Unbridled Spirit
September 2018
With Hurricane Florence battering North Carolina, we took shelter in Kentucky for a few days to stay out of harm’s way. The weather has been changing dramatically; heavy rains at times and the strong wind blows rain drops sideway, thick fog blanketing busy highway… but all cleared up by the time we reached Carr Creek State Park Campground 235 miles west of Hanging Rock State Park.
Knowing Florence has yet reached the Kentucky border, or anywhere near Daniel Boone National Forest, so tentatively we ventured out to Cumberland Falls in Corbin for quick sightseeing.
Kentucky boasts quite a few eats, such as burgoo, hot brown, derby pie, Louisville style chili, bourbon balls, Henry Bain sauce, etc… but we yearn for something deep-rooted in Kentucky and perhaps global presence… the ubiquitous Kentucky Fried Chicken came to mind.
About 20 miles of east of Cumberland Falls is the town of Corbin where the KFC legacy began. We casually ordered couple chicken pieces from Sanders Café with the expectation that fried chicken would have the same taste as other chains across the country, but to our pleasant surprise, the chicken here was the best of any KFC we have ever gone to.
Sanders also successfully pioneering the franchising concept while the rest new businesses succumb to the impact of the Great Depression. Yet of all the kitchen equipment that we observed here; gas range, steam table, french fry press… the one piece of equipment that revolutionized the “Fast Food” industry was hidden from view and far away from any kitchen description.
Leaving Corbin and its famous chicken behind, we drove north to Middle Fork Campground at Natural Bridge State Park and stay for a few nights. The half-price camping was compelling but in later reflection, the discovery of an America forgotten fruit made it even sweeter.
We met fellow campers on the hiking trail at Natural Bridge State Park who introduced us to an American forgotten fruit; the pawpaw.
Mouthful of the creamy and sweet pawpaw evoke the mild scent of watermelon, banana, and mango flooding our taste buds and left us shocked and confused as to why would a fruit like this have been ignored for centuries.
Met some friendly locals who told us about the nearby Red River Gorge. After hearty breakfast, we are heading 6 miles north to Red River Gorge for some interesting rock formations. Not until we approached the famed Nada Tunnel which officially serves as an entrance to Red River Gorge to realize this freaking tunnel has a very colorful history.
The Nada Tunnel was a train tunnel for a logging town Nada during the 1910s. But after a train full of logs got stuck in the tunnel, Dana Lumber Company dynamited the tunnel to increase its original height of 12’ to meer 13’. This still proved to be impractical, Dana Lumber finally gave in and open the small to pedestrian and horse traffic. Now, the narrow paved single lane road served as an official entrance into Red River Gorge.
We were guessing the second oldest engineering discipline (referring to civil engineering) which started in 1819 Vermont, never reach this part of Tennessee when Dana Lumber Company built the Nada Tunnel. A single fatality during tunnel contrution when one worker attempts to thaw frozen a dynamite stick on a campfire!
About 12 miles inside Red River Gorge, we reached the Whistling Arch trailhead. The arch got its name from high-pitch whining sound emits when the wind passes through its small opening.
Despite a large warning sign at the start of the trail, there were some 60 people died from falling off the rock formations since 1960. As recent as July 2018, a body of a 29-year-old man was recovered at the bottom of the ravine just underneath Chimney Top Rock. As beautiful as Red River Gorge is, we’ll just stay on the slippery trail and behind the guardrails.
Keeping ahead of Hurricane Florence, we were heading further west toward Nolin State Park 185 miles from Red River Gorge the following day.
While traveling on Route 66 (https://keyemroute66.blogspot.com/) a while back, we were intrigued by Abraham Lincoln many accomplishments, we want to learn more about his childhood and boyhood stories. So off we went to Abraham Lincoln Birthplace called Sinking Spring farm, the present-day Hodgenville.
The 56 steps leading up to the memorial represent Abraham Lincoln life, 16 windows and 16 rosettes on the ceiling represent US 16th president. Lincoln family moved to Knob Creek after a boundary dispute when young Lincoln was around 3 years old.
Knob Creek is about 10 miles north-east of Hodgenville, where we find Lincoln boyhood home. Here, we heard the story of 7 years old Abe falling into Knob Creek and barely rescued by his childhood friend, Austin Gollaher back in 1816. The near-death plus daily struggle in inhospitable land during Lincoln boyhood shaped the character of the boy who grew up to be president; which to-date was the only president that held an engineering patent 6469 (1849), competent lawyer (1833), as well as an aggressive wrestler.
During his boyhood in Hardin County Kentucky, Lincoln witness African slaves trade openly like cattle and other farm animals. Observing such cruelty and the inhumane ways no doubt reinforce antislavery sentiment throughout Lincoln boyhood then throughout his presidency.
The following days, hurricane Florence lost of most its punch, we ventured to Mammoth Cave 113 miles south of Knob Creek. Read up info on the Mammoth Cave, it impressively boasts the longest cave system in the world. The catchy name reflects the Rotunda huge passage, and not of the woolly mammoth. Until 1941, more than 400 miles of the park have been explored and mapped.
Numerous dated signatures can be found throughout the cave wall and ceiling. The oldest known dated signature found is the 1798 signage in Ganter Avenue. It is customary back then, one can produce candle smoke graffiti on the Register Room ceiling for nickel during the 1800s.
Mammoth National Park offers 2hrs Gothic Avenue Tour, 6hrs Wild Cave Tour, 1.2hrs Mammoth Passage Tour which the one we took, and 1.2hrs Frozen Niagara Tour which regrettably sold out when we were there.
We really enjoyed the Mammoth Cave tour and by the time we clean our feet on the bio mats, we already work up a mammoth-sized appetite. Drop by Green River Grill inside the park for a quick bite to eat.
Heading back to Columbus Belmont State Park to rest while knowing Hurricane Florence doesn’t reach this far west, a sense of relief washing over us.
Will this be the last time we visit Kentucky? not likely. There are still places to explore, incredible food to taste like the burgoo, hot brown, derby pie, bourbon balls… yep, we’ll be back.
GPS Coordinates
- Kentucky Fried Chicken / Harland Sanders Cafe and Museum – 36°57’35.7″N 84°05’37.8″W
- Middle Fork Campground at Natural Bridge State Park – 37°46’00.8″N 83°40’30.0″W
- Andy’s Orchard, Morgan Hill, California (pawpaw seasonal) – 37°09’10.1″N 121°38’17.1″W
- Nada Tunnel – 37°49’02.1″N 83°40’51.0″W
- Whistling Arch – 37°48’28.2″N 83°35’25.0″W
- Angel Windows – 37°47’56.3″N 83°35’28.2″W
- Nolin State Park – 37°17’38.9″N 86°12’48.7″W
- Abraham Lincoln Birthplace – 37°31’52.3″N 85°44’00.7″W
- Abraham Lincoln’s Boyhood Home – 37°36’41.0″N 85°38’16.8″W
- Mammoth Cave – 37°11’12.7″N 86°05’56.8″W
References
- Destination details from local knowledge, some were extracted from hand-out literature/brochure, or website, and Wikipedia
- Coordinates are from Google map in Degrees, minutes, and seconds (DMS)