Ky Horse Park...Volunteer friends

The Alltech FEI Games at the KY horse Park in Lexington, Ky, claims to have over 6000 volunteers. A lot are from other countries. Some are from other countries but actually live in the US.

The 'games' has a facebook page and Ahmed posted he was looking for a place to stay. He is also a volunteer. Seems his search for a hotel room proved to be VERY expensive.

I emailed him to afford a room. He accepted and I will pick him up tomorrow at the airport and take him to the rental car place. I am hoping we can both go to the KY park. I want to go and that will show Ahmed the way to the park and around Lexington.

Finally told Craig (DH) about this today. After more than 20 years, he was not surprised. I can't help myself and i am too old to change and not smart enough to learn.

Ever see a tent with a patio and two chandeliers. The King and his sons and people stay here, in the park.

Time clock for the Endurance Race.

Lex, KY....Volunteer Equestrian Games

Made it thru my second day at the FEI Equestrian Games at the Lexington, KY Horse Park.

You may remember that the 1st day was horrible. Well, Sunday was different and much better. Although these people enjoy mistreating the volunteers. Or so it seems. I decided I would beat them with fairness. It sooooooo worked.

My 'job' today is checking bags at one of the gates. Could not see the park at all. But the good part was I was not alone, lots of volunteers to talk with.

I meet the most amazing 70 year young, women I have ever meet. She is smart and kind (to all). Penny was God sent and I will never forget her. What a joy. She decided to start riding about 2 years ago and is now a horse expert. I just listened and learned, I felt kind of dumb. I know nothing about horses.

After standing on my feet for 8 hours, with a hour for lunch, got to go to the park.

Found the endurance race and watched for hours. A lady riding a horse from Spain finished ahead of the King and two of his sons. Wow, a lot of horses did not finish the 100 mile run. One

of the horses had to have a IV.

Maria Alvarez (Spain)

Rolex Arena . Opening show was here.

Will try to load my pictures and share. I hope you enjoy. Their is lots to talk about and for some it may be boring.

Horse Olympics...Volunteer Job

Yesterday, was the first day of my volunteer work for the FEI Equestrian Games.

What a horrible experience, on sooooooo many levels.

This day was the 45th day over 90 degrees, like the day before, broke the high record. Then it finally rain. Rain is what this area needs, so wonderful.

Are you getting the idea what is expected of this volunteer job?

Today (Saturday) I am not scheduled to 'volunteer'. Soooooo, resting on the heating pad. My back is screaming in pain.

After shift last evening (10:30 pm) the van would not start. Seems that I have a drain on my battery. I need to find it and fix the thing so this stops. Got the van started and began the 45 mile, one hour drive home.

Well, the transmission lost power, in the overdrive 'D' position. Craig didn't answer his phone, so I drove home in the (3) position. Driving 4o mph, I arrived home and parked the van. All will be fine, just takes patience and time.

I am unsure what to do about the volunteer work. Scheduled tomorrow (Sunday), 5 am to 2 pm. The weather is perfect.

Tell tomorrow.

Shaker Village....Dixie Belle River Boat cruise

Craig and I will take this cruise to view the fall colors in Oct.

During the May 1st floods, the Dixie Belle riverboat was knocked loose from its dock and sent floating down the Kentucky River.

Operating schedule, running daily at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

One-hour narrated cruises describe the river's diverse ecosystem and the historical importance of the river to the Shakers. During the tour, the Dixie Belle ventures through the oldest exposed rock in Kentucky, and passes under High Bridge, and limestone cliffs, an engineering marvel built in 1877.

The local newspaper had this to say. It is just a miracle the boat was saved. These floods where horrible.

Shakertown boat breaks loose from moorings, floats down river

By Jennifer Hewlett - jhewlett@herald-leader.com

The Dixie Belle riverboat at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in Mercer County was knocked loose from its moorings Wednesday morning, prompting Shaker Village employees to scramble and catch it before it hit the Brooklyn Bridge downstream.

Bruce Herring, one of the captains of the riverboat, said he saw a concrete dock that was floating in the swollen Kentucky River hit the Dixie Belle's moorings about 8:15 a.m.

Herring and two others jumped into his truck, to which his own boat was attached, and drove several miles down U.S. 68 to get ahead of the riverboat. They put Herring's smaller boat into the water. Herring's brother, Richard Herring, also a captain of the riverboat, managed to get into and take control of the Dixie Belle. Bruce Herring and Shaker Village preservation manager Mike McGinnis helped guide the Dixie Belle into shallow water from the smaller boat. The men were able to secure the riverboat to a tree in the river, about 21/2 miles above the Brooklyn Bridge, Bruce Herring said

The challenge now is getting the Dixie Belle, which is 65 feet long, 19 feet wide and about 30 feet tall, back to Shaker Village. Because the locks at the dam that the Dixie Belle went over on its free-floating trip are shut, the boat will have to be moved by land to get back home, he said. Moving the riverboat will take weeks, he said.

"It's going to be a job. If the locks and dams were still open, it wouldn't be a problem," Herring said. "We'll have to put it on a trailer and try and get it back home. We're looking at a couple of options, but it's not going to be easy."

