Sweet Somewhere Bound

Bruises and boots that had to
be disinfected after
the "wild cave" tour!

The solo portion of my trip got off to fantastic start at Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky!  I signed up for the “wild cave” tour hoping for a little adventure.  Well, I got huge, major adventure!  The tour began by getting taken to the dorm to get suited up with coveralls, knee pads, gloves, and helmets with headlamps!  Then, after a short walk through a part of the cave that is prepared for the average visitor, we crawled through a long passage way.  At that point we got to a nook where we introduced ourselves and learned the rules, and then the real adventure began!  We slithered our way through tiny passageways (bare spot, birth canal, and poop chute to name a few), climbed up ledges, straddled canyons, and crawled through Dave’s lake!  It was by far the most incredible experience I’ve ever had!  The cave was breathtakingly beautiful!  I feel so privileged to have been able to see some of the more remote treasure hidden within the cave!  While, I wasn’t able to take any pictures due to the fact I was busy squeezing myself through tiny passageways and crawling through water, I know that I will never forget Mammoth Cave!!!! 

Funny ferry crossing the
Green River in
Mammoth Cave National Park

After my day of spelunking, I drove down to Barren River Lake State Park for the evening with the idea of heading to the eastern portion of Kentucky in the morning.  However, when I got in the car in the morning, Mammoth Cave National Park was calling my name, so I went back.  I asked a ranger for hiking recommendations, and he just looked at me and said, “It’s hot.  Why would you want to hike?”  I took that as a sign to find another ranger.  I had better luck with my next encounter and headed out into the woods.  First I went to see a spot where one of the underground rivers comes above ground for just a little while.  It may have been the river I had to be careful not to step in the day before!  Then, I headed over the Green River on the funniest ferry ever!  I wouldn’t call it a ferry as much as a tiny piece of road that they drive across the river!  Then I got to see a ton of rural Kentucky countryside as a result of not being able to read a map and drive at the same time!  It was very scenic and good practice for driving on country roads!  I eventually made it to the First Creek Trail and was able to hike for a couple hours.  

Camp site in Grove Rec Area
in Daniel Boone
National Forest

After my adventures in Mammoth Cave (and taking another ride on the funny ferry) I headed east across the southern part of the state.  Kentucky is so green and rolling and beautiful!!!  I especially enjoyed driving through Daniel Boone National Forest!  Eventually, I thought to myself, I bet driving on these roads will be less fun in the dark, so I started to make my way to the campground I had selected for the evening.  Well, it turns out that driving on those roads in the dark during a torrential thunderstorm is TERRIFYING!  I made it though, and thank goodness that I only had the nerve to drive five miles per hour in the rain because by the time I set up my tent it was only drizzling! 

Driving on 64E from
Kentucky to West Virginia

The next morning I headed to Natural Bridge State Park via the tiniest county roads ever!  The sights were spectacular, and I was impressed with how well I handled the driving conditions, but I think a few Kentucky residents were less than thrilled with my decision to take the scenic route!  I got within a few miles of Natural Bridge State Park, but never made it there because the road was blocked a mile from the entrance and there was not a clear detour.  I took it as a sign that I should head to West Virginia.  The drive on 64E was stunning!  Coming from the totally flat land of Lincoln really makes you appreciate mountains!!!!  I got a good tip from the West Virginia welcome center lady and spent the night in Watoga State Park.    

Eating cherry cobbler
 in the park of the
coolest small town
in America!

Today has been slightly more mundane.  It started by heading to check out the laundry facilities.  Some ladies had beaten me there, so I took a mile long hike to a scenic outlook.  When West Virginian literature tells you it’s a very steep climb, believe it!!!  I made it though, and it was well worth the climb!  I had a chance to see several of the farms and houses I had driven past the day before and many misty mountains in the background!  After a much quicker trip down the trail, I got the aforementioned laundry done and headed to Lewisburg, WV, where I am now.  Lewisburg was voted the coolest small town in the USA this year, so I felt like it was worth checking out.  Well, after wandering around for a while and eating some homemade cherry cobbler with ice cream in the park, I must agree.  It is pretty cool!  It has a play fountain, that you are encouraged to play in (as long as you follow a rather lengthy list of rules), the oldest church in continuous use west of the Alleghenies, and a very cute downtown full of character (and characters)!  

