On the road again: Cincinnati to Louisville Day 2

Continuing our journey, with Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad as our soundtrack, we left Cincinnati, crossing the Ohio River into Covington, Kentucky. If Cincinnati has a bit of a southern vibe, the minute you cross into Kentucky somehow you ARE in the South.

We were a bit short on time but had an ambitious agenda for the day. A must stop was Carmichael’s Bookstore, the oldest independent bookstore in Louisville and it opens at 8 a.m. on Sunday! The staff was well informed and welcoming. When I asked about a local writer or title I was directed to a book I’d been eyeing for months. Southernmost by Silas House is a story of grappling with tragedy and truth, tolerance and forgiveness. It’s published by Algonquin Books, an independent press dedicated to literary fiction and nonfiction that gets people talking.

No trip to Louisville would be complete without a pilgrimage to Churchill Downs where Triple Crown dreams are born. In the upper 90’s, the weather wasn’t suitable for (wo)man nor beast and there was no racing scheduled for a while. Nevertheless, the museum has great displays about the horses, jockeys, owners, and trainers that make the Kentucky Derby an annual American classic. There is a breath-taking film shown on a racetrack-shaped surround screen that brings that captures a day in the life of Churchill Downs.

There are several tours of Churchill Downs offered. Our walking tour took us through all the spectator levels overlooking the historic track. Information about the architectural and requirements to maintain the facility was interesting, the multiple pricing scales to see the Derby, less so. At the tour’s end, a visit to the jockey area where the silks are kept, the weigh-in occurs, and the jockeys relax when not racing really was the highlight.

Our last must-see of the day was for the baseball-lover in me. Louisville Slugger has been the best-known manufacturer of baseball bats for over a century. A desire to help a slumping Louisville ballplayer has turned into a company known worldwide. Though not the only manufacturer of bats for major leaguers, they are the largest and count the many of the biggest stars as their customers. For each, they maintain very specific measurements and offer the choice of ash or maple and special stains and paints. Small escorted tours take visitors through the manufacturing process, without phones or cameras, of course, where staff members answer any and all questions. Time is well spent in the exhibit area where game-used bats from many of the historic greats of baseball history can be seen. The evolution of baseball is seen in a historical context. Before we left, there was the chance to hold game-used bats from Hall of Famers as well as current stars. I choose Hank Aaron and Ryan Zimmerman.

At the suggestion of a long-time friend, our one night in Louisville was spent at The Brown Hotel, where Southern hospitality is the only language spoken. For almost a century, the hotel has been a landmark in the city. We only scratched the surface of the sights in Louisville, a fine reason to return. Next stop:  NASHVILLE!

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On the road again! Nashville bound – Day 1

Before the era of total connectivity taking a vacation had a very different meaning. There was no phone or laptop to leave at home if you wanted to truly disconnect. On the flip side, having access to one’s work and other obligations from the road can make it possible to be away from home or work longer without being out of the loop. And you can get great ice cream recommendations from friends while on the road – more about that later!

There are large swaths of the US I have never visited. Among the top spots on my list was Nashville, so Dan indulged me by crafting our annual DC=> Hilton Head, SC, summer trip via Music City. None of this shortest distance/least time route as calculated by Waze for us! No, our goal is to take the opportunity to explore places that we have not seen.

STOP 1 – Cincinnati, OH: After a dinner pizza break in Breezewood, PA, we continued on and spent the night near the West Virginia line. Driving through Wheeling early in the morning brought a lovely sight. The soundtrack to the drive was Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad, the terrain a reminder of the difficult miles that slaves seeking freedom and settlers had to traverse to find home. Shortly before noon, we arrived at the American Sign Museum. Out in an industrial area of Cincinnati, it is a true gem. They have gathered advertising signs from all eras of American industry, with wonderful audio descriptions. Thanks to the staff of the museum, we headed to Findlay Market, the oldest municipal market in Ohio, to find lunch. Wandering through the outdoor stalls, we came upon a familiar face, Teeny Morris, owner of Teeny Pies, one of our daughter’s housemates during their time in Chicago. It is very good to know a top-notch baker!

