Diamond Caverns Mammoth Cave Kentucky area

I pretty much think of Diamond Caverns as part of Mammoth Cave. It is really right there in the Mammoth Cave park area, and it isn't far from the Mammoth Cave visitor center.


I really like the cozy entrance area and gift shop. You actually have to go inside of the gift shop to get inside of the cave! Its pretty cool. The building is built over the entrance. There is an almost sun room like area in the front of the building. You walk down a few steps by the gift shop, and there is the main entrance to the cave. A gated door is close there until a tour comes through or exits.

The cave itself seemed very layered to me. Lots of going up and down steep stairs along the paths. If you aren't a big cave fan, frankly, this might look like just another cave. They have the standard cave formations seen at every cave.

The cave was discovered, and opened as a show cave in 1859! It has been open for tours continuously since then, except during the Civil War.

In 1999, some of the cave owners actually found a new, unexplored area of the cave!

This is a fun cave, the staff seemed knowledgeable and enthusiastic. If you have been to Mammoth Cave, this is a nice alternative.

http://www.diamondcaverns.com/

Harlem Globetrotters

I did go to Rupp Arena on Sunday to check out the Harlem Globetrotters. I had a great time.

It did remind me of watching the Globetrotter games, whenever they would come on, as a kid. They did all of the old tricks, including putting the ball under the shirt of the other teams player, messing with the ref, and goofing around with the fans. Oh, and beating up on the Washington Generals.

The "game" started at 3 and we went in a little after 2. This was a good family type atmosphere. I can't stress enough about how great the staff at Rupp is. I always feel comfortable here with the great security and friendly ushers.

The "Hill on Wheels" wheelchair basketball team played a game before the Globetrotters did their thing. What an amazing display! I have never been to a wheelchair basketball game before. These guys are impressive and tough. They moved the ball well, and made the shots. I would hate to arm wrestle any members of the team. Seeing "Hill on Wheels" was an a big bonus to a fun night. Here is their website:
http://www.kylegends.com/

The rest of the evening reminded me of a mix of a basketball game, minor league baseball, and pro-wrestling.

The Globetrotters have an on field announcer/MC, a mascot, and other activities going on. During a break in the game, they were bowling using Globie, the Globetrotters mascot as the bowling ball, and huge Campbell's Soup cans as the pins. It was pretty fun.

The manager of the Generals came out and started talking trash about the Globetrotters, Lexington, etc. He also used a hypnotic umbrella to hypnotize members of the Globetrotters during the game. It was cheesy but funny. Oddly, the Globetrotters manager was motionless. Even when Special K asked him to come on the floor during a bit, the manager set like a stone.

The Globetrotters did their usual amazing dunks and shots. They made it look easy. Of course, having an opponent standing back and letting you make those shots helps. Still, it was pure nostalgic fun.

Niagara Falls

Since things have been a bit slow in my neck of the woods, mostly because of the holidays and a wicked cold, I thought now might be a good time to mention Niagara Falls. I haven't been up there in a few years. I used to go a couple of times a year when I lived in Cleveland. I am on a huge Niagara Falls kick right now (I got the complete series of the show "Wonderfalls" for Christmas, prompting my recently renewed interest in the Falls).


Niagara Falls is still pretty accessible. You could do it over a four day weekend from Kentucky. I would suggest trying to incorporate it into a week trip through the north. It does justify a whole week to itself too. You could spend 7 or more days here easily. I think I could spend 7 days simply staring at the Falls in amazement.


We used to pretty much hang out on the Canadian side, but the American side is pretty cool too. Most people suggest getting to the Canadian part if you must choose between 1 or the other.


It is amazing to see the falls, and I do remember the first time walking right up to the rail and seeing them.


The area walking distance from the falls is very exciting. I have heard friends compare it to Gatlinburg, and other very touristy areas. There are blocks of shops, restaurants, and museums.


Niagara Falls has a certain mythical and dark beauty to it. Like some of the other wonders of the world, there is plenty of strangeness at the falls. I recently read "In The Mad Water" and "Journeys to the Brink of Doom" by TW Kriner. Both books give details of the many deaths and other tragedies that have occurred near and in the falls. I will have to do a review of these fascinating books later as I let a friend borrow my copies a couple weeks ago. Both books would be appropriate reading in October.



