DAY 10 MAY 27
After a semi-restless night we were up and gone early. There was activity outside the room all night. Not loud, but there just the same. One conversation at 3:30 went like this. "Somebody has to go to the police station and get him." "I can't drive I'm too drunk." "I can drive but I ain't driven to the police station this drunk." And so it went most of the night. All the signs were there when I checked in, but I chose to ignore them. The big tip off was when the maintenance man insisted I put Big Red in the maintenance room, "just to be sure no one mess's with our bike."
We stopped in downtown Bradstown for a "Gucci" coffee. They have not quite got that steamed milk thing down yet, but it was better than hotel coffee.
It was a misty day with low clouds and chilly at 60 degrees.
Out of Lawrenceburg, I came across the Wild Turkey distillery and headed in for a tour. I just missed the 9 tour and the next one was not for an hour and a half and the lady suggested I go back into town to Betsy's Bakery and have some coffee and come back for the 10:30. I was a little apprehensive about this idea as I can get delayed in coffee joints, but I headed out anyway.
Betsy's is on main street and has been there about 2 years. I had a regular coffee and resisted all the fine looking goods to eat. But, things went as I expected. With Big Red parked out front the conversation came to me and "what in heck are you doing riding that thing". Kimberly Wallace understood the allure of back roads travel and asked to join me. I never say no to a beautiful lady. She works for the state government and they have to take one day a month off with no pay for budget reasons. Today was her day and she was out for coffee and to get her toes done. We had a great long conversation about traveling and the local area.
Some people would say her father is a "gentleman" farmer but she says her father is a "piddling" farm.
They have 15 horses, lots of pasture and a garden. What she really likes about the farm is that her college age son is out of her house and renting a house on the farm, but more importantly she can take all the animals she rescues there until she can find them a home. Her latest find is a beautiful 6 month old yellow lab, that she found some children abusing. The children's mother said her stupid brother gave them pure bred dog and they did not want it. She showed me pictures and it is a beautiful pup and now living happily on the farm and will probably stay there. Betsy and staff were joining the conversation as they could while they put together a large catering event for the day.
We said our goodbyes and I headed back to Wild Turkey just in time to pass the bus carrying the tour to the distillery. Maybe next time.
I arrived at the Quality Inn in NW Lexington about 11 AM. What a relief from last night. It is an older property but well maintained with a wonderful staff.
I called Sue at 3 Chimneys Farm to see if I could come visit. She said that she was doing a tour at 1 and if I hurried I could make. Me and Big Red took off for Old Frankfort Rd and made it in plenty of time. The Clay family, the owners of the farm, are open to people coming to see their operation. They, better than others, realize that getting the public involved in the horses, their breeding and care is a must to promote a dying sport.
We walked the out to the paddocks to visit the horses and then went to the breeding barn to watch Exchange Rate, one of the few grays in the racing business, get paid $25,000 for about 3 minutes of pleasure.
Meanwhile, out in the field Big Brown could hear and sense what was going on. He was standing tall and proud and would take off running around the field and come back to the closest point to the breeding house. What a magnificent animal he is. He won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness races and probably would have won the Belmount but he threw a shoe. They had recently shot a documentary about Big Brown and it took 3 takes before the jockey could do the take without crying. He blames himself for the horse not winning the triple crown. Sue said the pressure on the jockey and the handlers is tremendous in those races, but she cannot image the emotions of the fairer when Big Brown threw the shoe.
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238 miles 8 houtd
DAY 11 May 28
Big Red and I were up early and headed to the barn. The horse barns at Keenland.
Years ago, I hauled a bunch of National Geographic photographers around. They took about 14,000 pictures and might use 7. Ron, a professional photographer, took over 3,000 pictures last week and could only use 3 for what he was after.
Back to the hotel to load up and headed for Parkersburg, WV. The amazing thing is that there was basically no traffic. None on the country roads, state roads, or the limited access 4 lanes. Turned into a great ride with great weather.
