Highlights from Five Months on the Road

February 29, 2024 / marniesteve / Leave a comment

We are about to arrive home after a five month road trip that has taken us over 10,000 miles through 14 states. There have been highs and some lows (thanks, COVID), and we continue to focus on the highs and the tremendous opportunity we have to explore our country while towing our home behind us.

Camping in Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Canyon, Texas

When we travel towards home, we always reflect on our journey and discuss our personal highlights. Here’s what we came up with this time around. Details about each can be found in earlier blog posts and we’ve linked to those where possible.

Marnie’s highlights

Kentucky’s Horse Experiences – From a semi-private, backstretch tour of Churchill Downs to meeting some of the world’s most famous (and expensive) stallions at Claiborne Farms, our time in and around Louisville and Lexington was unforgettable.

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta – Attending the world famous event is a bucket list experience for most RVers. From early morning launches of hundreds of balloons to evening glows, we took it all in from every angle.

Taylor Swift’s Era’s Tour Movie with Brynn and other kid activities – Spending time with our nieces and nephews is always fun. We went to soccer games, basketball games, tumbling practice, to the golf course, Top Golf, and the shopping mall. Thanks to Lydia, Nate, Brynn, and Hudson for letting us hang out! The most memorable for me was seeing Taylor Swift’s concert movie with Brynn and sharing the excitement with her.

Steve’s highlights

Kayaking Fishing in the Florida Keys – Most mornings while we were in the Keys, Steve took his fishing kayak out around the bridges of the Overseas Highway. On most mornings he’d snag (and release) at least a dozen or more fish. Being on the open water, under the sunshine is a paradise for him.

Completing Four More Marathons – Races often determine our itinerary. This year we spent the fall passing through Indianapolis, Louisville, Huntsville, and Jackson to explore each city and for Steve to run 26.2 miles. Including this trip’s races he has now completed a marathon in 34 states and 44 total marathons. Races are always a highlight!

Bourbon Tasting – The first thing we did when we got into Kentucky was to buy the Bourbon Trail Passport book and begin to check the distilleries off page by page. We visited 15 distilleries and tasted at least four bourbons at each facility. You do the math. Steve says his favorite bourbon is the one in his hand!

A five-month trip, of course, has many memorable moments. The big events and the little moments all make this lifestyle so rewarding. Between seeing great RV friends in Tampa, discovering wonderful restaurants in the Keys, watching sunset over Mobile Bay, and visiting with family, this has been a great journey.

We’ve been RVing almost full time for almost four years. A lot people ask us about the details of our travels. Just for fun, here are some stats about this winter’s cross-country adventure.

Nights in the RV: 153

Nights parked in the family’s driveways: 10 (thanks Brian, Heidi, Gary, and Kristy!)

Number of KOA campgrounds visited: 6
(Grants, NM; Nashville, TN; Orlando, FL; Sugarloaf Key, FL; St. Petersburg/Madiera Beach, FL; Shreveport/Bossier City, LA)

Number of Harvest Host overnights: 6
(Fireside Winery, Marengo, IA; Epiphany Farms, Downs, IL; Corbin Farms Winery, Calera, AL; Lane Southern Orchards, Fort Valley, GA, NRS Ranch, Decatur, TX; Sierra Blanca Brewing Co., Moriarity, NM)

Nights camping on a landfill: 7 (during the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta)

Number of state parks visited: 10
(My Old Kentucky Home, Bardstown, KY; Gulf State Park, Gulf Shores, AL; Paynes Prairie Preserve, Micanopy, FL; Jonathan Dickinson, Jupiter, FL; John Pennekamp Coral Reef, Key Largo, FL; Little Manatee River, Wimauma, FL; Fort Desoto, Tierra Verde, FL; Meaher, Mobile, AL; Palo Duro Canyon, Canyon, TX; Homolovi, Winslow, AZ)

Number of books read by Marnie: 24 (favorite titles include Between Two Kingdoms by Sulieka Jaouad, Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult, Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe, America’s First Daughter by Stephanie Dray, and Horse by Geraldine Brooks)

The first photo in this post is from our stop at Palo Duro Canyon, where we stopped on our way home. Here’s roughly the same photo from the next morning. We experienced ash and smoke in Amarillo two days ago from the massive Texas fires. Now it’s snowing just 30 miles south of Amarillo. RV travel never ceases to surprie!

We’ll be at home in Arizona for awhile to repair, refresh, and renew ourselves and the RV. Stay tuned as we have some pretty incredible travel plans ahead.

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!

Marnie and Steve Travel

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Louisville

Highlights from Five Months on the Road

Childhood Memories Ignited in Louisville

Bardstown, Kentucky: Let the Bourbon Trail Begin!