I have had trouble finding stats on jumpers at the falls. Most of the stunt jumpers are pretty well documented on line and elsewhere.



One thing that really amazes me at each visit is the barge that is stuck just above the Canadian side. Many people are unaware of this, but if you take about a 5 minute walk away from the Horseshoe Falls you will see it. It is out a bit, but it is there. It has been there for decades! Kriner's book tells the story in detail of how it was basically jammed there to keep it from going over by it's 2 passengers. It has remained there since.


Anyway, here are some of my favorite pictures from my personal Niagara Falls collection!



I might write more about the Falls again soon, especially after I finish up the Wondefalls series, and after I get my books back.

Land Between the Lakes

When I was in the 5th grade, my class took a trip to Land Between the Lakes. All 5th grade classes at my elementary school took this trip over a couple of days. It was such a great experience. We had to make a Land Between the Lakes book. This was a huge event for all students before they advanced to middle school.

I was grateful to my school for giving us the experience. I know for many of us, this was our first real "away from home" trip. I went to a very calm school, and I really liked all of my classmates. My memory of this trip is still vivid and happy.

My dad and I have made a couple trips to the Land Between the Lakes area recently. Growing up in Western Kentucky, this was not an uncommon trip. I remember some family and friends near Owensboro probably going down monthly.

There is a lot going on there. I just found out that they have a blog too! Check it out:

http://www.landbetweenthelakes.blogspot.com/

LBL is one of those places that you really have to go to to appreciate. It is nice, and you hear it is nice, but you just have to go there to see exactly how nice it is. Also, it helps if you have someone going with you familiar with the area, like my dad. Ask him, he will go with you! Seriously, he has nothing else going on.

I love the Animal Center near the Center Furnace. Its 4-5 bucks to go through. I remember seeing a presentation on snakes here while on that 5th grade trip. They let me hold a snake. I was scared to death, but they calmly explained that it wouldn't bite. There was no mischievous person around to try to scare me. It was a pleasant and positive experience. They still have snakes, and many other animals. My dad and I got there right when they opened, and they were bringing out there owls. The unreal friendly rangers there gave us a presentation on each owl that came out! I assume they do this every day when they open up. The presentation alone was worth 3 times the price of admission.

There are a ton of trails and camping areas throughout. I would love to take a week and just go walk around.

There is the Elk and Bison Prairie. I think it is five bucks to enter it. You pay your entry fee at an automated area, and then you drive in. I do wish they would put a real person at the entrance, but it does seem that friendly rangers are around once inside the range.

My last time there, I saw one buffalo at a distance. A ranger told us that they were all over in another area, off the trail. The loner we saw was an older buffalo that had been there since the start of the trail. The new, younger buffalo do not socialize with him according to the ranger.

On another trip trough the Elk and Bison Prairie, we had to wait for many of the buffalo to get out of our way! They were everywhere! They obviously are comfortable around visitors, and they would walk right next to our truck.

There is another area to see Buffalo next to the Great Western Furnace. I am not sure about their status, but they are across the road in a field. They are always very visible.

Speaking of furnaces. I really don't know a lot about old iron furnaces, or even how the furnaces operated, but the area has 2 standing furnaces that have been around for some time. The Great Western Furnaces dates back to the 1850s. It still looks good. The Center Furnace looks a little rougher each time I see it.

There is the Golden Pond Planetarium too. I love planetariums, and this area is lucky to have this one, connected to the visitor center. I saw a great presentation here about a year ago on the International Space Station. There was a great Q&A session after the show, and the audience was told about a web site where you could type in your location and find out times that you could see the ISS over head! The next night, my dad and I actually looked up at the right time and saw the ISS! It is quick, you have to look up and catch it. It could easily be mistaken for a fast moving plain.

The gift shop in the visitor center has a great selection of local interest books.

