Childhood Memories Ignited in Louisville

November 5, 2023 / marniesteve / 2 Comments

Evoking childhood memories made our time in Louisville, Kentucky even more special than expected. We came for a marathon, but left with lots of warm feels.

You might not know that Steve’s dream job is to be the shortstop for the Kansas City Royals. If his dream comes true he will no doubt hit with a Louisville Slugger. The Louisville Slugger factory and museum introduced us to the process used to make the legendary bats that major leaguers since Honus Wagner have used. We learned how the wood is sourced and crafted into unique versions for big leaguers and sandlot players alike. “Meeting” baseball’s historical figures including Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson reinforced just how influential Louisville Sluggers have been to America’s national pastime.

Did you know big league hitters create a unique template for a bat that works best for them and then order that bat over and over? There are over 3,000 templates in the bat vault from which more unique bats can be designed. Holding some of the most famous major leaguers’ game-used bats left us feeling like maybe the dream is possible. For Steve, this visit was filled with nostalgia.

My childhood revolved around horses. The first Sunday in May was always spent watching the Kentucky Derby with Dad. He would talk about why certain horses looked stronger than others and why the Derby was such an important race, the first in the Triple Crown. Every year we picked our favorites and cheered them on through the television screen. Visiting Churchill Downs was nostalgic for me.

The Museum is the gateway to Derby history

We took the “Go Baby Go” tour which offered the most in depth look at Churchill Downs and its history. With our guide and just one other couple, we had full access to the barns, the backstretch, and all the areas in between the legendary twin spires. In the backstretch we watched morning workouts around the one mile track. In the barns we met the lead ponies and fed them peppermints. Our visit to the barns of some of the most famous trainers in Derby history reminded me of being in barns as a kid. The sights and smells brought it all back!

After exploring the backstretch, we returned to the grandstands where we toured many of the spectator areas, including the terraces next to the famed twin spires. Television coverage of the Run for the Roses often features shots of celebrities in these coveted seats. The views of the track from the elevated terraces are certainly spectacular.

There are many luxury seating options at Churchill Downs. Many are filled with high rollers on Derby day. One coveted area is Millionaires Row. On Derby day seating in this all-inclusive area starts at around $5,300 per person. Our tour included lunch in Millionaires Row, along with a great view of the day’s racing. Our guide even helped us place our bets. We weren’t big winners, but it was a day that brought back so many sweet memories and one I’ll never forget.

In between all the childhood reflections, we put our bikes on the trails near the RV park. We camped at North Louisville Campground, just blocks from the Ohio River. Quick, “get your blood flowing” rides were a nice way to lead up to the marathon and provided some pretty cool views over the river to the Louisville skyline. For those of you into geography, you’ll know that the campground and trails were actually in Indiana.

While in Louisville, Steve completed a marathon in his 32nd state. With an early start, just as the sun was rising, Steve took off for his 26.2 miles through the Kentucky hills. An hour later I started the 6.2 mile (10K) race. We both finished in respectable times and celebrated at the finish line with a beer and a piece of Derby pie (pecan pie with chocolate). The Louisville Marathon was a success!

While our time in Louisville is concluding, our time in Kentucky continues with more bourbon and horses. We’ll provide a full report once we’ve left the state!

Bardstown, Kentucky: Let the Bourbon Trail Begin!

November 2, 2023 / marniesteve / Leave a comment

We’ve made the long trip from the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque to the heart of Bourbon Country in Kentucky. Our exploration of all things bourbon has just begun here in Bardstown, and we’ve got quite a few stops ahead.

First, a few things to catch up on. On our way to Kentucky we made stops in Kansas City and Omaha to see family and catch one more Cornhusker game in Lincoln. Our days were filled with chilly soccer games, basketball games, birthday celebrations, shopping, a tailgate, and a fun day with the Iowa cousins surrounded by beautiful fall colors. Click the arrows on the photo below to scroll through the highlights.

Indianapolis lured us in for just a few days. Steve ran a marathon in his 31st state and I cranked out another 5K.

And then we arrived in Kentucky! Our first stop was at My Old Kentucky Home State Park where we were camped in the center of the Bourbon City, Bardstown! Heaven Hill was our first exposure to how Kentucky Bourbon is made. This sprawling facility has a great museum that features the history of bourbon.

The next morning we were up early to tour Willett where we were able to taste the mash at various stages before it begins the distilling process. Our awesome tour guide took us through the entire distilling process, offering tastes along the way. What a great way to take a tour! From there we did some shopping, checked out the fun little town of Bardstown, and then hunkered down for some cold weather overnight.

Thankfully our Grand Design Solitude is keeping us and the dogs toasty warm so that we sleep well and are up early for full days of touring.

