Barren River Lake-State Park- 6/22/07 (Friday)

Hey Everyone…..

Well trying to cool off from this hot, hot day. I took a ride over to see the horses they have here at Barren River Lake State Park, for riding. They were looking as hot as me!! LOL One came over to me and was my buddy for awhile. He let me pet him and I gave him some sweet clover from my side of the fence.

Next I drove down to the lake itself. There was a lot of activity of putting in and taking out of boats. This area is greatly used by local families. Fishing is a big thing down here in Kentucky. I stayed and watched the sunset over the lake. I took a few shots to give you and idea of what I was seeing. I reflected on where I was now in my life, and where I had been. Today at 3:15 p.m. 27 years ago I had David. A definite turning point in my life. David is truly a blessing, in my life. I love him very much and am very proud of the man he has become. It’s been a wonderful 27 years together…looking forward to the many more years to come.

Well, folks I’ll be hitting the road again Sunday. I’m thinking of going to NC for a quick visit and check on my friend Big Ma….then off to TN to puppy sit for friends around the 15th of July. So until next time- Take care - With Love-Donna

SEE PICTURES IN ALBUM #87:http://picasaweb.google.com/Pandadmd5880
Tags: KY

Kentucky Down Under- 6/22/07

Hi Everyone…

It’s another hot day in Kentucky. Today (Friday- June 22nd) I headed out to visit a nearby park called “Kentucky Down Under”. They advertise animals and the atmosphere from Australia. It was a small, quaint park. It had both domestic and wildlife from Down Under. There was a reptile house, dingo, birds, barn animals, and outback animals. I got to feed some birds, and petted a few kangaroos!! It was interesting learning about and getting to touch these beautiful animals. I would say it takes a total of 3hrs to do the whole park. They also have a cave tour…no where near as big, as the one in Texas, or the other caves here in Kentucky (Mammoth Caves); but it was fun and a way to get a cool break from the summer sun.

If you would like more info on this park, check out:

www.kdu.com

Enjoy the pictures, and I’ll be back in touch soon-

Gday My Luvs

!!- Donna :0 )

Sorry couldn’t resist using some of the phrases from down under!!! LOL

SEE PICTURES IN ALBUM #86:http://picasaweb.google.com/Pandadmd5880
Tags: KY

Lincoln's Childhood Homes

Howdy!

On Tuesday June 19th I was up early and back on the road. I was traveling south west to the Lower part of Kentucky. This area is rich with history, as this is the area Abraham Lincoln was born in.

My first stop was in Hodgenville. This is where Lincoln was born. They have a State Park now where the original homestead was. This Park’s Information Center has many memorabilia and a film on Lincoln’s early years. The property also has a monument on it (which the one in DC was modeled after) which houses the Lincoln’s Cabin.

I then head to Lincoln’s 2nd childhood home in Knob Creek. This 228 acre farm is also now a State Park. They have a period cabin on the property (which belonged to former neighbors of the Lincoln’s- The Gallaghers). There were a few other places with more information about Lincoln, such as the Lincoln Museum….. but it was getting late and I needed to find a place to camp.

I finally ended up in Lucas, KY. Here is where the Barren River Lake State Park is located. I have a great spot here, and like all Kentucky state parks there is a lot offered to guest. Here there is swimming (lake & pool), golf, horseback riding, and boating. I’ll be here until Sunday morning……

Well that is it for now. Enjoy the pictures. Until next time please-take care, and I’ll be back soon- Love Donna

SEE PICTURES IN ALBUM #85:http://picasaweb.google.com/Pandadmd5880
Tags: KY

Kentucky Horse Park - 6/17/07 - 6/19/07

Hi Everyone….

Hope this note is finding you all doing well. On June 17th -19th I visited Lexington, KY. To be more specific I stayed at the Kentucky Horse Park. Where the 2010 World Equestrian Games will be held! Now let me tell you, if you are any kind of a horse lover (as I am) then this is a place to visit.

