Visiting the Renwick Gallery

Just up the street from the White House is the Renwick Gallery, one of the Smithsonian museums of art. One of the featured exhibits was George Catlin's Indian Gallery of nearly three hundred paintings intended to capture their way of life shortly after the Lewis and Clark expedition. George spent a lot of time on and sometimes beyond the frontier of European settlement and preserved some wonderful images for those who could not make the trip. It was nice to get to see them.

In the lower left is Beth Lipman's Bancketje (Banquet). Beth Lipman has used her talents to translate still life paintings into three dimensional productions in glass. Everything on the table, some four hundred pieces, are made of glass; food, drink, linen, everything... and it's amazing. If you click on the image and get the full sized picture, you'll also see a shattered piece on the floor behind the banquet table; it's supposed to be there. At first, I was concerned and was tempted to notify the museum staff; then I thought, it might be intended. I've since seen this piece photographed at other locations and that broken piece is also present. Nice touch, scaring the viewers!

In the lower right is Ghost Clock by Wendell Castle. Click on the link and then return to read the following. That sheet over the clock isn't a sheet at all. The grandfather clock under the "sheet" isn't a clock. The whole thing is evidently one piece of mahogony. Makes you want to look again, doesn't it? I'll wait.

When I saw Ghost Clock, I thought it was one of those statement pieces that sometimes defies my logic. I read the little plaque and learned that the "sheet" was actually very nicely bleached wood; I looked again. I peered intently, trying to see something that would have revealed that it was wood; I didn't see it. Pretty amazing! Whatever message there may have been behind the image, the amazing craftsmanship eclipsed it for me. I can appreciate the skill and attention to detail that went into this piece without any futher understanding.

Stopping by the White House

When in Washington, one of the stops has to be the White House. I was a little bit surprised at the difficulty we had finding it! I didn't see any markers along the streets showing us the way. Eventually, we found a double ring of vehicle barriers; they had to be protecting something. We were at least a block away from the edge of the grounds and security was still impressive. Eventually, nestled among major trees, we found it. The sun was shining and flowers were in bloom so everything looked great.

We headed around to the front; with all the barriers, it's a bit of a hike to get around the grounds these days. The view was familiar and very impressive. It is an important symbol of our nation. I remember taking a tour of the White House on our senior class trip. I didn't notice any lines or obvious promotion of such an option that day. I checked the web and found the following on the Visiting the White House website.

White House Tours
Public tours of the White House are available for groups of 10 or more people. Requests must be submitted through one's Member of Congress and are accepted up to six months in advance. These self-guided tours are available from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (excluding federal holidays), and are scheduled on a first come, first served basis approximately one month in advance of the requested date. We encourage you to submit your request as early as possible since a limited number of tours are available. All White House tours are free of charge. For the most current tour information, please call the 24-hour line at 202-456-7041. Please note that White House tours may be subject to last minute cancellation.

Guess you better plan ahead... and get there early.

Taking in the Monuments... some of the Monuments

There are way too many monuments for the time we had available. You could make a very good argument that we didn't do justice to those that we actually did visit!

Thomas Jefferson Memorial
The Thomas Jefferson Memorial sits across the Tidal Basin to the south of the Mall and is a wonderful domed structure, open to the breezes. On the walls are four inscriptions taken from his letters and documents giving an insight into the thoughtful, passionate mind that helped set our nation on its way.

I particularly liked the following from a letter he wrote in 1816:

I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions. But laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors.

The text of all four inscriptions can be found here.

Washington Monument
Our visit to the Washington Monument was in passing or from afar. Fortunately, it's probably one of the easiest monuments to see at any given moment and absolutely recognizable. In this photo, you can see it towering over the cherry trees along the Tidal Basin.

I remember going up in the monument one evening on my high school senior trip. I offered the opportunity to Linda but we figured that our time was limited so we'd pass on going to the top this time.

Factoid: The cornerstone of the monument was put in place in 1848. It officially opened forty (40!) years later. Hmmm... government project, eh?

Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial anchors the west end of the Mall, overlooking the reflecting pool, and generally being a very impressive building.

Along one wall is the Gettysburg Address, "Four score and seven years ago..." His second inaugural speech is on another.

As we were leaving the monument, we overheard a guide talking with his junior high class tour group. He'd asked them to count the steps leading up the monument. The correct number was eighty-seven, four score and seven; coincidence, I think not.

Factoid: While we were there, a man pointed out two oddities in the monument. One is a carving error. As I recall, the carver cut an E where he needed an F; if you look closely, you can see that the lower groove was filled in making it look like an F today.

The other oddity is that, on the day that Mr. Lincoln posed for the statue in the image, his right hand was quite swollen from shaking hands. Rather than capture that image for all time, sculptor Daniel Chester French used his own hand as the model.

