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!

Two Weeks, Two Marathons

July 2, 2023 / marniesteve / Leave a comment

Our travels through the upper Midwest continue and Steve keeps racking up the races. During the past two weeks he’s finished two more marathons in his 29th and 30th states, and they couldn’t have been different experiences.

First we rolled into Duluth, Minnesota to participate in the highly-acclaimed Grandma’s Marathon. This race is arguably one of the city’s biggest events with over 9,000 runners in the marathon, and we were in the middle of it all. We snagged a camping spot in the parking lot of the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. Arriving early allowed us park with electrical hookups right on the race course and within walking distance of all of the festivities. The parking lot was quite a party on race weekend!

We were also within a short walk of packet pickup and the expo and just across the street from live music at the lake on Friday night and all day Saturday. Steve took a train from our doorstep right to the start line and finished the 26.2 mile race less than 1/2 mile from our camper’s door. And he finished with a smile on his face in just over four hours! All in all a great weekend.

While hanging out in Duluth we also made the drive up Minnesota’s North Shore. Along the shores of beautiful Lake Superior the drive goes all the way to the Canadian border in about 150 miles.

We just went about 50 miles north and were still able to enjoy some of the highlights including the freighter docks in Two Harbors, Split Rock Lighthouse, and Gooseberry Falls. Steve had seen these attractions when he was a boy and enjoyed comparing this experience to his boyhood memories.

Duluth is a nice city with a beautiful waterfront that includes a lighthouse and the famed lift bridge. We spent several evenings out there watching the large ore freighters pass through the bridge and head out to other Great Lakes Ports. Even Bob and Mia enjoyed Duluth!

Race day was super fun. Lots of energy and Steve enjoyed the run along the coast of Lake Superior. There were a lot of people cheering and tons of energy along the way. Grandma’s Marathon lived up to its reputation.

We hit the road when the race was over and traveled almost 300 miles into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. We made a cool stop in between races, which will be highlighted in its own blog post, but our primary target was Gladstone, Michigan for the MISH marathon.

Yes, Steve did two 26.2 races seven days apart! There wasn’t much to Gladstone except the nice city campground and a lovely concert in the park on Thursday evening. Our main focus was the race. He and about 96 other runners took off to a gorgeous sunrise over Lake Michigan and ran along some coastline before turning inland for 13.1 miles. He made it back to the start/finish line in just over four and a half hours. I also completed the 10K race and got third place in my age group! It was a small event without much of a crowd or bells and whistles, but it was still fun to meet other runners and enjoy the beautiful weather.

We’re both ready for a little R&R, which we are already doing. No more races this summer, but certainly more adventures ahead!

First Stop: Green Bay

May 31, 2023 / marniesteve / 1 Comment

Our inaugural trip with our new truck and fifth wheel is well underway and we’ve already covered a lot of ground. From our visit with Sam in Colorado we made a beeline to Lincoln, Nebraska. In addition to being one of Steve’s favorite places, we caught a concert with one of our favorite artists, Kenny Chesney. We enjoyed a pre-show drink with our niece Elise and her boyfriend Jarrot and his family, drinks served by our other niece Hannah at the bar where she works. No photos to prove it! Kenny always puts on a great show and we enjoyed seeing him perform with Kelsea Ballerini.

The next day we headed up to Elkhorn to spend a little time with Steve’s brother and his family. We spent Mother’s Day celebrating the Moms in the family by eating some great BBQ, playing in the gym and golf simulator, and hanging out with the kids.

We wish we could do this more often! And, we even stopped off at Steve’s favorite store, Husker Hounds.

But we had to move along…to Green Bay, Wisconsin, where Steve ran a marathon in his 28th state and I did the 5K.

The highlight of this race is a run through the home of the Green Bay Packer’s, Lambeau Field. The stadium is a sight to be seen, from inside and out, and we felt lucky to have the opportunity to see if from all angles.

On the following day we took the Legendary Tour of Lambeau, which gave us access to the luxury suites, the visitor’s locker room, the press box, once again, the field. Along the way we learned about the Packer’s history and how they have survived as one of the oldest NFL teams without an owner.

They are owned by shareholders and the City of Green Bay, and because of this unique situation, the small town revolves around the beloved Packers.

We took the bikes out one morning and explored the trails along the Fox River. Interpretive signs along the way taught us about the city’s history.

We also hit up the famous Kroll’s restaurant which stands in the shadow of Lambeau Field. We were introduced to fried cheese curds and butter burgers and will now never taste anything as good (or as greasy). And, you can’t go to Green Bay without a stop at Titletown, the entertainment district adjacent to the stadium.

We left Green Bay as fans of the Packers, fans of cheese curds, and fans of Wisconsin. And our explorations here are just beginning.

Marnie and Steve Travel

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Running

Bardstown, Kentucky: Let the Bourbon Trail Begin!

Two Weeks, Two Marathons

First Stop: Green Bay