I urged George to “get going” as the sky was turning black.  Just as soon as we got in the truck to go, it started to rain.  We only had 1/2 mile of the Kentucky curvy, narrow road to drive before we were on the Interstate.  Then, the storm hit.  Even though it was mid-morning, it looked like midnight.  The rain started coming down hard and thunder claps were booming all around us.  After about a half hour on the road, I turned into a rest area to wait out the storm with the truckers.   It would have been terrifying  had we been on one of the curvy, very narrow roads that we drove on yesterday.

It let up a bit, but was still raining most of the morning.  In the afternoon, it brightened up, and by the time we arrived at the park, it was very nice.

It took a while to get Joy situated.  The site is quite sloped and short.  George did his magic, though, as always. 

This park is famous for its trails with beautiful scenery.  We are anxious to start hiking tomorrow. 

DINNER:  Leftovers again, of course.  Tonight I re-purposed the salmon steak that we had on the dinner train into salmon burgers.  I diced up the salmon, and added an egg, bread crumbs, minced dill pickle, and mayonnaise to make burgers.  George grilled them in the iron skillet on the campfire.  Side was salad.  One more dinner train entree has completed its second duty! George made an artistic horseshoe with mayonnaise on his burger!

BOOK:  “Women Talking” by Miriam Toews.  This is the book from which they recently made a popular movie.  It is based on a true story of a group of Mennonite women in a very strict colony who decide to leave after their husbands  raped a bunch of the women.  4 stars out of 5

Day #12 – Kentucky Derby Day!

LOCATION:  Outside of Frankfort, Kentucky
CAMPGROUND:  Whiskey Thief Distillery, a Harvest Host location. Quiet and nice, on a concrete pad that they put in just for Harvest Host campers.  Even has a picnic table. 5 stars out of 5
WEATHER:  Another beauty!  Sunny.  High 75

We packed up from the nice AirB&B and drove through the most narrow, curvy roads you could imagine.  We saw a LOT of Kentucky farmland.  Twice, we had to stop suddenly for deer leaping across the road.  Thank goodness, George was driving.  Carol and Jim followed us and said that our wheels were frequently off the road as there was no shoulder.

We dropped off our pickup and Joy at the distillery and headed into the city of Frankfort where Carol and Jim are staying.  After getting them settled in their hotel, we found a Japanese restaurant for lunch.  George and I shared a delicious platter of sushi that was beautifully presented.

Our first distillery of the day was Buffalo Trace, the oldest distillery in Kentucky.  Each of the distillery tours we have made has been different. 

This is where the barrels are filled and rolled down the line.

Of course, the highlight was the tasting at the end of the tour.

From there, we returned to Whiskey Thief Distillery, the Harvest Host site. 

This is a teeny distillery.  They don’t even distribute their whiskey….you have to come to the distillery to get it.  We had a very short tour and then enjoyed the whiskey right from the barrel.  This long metal “straw” is called a whiskey thief – as one is “stealing” from the barrel.

When you buy a bottle, they let you fill it up yourself, directly from the barrel.

George is enjoying his whiskey with the Blues Brothers.

Carol and Jim returned to their Frankfort hotel and we walked back to Joy.  This is the view of the distillery and valley, taken from our front door.  Wheat fields (from which they make some of their bourbon) surround us. We have the place to ourselves!

We watched both of our horses lose the Kentucky Derby from the TV in Joy.  It lasted a short 2 minutes!

DINNER:  There will be a constant theme this week – leftovers.  The portions we had on the dinner train were huge, so there were lots of leftover boxes.  Tonight’s was the train’s veggie pasta entree, jazzed up a bit with sauted pork bits, mushrooms, soy sauce, and pizza peppers. 

Day #12 – Kentucky Derby Day!

LOCATION:  Outside of Frankfort, Kentucky
CAMPGROUND:  Whiskey Thief Distillery, a Harvest Host location. Quiet and nice, on a concrete pad that they put in just for Harvest Host campers.  Even has a picnic table. 5 stars out of 5
WEATHER:  Another beauty!  Sunny.  High 75

We packed up from the nice AirB&B and drove through the most narrow, curvy roads you could imagine.  We saw a LOT of Kentucky farmland.  Twice, we had to stop suddenly for deer leaping across the road.  Thank goodness, George was driving.  Carol and Jim followed us and said that our wheels were frequently off the road as there was no shoulder.

We dropped off our pickup and Joy at the distillery and headed into the city of Frankfort where Carol and Jim are staying.  After getting them settled in their hotel, we found a Japanese restaurant for lunch.  George and I shared a delicious platter of sushi that was beautifully presented.

Our first distillery of the day was Buffalo Trace, the oldest distillery in Kentucky.  Each of the distillery tours we have made has been different. 

This is where the barrels are filled and rolled down the line.

Of course, the highlight was the tasting at the end of the tour.

From there, we returned to Whiskey Thief Distillery, the Harvest Host site. 

This is a teeny distillery.  They don’t even distribute their whiskey….you have to come to the distillery to get it.  We had a very short tour and then enjoyed the whiskey right from the barrel.  This long metal “straw” is called a whiskey thief – as one is “stealing” from the barrel.

When you buy a bottle, they let you fill it up yourself, directly from the barrel.

George is enjoying his whiskey with the Blues Brothers.

