Kentucky Caravan – Louisville, Lexington, and Berea
For our third stop, we traveled a short way to Grandma’s Campground just outside Louisville. It served as a central site to visit tasting rooms, backcountry roads, and even a winery.
The campground was not much to mention. Interesting that they would fly 2 large Trump flags but no American flag. Anyway, this place was a combination campground and flea market on the weekends. A half dozen donkeys grazed in the field and ventured to the fence line looking for treats and to meet their new neighbors. Our girl, Cleo, loved sniffing the “big dogs” across the fence. There were no tall trees for shade, and it became very hot. We put up our tent to try and grab some cooling breeze.
The GAMS continue and we are learning more and more about out our fellow travelers and new friends. Funny how so many of us are from the west coast and even the Northwest.
This stop offered us the opportunity to visit distilleries in Louisville and surrounding areas. Included in our tastings were Old Forester (a great tour and tasting), Jim Beam (beautiful grounds), and Evan Williams. We also toured the Frazier Museum and the Louisville Slugger factory. This is a don’t miss tour!
We took the opportunity to do a walking Historic tour of Old Louisville which showcases the nation’s largest Victorian Mansion district. These were terrific houses and gardens cloistered around and old fountain on quiet streets. A real treat to see.
Next, we dried out (a little) by heading to the Kentucky Derby museum and Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Derby Museum was fantastic, and a few won a little on the ponies. This stop was a photographic delight. The ladies all brought, or bought derby hats and modeled them for a photo-op.
We spent the afternoon on the water, sailing on the Belle of Louisville. It was noisy (a calliope organ that was way too loud) and way too hot and stuffy. But seeing the riverfront from the water was good to see.
We headed to Lexington and the Kentucky Horse Park, our favorite stop. This was a big, treed campground that sat next to the Kentucky Horse Park Museum where old race horses lived out their lives along side working horses. They have several large paddocks, barns and horse-drawn carriage tours. They parade some of the horses into an arena for viewing and a talk about the horse’s history. Up on the hill is a working arena where horses are bought/sold, raced and jumping occurs. So much to see and do.
One of our caravan couples, Bob and Priscilla, lived nearby and raise “trotters”. They come here often to buy and sell their horses. So, of course, we tapped them for best places to go eat. Priscilla gave us a list and told us to stick to it. One place on her list was the Red State Café, a seedy looking, small building located next to a tired looking (by the hour?) motel with overturned trash cans, weedy parking lot, and old tires lying about. We went with our Oregon friends to give it a try but were very hesitant to go in. Then, a couple of guys in white shirts and ties came out carrying their lunch and we though…well? I have to say, this is why we travel; to find the local spots. We walked in and found it was very busy with picnic tables and booths scattered about. We ordered at the window and sat in a room covered in graffiti. There was graffiti on the tables, the walls, the windowsills, the ceiling, the floor. Every surface was covered in colorful writings and images. Very Strange! But the brisket was some of the best I have ever had. There were 5 different sauces you could use depending on taste. I would definitely recommend this place. Priscilla said, “told you so”.
Keeneland was our next tour and a day of racing. This was a great place to soak in the history and spectacle that is horse racing.
Berea was our next stop and proved to be a very informative place. We stayed at the Elkhorn Campground which was hilly and uneven. But we made the best of it.
Berea is an artisan village, college and a neat little town. We stopped in Boone Tavern on Mainstreet to have lunch. Many of our other travelers were also there so we joined tables. The food was just MEH…. Priscilla said, “that wasn’t on my list now, was it?”. We learned, listen to the locals.
We toured one of last Shaker Villages which is now a museum. One of our campers, Charlotte, learned their grandmother had lived here when she was young…she was in their ledgers. Shakers separate men and women in the village and they do not believe in reproduction (sex). So how did Charlotte come to be? The story Charlotte learned is that her grandmother ran away with a delivery boy and left the village which resulted in…Charlotte!
The weather has turned hot, and we are getting tired. It’s been 23 days of caravan exploration and over 40n days on the road. But we are headed to our last stop, the state capital of Kentucky.