Korean War Veterans Memorial
Located along the south side of the reflecting pool, near the Lincoln memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial takes the form of a triagle intersecting a circle. I'm not sure of the symbolism. Within the triangle stand a chilling collection of statues depicting a group of soldiers apparently on patrol. Each is bundled up against the elements and appears to be outfitted in a manner accurate to the time. Along the sides of the triangle are carvings further depicting those who were there as well as the statistics of war. The circle is a reflecting pool of water. Overall, it was a pretty somber reminder of where we've been, what we've done, and one price paid in the name of freedom.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial has a history of controversy, much like the war that made it necessary. Out of that turbulent start, it certainly appears to have risen to a place of particular status on the Mall. We joined a pretty steady stream of people passing by, looking for names, or simply, silently paying their respects. Here and there all along the base of the wall, items are left to remember those listed on the wall.

Checking out the Cherry Blossoms

As we were discussing our plans for the day, Linda and I realized that we were only a couple of hours out of Washington, D.C., with what could be an extra day. We'd talked about visiting Washington on this trip but thought it would be out of our way and a better fit for a trip to the race in Richmond; we reconsidered that idea. While the forecast looked gloomy, it didn't look much better anywhere else we'd consider going. Worst case, we'd get to drive around and at least see the monuments. I loaded the GPS with our route and we set out.

As we neared the capitol city, the weather cleared but the traffic picked up. We'd heard that the cherry blossoms might be out; this could be a pretty good day... if we could find a place to park. We considered the commuter trains but before we could find a station, the traffic cleared and we cruised into town. The blossoms were out and the sun was shining; this was the first sunny day we'd had on this trip. This was going to be good!

Visiting one home of Wilmer McClean

In my experience, Wilmer McClean is not a household name. Wilmer had two major events in nineteenth century American history occur on two of his properties within a few years. In July,1861, early action in the First Battle of Bull run took place on the McLean farm in Manassas, Virginia. Not quite four years later, April 9, 1865, McClean's home in Appomattox Court House, Virginia, hosted Confederate General Robert E. Lee's surrender to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the Civil War.

This is the home at Appomattox Court House. The National Park Service has done a very nice job restoring the home (once dismantled in the early 1900s) and the battlefield to form the Appomattox Court House Historical Park.

Though we arrived in the last hour of a rainy day, the rangers were very good about getting us to the right house, explaining the time line of events, and answering various questions.

Preparing this entry, I ran across an excellent account of the interaction between Generals Lee and Grant leading up to the surrender.

Visiting Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest Retreat

Not as well known as Monticello, Jefferson's Poplar Forest retreat is also an impressive site. Linda's reading about Jefferson has an explanation: Jefferson was often renovating Monticello so getting away from the noise and chaos of destruction and construction makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately, the site is still under renovation so we didn't see it at it's best. That... and we were there the day before they actually opened the gate. Fortunately, the route the GPS suggested brought us up a service entrance. We surprised an attendant, explained how we came to be there, and got to take a few minutes to see the exterior of the house.

Visiting Scenic Mabry Mill

Along the Blue Ridge Parkway sits Mabry Mill, one of the places we'd said we wanted to stop. Well, pouring rain didn't stop us. I'm not even sure it did much damage to our photos; sure, blue sky and sunshine wouldn't have hurt but I think these shots do fine as they are.

We huddled under an umbrella and crept along the walkways that show the mill, blacksmith workshop, flume, and other points of interest. Signs at various spots told some of the history of the location. It's interesting to imagine building the sawmill. I'm guessing that it was pretty rustic at first, sawn lumber being kinda hard to come by until the local sawmill is up and running. Then, once sales pick up, maybe you could think about putting a nicer exterior on the place. Interesting stop.

Enjoying Stuart, Virginia

After the race in Martinsville, Linda and I headed west on highway 58 and found a great little town, Stuart, Virginia. We enjoyed a very good dinner at a mexican restuarant in the evening, spent the night, and then stopped in at the Coffee Break Cafe in the morning.

The cafe is slender with tables down the left, booths down the right, and a counter overlooking the grill at the back. When we walked in, there were a few people at a couple of booths and it looked like every stool at the counter was occupied; mostly women in the booths, all men at the counter.

We placed our order and, as we waited, I noticed that the wall by our booth was decorated with items with a clear NASCAR theme. There was a side panel from the 21 and photos of men at race tracks; one of them looked like it could have been racing star Cale Yarborough at a dirt track; this fans roots went deep.