Hadorns Bakery in downtown Bardstown is considered a must-stop. While in line at this popular bake shop, we met a very friendly man who offered to buy our yum yums (chocolate, glazed donut twists). As we chatted he shared that he spent much of September in the ICU and is now awaiting a new heart. He showed us all of his wires and ports. It was a touching moment to come across such a positive and generous soul who is spreading joy and love while himself struggling.

Our encounter at the bakery fueled us for another full day of touring. First stop was Kentucky Cooperage where we weren’t allowed to take photos inside the factory, but wow! This is where the majority of the world’s bourbon barrels are made, and we watched the craftsmen choose the white oak staves, create the barrel, char the barrel to the distillery’s specifications, and then finish the barrel with bands. The virgin barrels are used to make bourbon and then are often sent to Scotland to make scotch or to other manufacturers to make bourbon-infused coffee, rum, syrup, or other products. This tour is not to be missed!

After a stop at Limestone Branch Distillery for a quick tasting, we arrived at the beautiful property of Makers Mark. Makers Mark is the world’s oldest operating bourbon distillery and showcases its history and quality in a fun tour and tasting. We saw the stills, the rickhouses, the print shop, and lots of beautiful Chihuly glass art which adorns even the warehouses where the bourbon is aged. After the tasting we bought a bottle of Makers Mark 46, a specially aged version of the classic bourbon. Dipping the bottle in the hallmark red wax was a bonus!

We are learning about the rules of bourbon. It must be aged in a new, charred oak barrel and contain 51% corn. It cannot be distilled above 160 proof and must enter the barrel at no more than 125 proof. Bourbon bottles cannot be filled below 80 proof, with no color or flavoring added. Our goal is to become experts and we still have a lot of learning to do!

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

October 10, 2023 / marniesteve / 3 Comments

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is considered the most photographed event in the world and we now know why! Warning: Photo dump to come.

Our weeklong excursion in the heart of the Fiesta was supported by Fantasy RV Tours, which supplied our campsite in a lot within walking distance of the festivities, along with power, trash service, meals, and several additional activities. We loved having a close by home base from which to take in this massive event, along with a built in set of fellow travelers with which to enjoy every minute.

Our crew in the Fantasy RV group: Kathi, Sharon, Steve, Doug, Jacqui, Steve, and Dwight

We started this “once in a lifetime” experience with a tour of the Balloon Museum, where we learned about the sport of ballooning including its history, the mechanics of ballooning, and the details of the Fiesta.

The 51st annual Fiesta began before sunrise on Saturday morning where we joined over 100,000 others on the field for Dawn Patrol and the Mass Ascension. Before we got here we didn’t know what any of that meant, but now we do! After making it through the gates we took in the early morning drone show followed by the inflation and launch of the first dozen balloons, Dawn Patrol, who test the winds for the other balloons that will follow.

The line to enter the park on Saturday morning at 5:30 a.m.

The Mass Ascension occurs on the weekends of the eight day Fiesta and involves the inflation and launch of over 500 balloons. We were able to be on the field and up close to the balloons and their crews. We selected one balloon and watched the detailed process of setting up the balloon, inflating it, and launching it.

The Mass Ascension is an overwhelming spectacle whether you watch it from the field, from the borders of the field, or from afar. We spent Saturday morning on the grounds of the Albuquerque Balloon Park and Sunday outside the park on our bikes. Every angle is incredible!

On other days we stayed in the campground and the balloons came to us! Our accommodations in the South Lot were the perfect place to watch the balloons land and chase crews rush to provide assistance. Look how close they got to the RVs!

Evenings at the Fiesta are fun as well, with the evening glow and other activities. During the glows, the balloons do not launch, but rather inflate and then light their burners in a synchronized way. Again, we were able to get close enough to hear the burners and feel the heat. Wow!

The evening we attended the glow was special because they also launched gas balloons as part of the Gordon Bennett balloon race. These balloons run on hydrogen and are designed for long-distance flights. They come from all over the world and can travel thousands of miles. The goal is to travel further than your competitors and as I write this several days later many are still in the air on the other side of the country. Hosting the Gordon Bennett race this year was a unique feature of this year’s Fiesta.

Balloon Fiesta Park is filled with fun photo ops during this event. Besides balloons there are sky divers, drone shows, chainsaw carving, and even Darth Vader sightings.

In addition to the balloon activities, we spent a little time on our bikes exploring the miles of trails that weave through the city of Albuquerque. We also had the opportunity to connect with my cousin Jon and his wife Monja for dinner to catch up on family affairs.

And, when the balloons weren’t flying, Fantasy RV Tours took us to other fun places in ABQ like Old Town where we visited the Breaking Bad Store and Museum, among other shops! As you can see, we had perfect weather all week.

The Balloon Fiesta is all about photo ops, so we’ll finish this post with a photo dump of our favorite balloon photos and a nudge to you. If you ever have the opportunity to attend the Fiesta, jump on it!