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Kentucky Vacation – Day 4 of 10

Bob and I rode to Winchester, Kentucky, on Tuesday, June 9th. Winchester was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. The business district looks much as it did over a hundred years ago with the five globe lampposts and elevated sidewalk. We walked around the courthouse and up and down one street.

Town Hall

Courthouse

Businesses alongside elevated sidewalk

After taking a few photographs, we departed Winchester. On our way back to the hotel we stopped for lunch at the Waterfront Restaurant & Lounge, located a few miles from Winchester. We learned that the Waterfront is the home of Thursday Night Riders. It being Tuesday, we were a little early for bike night.

We returned to the hotel in the early afternoon. We spent rest of the day, relaxing in our room. We ate dinner at the Waffle House, to which we walked. A funny thing happened while at the Waffle House. I ordered a hot tea. The waitress brought me a glass of iced tea, without the ice. I reminded her that I had asked for hot tea. She took the glass of tea, placed it in the microwave and returned the glass of tea to me. I shook my head and said that I wanted regular hot tea, the kind that you put a tea bag in a cup of hot water. She finally gave me the hot tea that I ordered.

After dinner, while on our walk back to the hotel, we stopped at the gas station/food mart located next door to our hotel. It was only 8:00PM, and the gas station was closed! I had hoped to pick up a 6-pack of diet cola.

We learned that a fellow VROCer by the name of “Sundial” went down in Pennsylvania on his way to the rally. According to the VROC website, “Sundial” has broken ribs and possibly a punctured lung. He was transported to the trauma center in Altoona. Bob and I wish “Sundial” a speedy recovery!

Kentucky Vacation – WWR3 Here to Kingdom Come Rally

Our Kentucky vacation was planned around the Vulcan Riders and Owners Club (VROC Wolfman’s Wandering Rally 3 (WWR3) “Here to Kingdom Come” in Richmond, Kentucky.

Bob and “Stewey”

Wolfman’s Wandering Rally is an annual event honoring the memory of Rick “Wolfman” Jakubas. You may read more about Wolfman here. The motorcycle rally is a 4-day event (June 11-14). Bob and I were the first rally attendees to arrive at rally headquarters, the Best Western Holiday Plaza. We arrived in the late afternoon on Sunday, June 7th. Another rally attendee, “Stewey”, arrived the same day as we did. He is staying at a hotel across the street from us. We met “Stewey” on Monday, June 8th. We ate dinner together at Steak ‘n Shake. After dinner we invited “Stewey” to our hotel room. Bob and “Stewey” drank beer together and talked about motorcycles and computers; “Stewey” and I discussed a common interest – photography.

Kentucky Vacation – Day 3 of 10

We visited Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, located near Hammondsburg, Kentucky, on June 8th (Monday). Shaker Village was approximately 40 miles from our hotel, according to the route that we mapped out at Google maps. From Richmond we traveled along the scenic Tates Creek Road (Rt. 169) until it stopped at the Kentucky River at a little place called Valley View. Tates Creek meanders alongside Tates Creek Road. At times the trees on either side of the road create a tunnel-like appearance as you travel on Tate Creek Road.

Tates Creek Road

To get across the river we drove our car aboard a ferry that holds three cars. The Valley View Ferry was established in 1792. It is the oldest operating ferry in Kentucky. It’s free of charge to use.

Valley View Ferry

It took us approximately 1 1/2 hours to reach Shaker Village.

Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill is America’s largest restored Shaker community, with 34 carefully restored buildings and 3,000 acres of preserved farmland. The village is also home to more than 25 miles of striking rock fences, the most extensive collection remaining in Kentucky today. “The Shakers played an important role in American religious history, developing the longest lasting communal society. Their legacy is found not only in the furniture and buildings that remain at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, but also in their ideals of equality, peace and love. This legacy is manifested in the tranquility of Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill and in the beauty of the landscape and architecture. The highlights of our visit included a guided tour of the 40-room Centre Family Dwelling, a 20-minute solo Shaker music performance in the Meeting House, lunch at the Trustees’ Office Dining Room, the goats and turkeys at the village farm and watching skilled craftspeople demonstrate trade techniques commonly used by the Shakers, including broom making, woodworking, spinning and weaving. It was an enlightening visit.

Kentucky Vacation – Day 2 of 10

I had hoped to blog daily about the our vacation in Kentucky. It has been 2 days since my last blog, so a blog a day is obviously not going to happen. Today I write about Day 2 of our 10-day vacation in Kentucky.