As we waited for our food, a woman who was leaving the cafe stopped at our booth, introduced herself, and asked if we were new in town. We explained that we were from Iowa, passing through after the race, and on an exporation of western Virginia. She quickly promoted stopping at Mabry Mill at Meadows of Dan. When we shared that it was our next stop, she gave directions and shared that we would be passing right by her business, the Best Little Hairhouse in Vesta, a few miles up the road. Pretty cute. When another couple left, our new friend hooked them and introduced us as travellers from Iowa. "Wow, is there anybody left up there?" Ah... humor... nice.

I commented that I'd been admiring some of the decorating and our new friend from Vesta explained that yes, folks around here are mostly Wood Brothers racing fans. It's not uncommon to see Glen Wood and his wife stop in for breakfast. Stuart was their base of operations until just a few years ago. Our food came and our new friend went on her way. Pretty fun.

Evidently, we'd stumbled onto the home town of legendary Wood Brothers racing, recognized as one of the top racing teams in NASCAR and innovators who changed racing. One of their greatest contributions was the pit stop.

The Wood Brothers invented the modern Pit Stop. In the early days of all types of motor racing, it was common for the drivers, when service was needed during the race, to pull into the pits; turn off the car; get out and even smoke a cigarette as the crew took their time changing tires and servicing the cars. The Wood Brothers recognized that by limiting the time off the track, it could increase their position on the track. Thus, they created and perfected what is now known as the Pit Stop, and is as common to all types of racing as the checkered flag itself. - Wikipedia

The success of this style of pit stop got the Wood Brothers hired as the crew for Driver Jim Clark from England in the 1965 Indianapolis 500. Clark consistently improved his positions in the pits and went on to victory.

Curious little fact about the town: originally incorporated in 1792 as Taylorsville, it was renamed in 1884 to honor Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart who was born twenty miles away.

NASCAR: Martinsville

NASCAR: Martinsville

Week 6 was at one of NASCAR's short tracks, Martinsville, Virginia. My team produced the win.

Johnson, Jimmie Qualifying Points : 34
Sprint Cup Points : 165

Mears, Casey Qualifying Points : 5
Sprint Cup Points : 146

Montoya, Juan Qualifying Points : 15
Sprint Cup Points : 124

Riggs, Scott Qualifying Points : 8
Sprint Cup Points : 40


Hatethe8 583 582 Team of Tomorrow
Tri-Oval Grover 571 569 League of Tomorrow
DUI Racing 552 370 Left Side Rubber
Tenth Frame 537 376 JLT Racing

Watching them run at Martinsville

The green flag fell and the race was on. There were a couple long green runs that let the drivers really race one another, working for their openings to make the passes. As you can also see, there were a couple of accidents but nearly everyone finished the race just fine. In the end, Virginian Denny Hamlin got the win. Linda and I were racing against one another in the fantasy league; my guys prevailed. It wasn't the best day to have been there but I thought it was still a good time; Linda enjoyed having been there with me.

Checking out the camoflage and Carhartt

Clearly, we were in the presence of folks who knew how to remain comfy through an afternoon in the chilly mist that settled over the Martinsville Speedway. I think the crowd shot in the upper left shows the general opinion that more layers might be better. The guy in the Carhartt in the upper right did a good job firing up the crowd. In the lower left, we have a proven veteran; he's got his camo cap, his headphones, and is holding one of about a dozen hard boiled eggs he brought for himself and his buddies to snack on during the race; nice. Yes, that's Linda and me in the lower right. I picked up the stocking hat, sometimes called a toboggan I guess, at Jimmie Johnson's hauler the morning of the race; nice, isn't it? At least Linda looked good.

Checking out the Martinsville Prerace

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, also known as Virginia Tech, sent their mascot and marching band to participate in the pre-race activities. The band marched the circuit of the track and did a nice job with the national anthem.

We were nice and close to the track and allowed to get right down to shoot photos through the chain link. These two shots, Kyle Busch and Tony Steward on the left and Virginia native Denny Hamlin and Aric Alimirola were nice to capture.

Getting to the gate in Martinsville

Race day morning looked like most so far: rainy and cold. The drive from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to Martinsville, Virginia, went smoothly and took the expected hour and change. About twenty miles out from the track, we saw our first sign looking for tickets; I was a little surprised we didn't see more until we were within a couple miles of the track.

The weather improved... a little: the rain stopped. It was still only around forty... yes, forty degrees. When we finally found our parking place and got out of the car, we could see our breath... unless the wind was too strong. This was gonna be quite a day. Linda and I had a few hours before the green flag and we had things to do!

One of my favorite things to do is catch a little of the Race Day show with John Roberts, Jimmy "Mr. Excitement" Spencer, and Kenny Wallace; that's them across the top of the image. They were prepared for the chilly weather as well.

I also like to swing by the haulers to see if I can find a driver signing autographs. This time, we were fortunate enough to catch Kurt Busch signing autographs at his hauler; that's him in the lower left.

