The Cumberland State Park Resort did not offer breakfast on Mondays, so we hit the road hoping to find something to eat along the way to Mammoth Caves. We traveled curvy two-lane roads, passing small and often dilapidated homes in the forest with a few communities sprinkled here and there. This was the first time on the trip that we had encountered such consistent poverty. About 1½ hours later, we came to Columbus, KY. We drove downtown to find a beautiful (but boarded up) town hall/courthouse. We parked on the road that encircled the courthouse and asked about a place that served breakfast. Many of the surrounding storefronts were also boarded up. The ladies we spoke with were hard-pressed to think of a breakfast place, but finally directed us to the pool hall just up the block in an alley. Surprise! We had an excellent breakfast of an omelet and two cups of coffee (no decaf) at the pool hall, served by a cheery older waitress. When she lifted the omelet onto a plate for us, a guy seated at the counter said, "What's that? I want one too!" Evidently it was the first omelet served at the pool hall and the first one made by the cook--I think they'll add omelets to the menu now. The open kitchen counter, cooks, and customers were in close proximity, so we all chatted as we ate. The two pool tables were assigned to the back of the establishment along with crates of eggs and other food items. A sign on the wall said "You don't have to be crazy to work here. We'll train you!" Another great unexpected experience.
Later in the day, we arrived at our destination, Bowling Green, KY, near Mammoth Caves National Park. Bowling Green is home to the National Corvette Museum (which coincidentally has a fast charger located in its parking lot). The Museum is designed to educate people about the evolution of the Corvette. Evidently, it is fun because the parking lot was crowded. The General Motors Assembly Plant that produces Corvettes was across the street. We passed on the museum and the factory tour in favor of a float into the Lost River Cave. This cave is unique for several reasons. 1. You float on the river into the cave. 2. The cave used to house a nightclub at the entrance and still is a venue for special events. 3. According to local lore, Jesse James hid out in the cave after robbing banks in two nearby cities. Our tour was led by an environmental science grad student at Western Kentucky University whose focus is cave invertebrates (crickets, centipedes). Knowledgeable fellow. It was a cool (in both senses) and interesting way to spend the afternoon.
Inside the cave The nightclub Inside the cave
Entrance to Cave.
Jesse James marker.
Our tour guide
On our way back from the cave to the motel, we stopped to see downtown Bowling Green. It has a beautiful square at its heart surrounded by little shops. Most of the shops were closed because it was Sunday, but we peeked into an open used bookstore housed in the old Capitol Theater. The bookstore is run by Friends of the Library. All proceeds go to children's projects. A volunteer at the bookstore was a wealth of information about Bowling Green and the surrounding area. She has lived all over the world and chose Bowling Green to settle down. Interesting woman! Of course, we walked out with a used book!
The next day, we headed out early for our 9 a.m. tour of Mammoth Cave. Honestly, Mammoth Cave was a bit of a disappointment. It is a World Heritage Site and is touted to be the longest cave system in the world, with over 400 miles of tunnels. It seems to underlay most of Kentucky. However, the part of the system we saw had no stalagmites or stalactites because there is a sandstone cap above that prevents water from percolating down to create those formations. (Other areas of the Mammoth have these formations, but on our tours, we didn't see any.) The part we did see had huge "rooms" with limestone ceilings. We took a second tour to the Wondering which included a walk through the woods and a plunge into a small cave not connected to the larger Mammoth Cave system. It had a few interesting formations which we tried to capture with our iPhone.
Mammoth Cave Tour Wondering Wood Cave Tour
On our way back from the caves to the motel, we stopped at hard-to-find Jackson's Orchard renowned for its peaches, according to the lady at the used bookstore. Unfortunately, their peach crop failed this year due to a freeze...so no local peaches. But they did have Michigan peaches, local apples and peach ice cream. It was definitely worth the effort to find the place.
The drives in this part of Kentucky were in forested rolling hills. Some areas had corn--now ready to be harvested, soy, and tobacco. The entire nation has devoted itself to growing corn for ethanol, feed and corn syrup. We saw very little sweet corn growing on our trip. Do we grow food anymore? While Bowling Green seemed like a prosperous community, many small communities in Kentucky are struggling.
Our next stop: Branson, MO. We were surprised by Branson. We expected a Laughlin-like community where attractions were walkable and clustered along the river or lake. Instead, the attractions in Branson are scattered...you cannot walk between them. Moreover, we expected music to be the central theme of the place. Instead, there are waterparks, roller coasters, and other amusement park rides, again scattered around the area. It is definitely a magnet for children. It also is a center for time-share sales which offer discounted tickets to entertainment venues and amusement parks to visitors for listening to a sales pitch. (Been there. Done that!) That said, we had fun in Branson. We played mini-golf at one of the best courses ever: Pirates Cove Adventure Park. Roger beat me by one stroke, but he promised me a rematch. We also loved our lake cruise on the Showboat Branson Belle (paddle-wheel). We had a delicious 3-course dinner, enjoyed outdoor entertainment on the top deck while cruising around the lake, and finally watched excellent singers and dancers at the indoor theater. A totally enjoyable day.
Barring unforeseen calamities or surprises, this will be our last post. We head directly home from Branson. We will take freeways (blasphemy, we know). We are tired of constantly moving, of driving, and of not eating the right foods. In sum, we're ready to be home. Thank you for joining us on the Summer 2023 trip and for holding us in your thoughts as we faced new experiences each day. We have had a wonderful time. We feel privileged that you have shared it with us. R&K
