Arkansas Apple Blossom - Little Rock, Arkansas (4/2 to 4/11/2010)
Lots of sight-seeing. We started the trip in Delaware, drove through Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, to get to Arkansas.
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We started the trip late Friday afternoon on 4/12/10 and stopped for the night in Morgantown, WV (the home of VA Tech).
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Saturday - West Virginia. On our way to Charleston, we stopped by the Burnsville Wildlife Management Area. Not much going on with birds so we explored the dam.
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The lake the dam created.
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After lunch we toured the State capitol building of West Virginia in Charleston.
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The dome and rotunda
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That's as close as we got to Ohio, the hills across the river, a couple of miles away.
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We make it to Kentucky and pass a castle. It turns out to be winery.
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At Frankfort KY we stretch our legs. No, this picture isn't upside down. The flowers are actually growing out of a wall.
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Obligatory squirrel for David.
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We tour the State capitol of Kentucky in Frankfort. The Kentucky River cuts through the heart of the town.
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Interior State capitol building, Frankfort, KY.
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Magnolias in bloom on Capitol grounds
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The most visited tourist attraction in Kentucky.
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After a dinner at a Mexican restaurant (Michael was very happy) we head off towards Louisville. We crash for the night in Shelbyville, just outside of Louisville.
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Sunday 4/4 -On our way to the Thomas Edison House we walk through Old Louisville.
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Obligatory cat picture
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Thomas Edison's Butchertown House.
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On our way to Churchhill Downs, we pass the Louisville Slugger Field.
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Downtown Louisville KY. (pop. 700,000)
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Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, and statue of Barbaro. Barbaro is the one with a jockey on his back.
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The twin spires were part of the original design of Churchill Downs and are their logo. (Look at the roof top in the previous picture of Barbaro.)
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Churchill Downs in 1901
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Michael is standing in the winners circle for 'ordinary' races. The tower behind him is the winner's circle for the Kentucky Derby and is used only once a year.
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Aristides (18721893) was a chestnut American thoroughbred. He, unexpectedly, was the first horse to win the first Kentucky Derby in 1875.
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On our way to Mammoth Cave we pass by Fort Knox which covers 109,000 acres.
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The Mammoth Cave National Park was created to preserve the cave system.
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We use the recently restored historic entrance to the cave. Mammoth Cave is the largest known cave system in the world.
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Of the 10 miles that are accessible to the public, we take a 2 mile loop.
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Mammoth Cave is named for its size, and not after prehistoric pachyderms.
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This part of the trail is called "Fat Man's Misery". We also traveled a section called "Tall Man's Misery".
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In the days when candles were used to light the way, someone now and then would use the candle flame and write their name in soot on the ceiling.
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Mammoth Cave's "Tower". The last part of the tunnel trail that takes you back up to the historic entrance.
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Altogether we went down 310 feet. It was more or less gradual. The return wasn't. It was almost 310' straight up. It feels good to be up and out again.
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A bit of blooming ground cover and green moss is a welcome treat for the eyes.
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Louisville evening. Looking for a place to have dinner.
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It's Monday 4/5 and we're driving to Nashville, TN.
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Just outside of Nashville, we arrive at The Hermitage, the home of President Andrew Jackson.
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Originally 1000 acres at its largest, the estate is now 25 acres.
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Redbud
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A "Beltie". There's probably some co-op going on.
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Michael in the Hermitage garden
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Jackson's mansion
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The Jackson tomb contains the remains of President Andrew Jackson and his beloved wife Rachel.
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In the garden next to the tomb is this marker for Alfred Jackson.
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Alfred Jackson
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Alfred's cabin is the only slave cabin that still remains on the Hermitage property.
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We leave the Hermitage and get a peek at the Grand Old Opry building outside of Nashville.
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downtown Nashville
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We tour the State capitol building of Tennessee.
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Rotunda
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When firearms were still carried into the legislature, a couple of our congressmen got into a heated exchange and bullets were fired.
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One view from the capitol
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The library
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The Hard Rock Cafe.
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We won't forget our wonderful evening in Nashville with Jeremy McComb at "The Wheel".