 

There were two more major events planned for Cincinnati. Once we dropped our bags off at the hotel, formerly the Cincinnati Enquirer Building, we walked to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Open since 2004, the museum tells the story of the search for freedom from the arrival of slaves on our shores until today, worldwide. It is an ambitious effort and the targetted exhibits are well done. Its location looking across the Ohio River to Kentucky is echoed in a film of abolitionists aiding fleeing slaves leaving Kentucky.

I am a big baseball fan. The Cincinnati Reds were hosting the Milwaukee Brewers for a late afternoon game, so off we went. As practiced fans, we beat the heat by choosing seats in the shade and were lucky enough to score Rosie the Red bobbleheads! The Great American Ballpark is very roomy with great sightlines and wide concourses. It also has two huge screens with different player info and more advertising than I’ve seen at any other park.

Daughter #2 had been in Cincinnati recently on business and sent us to Nada for dinner, noteworthy for people in our area because they are expanding to Pike & Rose very soon. And then we took our Facebook friends’ recommendations and found Graeter’s ice cream nearby on Fountain Square, listened to live music and chatted with some Milwaukee Brewers fans before calling it a night.

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Rain Delay Book Club

IMG_2968It is now 11 days of rain and counting. I love baseball and I’m no fair weather fan. I also take public transit to the park and read en route. In the ten plus years I’ve been a frequent attendee at Washington Nationals games, there have been many rain delays. After all, this IS Washington. Fortunately, the team is on the road so this week’s ceaseless slosh hasn’t affected my viewing. But I do like to have a Plan B.

So what’s a book-loving baseball fan to do? Find other readers who are waiting for the game to resume! It’s a much better option than trying to get a signal so you can peer at weather radar for an hour.

Are you in? Doesn’t require much. Post on Facebook or Twitter or even Instagram. Tag it #RainDelayBookClub and include the title of your book. Share your location if you wish, after all, you are already squashed up close and personal with 20,000 or more strangers. Here’s a chance to meet some kindred spirits. And you can join in whether you are at the park or not, or even at Wrigley or Fenway or Pac Bell.

For my part, I’ll pick a title or two each month of the season (hopefully, through October) and share it here and on Facebook. If you have suggestions, bring ’em on. And I’ll be happy to meet up with you at Nats Park and ask you, “So what are you reading?”

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May titles:  Fiction – Circling the Sun by Paula McLain; Nonfiction – Pumpkinflowers by Matti Friedman

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Turning in my snow boots for sunscreen

IMG_0005It’s been some kind of winter when Alaska has had less snow than many of the northeastern states and only Florida and Hawaii haven’t really experienced the brutality of the winter. In our house, the first sign of spring is a trip to Viera, FL to see the Washington Nationals in spring training. There is something about ratcheting back the daily grind a few notches, sitting in the stands looking at a wide expanse of green, watching first-timers and veterans alike getting ready for a season full of promise. It’s the big leagues in very neighborly parks where the players are just inches from the fans and the wise cracks shouted from the stands can be heard on the pitcher’s mound.

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The laid-back attitude carries over to the entire trip. When I travel to new places there is always somewhere else I want to go – another museum, a walking tour, a historic district to explore. Not during spring training. I’ll take the short walk to the local Starbucks or, if I am energetic, walk the 3 miles to Space Coast Stadium.  Maybe I’ll spend some time with my face pressed up against the fence watching a pitching prospect or see batting practice and warm ups from the stands. There’s a camaraderie at the park with most people either playing hooky from their regular routine or enjoying their retirement. Traffic jams in and out of the park last about 5 minutes and many rain showers are not much longer.

By the end of the day, I’ll have had my fill of sunshine.  All that time relaxing at the park is tiring. An early dinner, some reading or TV and I’m usually ready to call it a night. We are very fortunate to have friends to spend time with during spring training. And each year more fans from the DC area head down, drawn by good weather and good baseball – certainly a winning combination.  So if you are at the park next weekend, please look for me.  I’ll be in the stands and I may be wearing my gnome hat.  Go Nats!

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