The only damage to the Dixie Belle apparently is a bent handrail.

"It looks like we drove it down here," Bruce Herring said.

Even the chairs inside the boat were still situated next to their tables after the trip

H'burg, KY...RV Awning repairs

Remember, when David McGee (the RV guy) came to the house and worked on the Condo.

One of the things needing replacing is the awning that slides out with our living room slide. He ordered the, now discontinued, awning from A & E. First order took forever and then arrived in a brown color, we need emerald green.

Last week we caught up with David at Skaggs' Rv in Elizabethtown, KY. He order another awning and it arrived and he attempted the install today. He and his assistant, Linda, worked hard but soon it became obvious the fabric is again wrong. Sheesh, not emerald green, but green and not canvas fabric but that vinyl stuff and the wrong size. The Size was the deal breaker. Back to the drawing board.

H'burg, KY...time for naps

Do you nap? Seems that I now nap. I remember when I could not fall asleep during the day time. Those days are in the pass. Now I nap and enjoy. The last few days I have had to stop and sleep.

Sooooo, getting to the blog was put on 'snooze'.

Part of my napping is because of Chief, the famous Chief. He is soooo sick. We are trying to adjust his medication to allow him to sleep thru the night. He sleeps well during the day, but when the sun goes down, he suffers.

My nights are up and down. Letting the little dog outside, to do his business. Water pills help the most but ofcourse that makes him go.

To those that know me and my history with Chief. I will tell you that it is not time to let go.

H'burg, KY...small things on Condo

As you may remember, I want to take care of my stuff and maybe scale that stuff down.

With my Dear Husband's help we did small, convenient upgrades to the Condo.

Do you remember when Sue and I left for the horse park and the large generator tray would open and slam shut. Well seems that the corner is rubbing and losing paint. I decided to use the felt side of velcro and put this on the corner. This will not stay forever and will need replacing later. That's OK, because, as you know I plan on taking better care of my stuff. Also did this on the doors in the rear access to the engine.

the fix

Engine doors in rear of Condo.

The Fix.

Also, the hour counter on the generator is located here. I want to know how many hours we use the generator so we can do the oil changes as needed and any other service. Needed a place to record these readings. Soooooo decided that duct tape would make a writing surface, that can be removed. This is want I came up with. Just have to find a marker when we have the big tray open.

All of the rubber stick on weather stripping is coming off. So Craig replace all this around the generator tray and all around the one slide we have. This stripping will not stay forever either and we will be doing this again. Sounds like Craig and I have a hobby.

The black outline you see is the stick on weather stripping.

This is part of the reason that owning a RV is not for all. But I love it. My title for this blog is It's all I want to do RV travels, for a reason.

I love doing all of this.

H'burg, KY...Moped fixed

Remember the oil leak on my TOAD (moped). Found the oil leak in March but used the moped on the trip to south Texas, with no problems. But about 10 days ago we put the thing in the shop. Lee's Inc is located on College St in Harrodsburg. They have a Yamaha sign.

Very nice people and the showroom and parts area are neat and very well organized.

The problem was all around the carburetor and oil mix area. This area is tight, I don't see how they got to it, to work. But they did.

They replaced the airbox boot, intake manifold, air filter, and the oil cap on the oil tank. Cleaned it all up. They even returned the old parts.

The battery needed charging when we took it in. So they put it on a charger.

Total cost $122.86. Only $50.00 of this is labor. We are very well satisfied. Nice to have a charge that isn't feeling like assault.

Nicholasville,KY...Camp Nelson Cemetery

Here in Ky, you can’t drive far without finding an historic site. I find cemeteries interesting and this is a nice one. Notice this section has soldiers from different wars, WWII, Korea and Vet man, probably more.

Camp Nelson National Cemetery is located in Nicholasville, Ky, just south of Lexington, KY.

In 1866, the U.S. government appropriated eight acres to establish a cemetery. Additional acre was purchased in 1874.

During the Civil War, Camp Nelson, cared for the sick and wounded. Camp Nelson included barracks, headquarters buildings and a 700-bed hospital.

This was a major center for the recruitment of black soldiers of the U.S. Colored Troops (USCT).

According the cemetery records, 1,180 men were buried here by February 1866.

After the end of the Civil War, the federal government initiated a program to locate and reinter Union dead in national cemeteries. As a result, a total of 2,023 remains were removed from areas in Kentucky such as Frankfort, Richmond, London and Covington and reinterred at Camp Nelson National Cemetery.

With the exception of two graves alleged to be Confederate soldiers, there are no Confederates interred at Camp Nelson.

The cemetery has been expanded, but the historic section is enclosed by a stone wall and the superintendent’s lodge, built in 1870, is fully restored.

Camp Nelson National Cemetery was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

Note:
Went to the dermatologist today. Waited two months for this appointment. Had a few extra ‘things’ froze or cut off. All is well and she said my skin looked great for my age. Thought that was nice of her to say. Getting old sucks.