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Tuesday's last look at The Wheel.
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Tuesday morning 4/6 as we're driving to Memphis.
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The lush and plush Peabody Hotel
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The marble fountain in the Peabody. Say! What's that in the water?
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Mallards in the fountain at the Peabody.
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Getting close to famous Beale Street.
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Memphis is colorful
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BB King's Blues Club
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We stopped at the "Rock 'n Soul Museum" and picked up some souvenirs.
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Jukebox
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thinking of Kevin
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an early television
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I Walk the Line - Johnny Cash
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Ike Turner's first piano
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American Bandstand memories for Mom
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Isaac Hayes - That watch was HUGE. Completely encrusted with diamonds and emeralds.
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The Beatles on their first American Tour with the Bill Black Combo as their opening act.
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More about the Beatles and the Bill Black Combo.
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Michael the tennis buff
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Another Hard Rock Cafe.
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World-famous Beale Street
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open air musicians
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lots of electric guitar getting played on Beale Street
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Wednesday morning 4/7 - We were tempted to visit Graceland, but at $70 for the both of us, we said, "No thank you, no thank you very much".
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Leaving Memphis - an interesting piece of architecture.
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Outside of Memphis we spot the third largest pyramid in the world. Honest. This is the famous Pyramid Arena.
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We cross the Mississippi River into Arkansas.
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The landscape flattens.
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We spot a Broad-winged Hawk at a rest stop.
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Little Rock, Arkansas, here we come!
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We still have time to sight see the State capitol of Arkansas and the grounds.
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Redbud
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Learned something interesting about Redbud trees. They also flower right out of the bark.
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The capitol Rotunda
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The front entrance doors are made of bronze, 10 feet high, four inches thick, and were purchased from Tiffany's in New York for $10,000 in 1912.
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Two new judges presiding over the State Supreme Court.
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The Senate and the House
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A stop at a Nature Center
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Grackle
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We saw Southern Painteds and Red Sliders.
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The picture doesn't do the frog justice. It was as big as two fists together.
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The carp was huge, too - as big as my thigh.
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Golden and Bald Eagles
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We were looking for the "little rock" and didn't realize we were on it. The area is under construction to make more access available to the Riverfront Park.
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Concrete marker for "La Petite Roche", The Little Rock for which the town is named.
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Purple Martins
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Two Eurasian Collared Doves in the foreground and two Mourning Doves in the background.
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Thursday 4/8. Hot Springs, Arkansas
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Hot Springs. It's not fog, it's steam. As we walked through the town we also spotted a steaming fountain.
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We took a tour of an old-time bath house/spa.
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The women's quarters.
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- with steam boxes
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- and beauty parlor
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A lady's state room
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The gentlemen's quarters were opulent.
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Gentlemen's changing area
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Gentleman's changing stall
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- the gym. Mom says it looks just like her high school gym.
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The music room - where ladies and gentlemen met at the end of their separate spa experience.
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Spiderwort - We also took a mountaintop trail at the Observation Tower.
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Black and White Warbler.
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View from the mountaintop trail
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Spiderwort
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Wood Sorrel
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I wonder who might live here?
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It's Spring.
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Two varieties of Bird's Foot Violets
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Pine Warbler (hint: it's a yellow bird)
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Curpin for R.P.
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Fungus
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Rock formation looks like it will be slate soon. A few million years ought to finish the job. The slate might not be done, but we are. Tomorrow is another day.
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Friday morning 4/9. Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
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The stands are full
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#4 - Zenyatta
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What are the odds?
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Zenyatta
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The Apple Blossom is a grade 1 stakes race with a $500,000 purse.
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Zenyatta stretched her undefeated career out to 16 straight wins in the Apple Blossom Handicap by 4 1/4 lengths.
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Saturday 4/10 - Still lots of driving ahead of us to make it to Debbie's by tonight.
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Arkansas
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Tennessee
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Near Memphis, natch.
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We skipped West Virginia and went right through to Virginia.
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Sunday 4/11 - Leaving Virginia. Thank you, Debbie!
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Maryland
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Home again, home again, jiggedy-jig, with over 2,000 miles added on the odometer.
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