Kentucky

We finally dragged ourselves away from Raccoon Valley SKP Park this morning. It was nice sitting still and just being for awhile but we have places to go and things to do–mostly reading the signs along the interstate freeways for the next few days and amusing myself, and hopefully you, with my interpretations of them.

The first one was one of those “Pass it on” ones. You know the ones providing a person who represents some attribute we should all aspire to emulate. This one was a tribute to Jackie Robinson, the man who broke the color barrier in America baseball. The word they used was “character”. But the phrase they chose to go with it irritated the heck out of me. It said, “Here’s to you, Mr. Robinson.” Anyone who has ever seen the movie “The Graduate” knows the Mrs Robinson referred to in the song that starts with those words was not someone to emulate. I wonder who on earth chose those words to put on this billboard and why they did it?

I saw a car with two kayaks on top of it. I think of kayak people as being those who love to get away from it all in the peace and quiet of the backwaters of the country. But they were also towing a jet ski. What kind of people does that make them? Hopefully not ones who go out to the peaceful places then turn on that thing spoiling it for the rest of us.

We stopped at the Kentucky Welcome Center, of course, to pick up another state map. We are getting quite a collection of them. Dave looked at that map and started talking about taking a different route. Remember that we are already on a different route from the one I originally researched? So, I researched this second one? Now he’s talking about a third route. I know we write our plans in chalk but, c’mon. So I looked at the map and discovered he’s just talking about a different route to the same campground I was hoping to stay at tonight. OK, I can handle that.

As we were leaving the Welcome Center I saw a sign that said, “Drive smart.” Define smart. People who weave in and out of traffic so they can arrive someplace 60 seconds sooner think they are driving smart. I prefer the bumper sticker I once saw that says, “Drive friendly.” That make so much more sense to me.

We went by a sign advertising Colonel Sander’s Cafe’ the birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Eleven secret herbs and spices. They seem to me to be putting more pepper in than they used to do. I wonder if someone has been messing with the Colonel’s secret recipe?

I saw a truck driver who has apparently had his limit of tailgaters. His sign said, “Push, pass, or get off my a**.”

In the town of Mount Vernon, Kentucky, where we stopped for lunch we were reminded that today is Sunday. I haven’t see that many church clothes in years. I felt like I’d been transported back to the 50s except back then we didn’t go out to Sunday dinner; we went home and read the funnies while Mom finished fixing our big meal. I know I dressed up for church for many years after that but I don’t remember many members of my church in Plymouth, Minnesota, dressing up quite that much. Many churches, like much of life, have become much more casual. Or at least at some of their services they have. We even had an usher who wears jeans to church. That would NEVER have happened back in the 50s!

Anyway, we drove through the town of Mount Vernon as we decided where to eat. After the meal, Dave once again began talking about what route to take out of there.  Should we take the scenic route or the fast route?  The scenic route would take us through lots of small towns like the one we’d just driven through with it’s narrow, twisty streets and low hanging trees. According to our GPS the scenic route is ten miles shorter but will take 30 minutes longer. Of course, in Kentucky so far the freeway had been as scenic as any other road. So, we might as well stay on the freeway. OK.

The sign said, “Born and Bred in Kentucky.” That phrase has always bothered me. Don’t you have to be bred before you can be born? When they speak of breeding stock they aren’t talking about how they raise them, are they?

An Allied Van Lines truck passed us with stuff strapped to the back of it. Oops?

Signs directed us to the “Kentucky Bourbon Trail.” Apparently it takes you to the most famous distilleries. Put that together will all the churches and religious billboards I’ve been seeing and it seems this is a state where God does not disapprove of strong drink.

The road sign sign said, “Move damaged vehicles to shoulder if no injuries.” So if you move the vehicle before realizing you are injured can the insurance company use that to deny your claim?

When we stopped at a Flying J to get diesel we decided to get on their scale to see if we could document the weight we may have lost when we replaced our sofa bed with my new memory foam bed. Nope. Still 130 pounds over weight. I wonder if I shouldn’t publish that in case my insurance company should ever decide to use it to deny a claim?

We are now in Lake Shelby campground in Shelbyville, Kentucky. This is a popular park for sports and parties but there’s only one other RV here. We have water and electricity for $12. And all the entertainment we could ever want being provided by the birthday party in the shelter near us. I’m guessing the birthday celebrant is a preschooler judging by the number of infants and toddlers in attendance. This is an entire family event, though, and people keep arriving even though the meal part of the party was more than an hour ago. I suspect it will go on until the kids get too fussy to stay unless they just go to sleep while the adults continue visiting. I remember doing that as a child.

Lake Shelby is also a popular fishing spot.There is a boat ramp at the end of our parking lot. And several people lined up on the bank with their poles in the water. Three boys just came in carrying paddles and life jackets. They must have been out for awhile because they are now trying to drown themselves in the drinking fountain. I’ve never been one to fish but I’ve come in from canoe trips being that thirsty so I can relate.

One of our favorite places to canoe was Minnehaha Creek in the Twin Cites. Once you got down on the creek you’d never know you were in a major metropolitan area. Until you came to the DQ’s canoe landing. Smart people the DQ owners.

TTYL,

Linda