GOING ON FAITH EXPEDITION!

Television Sitcom aficionados may recognize this view, if they recall the popular show "WKRP in Cincinnati", and this area is where the Going on Faith tourism conference (www.gofconference.com)  was held a while back.   

 

The conference hotel goes by the moniker "Cincinnati Airport Marriott" (www.marriott.com), even though its location is actually in Hebron, which is just across the Ohio River, in Kentucky.  

Besides having beautifully manicured grounds and spotless interiors, I was pleased to see that my room included a copy of a Gideon Bible.  These Bibles are available free of charge to lodging properties, with the expenses involved in putting them there, being paid by memorials of donors and volunteer members of the organization (www.gideons.org).  It is only logical that the Going on Faith organizers would want a hotel that supplied Gideon Bibles in each room, considering the conference promotes travel to attractions of interest, to faith-based travelers, across the USA, and around the globe.  

At a Going on Faith conference, dozens of tables are set up in a large ball room, and on one side of the table, sit representatives (called "buyers")of an organization interested in faith-based travel (such as churches, youth groups, mission organizations, affinity travel groups, etc.)  On the other side of the table sits representatives from CVB's (Convention and Visitor Bureaus) of cities that want to attract faith-based travelers, as well as representatives from hotels, restaurants, and obviously faith-based tourist attractions (called sellers or vendors).  When these people visit, it is called "The Marketplace", and the visits last only six minutes, at which time the "sellers" move to their next appointment with a "buyer".  It is sometimes compared to "speed dating" social events, and accomplishes the goal of getting out the message of a business to a niche market, in a very efficient manner.  

The vendor for the IMAX Entertainment Complex in Branson (www.bransonimax.com), had a modern version of a photo booth, where the person stood in front of a camera, which would count down to a flash photograph.  Then you put your email address into the machine, and your photo would be sent to you, along with the date and name of the conference.  Of course, I wanted a souvenir photo!

The registration fee for the conference includes an evening meal, and for the 2025 conference, that evening meal was aboard BB Riverboats, during a cruise on the Ohio River.  Being on the water is always a highlight for me on any travel excursion, and this was no exception!

While we were on the cruise, the Cinci Region tourism bureau had cloth bags available for us as souvenirs, and we could write down our name for the artist, and she would spray paints our name onto one side of the bag.  When I asked the artist if I could take her picture with the bag, I did not realize I was also inadvertently capturing a photo of me, in the mirror behind her!

Planning a conference with so many moving parts, with such a variety of activities, a variety of attendees, is a major logistical challenge.  However, the staff members of the Group Travel Family (www.GroupTravelFamily.com) pictured below (Janine, Ben, Jennifer, and Cassandra), have honed their skills, so that the conference runs amazingly well.  They deserve a standing ovation of praise and thanks!

The breakfast meal is also included in the registration fee, and various vendors sponsor a meal, to help keep the cost down for attendees.  I was delighted with the choices available at the breakfast meal sponsored by The Great Passion Play (www.greatpassionplay.org), which takes place in my home state of Arkansas.  Besides having very nutritious choices, each place setting had an individual packet of hand sanitizer, which I very much appreciated.  

One of the days of the conference included a bus trip to Williamstown, Kentucky, which is the site a very popular attraction called The Ark Encounter (www.arkencounter.com).  The photo of me standing in front of the water feature of The Ark, would not have been possible when I visited this attraction over almost a decade ago (see my blog dated April 6, 2017, titled "Ark Encounter Expedition").  Since that time, numerous upgrades and additions have been made to the Ark Encounter attraction.  One of those additions is called "Forty Days of Christian Music", which we were able to attend on the evening our group was there.  

 

The photo below of me at the bottom of the ark with silhouettes of Biblical characters was also not possible in 2017, because this photo prop had not yet been created!

After the conference was over (thanks to the efforts of the staff and membership of www.visitcincy.com), those attendees who were available, also had the opportunity to visit another educational attraction, also built by the Answers in Genesis group (www.answersingenesis.org).  We visited The Creation Museum, in Petersburg, Kentucky.  A quilt on display there illustrated the 7 C's of history, as outlined in the Bible.  The events are Creation, Corruption, Catastrophe, Confusion, Christ, Cross, and Consummation.  It is appropriate that these would be illustrated via an amazing quilt art piece, since Kentucky is the home of the American Quilt Museum, in Paducah.  These C's trace a timeline from a perfect beginning to the fulfillment of God's plan, providing a way to understand biblical history and the foundation of the Christian message.  

Below is one of many displays of prehistoric creatures at the museum.  

This skeleton was behind glass, and took up a huge area of the museum.  The placards tell where the skeleton was found, and how it was preserved, so that it could be displayed at the museum.  

The interior of the museum is in a "walk through" format, beginning with creation, and proceeding through the other six "C's" of history, described in the previous paragraphs.  

Besides examples of land animals, the museum also has a large aquarium, enjoyed especially by little children. 

