Louisville: Gems Along the Ohio River

After spending the last few months in familiar territory with family and friends, we are venturing out on our own once again. Our first new area of exploration: Louisville, Kentucky where gems along the Ohio River consist of more than just horse racing and bourbon.

We stayed on the Indiana side of the river at Charlestown State Park. Located fourteen miles from Louisville, it provided large full hookup sites, wooded hiking trails, easy access to the river, and a gem of a historical site.

The only glitch was that when coming from the north on I-65, Google Maps gave us the shortest but not necessarily the most RV-friendly route.  We were directed to take Hwy 160 into Charlestown. This route ended up being scenic, but also a tad bit narrow and twisty ... a true test of the agility of the Wildebeest and the steering skills of her pilot. Sometimes, Google Maps just doesn't understand the pressure that this co-pilot is under to "nag-igate" the best route.

But all ended well, and we set out to explore our new surroundings.

A short hike from the campground and over Fourteen Mile Creek bridge lead us onto Rose Island. This abandoned amusement park is being preserved by the state park. Rose Island was a popular summer vacation destination for the citizens of Louisville in the early 1900s.

The grounds contained all the luxuries for a summer holiday including a hotel, cottages, dancehall, dining hall, zoo, roller coaster, ferris wheel, and swimming pool.

The people of Louisville and along the river would pay 25 cents to come by steamboat or cross a footbridge to enjoy the recreational area that was developed in 1923 by businessman David Rose. The park entertained 135,000 people a year until it was destroyed by the great flood of 1937 and abandoned. Over the years, the land has returned to a more natural state, but hints of its former life still remain. As we joined the park ranger for a walk around the abandoned playground, she pointed out remnants and shared stories of days gone by.

The purpose of some of the remains are obvious like the ...

swimming pool,

picnic tables,

archways leading across the park,

and the three pillars along the river entrance ...

... that held a placard similar to this to
welcome guests to this summer playground.

To figure out the purpose of some of the other structures, the park service relied on old photos and memories of past guests.

Located by the pool, they believe that
this was a bathing suit rental stand.

And because of its central location,
this is believed to have been a water fountain that
doubled as a home for the baby allegators
that Mr. Rose brought from Florida every summer.

The purpose of some structures, however, remains unknown. We had fun speculating what this concrete trough-shaped structure was used for ... Any guesses?

The best theory is that it was a large ice water holder providing cool water for the visitors when they arrived at the park. Many Rose Island guests believed that it contained fresh water pumped up from an underground stream. But, in reality, there is no holes in the bottom of the concrete holder or underground stream in this location. Thus, the current theory is that Mr Rose, who had an ice making machine on the property, would have his employees fill the trough with ice water every day. Not sure that I would want to drink the water that sat in a dirty concrete container for long periods of time.

Most certainly, a walk through the Rose Island of yesteryear was a fun way to combine a history lesson with a walk in the park!

On the weekend we headed to Louisville to explore the river city. We figured out that we could avoid paying the toll bridge and parking costs in Louisville by just parking in Jeffersonville, Indiana and biking across the Ohio River on the Big Four Pedestrian Bridge. While we did not put on our derby attire and head to Churchill Downs, we did enjoy biking along the river and through the neighborhoods of Louisville to discover ...

scenic bike paths that lined both sides of the river,

majestic mansions in the
Old Louisville neighborhood, 

along with fancy neighborhood fountains,

and a "Cheers" style pub where
everybody knows your name.

And while Louisville is known for their bourbon, we are not so much into that ... maybe someday we will expand our horizons. But for now we were happy to discover a gem of brewery just across the river in New Albany, Indiana. 

Floyd County Brewing Company sported a Medieval Pub theme and delivered top-notch ales, fish n chips, bread pudding, and ...

... that long awaited coaster from an Indiana brewery!

The perfect combination to fuel our journey back ... and get us excited for more gems to discover as we continue RVentures south to Nashville.

We have our tickets for the Grand Ole Opry but would appreciate any suggestions on what else to see and do in Nashville ... music, food, brews, another state capitol building??!!

Until next time ... continue to appreciate the gems around you ... and enjoy the adventures in your life!

Michigan Maintenance and Meanderings

When we bought the Wildebeest three years ago, we got a fourteen year old rig that seemed to run OK ... but gave Doug a few repair "challenges." I continue to be amazed and grateful for his "fix-it" talents as he repaired the water heater, furnace, leveling jacks, interior lighting, and window leaks ... to name a few.