Oh, and you can't really bring up LBL without mentioning Patti's. I have a friend from the Paducah area that kept telling me that I must stop there. The word is the portions are huge. My friend was not kidding. I had a salad, and 3 people could have helped me finish it off. It was big. Oh, and they give you bread baked in a flower pot. It is just as cool as it sounds. Think Cracker Barrel but bigger and more authentic. You couldn't franchise this kind of Kentucky atmosphere. They have a nice gift shop too. Check out their web site.

http://www.pattis-settlement.com/iron_kettle_restaurant.htm

I guess this is a great area just to go and drive around (keep a map around though!). I have seen turkey and deer just walking around on the roads. It is very relaxing just driving around the area.

Indianapolis at Christmas

One of my favorite cities outside of Kentucky is Indianapolis. I love this town. I have talked about it before, but I feel the need to mention it again now.

Indianapolis is a great city during Christmas. I try to make it down for a day or a whole weekend at some point between Thanksgiving and Christmas each year. Indianapolis really knows how to celebrate the season.

For anyone totally unfamiliar with Indy's downtown area, it is very photogenic. Their 284 foot tall Soldiers and Sailors monument is overwhelming. The statues that are attached to it alone really make a person feel small. This is a magnificent structure, and if you are driving through the area, please take a moment to get out of your car and actually walk up to it. Glancing at it as you loop around the round about does not do it justice. You can take an elevator to the top for a buck.

So, much of their downtown area is centered around the monument. There are a lot of cool things going on right in that area. Nice restaurants, hotels and shopping are common. You can easily drive down on a Friday, park, get a room, and not need your car again until Sunday when you leave.

Circle Center Mall is part of Indianapolis' glorious downtown. I really can't describe how cool the mall here is as it has a bit of an infinite feel. It is four stories, and is inside of four preexisting buildings. It is connected by walkways to many hotels downtown too. It is easy to spend an event filled weekend at a downtown hotel and never have to step foot outside.

There are a couple of glassed in areas at the mall that allow for some cool views of downtown. The Artsgarden is a fun architectural site on the outside and on the inside. It is maintained by the city's arts counsel ( http://www.artscouncilofindianapolis.org/uncilofindianapolis.org/ ). Something cool is usually going on in the Artsgarden. There is always information on cool events in the area here.

The day after Thanksgiving, the town host a huge event around the Soldiers and Sailors monument, lighting it up as a tree for the season. I have heard estimates of 100,000 people showing up for the lighting.

Indianapolis has another Christmas tradition that, in my books, trumps all others. Since 1947, a small Cherub has appeared for Christmas on the clock at the old L.S. Ayers building. I love looking up at the clock and seeing the Cherub there when I am in town before Christmas.

Across the street from the Cherub is the Border's Bookstore. I am usually not a huge fan of chain store (I must admit that I do like Border's) but this store has some true uniqueness to it. It is obvious that they built the store into an old bank, leaving up some of the old fixtures. I love their well stocked local interest section, and the staff there seems friendly and helpful. Also, I like the marriage of Border's Books and Seattle's Best Coffee, especially at this location. A big book store and a cozy coffee area in clean downtown Indianapolis is perfect.

I have been to Indianapolis on many summer days, but I seem to be making a tradition of getting downtown in December. In my mind, I associate downtown with Christmas and winter. If you are in downtown Indianapolis on a cold winter night, you MUST stop by the South Bend Chocolate Company Chocolate Cafe. Get some hot chocolate. Get the large. Trust me.
http://www.sbchocolate.com/

All of the major sporting venues (Victory Field, Conseco Fieldhouse, and Lucas Oil Stadium) are within the downtown area. The Convention Center is here. A cool place to catch a nice dinner and get a view of the entire city is the Eagle's Nest restaurant on top of the Hyatt (the place is very classy, and it rotates slowly, giving you a complete view of the town great skyline).

Getting away from downtown, Indy still has several NICE malls. Castleton Square Mall and the Keystone Fashion Mall are both worth a walk through, and they are close to each other. The Keystone Mall has a nice feel to it, and it has many unique stores. I REALLY love the Keystone Art Cinema here. It is worth taking a couple of hours to catch a movie here. They have a great selection of the usual movie theater snacks, plus some. The seats are the most comfortable seats ever in a theater. We had a great lunch at this malls "Fashion Cafe". Its like a cool nic nac store, plus a very nice cafe. We had some great sandwiches, desert and tea. This is a really unique place, and I hope people support this place.

