Another beautiful but hot day -97 when we left Lexington. But before we did, we were picked up at the hotel (a Sheraton Four Points if you care) and taken on a Thoroughbred Horse Farm Tour. Guided by a part time Presbyterian minister we were jostled around the Kentucky countryside and visited some rather prestigious spots in the horse racing world. The first place was Keeneland Race Course where we watched a few horses on the track. Since it was warm already (9:15 or so) they weren't working them too hard, but it was fun anyway. The track at Keeneland is poly-track, a combination of sand , rubber and cloth shredded so finely that you wouldn't recognize any of it and much more forgiving for the horse (and jockeys too) than dirt or turf .Only a few tracks have it at present, others apparently reluctant to buck the traditional .
The place was very busy because sales of horses are going on this week. We were allowed in the auction area while it was empty. (Maybe people who spend 4.2 million on a horse don't want you to know who they are.) After that we drove around the area of the Calumet farm and then to the place where Secretariat is buried. (died 37 days after being sold - so the new owners collected the millions in insurance - ouch).
We spent some time on the stud farm of Don Ball -who owns Smarty Pants (Derby winner) and Drosselmeyer (forgive the spellings - Belmont winner, and "Tiznow" whom we saw up close and personal. Tiznow won the Breeders Cup twice in a row. He was beautiful and is helping make little horses for a whopping amount of $$$$. Seven horses in a brick barn.
FYI - The World Equestrian Games will take place in Lexington starting Saturday. This is the first time they have ever been held outside Europe. We had lots of 'out of the country" people in our hotel.
When we finished the tour (around noon) we drove in town to Mary Todd Lincoln's (family) home. She had lived there as a teenager. The home has been beautifully restored. It had fallen into disrepair as a warehouse for a hardware store and was doomed for the wrecking ball to make way for the new sports complex. The governor's wife intervened and got a group going to preserve it. It is the only home devoted to a First Lady.
An aside here to the MD Brocks - I found the Lincoln Scrapbook - the one I borrowed from the Joppatowne Library and enjoyed so much ?. Now Hank can borrow it from me!)
We finally got out of Lexington, ate along the way, and made our way through Kentucky to West Virginia. We have reached familiar terrain last! Not impressed with the elevation of the mountains anymore (2745 ft) but they looked mighty pretty. The trees seemed to be trying to fake a color change, but in the rosy light of twilight it almost worked. Another great sunset and the moon is shining brightly tonight - only in the 80's here around 7:00.
This is our last hotel. We only admit today to being anxious to get home . We think the time has gone so quickly! We've one more day , and if we are lucky we'll get a ride the rails tomorrow in Cass, WV, before making the final leg of the journey. There will be another update and a concluding chapter - I have made some notations of things we'd do again or do differently....how we did certain things - if anybody cares. They always say take half as many clothes and twice as much money. WE would take twice the underwear and socks too......... Anyway, until tomorrow - Don't leave me now!
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