Best Western Airport East/Expo Center Louisville

Headed off from Nasville this morning after piking out last night. We went to grab some dinner at an Applebee's Bar & Grill before heading to a bar with live music near the motel, After a steak and shrimp with mashed potatos and a couple of Mango flavoured cocktails, I was all done in and could barely waddle my way back to the motel. Only drinking water and eating fruit for the rest of the trip. I ...

... frazzeled nerves but othewise safely.

Taylorsville State Park is lovely. The park is very quiet and peaceful. There is not much to do there other than walk trails but the park itself is very pretty. They have 30amp service and water but no sewers. The lots are nicely spaced and it was not crowded. The bathrooms were immaculate and the staff was very friendly and courteous.

We stayed until Tuesday and next stop is Bowling Green, KY.

... Not sure how I'm going to fill the rest of my time. I guess I'll find something to do.

Fly out of the Azores on Thursday night (9/17), have an overnight in Lisbon, and get home Friday night.

I hope to post some updates and pics every night. Should be posted no later than 7 pm EST every night unless I'm out to the wee hours of the am.

A short walk from the hotel lead us to the Louisville Convention Center and my first Kentucky Starbucks. I made it a mocha since it doubled as my breakfast. I asked the barista if they carried city mugs and he replied with a slight southern tang, "Nope. Small market."

Right.

... Caddy.

We then ventured over to the "hip side of town" and visited Lynn's Paradise Cafe. A busy destination spot, to be sure, but Lynn's was well worth the wait. It's tacky and eclectic and the wait staff are Kentucky's finest punk hippy kids--in short: awesome with veggie options. I had the vegetarian biscuits and gravy and my first ever plate of fried green tomatoes.

... as that's all i plan on taking aside from my laptop/electronic backpack...Chad in general is anxious and nervous...kind of endearing...he's never been out of the country (not even Mexico and Canada, which in my book don't count anyway)...watching his eyes open to the world...the varying languages, cultures, real European food and the history or art is what I think will be most entertaining this time around....though ...

... it costs for the tickets a person for most of these river front eateries.

What my friends and I did is that we stopped by Kroger and got a bunch of cheap food and water (only water bottles are allowed in Indiana during this even - Kentucky doesn't even allow you to bring your own beverages). And we brought blankets and a chair with board games and music to entertain us for free till the show started.

As I mentioned before, this day isn't just a bunch of sitting and waiting ...

Babs and I got started around 7:30 ET. I had planned a route through West Virginia because I have never been to West Virginia. The drive out of OBX took us back the same route we came in on until we got to Virginia. We crossed the Chesapeake Bay by a different bridge/tunnel. This one had only two lanes going in the same direction so there was more room for the Denali. Virginia is a pretty state but WV was spectacular!

I had planned a stop at ...

Oh the wonders of nature and nature-stream restoration projects I volunteer on. Bernheim offers an abundance of programs for schools and families that educate and allow you to help conserve some nature!

Also, this park has many, many hiking trails. Yay hiking! We all know how much I love that. :)

... call all us kids up to the front of the church for the children's sermon. I don't remember but a single one of these, and that one I only remember because I am conceited and self-centered and always remember things that involve me being the focus of attention. The minister was telling us all about the times Jesus helped people, fed the poor, and protected the children from those evil Romans. "So you see," he said in conclusion, because he must have known ...