I woke up to what would be my last morning in Kentucky more than a little disappointed to miss the moonbow. I would have to return or find my way to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe during a full moon to see another. Since I’ve always wanted to see Vic Falls, that may come first. The morning sky was clear; Tamu and I started our beautiful day with a walk along Cumberland Falls. The state park was a very peaceful place, and we enjoyed a rainbow shining in the daylight water.
My goal that day was to see the Cumberland Gap. Fortunately for us, the original Kentucky Fried Chicken store, now the Harland Sanders Cafe and Museum was along the way, so we stopped for lunch. Back during the Great Depression, Col. Sanders opened a motel which soon gained a reputation for great food. The business thrived until after World War II, when the interstate highway was built away from Corbin, meaning that his hotel would likely fail. So he copyrighted his recipe for fried chicken and started franchising his food business, which eventually turned into an international conglomerate. In the midst of my own career uncertainty, my take away was that when an original goal is thwarted, make a fortune doing something else. I really enjoyed visiting the site. Of all the corporate museums I have seen so far (Coca-Cola, John Deere, and Corvette come immediately to mind), this was my favorite. It was simple and demonstrated corporate pride. It also offered lunch with no added costs. It had been a very long time since I had KFC, and it the perfect lunch for my trek across eastern Kentucky.
Next we arrived at Cumberland Gap National Park. Tamu made an instant friend with one of the rangers, who spoiled him with ice water while I wandered the visitors center taking in information. Cumberland Gap is a pass through the Cumberland Mountains that has been a passageway through the Appalachians for Native Americans and, later, those exploring and settling the frontier. Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky all converge there, and a drive up to the top of the park offers panoramic views that encompass all three states. It was a beautiful day to take it in, with clear views and pleasant weather.
This was the big stop I planned for the day. With the advice of Tamu’s new best friend, I planned to spend the rest of my day cruising along US 23, known as the Country Music Highway because the area has produced a number of country music stars, including Loretta Lynn, Chrystal Gayle, the Judds, Billy Ray Cyrus, and others. There is a museum that consolidates a lot of memorabilia and history of the place, but I did not want to rush through the trip just to get there before it closed, so I decided to enjoy the ride and stop if it was still open. The highway has markers that indicate which music stars come from which exit. I toyed with the idea of stopping at the Loretta Lynn birthplace, which is a drug store now run by her brother, but I kept moving forward.
I stopped in Pikeville, which is Hatfield and McCoy territory. I had hoped to do a tour to take in the history, but but I was there too late on a Saturday for one. I drove around the town a bit. There was an event along the river planned for later that evening and most of the town seemed ready to head to it. I found Mona’s Creative Catering and Fine Foods, which had been recommended in my ancient guidebook. I enjoyed a friendly meal just before they closed. Evening was coming, and I could not get details about the US 23 Country Music Museum’s hours on Sunday. I had a good 7-8 hours to travel to get home from here and no hotel/motel reservations for that night. If I knew the museum was opening in the morning, I would have stayed to see it. But I figured the likelihood was not high that the museum opens while church is going on, so I would be looking at a very long drive home on Sunday afternoon/evening with an early start back to work Monday. I was disappointed to miss it, but I decided to keep heading north and east so that I could be home at a decent hour the next day.
And that’s how I ended my time in Kentucky. I was in Wheeling, West Virginia before I found a place to stop for the night. It had been a relaxing trip with memorable sights and attractions, and I left some things behind to go back for. I can’t ask for anything more.