It is 1,224 acres of horse land. There are approx 260 campsites located here (with electric & water) and many more “primitive campsites” are available. The park has many perks- including a swimming pool. They have so many year round activities such as:

American Saddlebred Museum

International Museum of the Horse

Kentucky Horse Park Gift Shop

Film “Thou Shalt Fly Without Wings”

Meet the Draft Horses

Draft Horse Harnessing

Horse Drawn Trolley Tour

Draft Horse Exodus

Horse Farm Tours

Then they have many seasonal programs:

Hall of Champions Show

Parade of Breeds

Mare & Foal Show

Trail Rides

Pony Rides

Now on top of this they also have special monthly events such as:

Horse Shows, Mounted Police Training, Dog Tracking, Polo Matches, Large Animal Rescue Training, Dog Shows….just a name a small few!!! There is always something going on here at the park, and for one small price you get to see all of it!! ($15.00 park admission- excludes horseback riding & pony rides)

I really enjoyed my time here and would recommend this as a stop to make, if you find yourself in the Lexington area!

And you’ll never guess what else I found here!!!!! Remember the Cows, Whales, Clowns, Carousel Horses, and the Gas Pumps….that I have been finding across country…well the International Horse Museum has on exhibit here from June 2 - September 9 the “Trail of Painted Ponies“!! These life size horses are painted with different artist expressions of early America. I had found one in the Carls Bad Cave Information Center (New Mexico) …and was looking forward to finding more of them through out the west. They have 4 of them here at the Kentucky Horse Park. They also had several smaller versions of other horses to be found around the country. I was very lucky to find so many in one area!! I’m looking forward to finding more of these Painted Horses in my travels….plus what ever other Charity Art Work there is out there! If you know of any other Charity Art Work out there…please drop me a line and let me know. I’d be very interested in seeing more!

If you would like more info on this place go to:

www.KyHorsePark.com

Well hope everyone enjoys the pictures…..I’m off to post more…..so keep an eye out!

See you soon- Love Donna

SEE PICTURES IN ALBUM #84:http://picasaweb.google.com/Pandadmd5880

Arriving in Kentucky- Natural Bridge State Resort Park- Slade, KY

Hey There.....

On Thursday night (June 14th) I arrived in KY. I arrived to late to get a camp site so I stayed at a rest area (on I-64) for the night. It was a very hot all day...this brought in heat lightening that night. It was cool to watch thru my sun roof! I was able to have the sun roof open (without bugs getting in) cause David had made me a screen before I left home. It worked great! Thank you David (XOXOX)!!

I was up early Friday morning (4:30 a.m.) So after getting changed and straightening out the SUV, I was off. I saw the most beautiful sunrise while driving down Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway. (Pictures #1-5)

I now entered the Daniel Boone National Forest. This forest is very big and has several state parks within it. I was on my way to one of those state parks- "The Natural Bridge State Park". I was there by 6:30 a.m. LOL ....I was the only one there!! I started up a mountain path looking for the Natural Bridge, which is a landmark in this area. For more info on this park please see: http://www.naturalbridgekyskylift-and-giftshop.com/

There are several paths you can take up to this bridge. I took the original path. This path is .75 miles up the side of the mountain!! (and I mean STRAIGHT UP!!!!) Just as I got to the Bridge- the sun was coming up over the tops of the trees. It was so peaceful up there with the birds singing....... (Pictures #6-26 ) Then I made my way back down-and it much easier going down!! I did run across 2 young men, then a couple on my way back. I was back to the SUV by 8:30 a.m., and then was off to find another state park.

