We've been in Paducah for two days now. They said they have wireless internet, but it rarely works.
Here's a list of our adventures:
Livingston County - 3 Rivers Rock Quarry
The land where our trailer was is all quarry these days. The roads are gone too.
I wanted to see Sweet Potato Cave and the civil war cemetary. Also, there's a wall thats in the woods that was erected during the civil war, for a battle that was fought there, but you have to know where to find it. We missed all that. No road.
Livingston County - The Blue Hole
We stopped by the Blue Hole (a quarry thats now filled with water) along the Cumberland River. The road was blocked off to it, but we did get to see the old ghost town. A hillibilly looking guy with his coon dog came up and told us we wuz trespassing. Now here's the neat part - I told him who I was, and next thing uall knowd, we wuz talking bout old times. His name was Tom Joiner, and he knew the Cowans, Ruckers, Harmons, Leblancs and Ramages. Small world ain't it.
Things haven't changed at all in this backwoods country. People in the sticks still have affairs, shoot each other, and get crazy on moonshine. It was a neat conversation. I can't imagine what Becky was thinking...we talk to a hillibilly in the sticks and we know the same people.
Livingston County - The Waterfalls
Once again, you have to know where it is to see it. We drove up one lane roads to burnett and stopped by a wooden bridge. Becky and I made a path to the stream and finally made it to the falls. The waterfall is about 80' high, quite gorgious and maybe 100 people know about it. It was my treat to Becky.
Livingston County - Burna, Kentucky
On the backroads to Burna, we passed a family cemetary right next to the road. Several houses had side yards packed with old vehicles. Barns were everywhere. I can only guess what kind of crops they harvest, but, Kentucky is known for its high grade marijuana crops.
Livingston County - Burna, Kentucky (the crash site)
Back in 1971, there was an auto accident that plowed down a gas station with 7 people in front of it. I was there. Several people died. One guy was screaming with an engine on his chest. Terry and I got lucky, we were waiting in Neil Cowans car, waiting for him to take us home. Neil got hit. The car's bumper ripped half his leg off. He gave me his wallet and told me to call his wife, before he bled to death.
The restaurant/house across the street was closed. The gas station was closed too, but apparently, someone had repaired it. Ramages grocery store was wide open with two guys installing windows in the front. Old man Ramage died from a heart attack while putting wooden walls up over the blocks. They were turning it into a local flea market. We talked to the two guys, they said come on in.
Now, I wasn't looking to buy anything, BUT, on the wall, there were 5 swords that caught my eye. I bought them all, plus a decorative knife for $55, and I can't wait to sell them on EBay.
Land Between the Lakes - Grand Rivers
We drove down the backroads to Land Between the Lakes or as we liked to call it, land between the legs. It used to be proclaimed as the best area to retire. The cost of living was cheap, golfing, boating, fishing, and nice cuisine was available. That...was in a different time.
The town was quaint, but the only restaurant we found was all non smoking. Four of us walked when we heard that (almost everyone in Kentucky smokes). It was funny though, we were the only customers, and they put us on their waiting list/register.
Most of the marina's had hundreds of huge yachts. Kentucky Lake is the second largest manmade lake in the United States. However, its allure must have fallen when I24 was completed. Most of the businesses in the area are empty shells of a time thats long gone. Its hayday has past, but, I'm sure with all of this countries growth, it will be revived some day.
Back to Paducah - Calvert City
Once home to Western Kentucky's richest people. The golf range and min-golf course I helped built was levelled, however, there is evidence of it. Someone had built a barn over it, which is now a gym. I didn't go all the way to the country club, but, I believe its gone too. Highway 60 is a has been, once again, from I24 openning up new channels for commerce.
Paducah - The BBQ Buffet
Starving, we stopped at a BBQ place. The 18 y/o waitress talked with a thick Kentucky accent "They haven't learned me how to use the register yet", "Bye Yall", "See Ya Hon". The food was local and delicious.