On Friday morning we left the Beaumont Inn in Harrodsburg.  We had a wonderful breakfast in a room full of history and then set out.  Only 20 minutes away is my favorite Kentucky Bourbon distillery, Wilderness Trail.  I have a soft spot in my heart for them since we went there in their early days, before bourbon was ready.   They have done a wonderful job, witnessed by selling 70% of their business last year for 420 million.  Good for them, the American dream.  They are still making great bourbon so we picked up some bottles to go!   From there it was an easy country ride to Four Roses distillery.   One of the well-known bourbon brands with history back to the 1880”s; we had been there some years before when there was a lot of construction going on.  They have added to their facilities and front and center was their visitor center which still has the large Kentucky front porch.  We browsed the gift shop and had a taste at the bar.  An enjoyable stop.  From there on to Louisville for the next night.  We have been there before and enjoyed it, so even though it was close it was a perfect stop, making our next rides after that perfect for our number of hours riding range (4-5).  We visited the Frazier museum which has an in depth history of Kentucky and includes a specialty area on bourbon.  I had hoped for more on the early 1900’s but we can search that out a little more on a future stop.  Of course leaving the museum we needed to have a seat and find something to eat.  Being Louisville a good restaurant offers flights of bourbons for tasting in addition to their food menu.  We found a perfect stop in the Bristol Bar and Grill.   They drew people in with their $5 old fashions and followed up with other selections and tasty food.  Then back to the hotel, we are usually in the room at a reasonable hour.  Watch some TV, catch up on some emails and news, and relax.  The next morning was breakfast at the hotel and then about 4 ½ hour drive to Bloomington Normal Illinois.  We had not been there before but it was the perfect distance and I found a good restaurant at that distance.  Destihl Brewery and Restaurant had great reviews online, and I was familiar with them having had their beers a number of times before.  They were one of the first breweries to widely distribute ‘sour’ beers and are doing a great job at it.  So arriving in Normal midafternoon we took a relax break and then headed out for Destihl.  We were there before the crowds so took some bar stools to relax and leisurely taste some brews and sample some food.  All were good.  Then back to the hotel to relax and prepare for our last night on the road.  No need to transfer clothes to the carry in for the next days.  We had hotel breakfast the next morning and looked forward to a 4 hour drive to be home in Oshkosh.  That went uneventfully and we were back at the apartment on GPS scheduled time.  Then uncovering furniture and bringing in our belongings, unpacking and getting reacquainted with the apartment.   Thanks for Mark and Terry for bringing over Chris’s keys and watching over the apartment the last 6 months.  It took a while to open up the cable boxes and get everything working (and needing more items) but we have worked through that (I think Chris is happy).   Weather here in Wisconsin is in the upper 70’s so feeling good.  Although later in the week it will be a struggle to make 60, heavy coats will be out for us.  Chris’s favorite Mexican restaurant has been on her mind for weeks so that was our first stop after we had everything unloaded.  There has been a lot more putting things away, finding missing things, loads of wash and a trip to the grocery store.  More to come.  Looking forward to seeing more old friends and catching up, while visiting favorite haunts of ours.  We live a blessed life to have so many good friends in different places and we try not to take that for granted.  Thanks to all of you.  I golfed this morning so summer has officially begun. 

On The Road

Love the Mountains

Chris at the Beaumont

Loading the grain at Wilderness Trail

Four Roses visitor center

Flights at the Bristol

We left Savannah and had a good ride up to Asheville.   It is construction season,   and as we made it north into North Carolina the construction increased.  But even with the delays we made it into our hotel in Asheville in good time.   We like the Aloft in Asheville because it is downtown and walks out onto the South Slope brewery district.   Our friends tell us there are over 50 breweries in Asheville.  So in addition to the long history, and beautiful scenery, and great food,   there is plenty to drink.  We had a wonderful afternoon with old friends Mike and Mary from Oshkosh who reside here now.  It was great to catch up on their lives and see them doing well.  Chris and I visited pleasant memories in Asheville, had plenty of beer, and put some steps on Chris’s Fitbit.   We ended with a great breakfast and walk to Tupelo Honey; the original of what is now a national franchise including Milwaukee. 

https://tupelohoneycafe.com/

Leaving Asheville is a beautiful ride through the Carolina mountains going into Tennessee. Not for the faint of heart and glad not to do it in bad weather.  We had good weather and on into Knoxville TN, then worked our way north into Kentucky and to Harrodsburg in central Kentucky.   We are staying at the Beaumont Inn in Harrodsburg, a B&B.   Harrodsburg is the oldest permanent settlement west of Appalachians, 1774.  The building first built for a girls schools in the mid 1800’s, and now a B&B for 5 generations.  Full of history and guess what, they have a restaurant attached with a great bourbon collection.  We had super food and a fun evening with some locals.   Tomorrow an easy day kicking around Kentucky and ending in Louisville (the locals say drop the V).  Then an evening in Louisville and a night in Illinois,  and we should be in Oshkosh on Sunday. 

The end of cheesy fries and a flight at the Funkatorium

Hillman Brewery with Mike and Mary

Beaumont Inn Harrodsburg

Beaumont Inn

Inside the room Beaumont Inn

On the road again.   We have started our drive home.  We were the last of our seasonal neighbors to leave Snug Harbor but the time has come.  We had a great winter season.   The enjoyment of our friends and the almost daily sunshine makes winter pass by quickly.  But the summer weather is settling in and it looks like Wisconsin weather is good so off we go.   Condos are cleaned and covered and set for us being away.  We have a slow trip home planned starting in Savannah.   We have enjoyed each time we have been here and looked forward to returning again.   We returned to an Andaz hotel we have used before, a block from the riverfront and the historical district it makes a great home base.   We are visiting some of our favorite restaurants, lots of good food in Savannah.   Upon arrival it was time for dinner at the Little Duck Diner.   They have mouthwatering choices of grilled cheese!   In the evening we did our camping by making s’mores on the terrace.   Savannah has lots of parks that were laid out by the British pre revolution.  The old tree lined parks are beautiful.   The riverfront is full of shops and restaurants in what was once the warehouse district that bought cotton and readied it for shipping back to England.   The horse drawn wagons would pull in the back of the warehouse and be unloaded from above the wagon and moved into the warehouse.   The buildings and cobblestones remain mostly original.   A fun place to visit and nice to be back.   Tomorrow back on the road through the mountains and on to Asheville.

Little Duck Diner beer and Bellini

Back of riverfront shops where cotton wagons were unloaded from the top

Savannah is full of wonderful parks