I continued on Combs Parkway to Route 15 then to Route 119. Off Route 119, (on Route 90) there wasthe other park I was searching for, "Cumberland Falls State Park". In this park there is a waterfall famous for it's moonbows. What are moonbows? During the full moon a moonbow appears at the falls. I wasn't going to be here for next full moon, but I did get the rainbow that appears every sunny day!! The walk here was much easier to do! There are a few observation spots from where you can view the falls. So I took pictures from a couple of them. It is a nice park- that has a lot to offer it's visitors. (Pictures #27-41)

Now I started heading north trying to decide where to stay for the night. I was making my way back to I-75 through Corbin, KY.; when I saw a historic place that made me smile. It was the "Harland Sanders Cafe & Museum". For those who don't know who that is....well he founded KFC!! I once worked for KFC as a part-time job. I remember reading about the beginnings of KFC during my orientation....and here it was - the original restaurant!! So I stopped and took some pictures and got a bit to eat. This cafe is in the National Register of Historic Places. Inside they have the original kitchen set up, the Colonel's office, and the prototype for the 1st modern motel room. Then on the other side of the cafe, there were many displays of KFC memorabilia and a couple statues of the Colonel, and of course the restaurant itself. They also have a miniature model of the original site in a display case.(Pictures #42-61)

Now I was getting tired....so I found a motel in Richmond, KY for a couple of nights. I will be heading out again on Sunday morning, after resting my back for a bit. I'll be heading to Lexington, KY to see the "Kentucky Horse Park". I'll get back to you and update you on my visit there, in a few days.

So until then...please take care- Love Donna

SEE PICTURES IN ALBUM #83:http://picasaweb.google.com/Pandadmd5880
Tags: KY

Leaving West Virginia

Hi Ya'll.....

On June 13th I was preparing to leave West Virginia...on my way to Kentucky. I was traveling west on I-64 when I made my last stop in Huntington, W.V..

Here is located a Harley- Davidson dealership, called Charlie's Harley-Davidson (formerly Benjy's H-D) What makes this dealership unique is that is sells more than bikes. It has store with all kinds of H-D memorabilia (hats,mugs,clothes,boots,games,jewelry etc.) and it also has a parts store, where you can get anything and everything you could ever want or need for a bike. So why did I find it so interesting???? Well there is another feature that this dealership has...it is a museum of H-D bikes!

This museum takes you through the history of H-D, from 1901 to present day! It really was interesting to see the humble beginnings of H-D to what it is today. I learned a lot about H-D while here.

If you are in this area and a bike enthusiast then it would be a cool stop to make.

Charlie's Harley-Davidson's web site is: http://www.charlieshd.com/

I hope you enjoy the pictures....I'm off to get the next set of pictures ready for you to see. So until then- take care- Love Donna

SEE PICTURES IN ALBUM #82:http://picasaweb.google.com/Pandadmd5880
Tags: WV

Blackwater Falls Sate Park & Seneca Rock- WV

Hello Everyone….

It’s Wednesday evening and I’m sitting at my camp with the fire blazing and the birds calling….

Last night we had a whooper of a t-storm come rolling through the mountains.

This morning I awoke to a beautiful sunny day. The wildlife around here is very abundant, and a joy to watch.

After getting ready I headed east on Rt33 to find The Blackwater Falls. They are located in the town of Davis. This and my other planned destination today, Seneca Rocks are part of The Monongaheia National Forest. Both state parks (Blackwater Falls & Seneca) offer a variety of activities, including camping, hiking etc.

Once I got to Blackwater Falls, I had a short walk down 214 steps to see the falls. There were 2 observation decks on the way down to the bottom. I stopped and took pictures at each level. The waters were running great due to the rain we had the night before. I spoke to one woman there who said she’d been there the day before and the waters were hardly coming down!! So thank you for the rain….because the waters were flowing!!!

For more info please see:http://www.blackwaterfalls.com/

Next I continued down Rt 219 (formerly Rt33) until I got to Rt 55. I followed that to Seneca Rocks. These rocks are famous in this area and a lot of daring people do climb them but….…not me!!! LOL

It was beginning to look like rain so I headed back to camp. I stopped at Walmart at bottom of mountain to jump online and answer some emails (as there is no service up on mountain). :0(

Then I went back to camp, started my fire and had some dinner.

I’m glad I brought some DVD’s with me for something to do later when it gets dark! LOL

Tomorrow I leave here and start heading more west toward Ohio- or maybe Kentucky- we’ll see where the road leads……

So until next time, enjoy the pictures I‘ve posted and as always-take care- With Love Donna

SEE PICTURES IN ALBUM #81:http://picasaweb.google.com/Pandadmd5880
Tags: WV

Arrived in West Virginia- Appalachian Glass & Gifts

Hello Everyone!