Linda shot a couple of photos of the haulers; the image in the lower left is from Kyle Busch's hauler; he drives for M&M's. Actually, Kyle and Kurt are on Linda's fantasy racing team so this was a little bonus.

One of the great traditions of Martinsville is found at the concession stand: the hot dogs. Linda and I each ordered one with "everything." For two bucks each, we got an uncommonly pink hot dog buried under chili, mustard, onions, and that vinegar cole slaw that showed up on the barbecue in North Carolina. Well... it's what you do here so we tried them. They were great! Unfortunately, we ate them up before we got a photo; sorry about that uncharacteristic slip.

Everything outside complete, it was time to find our seats.

Trying North Carolina Barbeque

A few months before the trip, I caught part of a show on the Food Channel talking about regional barbeque. When I saw that North Carolina had their own style of barbeque, I paid a little more attention. When they said that Lexington was the place to go, I looked it up on the map; it was close enough to add to the itinerary. I'm sure glad we did.

I found the address to a place that was supposed to be one of the better examples in Lexington and put it on the GPS. Unfortunately, the address was vague and, when we got to the spot, it wasn't there. Fortunately, an apparent local showed a little southern hospitality and gave us directions to Stamey's. She said it wasn't true Lexington-style but it was where she took her family... and it was just up the road.

We found the place easy enough and stepped inside. The waitress was clearing a table for us so we waited and looked around at some of the posters on the walls. There was an annual competition between four or five of the local barbeque joints. Maybe we could try a couple places; better order small.

We arrived and placed an order for one of their pulled pork sandwiches and some hushpuppies. The sandwich arrived but the meaty middle had a generous layer of cole slaw on it; that was different! The pieces in the slaw were finely chopped and the creamy sauce was replaced with something more like a barbeque sauce. We took a chance, took a bite, and were sold; it was delicious. Also delicious were the hushpuppies; very flavorful and not overdone like many places. These folks are onto something.

We next found our way to Jimmy's. As you can see, the "order small" idea still produced a lot of food. This really shows that the main thing about North Carolina barbeque is about the meat. You can have other things with it but the meat isn't soaked in sauce or even one cut of meat; it's chopped pork, blended into a great, flavorful foundation of the meal.

Working clockwise from lower left and spiralling in, we have hushpuppies and bread, a cup of barbeque sauce, slaw, baked beans, pork, and onion rings. That's quite a meal. Linda and I shared this feast and felt we'd really had an excellent taste of Lexington-style North Carolina barbeque. I'd go back!

Visiting Mayberry... er Mount Airy

Depending who you talk to, the fictional home of Sheriff Taylor and the actual boyhood home of Andy Griffith could be one and the same. The Andy Griffith Show was set in North Carolina, not far from Mount Pilot; coincidentally, Mount Airy is not far from Pilot Mountain. Hmmm... While Andy steadfastly states the two are not related, it's not hard to see how people could connect the dots.

Linda and I took a spin down main street, hoping to get a pork chop sandwich at the Snappy Lunch. Unfortunately, we were about thirty minutes too late to try this treat.

Arriving in North Carolina

Heading south on I-77, crossing from Virginia into North Carolina, you descend from about 2,800 feet at Fancy Gap to about 1,350 feet at the state line; along the way, the driving gets interesting. Apparently, warm, moist air comes up from North Carolina and, when it reaches an altitude with cooler air, you get some excellent fog (if fog can be excellent.) Linda and I were both impressed that there were permanently mounted road signs that warned of fog. It's just part of being here I guess.

That little yellow tab on the dash is the sensor for my GPS unit. It was actually attached to Linda's laptop computer. Preparing this entry, I used information it logged to confirm where we'd been and the altitude information.

Checking out Barr's Fiddle Shop

Southwest Virginia has a rich and deep history of old-time mountain music and in recent years celebrated that history by establishing The Crooked Road, Virginia's Heritage Music Trail. You can't very well have the music without a fine fiddle; you can find one at a fiddle shop on main street in Galax, Virginia.

Of course, they have a nice selection of nice looking fiddles; I'm sure they sound every bit as good as they look too. They also carry guitars, banjos, and mandolins as well; something of a full service bluegrass band stop.

As Linda and I wove our way among the instruments, we overheard conversations about various gigs and techniques; it gave a nice flavor to the place even for a non-player. At the back of the store, a young father was trying to eat a quick sandwich while keeping his young son out of the instruments. It all had a very homey, comfortable feel about it.