But he decided that his super-powers do not extend to the chassis of our 40 foot diesel pusher ... that is, the framework which our RV home is built on. Since we would rather not discover a problem with the cooling system or air brakes while driving down the road, Doug decided it was time to check in with Spartan Motors, the original manufacturer of our chassis.  

Located in Charlotte, Michigan, the facility has it own parking lot "campground" where we hung out for a few days with rigs much more elite than ours. Since it could take two ... or in our case ... three days to do the "routine" maintenance and fix any problems that they discover, we had plenty of time during the day to explore ... so let the Michigan meanderings begin!

Biking around Lansing, Michigan

Spartan Motors is appropriately named as it is just down the road from the Spartan territory of Lansing, Michigan. The Lansing River Trail runs along the Grand River making it easy and enjoyable to meander by many of Lansing's sites like Old Town, Potter Park Zoo,

the Michigan State Capitol building,

and the beautiful campus of Michigan State University including the Spartan Stadium and the Spartan Dairy Store.

Not sure about the green Spartan Sesquicentennial Swirl ice cream choice ... 

... but then again, can it be any worse than their rival University of Michigan's Blue Moon?

Back at Spartan Motors, we found out that this was going to take a little longer and be a little more expensive than just "routine" maintenance. Ugg ... glad we discovered on our evening walk that Charlotte Brewing Company currently had not one, not two, but seven IPAs on tap as we were going to be hanging around this cute town a little longer than originally planned. 

Biking Around Battle Creek, Michigan

Exploring Battle Creek, home of the Kellogg Cereal Company, kept us busy during day two of repairs. From the moment we got out of the car, the heavenly aroma of Rice Krispies greeted our olfactory senses. We hopped on the Battle Creek Linear Park bike path that meanders around the city and along the Kalamazoo River.

I loved the fact that we could get a little history of the city as well as enjoy beautiful flowers along the way. Monuments in the city park commemorated Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad's role in city history,

as well as Sojourner Truth's influence on Battle Creek and our nation.

Bell's Brewery Tour

As our repairs extended into the third day, our meanderings progressed to Comstock, Michigan, the "home" of two of Doug's favorite IPAs ... Bell's Two Hearted and Hopslam. Our tour guide, Joe, was happy to show us the magic that transforms water, malt, yeast, and hops into Bell's finest ales ... as well as add to Doug's coaster collection!

Time to "Pay Up" In Order to Continue our RV Meanderings

Our technician, Kyler worked through some long hot days to get the Wildebeest's repairs done by the weekend. The air system, transmission, and brake repairs, steering adjustments and new radiator are definitely giving us a smoother ride down the road. But as you can imagine ... three days in the repair shop as well as the miscellaneous new hoses, valves and motors can not be cheap.

Let's just say that I am very glad that Doug sets aside a portion of our budget for future RV repairs. Buying an older RV may initially cost a lot less than buying new, but things will wear out over time and need repairs in order to keep running smoothly. 

We are grateful that we took the time and spent the money to keep the Wildebeest humming happily so that we could continue our meanderings south ... to Elkhart, Indiana. We enjoyed "camping" in the backyard of Doug's sister and family and hanging out with their cute shih-poo, Penny.

Don't you think that Penny would like to become an RV dog?

Until next time ... meander with those you love ... and enjoy the adventures in your life!

Penny is looking a little sad
that we can't take her along as we
head south to Louisville!

A Journey is Best Measured In Family and Friends

On Labor Day weekend, we crossed the Mackinac Bridge to the lower peninsula of Michigan. We only had to pay the "troll" $14 to get permission for the Wildebeest to cross. Thus began a two week journey that included family, friends, history, and a wedding. This quality time reinforced to us that ...

Our journey is best measured in family and friends!

Our initial stop was the home of Doug's brother and sister-in-law in Flint, Michigan. Our first "driveway camping" experience included 50 amp power, water hook-up, hot tub and a delicious bacon and eggs breakfast ... we were spoiled! We then traveled a few miles down to road to spend a relaxing Labor Day weekend with the rest of Doug's family at Leisure Lake.

Our biggest draw ... the beautiful smile and delightful personality of our grand-niece, Noelle.

Of course, the precious smile of our 97 years young friend, Odile, comes in a close second!

Our journey with family is best measured in all the giggles that fill our days!

