A little KY?

 Leaving Toledo with a belly full of Pa Jolly’s, a great set of send-off hugs from all the Parkers and some tears in my eyes brought a smile to my lips that only sunshine could greet…and greet me it did…as I ripped down the 75 flying towards Cincinnati, the break neck speeds of the American Interstate system threatening to strain ever last nut and bolt on this behemoth motor vehicle, the sun beamed down on me through my 1982 dodge camper and thus began a slow roasting. At the current rate I believe you’ll be able to pull my arm off effortlessly by mid-June. A little souvlaki sauce and some lucky bugger will have a tender roadside meal. 

 However I was so sick of going breakneck speeds that I hooked off in Kentucky and took the slow road…which led me to Madison (Indiana). It was the first time since the west coast that I stepped out of the van and could feel, really feel, that is was seriously relaxed here. I read my book by the side of the river for an hour and watched countless amounts of people walking the river path, all smiling all saying hi..oh yeah and that was at 11am on a weekday.

 Then something happened that hasn't happened in 20000kms. I had a run in with the Sheriff of Milton and a State Trooper,  a really cool state trooper mind you but a state trooper none-the -less, because I have trouble reading signs, both posted and gestured. I was sure that he was going to nab me for my license plate not being easily read (the scooter is in front of it) but instead he suggested I was in for a very large fine for not following the bridges weight restrictions. Max 3 tons, I am pushing 3.5 easy...he was talking about a 4 digit ticket which made my heart sink. However after a few minutes of discussion they realized it was an honest mistake, then conversation turned to my van and I knew I was ok when the trooper said "Know why I like you...you have a kayak!" Apparaently he just yaking with his wife (not sure about kids) and was having a great time. Feeling relieved that I only got a warning ticket I gave a business card to each of them to check out the blog and headed on my way!!

 I was headed to Fort Knox but after I found out from the trooper that the General Patton Museum in Fort Knox was moved to Georgia I promptly headed towards the Oscar Getz Whiskey Museum :p  

 Then to the boyhood home of Abe Lincoln (which I appropriately wore my fantastic forefathers tshirt), then to the birthplace of good old Abe. When questioned about the authenticity of the wood cabin inside this massive air-conditioned marble monument you find out that it is not his original cabin. They thought it was so this structure was built around it and then they found out it wasn’t so now it symbolizes the type of life he had while growing up. ;)  It wasn’t epic…but he was a great man as far as memorable people who did impactful things are concerned. If only all of us could be so passionate that they wanted to build monuments in our memories.

 After my touching base with American history I promptly bought a selection of fireworks, an electric fan to hook up to my invertor while driving (and parking), some groceries and headed towards Mammoth Cave National Park

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Random Kentucky pics

As divided as they are,,,red white and blue holds true in every state

leading my way to the south...

Me and my homies settling in for the night in Kentucky

I love all the old buildings...wish I could stop for ever one of them

Road side break for the chariot

The illegally crossed bridge...

I didn't know it at the time but this is the new bridge...waiting for the right moment to jump in the other place (with a little help from a lot of equipment)

Hanging out on the shores of the Ohio, on the Indiana side. Highway 156...so nice compared to the interstate

bird of prey...looking for lunch

Happy Moms day!! I was probably there around that time. These geese were a little leery of me getting so close but once I started reading they went about their business

Barge making the trip down

Easy Rider - lite version

Easy rider kick ass version

Tanks...and bikes...whiskey and war both inside and out...kentucky is the gateway to a different land than where I'm from

I wuz here

Open road...no where to stop BUT...open road

A nice bridge

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Abe Lincoln and Oscar Getz - Two hinge-pins of american history (not really on the same level though) :)

Ah...marketing

Corks

Awesome still

A failed attempt at rationalizing prohibition

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An awful time in history that took courage to overcome. There is a reason he's on Rushmore. Maybe one of the only ones who actually belongs there

30 acres of land "Hardly enough to sustain a family". Imagine...now a days only a select few can afford 30 acres and down here they keep most of it lawn and garden oriented. The upcoming food shortages could be solved easily if everyone kept a usable patch of garden to grow their own or at least supplement their vegetable usage.

The inside of where he grew up

It was tight in there

A quote that may actually not be relevant anymore. These days it seems like that office is held by sellouts who are more concerned with corporatism that the common man, with borrowing debt to pay off debt and in the case of the current president, creating an impossibly unsustainable health care plan

The house that holds his cabin....well a representation of his cabin :)

It was so cool down inside there...I stayed for about 20min just basking in it

It was inspiring to witness how revered Abe was/is. It's interesting that all these years later slavery has been abolished but the entire country is now firmly in the hands of debtors and is in effect a slave to the interest on the money borrowed from an entity that Abe would have never approved of (the Federal Reserve). Is there another hero in the future of America who free's the common man from the bonds that hold hi

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 It is the first time that I have paid for a place to stay outside of the 3 hotel visits I have had since last July. I can say that…I know how to pick a pretty lame spot. I didn’t realize it coming in (it was late) but I put myself right beside the bathroom (hey it was really dark..well sort of). It’s not a bad thing because there is hardly anyone here but it’s bad enough because these airconditioned bathrooms light up with movement so from my fire pit I have a two choice view…the neighbours or the bathroom, which is lit at night. Whatever…I spent the day hiking the trails of the park and sweating myself into a lean machine. The park is really nice and it has some gorgeous scenery. I was told there was no fishing but then I found the green river which you can fish without a license and it’s close by. I’m planning to leaving tomorrow but wish I had of know that as I wanted to toss some hooks in to get into the swing of summer.

 When I’m done here I will roll to Daniel Boone National Park and pay for a couple of more nights at a site that is beside a lake. A few days fishing, then down through Tennessee and south.