I like Greenwood Mall too, and the area around there (I love that Half Price Books and pet store across the street). There are still many legitimate malls in Indy.

I have spent summer weekends in Indy downtown, walking to ballgames, monuments, etc. I have spent winter weekends downtown doing totally different things than what I did there during the summer. I have spent weekends in the Keystone area, not stepping foot in downtown and still had a nice time. Indy is a big town with a lot of nice things going on.

Bluegrass Stallions at the Kentucky Horse Park

I had the chance to check out the new pro basketball team in Lexington last night. I am glad to see another new team in the area, and I hope they do well. I had a good time but as a new team, in a new venue, they have a lot of little things to work out. There are good things, and bad things about this team right now.

The set up at the Horse Park, at this time anyway, is confusing. With the Southern Lights at the park, there is some additional chaos. I love the lights. In fact, getting to see the lights AND catching a basketball game is a bonus, but if you are simply hoping to catch the game the whole lights thing may be a problem.

We got to the Horse park, and went through the campground entrance. We stopped at the front and were told we still had to pay $15 (admission to see the lights through the park) but the Stallions would give us a buy one get one free ticket because of that, which was cool with us.

Also, there was a long line of vehicles forming to get into the park, for the game AND for the lights.

We were then told to look for the Stallions sign with the blinking light. The entire park is blinking lights! AND the stallions "sign" was a small cardboard yard sign with ONE small blinking light on it (not being familiar with the park, we came close to driving by this sign without noticing it).

I was the only one buying a ticket at the ticket window, but this was a long process. It took probably 20 minutes to get my ticket, as people were being trained in this area. Also, they were unable to provide me with a receipt. I really don't want to be too critical of this team starting out, but this was embarrassing and they really need to correct this problem soon.

My only other real problem with this team relates more to the rules of the ABA. I hate rule change gimmicks, and that's what the 3D rule is. I personally don't find it exciting. I remember an independent baseball league (one that folded) suggested making home runs count x2 after the 7th or 8th inning. These kind of rules don't seem necessary. It gets confusing. You know, with arena football, the rule modifications for the arena setting improved the game of football in my opinion. Smaller fields and smaller uprights make the game just as interesting, if not more.

Speaking of arena football, I was glad to see that a lot of the former Horsemen staff are running the new basketball team. In a way, it almost felt like the football playing Horsemen have continued on with the Stallions.

I really hate on field announcers or DJs finding their way into minor league sports these days. A mediocre one is a dime a dozen. The Stallions were lucky to get Steve from the Horsemen. Steve is fun, and has a great, original sense of humor. Steve had me laughing so hard I cried at some Horsemen games (flirting with cheerleaders when he thought he wasn't being filmed, egging participants on in hot dog eating contests, etc.). At the Stallion's game last night, he heckled a smaller player on the other team while they were at the free throw line. Steve is the only on field host that I actually look forward to seeing at a game.

There were other cool things about seeing this new team.

The new indoor stadium is very nice and cozy. I think it can hold around 6,000. It has a clean new feel to it. It has a dirt floor, but they put a basketball court over it. Oddly, it works and works well. I think this would be a fun venue for an arena football team too. Rupp is easily the most exciting indoor sports venue in the state, but this venue is probably a more affordable and ideal one for independent pro teams like the Stallions. I hope to catch many more sporting events (basketball and other) here.

Kyle Macy. The guy is a UK legend, and has a lot of pro playing time under his belt. I doubt he is coaching right now for the money. Every ABA fan that gets to see him owes him a sincere, "Thank You."

HOOPS the mascot. Big fluffy mascots are cool, I don't care what anyone else has to say about this. They are great. HOOPS is a new great one. I saw him all over the place, posing for pics, throwing popcorn, and harassing the cheerleaders. He is fun. I mean, I don't appreciate him as much as I appreciate coach Kyle, but the kids will love him. I love him.

Ale-8 was last nights sponsor and we got a free 6 pack on our way into the park. On the cool-giveaway-o-meter, that ranks at the top. I remember a couple of seasons ago, Chipotle would give out burrito coupons at Legends games on Tuesday nights. If Ale-8 and Chipotle are ever given away at the same time, my head will explode. I am MUCH more likely to buy a ticket if I know I am getting free Ale-8!