A large water feature has been added to the original! Creation Museum complex, which provides opportunities to learn the names of various plants in this habitat, as well as the possibility of an enjoyable stroll, with numerous photo opportunities.  
 

 

Our group also went to The American Sign Museum (www.americansignmuseum.com), in Cincinnati.  We had a very entertaining and knowledgeable guide there, named Alex, that told us the history of signs, going back over one hundred years, all the way up through the electric light bulb, neon, and now LED signs.  

If you google famous eateries in Cincinnati, the three pictured below will consistently be the result.  So when they are all located together, it is called a "Trifecta", which accounts for the three horse statues at their entrance.  Our group had the blessing of sampling all three, when we took our seats inside LaRosa's Pizzeria, because our hostesses also carried in the famous Skyline Chili for us to sample. For those unfamiliar with a dish called "Cincinnati Chili", be advised that it has spices in it that are not normally associated with chili, such as nutmeg, cinnamon, and cocoa.  For dessert, we had ice cream from the famous regional ice cream chain based in Cincinnati, Ohio, called Graeter's.  

 

 The following day, we had the joy of touring the  amazing Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington, Kentucky (www.covcathedral.com).  The project began in 1894, and is a monument that add to the art and architecture of the community it serves.  Many visitors recognize similarities between this cathedral, and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.  

On the other side of the Ohio River, we toured The Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains.  It is completely different style of architecture.

This cathedral has a replica of The Pieta, by Michaeangelo.  I was delighted to get to study this replica, because when I saw the original at the Vatican decades ago, on a tour of Italy with my father, I did not fully appreciate the masterpiece that was in front of me. 

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After the cathedral tours, we had a delightful dining experience at the Hofbraus Haus, complete with live music, Bavarian-themed decor and menu.  

Our guide mentioned that there was on-going maintenance always occuring at the cathedral, which reminded me of one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) memory verses that says, "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."  Philippians 1:6   Just as a cathedral requires upkeep, so our spiritual temples"aka, our bodies) require constant preventive maintenance and cleaning.  

This trip to "Cincy Region" gave me "Miles of Smiles"!  Tricia 

 

OWENSBORO EXPEDITION!

I had an opportunity a while back to attend a tourism conference in Owensboro, Kentucky (www.visitowensboro.com ).  The meeting was called The Select Traveler Conference, and it was sponsored by the Group Travel Family (www.GroupTravelFamily.com).  Since going to places in the USA I have never been before, is of great interest to me, I started reading up on Owensboro, and found out it has the moniker of "Bar-B-Q Capital of the World", and is located on the border between Kentucky and Indiana, along the banks of the Ohio River.  (Note the location of the white star in the photo).  

  When I arrived in Owensboro, and I saw the stunning architecture of the Owensboro Kentucky Convention Center meeting location,  I knew I was in for an architectural treat!

Before exploring the inside, I took the opportunity with the gorgeous bright blue skies, to photograph some of the outdoor features, adjacent to the convention center.  One of these was the Kentucky Kid statue that paid tribute to Owensboro-born, Nicky Hayden.  You can read about his amazing career in motorcycle racing at his page on Wikipedia.org .  

I took a stroll along the lovely park adjacent to the Convention Center, that occupies a scenic spot beside the Ohio River.  The swings under these cupolas are particularly inviting.

A round concrete pier reaches out into the river:

A musician was sitting on one of the benches, strumming a very pleasant tune of a song about the river.

A playground adds fun activities for the youngsters (visible through the archway of the restrooms), and there were dozens of children enjoying the equipment on this beautiful day in late winter, when I visited.

The babbling sounds of a lovely round fountain provided a nice addition to the quiet flow of the river beside it.

A metal bench makes a perfect location to sit and observe the boat traffic along the river :

More benches provide seating to watch the distant bridge auto traffic:

A large fiddle sculpture along the river walk,  reminds visitors that Owensboro is known as the Bluegrass Music Capitol of the World!

That is why our opening night event for the conference was held at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum (www.BluegrassMusic.com).  There was a very harmonious band of traditional bluegrass musicians playing throughout the event.  

I liked the area that had all types of stringed instruments available for guests to try.  The first one I tried was the banjo, because I have always found its sound very captivating!

One of the exhibits displayed some of the elaborate fringed and rhinestoned costumes of the Kody Norris Show.  Although their attire may look "vintage", they are most definitely a modern-day favorite of bluegrass fans.  Check out their website, www.KodyNorrisShow.com, for their tour schedule.

 

I was able to get the host of the conference, Mac Lacy, to put down his camera long enough that I could get a photo of him holding the bass fiddle at the "Picking Parlor" area.  Mac is the president and publisher of The Group Travel Leader Inc.  

He also took a photo of me pretending to be a musician!

I included this plaque of Hall of Famer,  Allison Krauss, because she was a famous bluegrass musician I got to see perform at the Grand Palace, in Branson, Missouri.  I was also able to see Bluegrass Hall of Famer, Ricky Skaggs, in Branson.