Carol and Jim returned to their Frankfort hotel and we walked back to Joy.  This is the view of the distillery and valley, taken from our front door.  Wheat fields (from which they make some of their bourbon) surround us. We have the place to ourselves!

We watched both of our horses lose the Kentucky Derby from the TV in Joy.  It lasted a short 2 minutes!

DINNER:  There will be a constant theme this week – leftovers.  The portions we had on the dinner train were huge, so there were lots of leftover boxes.  Tonight’s was the train’s veggie pasta entree, jazzed up a bit with sauted pork bits, mushrooms, soy sauce, and pizza peppers. 

Day #11 – Exploring More of the Bourbon Trail

LOCATION:  Loretto, Kentucky – outside of Bardstown, the Bourbon Capital of the World
WEATHER:  Beautiful.  Sunny.  High 78

We had a leisurely morning at the AirB&B.  I made a frittata and George cooked up some grits.  All went down very well.  We walked around our AirB&B area for awhile. Joy is enjoying a nice little rest these few days.

Then, off to yet another distillery.  Today’s was Willett, one that someone had recommended.  The grounds were beautiful and historic.

All around this region, we see these big black buildings.  They look somewhat like a prison or a dormitory.  They are the rickhouses where bourbon in barrels is aged.  The buildings start out white, then over time become black with the fungus that is in the air when it leaks out of the barrels – called the Angels’ Breath.   

Our tour guide was great, and was all dressed up for Derby Day.

Others on our tour were in the Derby spirit, too.

This tour was different from the others…..the guide poured us samples at each stage of the distillery process, rather than doing a tasting at the end.  Here are George and Carol in a rickhouse….

And here we are in front of a historic fermenter…

After the tour, we ate lunch at the distillery’s bar.  Of course, we had to try some juleps – one mint julep, and one peach.

We shared some appetizers including this interesting egg sandwich for which they are famous.

From there, we went to the Old Kentucky Home State Park and walked around the grounds.  At the amphitheater in summers,  they do a Stephen Foster musical. 

We looked at the Budweiser Clydesdales there, then followed them to a distillery where they were being displayed with their rose-studded braids.

Back into Bardstown, we boarded the Old Kentucky Dinner Train.  We took a 2-hour train ride in a richly- appointed, historical rail car.  We passed through little towns,  and saw famous spots such as a hiding house for Jesse James and a few distilleries.  It was very scenic.  We had a LOT of food – shared big platters of ribeye, porkchops, salmon, and veggie pasta. 

Day #10 – More Bourbon Trail tours and tastings

LOCATION:  In an AirB&B outside of Bardstown, Kentucky
WEATHER:  Absolutely beautiful.  Sunny.  High 76

A busy day with tours…..First was a cooperage tour where we watched them make the bourbon barrels for all the distileries in the region.

They char the barrels based on the specifications each distillery provides.

Then, in the afternoon to Limestone Branch Distillery.  This is a much smaller distillery, as compared to Makers Mark.  Our tour guide was quite informal, and suggested that we taste the mash as it was fermenting.  (Tasted like vomit!)

We used what is called a “whiskey thief” to draw some whiskey out of a barrel, a kind that they were experimenting with.

Then, a tasting after the tour….

Back at the AirB&B, we made a fire in the firepit.  This AirB&B is the nicest one I’ve ever stayed at.  The owner has been so thoughtful with little details, including nice dry firewood and starters for a fire.

DINNER:  Since we have such a nice place here, and since no one wanted to drive the windy roads after a meal and drinks, we cooked in again.  Tonight we had rotisserie chicken with a baguette and salad.  Very nice!

Day #9 – First day on the Bourbon Trail – Maker’s Mark

LOCATION:  Lebanon, Kentucky – about 15 miles south of Bardstown
CAMPGROUND:  A “barndominium” AirB&B  – Fabulous!
WEATHER:  Sunny.  Cool.  High 63

We packed up at the campground and drove out to our AirB&B.  I had selected this particular place due do its location (in the heart of the distilleries) and because it has a huge parking area where we can keep Joy.

The roads getting here were super narrow and windy.  George took over the driving, thank goodness.  I did my fair share of gasping when I thought we were too close to the road’s edge.

After dropping off Joy, we returned to Bardstown where we met up with our friends Carol and Jim from Retama Village.  They have been on a river cruise from Memphis to Louisville.  We had lunch in the Old Talbott Tavern, the oldest bourbon bar in the world.

They say that the tavern is haunted.  It dates back to the early 1800s and was an inn, restaurant, and tavern.  I had Kentucky soup – burgoo, a kind of vegetable and beef stew.  When in Rome….

We drove back to the AirB&B to find that George’s brother Fred and friend had arrived.  Since we have such a large AirB&B, we wanted to share with more people. 

We had reservations to tour Maker’s Mark distillery in the afternoon.  The grounds and buildings are beautiful.  We learned all about the distilling process.

Maker’s Mark has a distinctive seal that looks like a red candle dripping. These ladies were hand-dripping the bottles on the line.

The distillery even has some Chihuly glass decor

And, of course the highlight of the tour was the tasting!

DINNER:  Back at the AirB&B, I threw together a meal from what I had on hand in the trailer and had George grill it up.  Sides were stir-fried vegetables and baked potatoes.  

We sat around the bardominium for some good conversation and to plan our next few days together.