Visiting Jackson's Shot Tower... almost

Before leaving Iowa, one of the sights I thought could be interesting was a shot tower. I'd never heard of one before but found it interesting reading a little about one. It appears that there are only a few still standing throughout the nation so it had added appeal. Even at that, it was only a notion as Linda and I headed down the highway. As we passed through the hills, Linda and I both noticed the impressive tower amongst the trees. We pulled off and got close... but renovations had fenced of a pretty good perimeter around the actual structure. We circled around across the river and got the view you see in the image. Just to my right when I took this shot was a Kentucky historic marker with the following text:

By 1770 Captain William Herbert had established a ferry across the nearby New River that became known as Jackson's ferry. Thomas Jackson erected the 75-foot shot tower in the early 1800s to manufacture shot for firearms. The Austinville mines supplied lead for this business. Molten lead was drpped through a sieve from the top of the tower, then fell through the structure and an additional 75-foot shaft beneath the building into a kettle of water. While falling, the lead cooled and developed into shot pellets; the water cushioned the fall. The shaft was connected to the riverbank by a tunnel through which the shot was carried and then loaded onto boats.

Joining Six, Seven, possibly even Eight Million

Depending on where you look, the number of hot dogs served up by Skeeter's in Wytheville, Virginia, could be any of the above. Linda and I each added one to the count as we stopped by this downtown landmark. Housed in a typical storefront, this dog house was hoppin' with business. Looking at the menu on the HollyEats website reviewing Skeeter's, it looks like we each probably ordered a Regular Dog: a vivid (almost disturbingly) pink hot dog smothered in chili meat. Most of the other dogs included slaw and we didn't have slaw. It was a tasty stop, enriched by the color and flavor of the establishment where we enjoyed it.

Getting the Big Idea

Lore is that the propietor of the Wytheville Office Supply had the Big Idea of using big symbols in front of businesses to help identify what was for sale inside. At least one remains... a pencil thirty feet in length on the front of the office supply store.

Shooting the Wythe County Courthouse

Wytheville is the county seat for Wythe County, Virginia, and this is their courthouse. Linda and I stopped in Wytheville to check out a couple of other items but when we saw another fine courthouse, we had to take the shot. Okay, I had to take the shot.

Shooting the Smyth County Courthouse

Marion is the county seat of Smyth County, Virginia, and this is their courthouse. While checking out the town that gave us Mountain Dew, Linda and I noticed this fine courthouse and, with the collection of courthouse photos on hold while we're out of state, we picked up this one.

Appreciating Virginia Hospitality

This is the way to welcome someone, isn't it Dad? (My dad's name is Marion so I couldn't resist this shot.) Besides their fine welcome, Marion, Virginia, claims to be the birthplace of Mountain Dew, the soft drink.

Pausing at White's Mill

A few miles north of Abington, Virginia, we found White's Mill. Undergoing renovation / restoration, this mill is a great relic of another day. It's not under the administration of a national or state park but it is a very nice stop along the way. Linda got some very nice photos and checked out the merchandise while I was roaming the mill a little more. A well informed young man inside the mill was able to answer my questions and shed some light on some features I'd not seen before. I liked it!

Returning to Bristol

Since we were so close to the NASCAR version of the Coliseum, I took the opportunity to show Linda. There was a local race going on so we were unable to get inside but we could peek through various entrances. We stopped at the souvenir store to pick up a couple items and were soon back on our way.

Passing through the Cumberland Gap

While the low-hanging clouds made for interesting photography, I think a clear sky would have been just fine. Please forgive my ignorance but I was surprised at just how many miles we wound around the mountains to pass through Cumberland Gap National Historic Park. I guess I thought it would just be a climb over a narrow range of mountains. Rather, it was a winding, fairly level route over miles and miles of highway. At times, the mountains were very near on both sides; at other times, there was room for towns and pastures. It wasn't hard to see why passing over the mountains to the left or right would be much more challenging. I had to wonder how people remembered their way through.

Seeing the Birthplace of KFC

Yes, we stopped by the Sanders Cafe in Corbin, Kentucky, to see where the Colonel started it all. After a variety of jobs during the Depression, Harlan Sanders decided to add a little chicken to the offerings at his gas station. Soon, his station was a regular stop along the highway. He expanded his business to include lodging and had quite a little business going. Then the bypass is built and he sells the Sanders Cafe and Court. Undaunted, the Colonel hits the road and finally gets his chicken on tables across the country. It's quite a story, mostly after retirement. The KFC website has a nice timeline of the events.

Checking out Hall's on the River

Another RoadFood.com stop was Hall's on the River. We had made a note to have their Kentucky Hot Brown sandwich but also found a couple of other treats. Our server suggested the fried banana peppers as an appetizer. We'd never had fried banana peppers so we gave them a shot; that's them in the lower left portion of the picture. They were not as sweet as Linda had expected but we agreed they were tasty. Along with the peppers came a small sample of what we've learned is their beer cheese soup. RoadFood.com recommended it but I'd forgotten; at least we did get a taste.

