Chicago May 2008

We were home a week and a half and Harry was restless already. On Monday, May 19th, I endured a very thorough eye exam and thanks to all the drops and dilation, I was blind for half the day. It’s a good thing the trailer was parked in the driveway, packed and ready to go!

Bright and early Tuesday, May 20th, Bud and Carol met us and we all headed west! Our destination was the Indiana Dunes National Seashore Campground in Michigan City Indiana- an hour east of Chicago Illinois. As the camping crowd calls it, we “dry camped” - no electricity, no water on sight and definitely NO wifi or cable! Bud was in withdrawal! Yes, it got pretty COOL during the nights but - - the trailer does have a furnace! Harry was in charge of the evening meal and he excelled at the barbeque ribs, done to perfection over an open fire! The meal was topped off with, of course - - roasted marshmallows!

Wednesday the 21st we got on the Southshore Train and for $3.75 each, we rode to downtown Chicago. Breakfast was at our now favorite downtown spot- The Old Timers Restaurant. Carol and I enjoyed crepes – one Greek with fresh spinach and feta cheese and the other one Blueberry. The rest of the day was spent walking, riding the water taxi, walking, exploring famous landmarks, like the Marina Towers, The Blues Brothers Club, the Amtrak Station, Bloomingdale’s, Nieman Marcus AND the 8 story Water Tower Place Shopping Center and walking! Lunch was at a 4 star Chicago Hotdog Restaurant, Portillo's, that was filled with all kinds of famous Chicago antiques. The dogs were good but the buns were ‘nuked a bit too long!

As if Wednesday didn’t do us all in with the amount of walking we did, Thursday we tried it again! Bud and Carol got off the train at the Museum of Science and Industry which we had just explored a year or so ago and we rode one stop farther and walked 3 blocks to the Field Science Museum. The last time we had explored that museum, we had taken my 34 year-old son who was about 6 and Harry’s daughter who was about 12. The stunning front of the museum commands a striking view of Lakeshore Drive and downtown Chicago with the boat studded harbor and Navy Pier sitting by its side. On the 2nd side of the museum are the Shedd’s Aquarium and the Planetarium; on the 3rd side is the collection of train tracks and Grant Park and on the backside is Soldier’s Field, the football stadium.

Friday we rested - and drove home to begin planning our next adventure! Stay tuned.

Back in Ohio

Good wifi is SO difficult to acquire these days.

Sunday we did go back to the Horse Park – one more time, but I am afraid it pushed Harry to the horse limit! We watched part of the riding competition, both Western and English. The Gypsy horses were even more beautiful with someone on their backs, directing and guiding them thru their paces, feathers fluffing, manes and tails flying as they pranced around the show ring. We even dared to walk thru part of the Park without paying the fee to do so and admired a young copper colored stallion that was also admiring a palomino mare in the adjoining paddock! From there it was back to the trailer so Harry could work on his tan and read his book, while I worked on my knitting.

Monday we headed north thru some more back roads to top off our Kentucky visit with the last possible glimpse of horse farms. We crossed into Ohio at Aberdeen and stopped at Browns Restaurant for a very reasonable priced, yet very yummy breakfast. We had driven thru John Bryan State Park on a previous trip but it was now spring and we wanted to see it and Clifton Gorge when it was sunny and flowers were in bloom. In the rain, the gorge had been rugged and slippery, this time the trees and grass were green and there were a plethora of flowers on the Cliffside. Yes, Harry claimed I made him hike up and down yet another rock strewn, root infested “mountain path”!

Our stop for the day was at Buck Creek State Park on the northeast side of Springfield Ohio. The campground had ample grassy spaces between each blacktopped parking pad and a crazy male cardinal, which kept thinking the bird in the rear view mirror of the van wanted to fight. We enjoyed the green spaces with a lengthy walk thru the almost deserted campground and a plastic bag over the mirror solved the cardinal situation! .

Our trip ended Tuesday afternoon when we pulled into our driveway and took in the awesome beauty of our own green spaces of grass that now needed mowing and the vibrant hues of our own tulips in full glory of red, burgundy, white, pink, yellow and purple! Tall ones, short ones and double ones! Every flowerbed was ablaze! Our spicebush, lilac, redbud and dogwood were blooming! Kentucky couldn’t beat this!

Welcome Home!

Kentucky Horse Park

Friday and Saturday – catch up time!

Friday we rode our bikes thru the GENTLY rolling park roads to the lake and then walked thru the park that was near the picnic area and up the trail to the other campground that is also in the resort. I remembered that there was a short trail to an arch at the end of that campground and shamed Harry into going on a “short hike”. It was fairly short -.3 of a mile up but it was a Billy goat path along the side of the ridge and led to a good-sized hole in the ground that actually had an arch across it. Of course, all the way up and all the way down the trail I heard ALL about the treacherous conditions that I forced him to go thru. The hillside was covered with trillium, violets and even small blue flags (tiny purple Siberian iris – only 5 to 6 inches tall). We even saw a Stinking Benjamin, which is a small maroon and green trillium, near the pathway! Friday afternoon was spent recovering from his strenuous exercise. Friday evening brought rain.’

Saturday morning was gray and as we pulled out, the view thru the Parkway was still beautiful in spite of the on and off drizzle. The fog, sitting tenderly in the valleys, was mystical as the winds picked it up and whooshed it around softly. By the time we reached Lexington and the Kentucky Horse Park the rain had quit but the winds had picked up.

Our camp spot is in the outside row near a hedge of honeysuckle. The spaces are very ample and the road out of the back of the campground leads right to the indoor arena and horse barns at the Horse Park! And that’s where we headed!

In the arena was a competition, which featured classes for kids from ages 7/8 and up to 10 yr olds. The classes focused on the ability of the rider to control their mount. Some of them had their hands full of more than just reins! From there we found the Gypsy horses! Wow – what beautiful creatures – manes and tails flowing and feathers on their legs that rival any Clydesdale champion! We met and talked to a young college aged lady who came all the way from Kansas to show her 4 yr old stallion and 1 yr old colt. The colt won his halter completion for his age and they both were in the costume segment of the show. We saw all so many gorgeous animals – each design in their black and white or brown and white OR sparkling white and gray dapple pattern, unique unto themselves alone. The retired stallions at Old Friends back in Versailles and the long legged young beauties in the Derby are magnificent but these horses are . . . . . fairy tale inspired!! And there will be more on Sunday!

Red River Gorge & Natural Bridge

Cool this morning but by 9 am it was warming up nicely. Off we went to explore the Red River Gorge. Up and down and around! We saw: jagged cliffs, deep gorges, the road crisscrossing the river which at times was just a babbling brook, restored cabin and barns, a 900 ft long one lane tunnel (check out the picture), deer in the roadway, sky scraper pine trees, mighty oaks and dainty dogwood trees! There was a lot we missed but they were at the end of miles of hiking so we are happy with the memories we’ve captured today! Since we did not make it to the top of the “bridge” yesterday we opted to ride to the top on the Sky Lift and took in the beautiful views once more from the cliff across from the bridge and then from the very top of the Natural Bridge itself. Once on top of the bridge we found a narrow stone stairway that led down the side of the mammoth stonewall of the bridge. The picture we’ve posted is from that stonewall at the bottom of the steps and you can just barely see where the opening for the bridge is. Time to kick back, sit by the stream behind our trailer, read some books and then roast some hotdogs before we head to the lodge to post the blog and maybe enjoy some ice cream.

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!