168 miles 7 hours
After a semi-restless night we were up and gone early. There was activity outside the room all night. Not loud, but there just the same. One conversation at 3:30 went like this. "Somebody has to go to the police station and get him." "I can't drive I'm too drunk." "I can drive but I ain't driven to the police station this drunk." And so it went most of the night. All the signs were there when I checked in, but I chose to ignore them. The big tip off was when the maintenance man insisted I put Big Red in the maintenance room, "just to be sure no one mess's with our bike."
We stopped in downtown Bradstown for a "Gucci" coffee. They have not quite got that steamed milk thing down yet, but it was better than hotel coffee.
It was a misty day with low clouds and chilly at 60 degrees.
Out of Lawrenceburg, I came across the Wild Turkey distillery and headed in for a tour. I just missed the 9 tour and the next one was not for an hour and a half and the lady suggested I go back into town to Betsy's Bakery and have some coffee and come back for the 10:30. I was a little apprehensive about this idea as I can get delayed in coffee joints, but I headed out anyway.
Betsy's is on main street and has been there about 2 years. I had a regular coffee and resisted all the fine looking goods to eat. But, things went as I expected. With Big Red parked out front the conversation came to me and "what in heck are you doing riding that thing". Kimberly Wallace understood the allure of back roads travel and asked to join me. I never say no to a beautiful lady. She works for the state government and they have to take one day a month off with no pay for budget reasons. Today was her day and she was out for coffee and to get her toes done. We had a great long conversation about traveling and the local area.
Some people would say her father is a "gentleman" farmer but she says her father is a "piddling" farm.
They have 15 horses, lots of pasture and a garden. What she really likes about the farm is that her college age son is out of her house and renting a house on the farm, but more importantly she can take all the animals she rescues there until she can find them a home. Her latest find is a beautiful 6 month old yellow lab, that she found some children abusing. The children's mother said her stupid brother gave them pure bred dog and they did not want it. She showed me pictures and it is a beautiful pup and now living happily on the farm and will probably stay there. Betsy and staff were joining the conversation as they could while they put together a large catering event for the day.
We said our goodbyes and I headed back to Wild Turkey just in time to pass the bus carrying the tour to the distillery. Maybe next time.
I arrived at the Quality Inn in NW Lexington about 11 AM. What a relief from last night. It is an older property but well maintained with a wonderful staff.
I called Sue at 3 Chimneys Farm to see if I could come visit. She said that she was doing a tour at 1 and if I hurried I could make. Me and Big Red took off for Old Frankfort Rd and made it in plenty of time. The Clay family, the owners of the farm, are open to people coming to see their operation. They, better than others, realize that getting the public involved in the horses, their breeding and care is a must to promote a dying sport.
Big Brown
Dynaformer
The farm is home of some the greatest horses, Big Brown, Dynaformer, Point Given and was the home for Seattle Slew for most of it's breeding life. For those who don't know, Seattle Slew was the last triple crown winner in 1977. It was bought by the Taylor's of Seattle, she a flight attendant and he in the logging business, for $17,500 and went on to be one of the greatest horses of all time. At his peak, he got a $500,000 breeding fee.
We walked the out to the paddocks to visit the horses and then went to the breeding barn to watch Exchange Rate, one of the few grays in the racing business, get paid $25,000 for about 3 minutes of pleasure.
Meanwhile, out in the field Big Brown could hear and sense what was going on. He was standing tall and proud and would take off running around the field and come back to the closest point to the breeding house. What a magnificent animal he is. He won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness races and probably would have won the Belmount but he threw a shoe. They had recently shot a documentary about Big Brown and it took 3 takes before the jockey could do the take without crying. He blames himself for the horse not winning the triple crown. Sue said the pressure on the jockey and the handlers is tremendous in those races, but she cannot image the emotions of the fairer when Big Brown threw the shoe.
I rode some of the back roads, stopped in downtown at Ramsey's for dinner and called it a day.
View Larger Map
238 miles 8 houtd
DAY 11 May 28
Big Red and I were up early and headed to the barn. The horse barns at Keenland.
Norma was pretty sure I was not a jockey by the breakfast she served me
Years ago, I hauled a bunch of National Geographic photographers around. They took about 14,000 pictures and might use 7. Ron, a professional photographer, took over 3,000 pictures last week and could only use 3 for what he was after.
More horse pictures click here: horses
168 miles 7 hours