Charged $65.00 for the freezing things, she said insurance would not pay. Thirty five dollars for the first freezing thing and $5 for all that followed. The cutting off of things is being billed to insurance. Everything is soooooo expensive. We are trying to get all this taken care of while Craig has company insurance.

Cave City, KY...Campground

After the cave tours, this guy was just standing next to the road. I believe someone would have had to get out of the car and run screaming at this fellow to get him to move.

With these things on his head he should move. Craig is a hunter and would love to have see this guy from a tree stand. Oh well, maybe next time.

This is our site 18 in Singing Hills Campground. We pulled in nose first and lucked out when site 19 was rented to a tenter who set their tent up across the pond. So our patio was large, because these sites are small.

Site 20 was left un-rented because of this.

The owners would like this nest to go.

This is Richard Miller, he is retired from the military. He has an amazing story and I will ask if I can tell it. Because I would need to get it right. He and Sabin are making plans to sell their sick home and buy a diesel pusher and full time. Wow, I don't think I could do it. My stick home may become just storage, but I can't let go of all my junk.

Cave City, KY...Mammoth Cave Pictures

These pictures are the Frozen Niagara Tour.

Very short easy easy walk.

.

Guide said he reason for so much mineral deposits is that the cap (ground level) is limestone. Makes for a porous rock that leaks water thru.

These are the only steps. You actually go behind this formation. Just like going behind the falls at Niagara Falls in New York. So this tour is Frozen Niagara.

I wonder if the limestone 'cap' is one day going to be a sinkhole.

That's Craig looking for the treasures.

We hope to return and take one of the 4 to 6 hour tours. Lots of other things in the area. I wanted to do the Alpine Slide but we visited and chilled at the campground instead. Wonderful weather. A great 3 day weekend.

A place called Ky Down under is also another return trip.

Cave City, Ky...Mammoth Cave

Finally (Friday) left Skagg's RV Service and drove 45 miles south on I-65, to exit 53 ( Cave City, Ky). Than headed east about 2 miles to Singing Hills Rv Park. Easy drive. Meet the owner's in the office and paid for Friday night, Sat and Sun. We will leave Monday. Total, with the Good Sam's discount, came to $75.00. Out site #18 has only electric and water. Older park with small lots but it is OK and close to the caves.

Headed for the cave's and discovered, you have to make a choice. Their is a dozen tours. We choose the Historic Tour, under the General Tour section, and Frozen Niagara, listed under the Specialty tours. Cost was a total of $38.00 for the two tours. Craig went in the morning and booked us on the 10:30 am and the 5:30 pm Satuarday. Historic tour was two hours and Niagara was only one hour.

Both are wonderful.

Sign's all around state no bags on tours. Soooooooo, on the Historic Tour I did not have my camera. Turns out the camera is OK, just the bag to hold the camera, isn't.

This place is a grand place for families, lots and lots of activities, from the caves to fishing and water float trips.

Spending a week here would be a pleasure.

Elizabethtown, KY...Skagg's RV service shop

We are out doing the tourist thing. So I'm behind on posting. Left Thursday after work and pulled into Skaggis RV about 8 pm. We just found an outside plug and plugged in. Got on the internet and found the phone number for the Texas Roadhouse restauarant, called in an order and walked over to pick up. Great supper, spent $19.42.

We where looking for David McGee, the RV person who came to out house to work on the RV, and is suppose to do some other work for us. For the pass two months I have tired and tired to call David with no luck. Soooooooo, we just showned up. David lives in his RV on site.

Found David Friday morning. Says he never got out phone messages. Etc, Etc, Etc. (King and I, I am, I am).

David said he could do the Norcold recall fix (this is the second fix) and look at the dash AC problem, if we wanted. It would only take about an hour. Four and a half hours later we left.

Notice the tennis shoes in the Fridge compartment????

The 'fix' says the fridge only needs to come out about 3 inches. I didn't care much for all this mess.

The dash AC was recharged in Florida last year, it cooled for a very short time. They recharged again and claimed the machine showed no leaks. Well I don't believe that, but it cost us $114.00. Asked for a guarantee and received a laugh.

Still have to replace the awning over the slide and insulation above the big motor, install new Satellite and several other minor things.

We will see. Got to go on a Labor Day Vacation now. Thank you very much.

Josh will see you in November. You have to go to Mammonth Cave!!!!!!!

Do you get Hitch-Itch

Time for me to get away. Losing my patience.

Around the year 2000 I started taking trips in my Class B camper, by myself. Of course, I was driving the Famous Chief around, he doesn't have a driver license.

This year I was gone from March to the middle of April. That's when I started the blog. All this traveling around makes me wonder, how does a person adjust to having someone else around all the time. It is a wonderful thing to keep your own schedule when traveling. I will need to learn patience and kindness, so will my husband Craig.

This is 2007 just south of Denver. A Wal Mart with a view and I was not alone(in the parking lot). I purchased this computer that day at a Office Depot, right there in the shopping center. Who says that Wal Mart is FREE.

.... The red in the picture is my bike. I had a hitch install on the front bumper of the Van so I can carry the Moped and the bike. Never used the bike on my trips. Can't explain why, the Moped worked out better. Used the Moped all the time.