The Hot Browns arrived and we were quite impressed. Before the trip, we'd read that there are variations but a hot brown is generally an open-faced sandwich with tomato, turkey, ham, and bacon, covered in a Mornay sauce and baked until the sauce is brown. As you may see in the images on the right, that's what we got. It's a delicious, rich, and filling sandwich.

We also learned a bit about the history of the area. Daniel Boone plays prominently in the immediate area. You can read about it at the Hall's on the River website.

Finding Keeneland

Keeneland is a horse racing and sales facility just outside Lexington, Kentucky. (About two miles from Bondurant's Pharmacy, I'd guess.) One of Linda's co-workers had suggested that we swing by and take a look at this facility and grounds. Just before the the first gate for the track, we saw a Kentucky By-way sign and turned off the main road onto a road that wandered among the various horse farms surrounding the track. It really was more interesting to Linda and me than the track or auction house... but we didn't really go into those facilities either. You can't really tell it from the photo but it was another rainy day. We did get to see some pretty countryside and beautiful horses.

Based on the cars in the lot, was going on at the track or auction but the racing was not scheduled to start until a week or so later. Pulling up within sight of the track, we saw no horses. We weren't curious enough to poke our noses in the buildings to see what was going on that day.

Looking for Keeneland

... but this, you can see, is Bondurant's Pharmacy. Remember when I mentioned that we were using a GPS navigation system to help us find places? Well, this time, when I thought I was clicking on the map label I'd made for Keeneland I actually clicked on the label below it and got the pharmacy, another of our possible stops along the way. After leaving Frankfort, we'd been travelling through pretty, rolling hills with the traditional white wooden fences and horses in the fields; expected sights if you're heading for a horse facility. Then the GPS said to turn left when right seemed more appropriate. It only had us going a few blocks so we went along with it and, just before I realized where we were being instructed to go, Linda said "I know where we're going!" and started to laugh. She turned the corner and there was the pharmacy. Doh! ... and yet, yeah!

Shooting the Kentucky State Capitol

This stately building is capitol of the state of Kentucky and is located in Frankfort. Linda and I took a spin around the nicely maintained grounds. An apparent television news crew was leaving and there were several people in suits; apparently work was going on and, being on vacation, work was not what we were looking for so we headed on down the road.

Having breakfast at Lynn's Paradise Cafe

Another place we found on RoadFood.com, Lynn's Paradise Cafe didn't disappoint. The decor is pretty eclectic. Rumor has it that they challenged the people of Louisville to bring in their ugliest lamps... and they used them! Looking around the room, there were a lot of interesting looking mismatch lamps.

The plate in the top of the image is the Kentucky Farmhouse Scramble.

Three fluffy eggs scrambled with diced country ham, roasted bell peppers, and Kenny's Jarlsberg cheese, then garnished with fried tobacco onions. Served with fried green tomatoes topped with Parmesan garlic mayonnaise and buttermilk biscuits with sorghum butter.

The plate in the bottom of the image is the Bourbon Ball French Toast.

Thick-sliced cinnamon swirl bread griddled in vanilla nutmeg batter and garnished with bourbon vanilla custard, chocolate syrup, fresh strawberries, sugar spiced pecans and fresh cream which we whip daily.

Yes, that was breakfast. Mmm...

Shooting Ollie's Trolley

This is one of a handful remaining locations of the Ollie's Trolley fast food chain. Evidently, this chain came into existance in the 1970s. As you can see, their locations were designed to stand out. Evidently, their burgers were / are too: prepared with a blend of 23 herbs and spices and served rare, they must have been interesting... but not really for me until you cook it a while. It's my understanding that the uncooked thing has been dropped but they've still not really taken off. It was fun to find one of their shops.

Stumbling onto Jim Beam's American Outpost

Nestled in the hills of Kentucky between Bardstown and Louisville is Jim Beam's American Outpost. The somewhat industrial looking complex (not in this photo) out among the hills caught our attention so we paused to take a look. At the top of a low hill overlooking the facility, the first floor of this home of T. Jeremiah Beam has been restored and open to the public. While the house is open for tours and a visitors center was due to open within the hour, Linda and I were on our way to Louisville for breakfast and beyond. While not something we were looking for, it was a fun little find.

Realizing something not good has happened

Before leaving Bardstown, Linda and I stopped again for gasoline. I went to the pump and reached for my bank card. Unfortunately, it wasn't in my wallet. I quickly retraced our steps in my mind and the last time I remembered using the card was at Veedersburg; remember Jim and his bride? Evidently, they were distracting enough that I forgot to pick up my card. Doh! I spoke with my bank and learned that, yes, the last transaction had been my withdrawal of cash at Veedersburg. I cancelled my card and we were good to go.

