Mt. Vernon, Kentucky to Cumberland Gap, Virginia

July 30, 2016

The KOA was quiet and peaceful last night. It was sure nice to have all that laundry done. And we did cook those burgers and they were scrumptious! Bill took care of the tanks this morning, then left about 8:00.

I did a quick cleanup and got myself ready and it wasn’t long before Bill called and we agreed to meet in Corbin, Kentucky…home of Kentucky Fried Chicken! The highway was busy this morning, so I hope Bill’s doing alright on the side roads. When I reached Corbin, there was a Pilot truck stop where I maneuvered between the trucks and found a spot for the little beach house on wheels;

some big bumps back here, I’m sure the potholders have jumped off their hooks. The clouds are starting to move in; hope there isn’t a storm brewing.  Bill pedaled into the truck stop and shared how he had met some firefighters. As he was coming through Mt. Vernon, he noticed there was some training going on in a big parking lot near the fire station. There were fire trucks and tents and all sorts of things set up and there were 15 to 20 people there. They all listened to what Bill was saying and were all excited about our journey. They are going to mail us a patch and took Bill’s picture in front of one of the trucks. One of the firefighters handed Bill an ice cold bottle of water and he drank it down and said, “If you weren’t a bearded man, I’d kiss you!” They all laughed and proceeded to fill up his empty water bottle with more. Then it was back on the road toward our meeting place. We’re having trouble finding a campground near the stopping point so might have to drive a bit to find a place. The heat and humidity have prevented us from boondocking and rest is vital for Bill to keep going. Made it to Barbourville and gave him a call to let him know that I was near the local waterpark…sure would be nice to splash around a bit. When Bill arrived, we checked the Garmin, his phone, and the map to see if there was a place to camp. There was a state park that listed camping about 15 miles away, so we packed up and drove there. They had closed the campground! So we drove another 10 miles to the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park where we filled up with water at the gate and had electric at our site. Even drove through a long tunnel to get there.

Another year and we can get a senior pass where it’s free to stay at all National Parks. We are close to the showers and are looking forward to a restful night. Thank-you for reading.