MORE GREETINGS FROM LEXINGTON, Kentucky (KY) USA
From baseball and thoroughbreds yesterday, today it was forests, gorges, bridges and bourbon as we headed east into the western edge of what is known as the Cumberland Plateau and the western side of the Appalachian Mountains.
And how could I not visit an area synonymous with a boyhood legend, Daniel Boone, who contributed greatly to the exploration and settlement of Kentucky. (and you will have that theme tune stuck in your head now !)
Turning to our faithful scenic byways lists, we had come across the Red River Gorge Scenic Byway which travelled through part of the Daniel Boone National Forest so that’s where we headed.
After miles of flat open farmland, it was quite a change to be heading to lush forested winding mountain roads. There are still lots of corn fields evident but in this part of the country they grow something else – horses ! They are treated like royalty – vast manicured fields for them to roam and run amongst the distinctive high slatted fences. We even came across a retirement home for thoroughbreds !
But beyond these fields, today we had scenery we have probably been more accustomed to in our travels in the USA – picturesque winding mountain roads and gorges. Getting to Red River Gorge we passed through Nada Tunnel. It was originally a railway tunnel built around 1911 for a logging company to bring timber from the Red River valley to a sawmill close to Lexington. It was dug with dynamite, steam machinery and hand tools through solid limestone. When the timber ran out it was abandoned until the rail tracks were pulled up and a dirt road made for access. It is just a single lane tunnel 270 metres long with no internal lighting. Unfortunately there were not a lot of places to stop around the gorge and today any were being used as checkpoints for a half marathon being run through the gorge. But the drive was very pleasant !
A picturesque drive !
Along Red River Gorge
From here we went to the Natural Bridge State Park. Its centerpiece is a 24 metre sandstone arch, 20 metres high formed from weathering. Access – or one of them – is via a chairlift from the park below to the top of the bridge. On top of the bridge there are lovely views to other sections of the park. From the top, there is also a narrow pathway to get down under the arch – and it is a very narrow squeeze ! There are trails leading back to the park but we braved the chairlift back down again.
On top of Natural Bridge
Underneath the bridge
And down the chairlift !
After a snack and coffee at picnic tables in the park, we followed the rest of the extended byway in a loop back toward Lexington. However our next destination was beyond Lexington itself – to a town called Versailles (but pronounced Ver-sales !) and the Wild Turkey Bourbon Distillery. We arrived at the Visitors Centre just in time for the tour which was leaving so off we went. The first section covered the making processes – which takes 3 weeks -and the second a visit to one of the barrel storage barns – this part then takes up to 12 years ! Apparently there are more bourbon barrels in Kentucky than people ! And they have about 16 of these “barns” storing between 30,000 and 50,000 barrels of bourbon each. Back at the Visitors Center we got to taste 4 of their products – all very different.
A lot of bourbon brewing !
Tasting time ! Kentucky Spirit, Russell’s Reserve 10, Wild Turkey Rye and American Honey Sting
From here we headed back to our hotel but via another short byway covering some of the picturesque and beautifully landscaped horse farms. We were very lucky with the weather today. The forecast had been for thunderstorms to roll in but we managed to get through the day with pretty sunny skies – until we headed out to dinner when it looked like we were in for a tornado ! For dinner we decided to try Ted’s Montana Grill – Ted as in Ted Turner, media mogul and ex of Jane Fonda. The meal was excellent – probably one of the best we have had this trip – and Ted has obviously utilised some of Jane’s “healthy ethos” as the meals were more manageable portions and not the usual “large economy size” !
Tomorrow we have the southern part of Kentucky to explore before heading into Tennessee.
Today’s Trivia – The first American performance of a Beethoven symphony was in Lexington in 1817 !