It’s a another beautiful day in Panda’s World!! LOL

The sun is out and it’s in the high 80’s. I left Fairmont, WV around 11:30 a.m. Started down Interstate 79. I hopped off a couple of times to find things of interest, but wasn’t having much luck. Cause when you are going 70 mph, it’s hard to see much of anything let alone all the small signs along the roadway!! So I jumped off the Interstate and headed back down Rt 119. I’m so glad I did. Not long after getting onto Rt 119 I came across a sign for a glass house. I love watching glass items being made!! Every year I go to the Topsfield Fair and watch the guy there do his thing!! It is truly amazing! This place is called the Appalachian Glass & Gifts, located in Weston, WV. Wow, what a place- cool stuff and awesome people! Inside there is a guy named Chip. He hand makes all the glass items you find inside- right there in the store. You can watch him work and he explains what he is doing as he goes along. There is also a gentleman doing woodworking there and a woman hand painting items. All crafts are sold right there. They also have a visitors center and items from other local merchants - like wine from the local winery! After I had browsed around a bit and picked up a couple of things, I asked Chip if he would mind me taking some pictures of him working. He gave me the go ahead, but we had to wait for a bit, so I sat and chatted with them for a while. Then Chip went back to creating beautiful pieces of glassware. I want to thank everyone- for their hospitality during my visit. Their help was greatly appreciated! If you want more info contact them at:

www.appglass.com

I was then off to a campground that they recommended- The Broken Wheel. I’ll spend the next couple of days here, and check out the places suggested to me by Chip and his crew!

Just before I got to camp ground I saw a sign! This one was for Stonewall Jackson Dam. So I went in to check it out- there were a few people fishing along the ponds & rivers banks. I then went on to find the campground.

The camp ground is great! At the general store/office they have hummingbird feeders, on the front porch. There are so many hummingbirds !!! I have never seen so many at one time. They buzz all around you! And I do mean buzz!!! LOL They sound like giant bumble bee as they go by! I also have see a few domesticated bunnies hopping around, and many others birds like cardinals and finches. I will enjoy this spot for sure. Check out their info at:

www.brokenwheelcampground.net

I don’t seem to have a signal here from my computer or phone, so I will go down the mountain a bit to post these reports and pictures.

So if you don’t hear from me for a couple of days…fear not I’m still around!!! LOL

Enjoy the pictures…and I’ll be back in touch soon- Take care of yourselves- Love Donna

SEE PICTURES IN ALBUM #80:http://picasaweb.google.com/Pandadmd5880
Tags: WV

Landed in PA

Hi Everyone….

Just a quick note to let you know how my visit to Pennsylvania went. I left Maryland Sunday afternoon around 12:30 p.m. and was moving northwest towards PA. I stopped at the visitors center just over state line. The gentleman there was very helpful. He suggested getting off Interstate 81 and try Route 30, then Route 31. “These were more scenic highways“ he said, “with many point of interest along the way“. So off I went to get onto Route 30 to start my PA adventures. My 1st order of business was to get a place to stay for the night as it was getting late. The tourist guy suggested the “Twin Bridge Meadow Family Campgrounds” in Chambersburg. This campground is in Franklin County, located between the Back & Dennis Creeks. It’s actually a 150 acre working farm. The have about 100 acres dedicated to crops and they also have many livestock’s. They set aside an area for 120 camp sites. It is a very peaceful place. Many large shade trees and the winding creeks that cross through the camp. Wasn’t long before I had the camp all set up and was relaxing for the evening.

