72 Winding Roads

Note to self:  If it takes more than one post to tell a days story you are not going to catch up on your blog!
Dec 4th continued.   You need to understand the shortest way is not the quickest route.  It is the most scenic and interesting.  We arrived at Buzzards Roost, It over looks a bend in the Ohio river with Kentucky sprawled below us.   It was a beautiful fall day and we were taking pictures and enjoying the view.  A couple pulled up in a black SUV and started visiting about our rig and where we were headed.  Since I didn't know them I thought it would be better if I didn't just point South East like I do with my friends.   ""Bedford Kentucky". The man "Bedford Kentucky? 

From Buzzards Roost

Why Bedford, there isn't anything there."  I tried to explain that it was just a destination, we didn't need a reason, we were just wandering.  "But why Bedford, I could see if you were going to Louisville or someplace like that.". His wife tried to help, they really don't care what's in Bedford honey.  They are just traveling through the area.  "Yes I understand, but why Bedford?  (Next time I'm just going to point and pretend I'm mute.).    I have had time to think about it and may try this next time.  Why Bedford?  "We pick a point on the map at a latitude that we would like to stay near, in this case to avoid cold weather.  Key it into our GPS, choose shortest distance and head in that general direction.  If we hear of something to see or do we will veer off the path and let Miss Garmin bring us back to that point."   I will let you know if this explanation works.

Not designed for three wheels!

     We spent the rest of the day just wandering, crossed the Ohio river at Louisville and stopped for the evening near Pendleton Kentucky.
 Map of trip to date.   You will see the route player do a little hiccup in Illinois, that's where I was helping the highway dept. picking up trash.  On some future trip I would like to travel both sides of the Ohio river the view is amazing.
    The next morning we headed out and achieved our destination, didn't really have to go thru it but now it was a personal thing.   We always enjoy the beautiful groomed pastures and fences of Kentucky. 

 Our habit (Okay fine, my habit) of trying to find remote scenic roads by setting the GPS on shortest route and then veering off the main roads so it has to locate a path thru on not normally charted roads. I noticed at times that major roads and interstates were with in screen shot, as we made our way from the Louisville area across North Eastern Kentucky. It made me aware that those traveling the fairly straight groomed freeway above us probably had no idea of the life that lived along this path that followed the same route used by the original settlers that carved a living from this land. From those that moved from one area to another on


Wish they had been working the thoroughbreds this morning.

Proof!

foot, horse and oxen and eventually some form of motorized vehicle they had chosen a path that wove it's way around obstructions and danger until it became a road. Well we were now on it, those above had no idea of some of the quaint scenes and people that existed below. They were more content to speed along and get to their destination with an occasional glimpse of the landscape. Kind of like a Readers Digest view of America. We (fine, I ) chose to see as much as we could. Many times the road was void of a safety shoulder, painted lines and yes sometimes even a hardened service. It was at these times I heard the familiar voice "Where have you gotten us to now?" Several times we were with in sight of the Ohio river to the North. We knew that Indiana was across the river and eventually would be replaced by Ohio. We ended up in Maysville Kentucky, and so we asked "what is interesting
here?" George Clooney was born here.". However we didn't see any of the Clooney's matter of fact Wiki lists Maysville as the birth place of his Aunt Rosemary but not George.  Ohio is now just across the river to the North.

Tobacco hanging in the barn.

      We crossed into West Virginia and stopped at the welcome station to get some information and take some pictures. The staff was intrigued by our mode of travel and asked where we were going. " That way" pointing in what I hoped was a South Easterly direction. They were very helpful and gave us a couple of suggested destinations. We put them into our GPS and headed on our way.
     Not knowing when we would be near a large city again I plugged  a Best Buy electronics store just outside of Charleston West Virginia into our route.  I knew this would not make Ruthie very happy as it was one of her least favorite stores. Maybe today would be different. The battery on her camera was exhausted,( at least that's what the screen said.) no wonder, she has shot over 200 pictures in 3 days.  I thought I would kill two birds with one stone. (wonder where that phrase comes from?)


At least one State welcome sign,
Wild and wonderful sounds like our kind of place!

Best Buy:   After going thru a small chain of employees we gained permission to plug in our camera charger while we shopped. I can see Ruthie's opinion not changing soon. Having changed from the large laptop I carried on last years trip to a ten inch tablet their were some accessories I wanted to purchase for it. The first sales person seemed content to clean screens while avoiding eye contact.  (must have trained horses at one time, I figure.)   I went back to the entry, and asked a yellow shirted host how to get some assistance finding the products. He said he would call some one.   ( I assumed he meant within the store.)  
I hung around the area where my product was locked in a glass container.  Their was a large man waiting in the same area, we joked about the blue shirted employees wandering around, must be specialized training in areas other than what we wanted. I asked yellow shirt again. Our target salesman was helping another customer. I knew large gentleman was first and besides he had the weight advantage After a while it was my turn.  He would have to go to the back to check stock.  I waited some more, he must have went on

break?  Mr. large gentleman seen me and said "any luck yet?"  Then he pointed across the isle.  My designated salesman seemed to be talking with screen cleaner. By this time Ruthie had found some chairs by the front door. My blue shirt went to the back to check stock on my products. I waited where he left me trying to avoid Ruthie's stare, I knew what she was thinking.( I told you so!) I finally got impatient and went looking for blue shirt. He had just walked away from the large gentleman, kidding I asked what he was doing stealing my salesmen ( I felt like we knew each other pretty well by now.) After a very long time I had made my purchases, educated the salesman on some of his products, then tried to get

some ones attention at the service desk to get my charged camera back ( finally leaned across the desk and unplugged it myself, figured if they thought I was trying to steal it they could help me, no such luck.) and then a few minutes at the door where Ruthie spent some time in discussion with yellow shirt after he made the mistake of asking about our shopping experience. (I think we can kiss a sponsorship from them goodbye.  Maybe a secret shopper position is available?)
     Back on the trike we veered off the freeway again. Wonderful scenic roads. Our friend Tom warned us that their was a band of heavy rain storms extending from Canada to Louisiana, "you can't avoid them, they will catch you." With that in mind we decided we would try and stay in doors for a couple of days.
     Hawks Nest state park, wonder if they have lodging?