Thursday, May 1, 2008

Bourbon to Boone

Tuesday came and went with errands, house cleaning and fixing dinner for our guests, Steve and Rachel! What a lovely time we had burning burgers, enjoying strawberry shortcake, catching up on old times and making memories with their promise to try to come north next summer. Then it was their turn to traverse the winding roads home in the dark!

Wednesday we arrived bright and early at the very picturesque Woodford Reserve Distillery, which is only found by winding thru some of the prettiest horse country ever. Our very knowledgeable and comedic tour guide was none other than Steve!! He led us thru the 1812 distillery and thoroughly explained the process of making “Kentucky’s Best Bourbon”, from the 3 copper stills from Scotland to the storage building where the white oak barrels are kept from 6 to 10 years before being bottled in bottles made in Zanesville Ohio. The huge scale in the barreling room is even a Toledo Scale!

From bourbon in the morning to Daniel Boone by noon as we entered the Daniel Boone National Forest just off of the Mountain Parkway and parked at the Natural Bridge State Resort Park, right by a pretty babbling brook. To punish ourselves, we hiked UP the ¾ mile rock strewn, root infested, steep path to the bottom of the Natural Bridge. The marker at the bottom of the trek said that it was the shortest and the easiest path. Harry is positive that we “hiked” 20 miles up hill and into the wind – both ways. Whatever - - - - we BOTH hurt by the time we arrived back at the van. Nine pm came none to soon for this lady. I took an Advil PM and promptly crawled into bed!