Monday (6/11/07) Was up early due to the loud birds and all the farm equipment rolling by!! LOL. I got up at 7a.m. and had my shower, and camp site packed up by 8 a.m.!! Then I was off to see the area between there and West Virginia, my next destination. As I went west on Route 30, I noticed a old gas pump painted up, so I turned around to check it out. It turned out to be a replica of the old gas pumps from the 30’s-40’s. It was part of the “The Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor” There was a brochure stand there so I grabbed a map to check it out. This was one of many exhibits along this 200 mile roadside museum. This Route 30 used to be the way to get from NYC to San Francisco back in the day! There are signs all along the way that let you know when special historical places are coming up. The brochure listed all of them so you could visit each and everyone of them. These gas pumps were along the same idea as in my previous entries about the Cows from Boston, MA; Whales from Cape Cod, MA; Clowns from Sarasota,FL; Horses from Meridan, MS; Electric Guitars from Austin, TX. They commission local artist to paint these replica gas pumps. I saw 3 before exiting onto Route 31. If you want more info about the Lincoln Highway check out: http://www.lhhc.org/. I stopped at two of the exhibits. The 1st was at Johnnie’s Diner & Motel. I had a great breakfast there! That was in McConnellsburg, PA; then I stopped at the Travelers Rest just between Everett & Breezewood, PA. I spoke to Karen. She filled me in about the highway and the place there that she & her husband run. She showed me some old pictures and clippings of the Motel from the 40’s- Her husbands family had owed the business since 1947! If you would like more info about the motel contact Karen Bowman at: travlersrest@pennswood.net.

Now I made my way on Route 31 to Bedford County. This area is known for it’s old covered wooden bridges. There is a self driving tour that takes you from one to another all thru the county. There are 13 of them in all !! I was able to get to 4 of them, before moving on. If you’d like more info on the bridges check out:

www.befordcounty.net

, click on covered bridges.

My next stop was further down Rt31 in Laurel Highlands. This county has so much to offer. There are just so many things to see and do. I chose to see the Frank Lloyd Wright’s homes. Mr. Wright is a very famous architect from the 30’s and 40’s. He has designed homes all across the US. There are 3 in this area! The 1st one I went to see “Fallingwater” is located in Mill Run, PA. Mr. Wright designed his homes to incorporate the feel of the surroundings. It is truly amazing to see these creations! Unfortunately on Mondays there is only the self walking tour.. The house is closed for the day. (I also found out the other two houses were also closed that day- and they didn’t have walking tours at them) So I took the walking tour- about ¼ mile. At the beginning is a visitors center which also has a restaurant.(they were closed on Monday too) I walked along these pathways through the forest. You could hear the river's waters running down over the rocks. The pathways had hundreds of rhododendron bushes on both sides. The birds and small wildlife were all over the place- and fun to watch. After a short walk, there it was!! - the Fallingwaters house. This has to be, one of the most peaceful places I have ever seen! I would love to be able to live here!! The water fall actually runs under part of the house, as you’ll see in the pictures. I would recommend this as a stop if you ever find yourself in the area! (but remember- closed on Mondays!! LOL)

If you want more info about the 3 houses check out: 1) Fallingwater:

www.fallingwater.info

2) Kentuck Knob:

www.kentuckknob.com

3) Darwin D. Martin House:

www.darwinmartinhouse.org

It was now getting late so I decided to head toward West Virginia. I took Rt 119 off 31 and head south. I found the Ohiopyle State Park along the way! There was a river with falls which ran along the road. So I stopped and took a short walk, and of course took pictures too!! LOL

I stopped in Fairmont, WV for the night- it was about 6 p.m. It was a long day but so much fun….Hope you enjoy the pictures from the day.

So until next time - take care everyone!!- Love Donna

SEE PICTURES IN ALBUM #79:http://picasaweb.google.com/Pandadmd5880
Tags: PA

On Walkabout again

Hey Everyone....

I'm back on the road again!!! Left Massachusetts earlier Friday (6/8/07) - 12:30 a.m. and headed to Maryland.

I arrived in Maryland by 8 a.m.- made great time...

Spent 3 days visiting with family and friends. Had a great time- Thank you Kelly, Brian, Robin, Graham, Barb, and Deb.

I left Sunday morning and was heading to PA. So check back for those pictures and reports...... here we go again!!!

Take care and I'll be back soon- Love Donna

Tags: Maryland