We departed Elkview, West Virginia, on June 7th (Sunday) around 9:30AM en route Richmond, Kentucky, via Natural Bridge State Resort Park — a distance of 249 miles according to the route that we mapped out at Google maps. We rode both highway and country roads, approximately an equal distance on each. The majority of our riding in Kentucky was on country road. Our first introduction to Kentucky was Grayson Dam and Lake. We made a brief stop at the dam. While I took pictures of the dam, Bob removed his jacket, stowed it in the car, and put on a leather vest. In the 1 3/4 hours that we had been on the road, it had warmed up significantly.

Grayson Dam

The route between Grayson Dam and Natural Bridge State Resort Park was marked by roads that were narrow, twisty, and sometimes hilly. I had two surprises while riding those narrow and twisty roads. A turkey flew up out of tall grass and flew momentarily alongside my car, right at my window! A short time later a deer crossed the road in front of me. We arrived at Natural Bridge State Resort Park around 1:30PM.

While at Natural Bridge State Resort Park we traveled to the top of Natural Bridge via the 1/2-mile-long Sky Lift. The Sky Lift is the same thing as a chairlift at ski resorts. The Sky Lift, though, is more scenic than the typical chairlift due to the many rock cliffs and formations that you glide above. You should know that I had never ridden on a chairlift until the day I rode the Sky Lift. For most people the Sky Lift would be a relaxing and enjoyable ride. I’m not particularly fond of heights. I was tense, not relaxed, while riding the Sky Lift. However, I did enjoy the ride for the most part.

Sky Lift to Natural Bridge

The final stretch of the Sky Lift is a vertical climb up side of cliff.

at Sky Lift top platform, looking down

Once at the top, we were within easy walking distance of Natural Bridge, as well as Lookout Point. We walked first to Lookout Point, which provided a magnificent view of Natural Bridge.

View of Natural Bridge from Lookout Point

Bob and I at Lookout Point; Natural Bridge in background

From Lookout Point we returned to the Sky Lift. We walked a short distance past the platform, to Natural Bridge.

Natural Bridge is over 900 tons of sandstone molded by nature into a 30-foot wide sidewalk.

Man looking over edge of Natural Bridge; Lookout Point in background

Standing on both Lookout Point and Natural Bridge were a bit disturbing. One could walk to the edge of either formation and step off into open space. There were no rails to keep you from falling off the edge. We saw a little girl run (yes run!) to the edge of Natural Bridge. Just as I let out a gasp, the mother shouted the little girl’s name. The little girl stopped dead in her tracks, very near the edge of Natural Bridge!

It came time, then, to ride the Sky Lift back down the mountain. As I noted earlier, the top portion of the ride is a vertical climb. It was bad enough riding up the side of the cliff. On the way down, I had to close my eyes. I did peek a couple times, but only momentarily. The view took my breath away!

We arrived at our hotel, Best Western Holiday Plaza, in Richmond around 4:30PM. Our hotel room is nice. It is on the top floor (2nd floor), with a view of the parking lot. Our room is generously sized and is furnished with two double beds, a nightstand, a table with two chairs, mini refrigerator, microwave, one-cup coffee maker, a 4-drawer dresser and TV. The bathroom is small, but adequate. This will be home for the next 7 nights.

Best Western Holiday Plaza (Richmond, KY); our hotel room

Kentucky Vacation – Day 1 of 10

Today begins Day 1 of our 10-day vacation in Kentucky.

Today was a traveling day. I drove the car; Bob followed on the motorcycle. We left Kittanning, Pennsylvania, at 7:30AM and rolled into Elkview, West Virginia (just north of Charleston) around 3:00PM. The morning started out foggy, with visibility at 1/4 – 1/2 mile. It took the fog about 2 hours to lift. What a gorgeous day we had the rest of the day! The majority of the time we rode along Interstate 79. We took our time; we didn’t ride hard. We made several stops between Pittsburgh and Elkview, not one of which was a sightseeing stop.

We made several fuel stops

We stopped for lunch at the 79er Restaurant in Burnsville, West Virginia (good country food and friendly service!).

We made an unexpected stop too. My right brake light burned out. We stopped at Walmart to buy a replacement bulb. Bob replaced the bulb in the parking lot of Walmart.

We are spending the night at the Country Inns & Suites, just off Route 79, in Elkview, West Virginia. The hotel is conveniently located within walking distance of a department store (KMart), a few restaurants (Bob Evans, Ponderosa, and McDonald’s), a grocery store and CVS Pharmacy.

Country Inns & Suites in Elkview, WV

The view from our hotel room