After the holiday weekend, we left our beloved Wildebeest in the care of Doug's family and took a "Honda CRVenture" to Virginia. We definitely are not used to driving in a car for 10+ hours or passing through five states in one day, so we were happy to finally arrive that evening at the northern Virginia home of good friends, Jill, Dick and Jenna.

How wonderful to reconnect with dear friends and be spoiled by a "huge" guest suite, delicious meals, and elegant surroundings ... including the artwork of Jenna. Jill assured me that they have enough room to park the Wildebeest when a future trek brings us back to the east coast. Putting that on the RVentures bucket list!

One of Jenna's magnificent creations

Our journey with friends is best measured in all the "comforts of home" kindness that surrounds us!

We were able to easily launch our Washington, DC explorations from their home. It was about a forty minute (in good traffic conditions) drive to the Vienna, Virginia metro station that transported us right into the heart of the Washington DC tourist district.

The rain that fell on the our first day in DC proved to be just a minor annoyance,

... as there were no crowds as we walked along the National Mall and through the Smithsonian museums.

Look at that!
A crock pot and cookbook just like my mom
bought in the 1970's is on display at the
American History Museum!
And is that her Corningware casserole also??!!

is

No one was around to "photo bomb" our selfies,

... and Abe didn't seem to mind Doug sneaking a kiss in front of him!

The sun shone bright the next day as we explored Smithsonian's newest museum ... the Museum of African American History and Culture. We did not realize that you need to secure the free tickets on-line ahead of time, so we almost didn't get in. But because we arrived before the afternoon crowds, the lady at the entrance graciously allowed us in. From displays depicting the beginning with the slave trade to the accomplishments of African Americans today, this newest museum is definitely a must-see!

Afterwards, we enjoyed looking at the historic architecture of all the buildings that surrounded us as we walked through the DC downtown area on our way to lunch at the Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant. 

Oh, happy day! Doug snagged a Washington DC beer coaster as we refueled with tacos and beer.

Around the block was Ford's Theater which we explored after lunch. The theater is still in use, and they recently remodeled the museum. Doug, who normally doesn't get really excited about history museums, had to admit that Ford's Theater definitely held his interest. I never tire from the feeling that I experience when I have the privilege of visiting a place as special as this.

Back on the National Mall, I added to my "capitols" pictures with the Mother of all Capitol buildings! We also walked through the National Archives and the National Gallery.

By this time, Doug needed a "time out" to rest up
as I absorbed all the magnificent US history reflected
in the paintings and sculptures at the National Gallery.

Our journey through history is best measured in the amazing sites that surround us!

The next day we continued our journey to Richmond, Virginia where we gathered with family to celebrate the wedding of my niece Alyssa and Logan.

We celebrated new beginnings ...

time with our sons ...

an opportunity to reunite with siblings ...

and the joys of seeing nieces and nephews grow into amazing young adults!

Our journey with family is best measured in the smiles and hugs that surround us!

Two more state capitol buildings ...

Richmond, Virginia

and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

... were on our trek back to Michigan, as well as the sacred battlefield of Gettysburg.

Our three hour tour was just enough to get a "first taste" and realize that we (meaning Chris, the history geek) need to add this to our future RVentures route. At the visitor's center, we viewed the film "A New Birth of Freedom", admired the Gettysburg Cyclorama (a 377 ft circular painting of the battle) and walked through the museum.

After a delicious lunch and IPA at Appalachian Brewing Company (yes, Doug, there are sometimes "treasures" hidden among the historical sites), we walked around the Soldier's National Cemetery, site of Abraham Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address.

Our journey through trials and triumphs is best measured in the hope for peace that our country continues to work for.

We made it safely back to Michigan, and joined Doug's parents for a few days at Leisure Lake, the RV park where they spend their summers.

I enjoyed taking over their kitchen and creating a scrumptious dessert with their overly abundant supply of fresh raspberries. It was so good, that I have to share it on my RV Recipes page.

"Bella" tries to convince Doug to share
some of the good food!

Doug had a few RV repairs on his docket which included the successful repair of our main furnace. Unfortunately, during this process, he took off his wedding ring and somehow misplaced it (which is why you see the metal detector leaning against the pole in the foreground). 

Unfortunately, it has not shown up yet, but we both continue to realize that ...

Our journey is best measured in the golden treasure of time spent with our family and friends!

Including all those awkward and fun family photos!

Until next time ... treasure your journeys with family and friends ... and enjoy the adventures in your life!

My sister and brother-in-law enjoying the view of the
James River during one early morning walk in Virginia.