Learning about Bardstown, Kentucky

Due to the constant, heavy rain, low clouds, and early hour, I have no photos from Bardstown. My personal ignorance of just where I was also contributed. Without intent, we actually had stumbled into a lovely community with a rich history and legitimate claim to Bourbon Capitol of the World.

Several distilleries operate in the area and, as I understand it, responsible for a great deal of the bourbon whiskey produced today. I was familiar with the Jim Beam brand as they sponsor cars at various levels of auto racing. I believe that distilleries for at least four other brands are found close enough to Bardstown to be on their map of attractions. I've since learned that they also have an annual festival celebrating their product.

We did get to see Old Talbott Tavern. Built in 1779, this handsome building on the square boasts in interesting list of visitors over the years. Over the years, Daniel Boone, Abraham Lincoln, George Rogers Clark, French King Louis Phillipe in exile, and Jesse James are reputed to have spent time here. If you hear that either Linda or I were there, it's not quite true; we only saw it from the outside.

Students of Catholic history in the United States may know that settlers from Maryland congregated in the Bardstown area. In 1808, Bardstown joined Boston, New York, and Philadelphia as new diocese in the young United States. The Saint Joseph Proto-Cathedral was started in 1816 and has served ever since. As we were looking at Kentucky attractions, Linda and I had looked at the Abbey of Gethsemani but thought it was too far off our planned route to plan to stop; it's near Bardstown.

Federal Hill, the house that inspired the song "My Old Kentucky Home" by Stephen Foster is also in Bardstown.

Learning just how big the MATS is

Linda and I hadn't really planned a destination for any dates but one on this trip so we didn't make reservations anywhere. This first night on the road made us question the wisdom of that move.

We stopped at a motel and learned they had no vacancies there or at any of their other locations in the Louisville area. The 2008 Mid-America Trucking Show was going on and nearly every room was booked. There were a few rooms on the east side of town but they ran about two hundred dollars for the night. They checked with their chain and found there were rooms in Bowling Green... over one hundred miles away; we passed on the opportunity.

Linda called around and found a room in Bardstown. I'd seen that on the map while we were talking about the trip so we said we'd be there soon. I found it on the GPS map and we followed the route it provided. It was a little further than I'd expected but closer than Bowling Green.

We passed through small town, wound our way through the hills, passed a Jim Beam processing facility of some sort, and found ourselves on the Bluegrass Parkway. It's probably prettier in daylight but it was nice driving even at night. We found a local, non-chain motel and settled in for the night. Linda informed me that the man at the desk had informed me that we were in the Bourbon Capital of the World. The things you learn when you travel.

Trying the Burgers at Kaelin's

Preparing for our trip, Linda and I checked out RoadFood.com to see if there were some interesting places around Louisville, Kentucky that we should check out. Kaelin's showed up and looked like a winner. The Birthplace of the Cheeseburger is a pretty impressive claim and the reviews on the website sure looked good.

We arrived and found a warm and inviting dining area on the main floor of what appeared to me to have once been a nice, large two-story home in old Louisville. We were a little after any dinner rush so there were only a handful of patrons at tables and booths. Our hostess got us seated, answered a few questions, and took our order for, of course, a cheeseburger and six mini-cheeseburgers.

The food came and we were not disappointed. First, the cheeseburger itself was nice and hot, nicely seasoned, and just plain good. The minis were mostly just smaller versions of the regular. Don't confuse these little guys with some you may have seen elsewhere; I've tried some of those and these are simply a superior product.

Dinner complete, an older black gentleman in a sharp looking light blue jacket took our dishes and asked if we'd be interested in dessert. We took a look at them menu and saw a bourbon biscuit pudding that sounded interesting. It arrived and, without thinking about taking a photo, we took a bite. It was excellent! Before I thought to take a picture, it was gone... and that's unfortunate. It was pretty to look at and certainly a deliciously memorable surprise at this stop.

As we were leaving, we stopped and thanked the only employee we still saw, apparently a bartender. We explained that we'd come from Iowa, had read about the place on the internet, and were glad to have found such a gem. He told us that other people had mentioned the RoadFood website and thanked us for stopping by. He also shared that the man in the blue jacket, Jesse Amos, had been working at Kaelin's since 1958. Fifty years at one place is pretty uncommon. A restaurant being in business for fifty years is also pretty uncommon.

I ran across another website that talks more about the history Kaelin's and how it intertwined with another Kentucky restaurateur.

Stopping for gas in Indiana

Stopping for gas is generally not something I note in the blog but I think this one has bears mention.

One of the things I'd hoped to do was get across Illinois without having to buy gas. It's just something I like to do. I turned off at the first Indiana exit on I-74 and found the station boarded up; not what I'd hoped to find. The next town down the highway, Veedersburg, was easily within reach.