I’m not quite sure where I’m headed from here, but it’s rather thrilling to sit down with the atlas in the evening after a day of adventuring and plot potential adventures for the days to come!  What I know is, “I’m standing right where I belong”(~Sweet Somewhere Bound by Jackie Greene). . .and that my life at this moment is pretty well summed up by this song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE65-cQytTE   

The Trip Has Begun!!!

What I first believed to be a mini trip while I waited until I was able to start the real one has turned into the beginning of the real one!  As has been the theme of my life as of late, things are not going how I planned them to, or how I expected them to.  While I expected to start my trip by heading west, it turns out that apparently, I was meant to head east first.  It’s been so wonderful to visit with friends and see sights that I would have missed if things had gone according to my original plan!

Todd and Rosie by the fire

I started my adventure with a trip to McHenry, IL to visit Todd and Rosie (college friends).  Again, things didn’t go according to the original plan because the power was out.  Luckily there were branches that needed to be burned and marshmallows that needed roasting! 

somehow the amount of blue in
 this sign is ruining the integrity
of Aaron and Beth’s neighborhood

The next leg of the journey took me through Indiana, where I saw a huge billboard that informed me that “hell is real” (but failed to give me any follow up information . . . how do I avoid it, how do I know if I’m going, what is it like, etc.) and a man driving his car while he had his entire head out of his window (much like a dog) . . . WHILE DRIVING!!!!  After I made it through the strange land that is Indiana, I arrived in Columbus, Ohio.  It was lovely to spend time with Beth (my college roommate) and Aaron (friend since first day of college) and see their Ohio home (which is totally beautiful)!  Eating ice cream sold by weight, touring THE Ohio State University, and eating Peruvian chicken and French fries with hot dogs and tons of sauce on them was fantastic too!

My view during dinner

My beautiful new tent!
(Thanks Mom and Dad!)

After leaving Columbus, I drove down to Shawnee State Park in West Portsmouth, OH.  I found a delightful campsite that was situated up in the woods, and slightly away from the road.  I set up my tent for the first time and ate dinner by the river.  I woke up early the next morning and went for a hike.  It was so nice to have the woods to myself.  It also saved me the embarrassment of having anyone else see how winded I got on the rather steep inclines! (I’ve clearly spend too much time in Chicago, where the only change in elevation is a bridge!)  There were also many flowers, birds, streams, and even mushrooms that looked like pancakes! 

Crossing the Ohio River into Kentucky

  After leaving Shawnee State Park, and ensuring Devin that I had not been eaten by a wild animal, I drove along the Ohio River.  While I did not stick my whole head out the window (as they apparently do in Indiana) I did steal many a glance at the gorgeous farms along the river!  I crossed into Kentucky at Maysville to visit the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center.  I have very talented relatives that have many miniature pieces displayed there!  The miniature collection was very impressive!  It’s amazing that people can make such tiny and detailed replicas of things that are impressive in full scale!  It’s certainly worth checking out (especially those Ashby Jedd models). 

The couch

Devin cutting meat and
cheese for lunch in
Hoosier National Forest

Next I arrived in Louisville to visit Devin (friend I met at PACTT) in his fancy new apartment.  It was quickly revealed that before we went to Lebowski fest, we would first be moving a couch . . . not just any couch. . . a sleeper sofa.  Luckily it was a love seat, not a full sized couch, so we were able to get it upstairs by ourselves!  We were rewarded for our manual labor by learning about a fabulous band called the Seedy Seeds at the fest.  The next day we went for a hike in Hooshier National Forest just over the river in Indiana.  After we made it up the “steep grade” we had fun climbing in cave like structures and eating lunch on the edge of a cliff like structure.   Devin was kind enough to let my Louisville visit extend another night when I found out that all the campsites at Mammoth Cave National Park were accounted for.  Another unexpected twist of fate that worked out perfectly!  It turns out that I will be able to extend this leg of the trip for a few more weeks, so it was wonderful to have access to the internet to help me plan the next few days of adventures!  Plus, it was fun to listen to the Seedy Seeds and hangout with “The Dog”!