Ooh La La Holy Catfish Corvette Caves

After a great rest in Metropolis we head back out on the road with a much nice Mother Nature. Right across the Ohio River is Padukah Kentucky, home to Bluegrass Downs. I doubt anyone is going to confuse this place with Churchill Downs. Open in 1984 as a quarter horse track, then converted to thoroughbreds and finally to harness racing. It is still open, but only 3 weekends a year, probably just enough to qualify with the IRS.



Grabbed a mural that outlines the history of Puducah in multiple panels.



I really like the sound of say PA DUUU CAH. If Ray Charles was born here he could of sang" I have PA DUUU CAH on my mind". This was the land once controlled by the Paducah Indians, who had Chief Paduke to lead them. Puducah has an uranium enrichment plant built in 1950. On April 25, 1991, the National Quilt Museum opened in downtown Paducah. The Museum is a cultural destination that annually attracts an international collection of more than 40,000 quilters and art enthusiasts to the Paducah area. The Museum features professional quilt and fiber art exhibits that are rotated throughout the year. It is the largest single tourist attraction in the city.For over 30 years, Paducah has been host to one of the largest Quilt Shows in North America, QuiltWeek Paducah. On November 21, 2013, UNESCO designated Paducah the world's seventh City of Crafts and Folk Art

Some information is taken from Wikipedia.

The County Courthouse



Great Vietnam Memorial



We were crossing back over into Tennessee and got the border crossing for Kentucky. Already had the Tennessee one from a couple of days ago.



I assume this statue / silhouette is Davey Crocket shaking hands with Daniel Boone. This is right on the state line, but I think I can use it as a Kentucky Something Cool for the Americana Tour



We Pulled into Ooh La La Paris Tennesse who claims the "World's Biggest Fish Fry". Who am I to argue and grabbed it for the Americana Tour. This was in one of those spots where Crystal said, "where are you gonna stop". To which I said, "Watch". As we are getting back on the SPYDER she said "where are you gonna turn around" I said "Watch" and proceeded to go straight across the street, up and over a small medium strip and pointed us in the right direction. I love this SPYDER and would probably never had attempted that on the FJR.

Paris is home of the "World's Biggest Fish Fry". The festival is held every year and culminates on a weekend, on the last full week in April, with a parade, an art and craft fair, a rodeo and a fun fair. Part of the festivities include the "catfish races." There is a sign which features a roughly 20-foot (6.1 m) long catfish that can be seen when entering the town from the south on U.S. Route 79. As Kentucky Lake is only a 20-minute drive from downtown, fishing is a popular activity.

Source: Wikipedia

Hank Williams Jr. has a home near Paris.



Paris has it's own Eiffel Tower, originally built in wood by the Christian Brothers University in the early 90's. It was replaced with the current medal structure and is 60' tall. This was one of the Specific spots on the Americana Tour.



Steward County Courthouse and Veteran Memorial. These were in Dover, TN. Right before this, we stopped at Fort Donelson for INK. Fort Donelson was a Civil War Battlefield and control was wrestled from the Confederate Army by the Union Army enabling control of the Tennessee River and Cumberland River. The Visitor Center is in a temporary building and not on the National Park land.





In Clarksville got this mural about the history of the town. This Tennessee's first incorporated city in 1785.

The Monkees 1966 #1 song "Last Train to Clarksville" is sometimes said to reference the city's train depot and a soldier from Fort Campbell during the Vietnam War era, but Clarksville was actually picked just for its euphonious sound. The band filmed parts of the song's music video in Clarksville.

Jimi Hendrix moved to Clarksville, Tennessee, and began playing gigs on the chitlin' circuit, earning a place in the Isley Brothers' backing band and later with Little Richard, with whom he continued to work through mid-1965.

Source: WIkipedia



The Roxy Theater is in Clarksville. I love these vintage movie theaters. Originally the Lillian was on this location and when it burned the theater was totally rebuilt and named the Roxy in 1947.



Clarksville also has a racetrack for the Americana Tour. Finding a suitable sign was a drive around and keep looking deal. Has both a drag strip and a clay oval and a bunch of other things to do, like 3D archery.



Crossed back into Kentucky, hitting Bowling Green. Great Veteran Memorial downtown.



Bowling Green sports the National Corvette Museum opened in 1994. It is located a quarter mile from GM's Corvette assembly plant. This was the place where the sinkhole opened up and swallowed a few priceless Corvettes. This is one of those "We shall return" places.



We hit Mammoth Cave for both the National Park Tour and the Americana Tour. This is our fourth time hear and intended to spend about 4 hours here, walking thru the caves. Well my ankle has gotten pretty bad and Crystal's back was bothering her, so once I get the ankle fixed (which involves being in a cast for something like 8 weeks)(which is a winter project) we will come back and take the tour.



Last scheduled stop for the day was Jim Beam Distillery for the Americana Tour. JB has been making bourbon since 1795, only interrupted briefly during Prohibition. James B Bean rebuilt the business in 1933 and the company was the brand was named in his honor. Today the Jim Bean Bourbon brand is owned by Suntory Holdings of Osaka, Japan. REALLY !! Dang all of our brands are not belonging to US (pun intended) anymore. We'll have to declare Pottsville, PA and National Heritage Site or something.







Today's ride, a chock full 401 miles. We stayed in Frankfort for the night.