When we got there, I went into the station to use their ATM and Linda put the gas in the car. All during this stop, a clearly retired couple displayed advanced communications skills. Jim was at the pump opposite Linda two islands out from the building with the ATM, cashier, and, from time to time, Jim's bride of many years.

"It's not working." cried Jim.

"You have to move the knob." replied Jim's bride.

"It's not working."

Jim's bride stepped into the store to check with the cashier. "Try it now."

I stepped inside, got my cash, held the door as Mrs. Jim came back inside to confer with the cashier again.

"Try it now, Jim."

Jim tried once more and was rewarded for following his bride's counsel: the gas was flowing. "It's going." called Jim, then muttered "Should just put a match to the whole thing."

Linda and I were back on the road, topped off and ready for more adventure.

Trying to get a break from winter

Linda and I set out on a road trip... a fairly major road trip this time. Not just around Iowa. I had tickets to the Sprint Cup race at the paperclip-shaped short track in Martinsville, Virginia, and it was time to go.

In typical Iowa weather fashion, winter showed up to send us on our way. There were light sprinkles as I picked up the rental car. By the time we were loading bags, it was a decent little shower. Leaving Des Moines, you could see accumulation on the interstate; it had become a lovely wintry mix of rain, sleet, and snow... nice. Hopefully, we'd be clear of it soon and basking in lovely spring days in a more southern clime.

Watching Drake women in the NIT

Linda and I, in our basketball mood, had just enough time after our lunch / dinner to get over to the Knapp Center to catch the Bulldogs in their National Invitational Tournament opening round game with the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay. The game was pretty close throughout but Drake closed well and won to move on to play at Illinois.

Lunching at The Royal Mile

After the basketball, Linda and I stopped in at The Royal Mile for a late afternoon lunch, early dinner. I'd never been there so we tried a nice variety of their tasty offerings. For our appetizer, we split a Scotch Egg. I'd never had one before but expect I'll have another some day. For my entre, I had the dinner pasty with mashed potato pictured in the upper right. Linda had the tasty (and filling) shepherd's pie.

Watching NCAA Regional Basketball

This year, Iowa State University hosted six opening weekend games of the NCAA women's basketball tournament here in Des Moines. As luck would have it, the Cyclones made the tournament and got to play here as well. With this opportunity being pretty uncommon, Linda and I took advantage and went to the opening round games. Iowa State defeated the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in a pretty well played game.

We stuck around for the second game. The inside game of the second seed Scarlet Knights of Rutgers made pretty quick work of Robert Morris. Of course, my photo is of an outside shot... just take my word that the interior game was where the action took place.

Shooting the Eldora Carnegie Library

This former library is located on the south side of the square in Eldora. The exterior design reminds me of some of the buildings in the Dutch heritage communities of Pella and Orange City. I can't find anything that would relate Eldora with Dutch settlement so it's probably just a coincidence.

NASCAR: Bristol

Week 5 was at NASCAR's version of the Coliseum, Bristol, Tennessee. My team produced decent points over all but came up short.


Johnson, Jimmie Qualifying Points : 43
Sprint Cup Points : 114

Mears, Casey Qualifying Points : 39
Sprint Cup Points : 37

Montoya, Juan Qualifying Points : 23
Sprint Cup Points : 118

Riggs, Scott Qualifying Points : 13
Sprint Cup Points : 97


Team of Tomorrow 623 550 Tri-Oval Grover
Hatethe8 604 552 Left Side Rubber
League of Tomorrow 560 400 JLT Racing
DUI Racing 529 484 Tenth Frame

Shooting the Hardin County Courthouse

Eldora is the county seat of Hardin County and this is their courthouse. I like the tall clock tower style. I'm curious about the asymetric circular room on the right side of the front. Rooms like that appear to have been pretty popular at some point in time but I always wonder the purpose. Technically, I guess it encloses the greatest area with the least wall but if that was the motivation, I'd expect a lot more circular structures. It's a good looking courthouse.

Checking out late season USHL Hockey

Linda and I stuck around to see the Waterloo Black Hawks host the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League. We'd seen the Musketeers play in Sioux City earlier in the year but these guys really had honed their game and gave the Black Hawks a game. The dynamic speed, crisp passing, and excellent teamwork at this level really made an impression. I'd forgotten just how active and fluid the game can be. The three periods each had their individual style and unfolded like acts in a play. In the end, the Black Hawks won but the game was in doubt much of the time.

Supporting Junior Hockey

Linda and I went up to Waterloo to see one of her nephews play in a pretty big tournament; one team drove up from St. Louis to participate. We'd seen the kids play early in the season and could see some of the improvement that had taken place in our absence; while we're occasional fans, we're not really up on all of the nuances of the sport. At the end of the day, the kids came up on the short end of the stick but played well and had a good time.