A performer NEVER seen by me in Branson, (or anywhere else!) is Jerry Garcia.  The Owensboro museum has a fascinating exhibit about his life and music career, where he was well-known as one of the founders of the Grateful Dead band.  I had no idea of his background in bluegrass music, until I studied this fascinating exhibit!

The popular movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", starring George Clooney, was the first introduction many people had to bluegrass music, and became a catalyst for many folks starting to enjoy the genre in a renewed way.  

I took a photo of this vintage "Reel to Reel" tape recorder, because my parents had an office and school supply business that sold these tape recorders.  I remember practicing my valedictorian speech over and over on such a recorder, and playing it back over and over, trying to improve my delivery with each practice!

The second day of the conference was off to an early start, with members of the Group Travel Family greeting us as we entered the convention center, and directing us to our breakfast area.  
The gigantic art installation inside the Convention Center made good use of the light and shadows provided by the vast expanses of glass:

I like the way the shadows spelled out the word "cafe", on the giant white wall!

I wanted to get a view of the lobby from the second story, so I found the stairs where I saw this very motivational sign.  I made a vow to myself in my twenties, that I would take the stairs instead of the elevator, whenever possible, and I encourage others to do the same!

 

Once on the second story, I had a sweeping view of the three story art installation:

Considering the delicious meals we were served during the conference, it was important to climb the stairs as much as possible, to burn off all those delicious calories!  Kentucky has a "signature dish", called a Kentucky Legend Hot Brown, and a version of it is shown in the photo below:

Our sightseeing in the afternoon started with tasting and tour at the famous Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn, in Owensboro (www.moonlite.com).  They have been voted Kentucky's best BarBQ, and the owner explained to us, why mutton is one of their specialty meats.  

With my background in Institutional Food Service, I especially enjoyed the "behind the scenes" tour of their kitchen and ovens.  They have custom-built hickory-fired pits, and produce an amazing array of smoked meats.  

The family-owned business started in 1963, and one of the family members is shown holding a giant fork, used to spear and turn the large pieces of meat inside the hickory pits.  I was glad they followed food service sanitation guidelines, by giving all of us a head covering, before we could go into the food preparation areas.

   

We also had the opportunity to sample some of their meat products, as it was a component of the famous Kentucky staple, called Burgoo, that we were served.  

The next stop on our sightseeing tour was this recently-opened, 100 million dollar entertainment complex, developed by Churchill Downs.  

As you enter and look upward, you will see a wonderful mural of a  horse-race-themed painting, in the rotunda.

There is a life-size display of what a horse jockey wears, called "silks".

All the jockeys are dressed in different tops, making them easier to tell apart on the race track.

It took me a while to find the rest rooms in this new facility, because I was looking for a sign that had the word spelled out on it.  I finally gave up, and asked an employee where the rest rooms were.  The employee took me to a location that had these paintings on the wall, and left it for me to choose which side I would use.  

The restaurant at the facility had a wonderful wall mural, made up of labels, that created the image of a race horse.

 

The very first day of the conference, we had been given  the opportunity to choose all the "fixins" that would be made by two ladies from the Kentucky Derby Museum, in an activity they call "Hatitudes".  It was fascinating to see them do their magic, to create some stunning hats--which are a tradition for those going to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. We were encouraged to wear our new fancy hats to the party, sponsored by Louisville, and the Kentucky Derby Museum, as shown by banners below:

There was an Instagram photo booth at the event, so we could pose as often as we wanted, with our Kentucky Derby hats!

The colorful oval indicates an automatic camera set up, that will email you photos from the event.  It was a delightful addition to the party!

The photo below shows all the flowers, feathers, bows, and hats that we had been given to choose from, to have put on our hat, for the Kentucky Derby party.

There was also a costume contest, where participants could stroll or dance down the Louisville Red Carpet, and compete for the prize of "Best Kentucky Derby Outfit"!

And we certainly did not go hungry, as there was a delicious buffet!

The Mint Julep is a traditional drink at the Kentucky Derby, and this pretty lady had a tray full of the delicious concoction, for guests to sample.

We all drew a number out of a hat, that would be the number of our horse, in the televised horse races on the big screen.  The girl with her hands clasped, looks to be intently gazing upward, hoping for a winner!

This photo of our table, shows me with a gray gift bag, because I had drawn a number for a horse that won one of the races!

The Kentucky Derby has a few nicknames.  One of them is "The most exciting two minutes in the sports world", because the actual race only lasts about two minutes.  Another is "The Run for the Roses", because the winning horse is draped in a blanket of roses.  So naturally, roses were included in the prizes for the overall winner at the Kentucky Derby party!  The gray gift sacks contained treats from Kentucky establishments.  

Just as I was given the gift of one of these "Visit Owensboro" bags, I have also been given the gift of salvation.  Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  

I am very thankful for God's gift of salvation, and I am very thankful I was able to attend the Select Traveler Conference in Owensboro, Kentucky, because it was a gift that gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!  Tricia