Derby Week Wrap Up.

I wrote yesterday, but we were in the dead zone of Frankfort and it didn't publish. Now, can I remember what I said?
The weather at Churchill Downs was miserable!! We supposedly had covered seats, but they were right on the edge of the end section, the end from which rain, wind and cold were coming. I thought I would never stop shivering! I love watching the horses run, but I really couldn't get excited! I had planned to make some exotic wagers on the Derby, but no enthusiasm to figure them out.
I did get to sit with a couple that we shared the dinner theater seats with, and I was happy about that. It was exciting to see the shuttle buses--both city and school buses-- line up outside the Downs. There must have been about 50 of them running continously all day. The lines to get on after the races were horrendous!
The result of the Derby was very interesting! It was fun to see responses go from ecstasy to devastation--and the reverse--in such a short time. I think we probably benefited from the disqualification.  We had bet on both horses to show, but made a higher wager on Maximum Security. It's all good.
Here, hopefully are some pics from the day.

 We both actually kept our hats on all day!

If you look to the right of the stadium, you will see a line of white. That is the line of shuttle buses, going up over the hill and beyond.

Good bye to Churchill Downs!

Derby Week Day 6

I have titled this Derby Week, but thought at one point I should call it horse week. We went to a Thoroughbred Training Center a nd the Kentucky Horse Park. We went to the Derby Museum and had breakfast on Millionaire ' s Row. But it hasn't been all about horses. Yesterday we went to the Louisville Slugger factory and the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Below are some pics from the week.

Today is Oaks day, what is called Louisville ' s Derby. Tomorrow is the big day, Derby, but rain is forecast for both days, all day. Once we get to our covered seats, it will be okay, but getting there could be a big problem. I have an idea about what horses to bet on, but not what my betting budget will be.

Have met some nice folks here, and while hectic, it has really been a special week. Here are some pics.

You can't really see it well, but this was a table full of mint juleps

and bottles of Maker's Mark that greeted us at the Claudia Sanders Dinner House (site of birthplace of KFC.)

One of the gorgeous white thorobreds that are at the Kentucky Horse Park.

The Twin Spires at Churchill Downs. Tomorrow, there will be way more than one person in that shot!

Outside the Louisville Slugger Museum. That bat is massive!

Couldn't resist climbing into this chair at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Here we are at 6:45 lining up for breakfast before one of our long days.

On our bus approaching the Belle of Louisville for a dinner cruise. The food was good, but entertainment was lacking. Weather was very comfortable. We met a couple who were married on the date of the 100th Derby and will celebrate their 45th anniversary on the date of the 145th running. There are some very interesting stories here, very interesting people. 

As we approached the Belle, I heard people talking about the high water. That didn't really make an impression on me until I saw these park benches seat - deep in the Ohio river. These benches sit along the frontage of the dock .

Derby Week 2019

Here are six of the seven RVS in our cluster. Ed is standing next to our Newmar New Aire. There are several clusters like this throughout the RV area at the KY Fair and Expo center, all part of the Fantasy Tours/FMCA Derby Week event.

There are a couple of million dollars in this cluster alone, including a 2 - story Prevost (right rear).  Haven't met many people yet, but registration and orientation are today. Tonight we have a Dinner Cruise on the Belle of Louisville, a paddle wheel riverboat. One of the Derby events we enjoyed when we lived here in Louisville was the race between the Belle and Cincinnati ' s Delta Queen.

Yesterday we attended St. Stephens Baptist Church, a multi - campus church that is basically an African American church. It is one of the 100 largest churches in the country. The preacher yesterday, Rev. Ken Jobst, was white, the Executive Assistant minister of St. Stephens. The senior pastor, Rev. Kevin Cosby, was away celebrating the 18th anniversary of one of the other campuses. The service was an hour and a half, longer than any service I've been in for a while, but not really long by the cultural standards. We were blessed by the music of a 50 - voice youth choir.

The temps here are a surprise. Right now it is 52 degrees, heading for 80. Yesterday it didn't get out of the 50s. Derby Day is looking good, temps predicted to be in the 70s.

2019

We arrived at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, KY on Saturday afternoon, a day earlier than planned, but no problem.  I immediately met 4 men, three of whom were named Harold. What are the odds?!

We are here with RV'ers from FMCA for a week of Derby activities, culminating in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 4, 2019.  This is the beginning of my summer travels, which will cover the east coast and other eastern states this year. That will complete our map of the continental U.S. in 3 summers of travel. Mileage wise, this will probably be our shortest trip.  See ya later.

Nappanee Notes 2

We are still here at the Newmar Service Center having work done on our coach. The service center here is immaculate. A man who worked on aircraft engines said that this place was as clean as his work environment. As I watched our service tech clean up, I thought that they needed to be housekeepers along  with all the other skills required for employment.

This is Kirk, our very - knowledgeable service tech. He has been very helpful, not only in what he can do, but in his ability to communicate what he is doing. He sees that our coach is picked up at the lot in the morning--Ed doesn't drive in the dark--and gets it back in great shape in the afternoon. He has worked for Newmar for 9 1/2 years. I am very grateful  that he has been assigned to us. I have seen him advising other service techs, and that adds to my confidence in his work. Thank you, Kirk.

Nappanee notes

Here we are, finally, at the Newmar complex in Nappanee, Indiana, ready to begin the process of having work done on our coach. Some of it will be repair, some maintenance and most repair work still under warranty.  We are scheduled for seven work days. They will pick our coach up at 6:15 a.m. Each day and return it at closing, a time I am not yet familiar with. Meanwhile, we will find ways to occupy ourselves. Since we are not towing this year, we will have to make arrangements for transportation, once we decide what we want to do.
Nappanee is a bit of a dead zone for wifi, so I am behind in posting. Two stops on the way here are worthy of note.

This winery was in Cologna, Illinois, off I 80 on U.S. Hwy 6. We stopped for what turned out to be a scrumptious lunch. I had a wonderful chicken mandarin salad.

This is what was left as I was beginning to think I was full. But the coup De grace of the day was the desert.

Ed and I shared what may have been the most delicious rum cake I have ever had. Of course we couldn't leave the winery without doing some shopping. I bought some wonderful wine items and a bottle of a chocolate wine. I haven't opened it yet, so will report on it later.
As we passed through Chicago Heights on U.S. 30, we had lunch at a restaurant called Carlos'. Even if I hadn't known where I was, I would have guessed I was in the Chicago area. That old, well-maintained Italian restaurant just said "Chicago" to me. There were some classy touches, like salad dressing served in mini gravy boats.

The food was good. Ed had an enormous Italian sausage sandwich and I had broccoli shrimp fettucine. As we left the restaurant, Ed said "that is my kind of restaurant."