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 

 

 

CONVERGING RIVERS EXPEDITION!

 I had the great joy of participating in an outing with several ladies, that involved kayaking from Buffalo City on the White River, to the town of Norfork, Arkansas, which is also on the White River.  It is a distance of 12 river miles.  My assignment for the event was to be the shuttle driver, which meant I needed to go straight to the take-out location, and wait for the drivers of the pickup trucks to arrive with their emptied out trucks, because these pickup drivers had already dropped off their passengers and kayaks, at the starting point of Buffalo City.  (This included the kayak I was using).

I arrived in Norfork well in advance of what was necessary, so I could take photos and get in some walking.  The Norfork River empties into the White River, in the little town of Norfork, Arkansas.  A vehicle bridge and a train bridge cross over the Norfork River, to lead into Norfork's main street (AKA, Arkansas Hiway 5)

I wanted to drive down River Road, adjacent to the Norfork River, because its narrow pavement is competely encased by trees and bluffs, forming a scenic green tunnel.  When the river is high, sometimes the deck is covered by water, so I wanted to check it out.  Thankfully, it is now fully functional, and provides the handicapped-accessible fishing dock, allowing access for those in wheel chairs, to fish from this location:

There is also a bench for quite contemplation of the beauty here:

There is an overlook on the top of this bluff, accessible from Highway 5.

My next stop was a commercial outfitter dock on the Norfork River.  I have fond memories from this outfitter,  of a family outing  with my husband, his brother, and his brother's wife.  We had a most enjoyable excursion, trying to catch fish, with the help of a knowledgeable guide.  

A short distance away is the Norfork  public access on the White River.  There used to be a car ferry at this location, but it is no longer in operation.  

It is easy to see why the historic 1829 Jacob Wolf  House (www.arkansasheritage.com), located on a hill above the confluence of the Norfork and White River, had such a pivotal role in the early development of this area.   It is the last remaining two-story dog-trot public structure in the United States.  A while back I was attending a special open house event at the site, and was surprised to see one of my college sorority sisters, who lives in Little Rock, had made the long drive to the event, because Jacob Wolf was one of her ancestors!

When the pickup drivers and I made it back to Buffalo City, the other kayakers were thankful to see our return, so the kayaking could commence! I took this photo shortly before putting away my iphone into a waterproof box.  It shows Cindy, with camera in hand, preparing to take a group photo.  We are very blessed that Cindy is an OUTSTANDING photographer with a good eye for detail, and uses her waterproof camera to capture things along the river, that others frequently don't notice!  

This is the group photo.  I am the one in black pants.  Notice we all have life jackets, and wearing our lifejackets while kayaking, is a requirement for participation.  

One of the ladies took this photo, shortly after we launched.  

Here is another photo I did not take, because my iphone was in my drybox!

We stopped at Shipps Ferry for a break to stretch our legs and do the necessary things ladies need to do!

One of these ladies remembered to bring her collapsible chair to sit on, during the lunch break!

 

These access points along the White River, are maintained by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (www.agfc.com) and we all appreciate the good stewards they are being with the tax revenue, that supplies the funds to maintain these rest stops.   

We were very thankful for the clean portable toilets, with hand sanitizer,  at Schipps Ferry!

The entire landscape at Schipps Ferry is covered by kudzu, and I got these three to pose in front of it, because I have been at special events where a wall of ARTIFICIAL green plants is used for a photo backdrop, but this is the real thing!  The photo below shows me posing in front of a wall of kudzu, preparing to launch back into the river.  

 

Patti took this group photo at our lunch spot.  Notice the background is kudzu!

Some of the group used their kayaks as their seat, to enjoy their lunch break.  

After lunch, it was time to put the lifejackets back on, and get back on the river.

We all made it safely back to the take out location in Norfork, and started the process of loading the kayaks back into the pickup trucks that had been parked there, while we were on the water.   

Darrah put a red flag on her blue kayak, because it is longer than the others.  

Darrah also had a very helpful tool that I had never seen before.  It fits over the back tire of the truck, so a person can reach inside the truck bed, to hook up the straps of the tie-down that secure a kayak into the truck.  Darrah is also the one who took me back to Buffalo City, where my car was located, so I am VERY THANKFUL for her kindness to me!

At my advanced age, (which you can't tell because I am covered up in a red hat and red life vest), I treasure these days that I am able to be out kayaking with friends!  I try to get the maximum enjoyment of each outing with a mindset that this may be the last time I get to do this.  And, of course, one day it will be!  When that happens, I will just paddle my way through the pearly gates of heaven!  (Referring to Revelation 21:21 imagery)

This expedition gave me "12 MILES OF PADDLING SMILES"!  Tricia