Also, if you love obscure and unusual occurrences, well, here you go. As far as I know, last night was the first time EVER that 2 pro basketball teams, both from Kentucky, played each other in Lexington! Think about that. Think about how much of a basketball town Lexington is. Pretty cool.

I do hope the area comes out to support the Stallions (and the Bisons too, playing for a second season in Owensboro). Pikeville is listed as having a team but I can't find current info on them.

Check out my links to the Stallions and Bisons at the left of this page.

Professional Kentucky Basketball

Please take a moment to look over my links to the left concerning pro sports teams in Kentucky. The Bisons in Owensboro and the Stallions in Lexington are playing! The Stallions play their 1st home game ever this weekend. The new arena at the Horsepark should be an exciting venue to catch a game!

For hockey fans, I know that Evansville Indiana, not far from Owensboro, has started their season too, I really hope to catch a game or two this year!

I have mentioned that the arena football Horsemen in Lexington are done. I did hear some vague rumors about trying to get some sort of an arena football team going again in the area in the next year or so, that would be great.

I really hope that the people in these areas get out and support these teams. The players, coaches and owners are not getting rich with these teams. Most enjoy being a part of the games, and being a part of their community. The players are quality (check out the rosters for the basketball teams, former UK players are listed). Tickets are affordable and merch is cheap. The teams appreciate the support too!

Lo-Watt Radio

I try to check out local and independent acts at coffee shops whenever I can. I have seen some fun acts recently, but I feel compelled to write about these guys out of Ohio. This is by far the best band I have seen at a small venue. They rocked.

Lo-Watt Radio has a great sound from a talented four piece band. They reminded me of the polished recent line-up of Fairport Convention, if you have seen them recently. Fairport is one of my favorite live acts, but pound for pound, Lo-Watt Radio might be able to blow the more senior act off the stage. Lo-Watt radio has been together for less than a year, but they sound like they have been doing this for at least a decade.

I love a solid sounding bass and drum combo. I have seen a lot of acts (stadium acts even) that sound flat in this area. Ron Cerosky's bass and Joel Eric Geiser on drums are flawless. They sound slow and smooth when needed, and they rock it up when appropriate. I could see this duo fitting in well with a mellow retro country act, or in a hard rock band. I can think of many major label acts that would upgrade with either of these guys in their lineup.

Doc Blankenhorn (banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dobro, lap steel, and backing vocals, according to their EP) and Michael Harvan (lead vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, harmonica, and keyboards) could each lead about any genre of band, and I bet they could do a heck of a solo show each.

Doc switched his instrument often. Watching him play his very unique steel guitar (Ron told me it was custom made for him) was worth the price of admission alone. Michael's joyful and energetic style of singing, playing guitar, and blowing on the harmonica reminded me of John Fogerty or Bob Weir.

These guys play a great set of mostly original tunes. They did throw in an amazing cover of Zevon's "Werewolves of London." I know, some songs have been played to death, and Werewolves might be considered one of those songs. This was no karaoke reading of the song though. It was true to the original but lost some of the bar room sing along feel other readings have. It was done with more passion and more heart. Lo-Watt did to Zevon's Werewolves what Hendrix did to Dylan's Watchtower.

I caught these guys at a small but packed coffee shop in the Akron Ohio area recently. They are developing a following, and if I lived in the area, I would be a part of it. They have a great live sound and obviously enjoy what they are doing.

I talked to some of the guys after their 2 hours or so on stage. Ron and Joel said that they might try to get some Kentucky dates in, and maybe some southern Ohio shows. I sure hope to catch Lo-Watt Radio again soon. Check out their Myspace site:

http://www.myspace.com/lowattradio

Also, check out Sonnet's Coffee if you are near the Akron area. That's where I caught this act, and had some great coffee. The acoustics are perfect here too. This is the perfect coffee shop to catch a great indy act.

http://www.sonnetscoffee.com/

Executive Inn, Owensboro KY. implosion

WOW! I have just caught up on reading about the destruction of this Owensboro landmark earlier this month.

I have my own personal memories of the place, mostly centered around catching classic rock acts in concert there. I saw Foreigner, 38 Special, Canned Heat, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and others there. I recall one very novel show with "the Byrds" opening for Survivor. Actually, I believe it was one of the Byrds drummers with a bunch of young guys using the name. It was a fun show. I remember Foreigner, Kansas and the Fabulous Thunderbirds all sounding great at the Big E.

I remember my cousin working there, doing sound and light stuff for shows. He lurked around that place for a long time, becoming a bit of a fixture.

I remember going there when I was young. My family would eat at the restaurant there. The place seemed endless, with hallways full of rooms leading to more hallways.

It seems like it was just a few months ago that they suddenly closed it up. You heard rumors about what was to become of it.

I will try to get a few pictures I took up soon. My friend Karen Owen-Phelps has done a great job of covering the implosion. Check out her articles at the Evansville Courier & Press site:
http://btop.courierpress.com/staff/karen-owen-phelps/

Check out Karen's other articles too. There is a fun article about paranormal research groups in the area.

Kentucky Horsemen Football

For anyone that follows the Horsemen in Lexington, I have read that they have folded. I actually heard this several days ago, and just hoped it was a nasty rumor. I hoped that they might come back a few days later and announce that they were actually still functioning (like they did a couple of years ago, saying that they were no more, but then announcing a week or two later that they would actually be back in a new league).

Well, it looks like they could not swing the fees that the new Arena 1 League required. I am very sad to hear about this, they really put on a good show at Rupp, and I loved going to the games.

Their web site still appears current, though it hasn't been updated lately. I know the Lexington area will have a new pro basketball team and that's great, but I will really miss the Horsemen. I think they stuck around a lot longer than anyone expected.

The Gelato Fiasco, Brunswick Maine

We covered a lot of ground on our trip to Maine. Sure, I know most people wouldn't drive out of their way for a coffee/ gelato place, but this place is worth driving out of your way for.

I must say that I am not a big gelato person. In fact, I have come across it rarely. Its like ice cream. Thats my knowledge of it.

The Gelato Fiasco has a unique way of making it, and people were loving it.

I must confess though, I went in for coffee. I had their "God of Thunder" coffee. Well, the coffee smelled great when I went to get it. This is one of those rare coffee shops where the coffee tastes just as good as it smells.

If you are ever near Brunswick or the Portland area, check this place out. It is on a nice street with other cool shops near by.

http://www.gelatofiasco.com/

This might be hard to visualize, but they literally pour hot water directly into a free standing strainer with coffee in it. Your very own cup is placed under the filter, and it is brewed right into your cup. It was delicious!!

I sent an email to Josh at the Gelato Fiasco and asked him about how they make this great coffee. Here is how he explained it:

"We call it a 'Brew Bar'. It's basically a custom-made structure that holds four melita-like filter holders. The key is grinding the beans moments before brewing and using a correct grind with enough coffee beans. It's a little slower than an airport obviously, but the results speak for themselves. I'd say the only downside has been not being able to have coffee any other way or at any other place since we're the only ones I know of in Maine using this system".

I have been to hundreds of coffee shops. Seriously. I love good coffee. I can think of a couple of great places that make a distinct, perfect cup of coffee. This was easily one of the three best cups of coffee I have ever had. Ever.

If you are serious about good coffee and you are within an hour or so of Brunswick Maine make a point to get to this great place. If you are travelling with non-coffee people that's fine, they can have some gelato.

Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum Weston, WV.

Yes, I know the name is not really politically correct, but that's what they call it. While operating, it was generally called Weston State Hospital.

This is an amazing place. I try not to write about facts that can be found on wikipedia, or on a locations homepage, so I will try to stick with the info our tour guide gave us.

They started working on building this place BEFORE the Civil War! It was in use until 1994 as a mental health facility. Our guide, Kathy Turner, worked there from 1970 until 1994, when it closed.

It was great fun having a guide with such a personal connection to the place. Kathy may have been the best tour guide we have ever had. I love historic tours, but rarely do you have the opportunity to have a guide with such an authentic connection.

There are two tours you can take. For $10 you get a tour of the entire first floor, and there is a $30 four floor tour. They have a late night ghost tour going on too, which is also fun, but I do like getting the actual historical info.

Kathy talked to us about the criteria for getting someone admitted, the number of patients housed there at different times, the role Weston played in the Civil War, and she did a great job of discussing some of the barbaric practices that mental health has utilized.

The architecture is stunning. The main building is huge. The history is endless.

I did watch the Ghost Adventures Live show from there over Halloween weekend. That was a lot of fun. The site deserves that kind of attention and publicity. I was happy to see Dean Haglund hosting it.

This is a great place to visit for many reasons, and it is a day trip drive from the Eastern Kentucky area.

This month

There is a LOT going on in and around the state right now! There are several events I won't be able to attend, but I would like to. In fact, there are a few things this weekend that I was hoping to check out, but I won't be able to.

The Miamitown Ghost Walk guys are doing their Paranormal Convention this Saturday AND they have several other cool events happening. I am sure they will be busy with their tour this season too. I have been to a lot of places and done a lot of "Ghost Walks." This one is more isolated and secluded than most, giving it a very authentic feel. This one gets a 10 on my creep-o-meter.
http://www.miamitownghosttours.com/events.html

The Louisville Science Center is hosting an exhibit on the Titanic. I was able to check out the exhibit when it was in Cleveland and Columbus (I hear there are several different traveling exhibits). I can't wait to see it again right here in Kentucky. Almost 100 years later and we are still fascinated about the sinking of this ship, the story of the passengers, and even the rediscovery of it. At one of the exhibit locations, there were even period actors discussing the ship, staying in character!
Louisville should have the exhibit from now until February.
http://www.louisvillescience.org/site/exhibits-temporary-article/titanic-the-artifact-exhibition.html

While you are in Louisville this October, I think "Evil Dead the Musical" is a must. A day trip to Louisville to see the Titanic exhibit during the day, and Evil Dead the Musical in the evening sounds perfect. Getting a room for the night and going to the Louisville Zoo and the new Mega Cavern the next day would be a great weekend adventure in Louisville this October.
http://www.louevildead.com/index3.html

In Lexington, there is the Downtown Ghost Walk and Creepy Crawl. Kevin Steele is a heck of a story teller. This is a fun event. Many of the locals participate (one haunted fire station seemed happy to let those on the walk take a look inside). This is a fun tour. It was a bit crowded the night I went last year, as this is a popular event. I did go on Halloween though. Anyway, check out Kevin's site.
http://lexingtonghostwalk.com/

In Owensboro, David Wolfe is doing his "Haunts of Owensboro" ghost walk. Like the Miamitown guys, his is run all year long on Fridays and Saturdays at 8. I have not been on his tour yet, but I hear he does a great job and he is excited about his tour that he has put together in Owensboro. Plus, the tour meets at one of my new favorite hang outs in the 'Boro, the Creme Coffee House. Owensboro is really lucky to have a great indy coffee shop and a year round ghost tour!
http://www.hauntsofowensboro.com/

Next month, Frankfort is hosting their book fair again on November 7th. If you love books, especially books with a Kentucky connection, this is the place! Last year, there were around 200 authors signing their works. I love signed books, and I love chatting with authors about their books. This is a very exciting event.
http://www.kybookfair.org/

Falling in line with the Halloween Season, but also occurring in November is the HorrorHound Weekend event in Cincinnati. This should be a fun event for horror movie fans.
http://www.horrorhoundweekend.com/

Autumn Festivals

There are plenty of festivals going on at the moment. Apple fests, ghost walks, and haunted houses. I love this time of the year!
Last weekend, there were festivals all over the state. The Chicken Festival, according to the local news, drew hundreds of thousands of visitors! The actors who played Bo and Luke Duke were there. I really need to get down to that festival next year.
Last year I went to the Lebanon Ohio Apple festival. I passed on that one this weekend to hit Ham Days in Lebanon Kentucky.
This was a nice, family oriented event. It was rainy, and the event seemed under attended. I still had a great time.
They had a parade, vendors, and all sorts of carnival type food stands. Their prime rib sandwiches were better than I heard they would be.
This might be a good festival for a family that enjoys the occasional festival event without shoulder to shoulder crowds.
I know Paducah also had a big festival this past weekend. I will try to get some Ham Days pics up soon.