Taylor’s Blog

So Sheila and I headed off last Saturday for Louisville, KY.. I had been there a few years back with
my folks and it seemed like a pretty happenin’ place that wasn’t a huge expensive city.. I also was blown away by the architecture.. The french influence
here is very obvious.. If the Fleur-De-Le (I am sure I misspelled that) on the Louisville Metro Govt logo wasn’t obvious enough.. There was a neighborhood
that still has gas lights everywhere for example.. Of course since I was with the rents I didn’t get to really explore it like I wanted, so it required a
return trip..

Before we headed off I asked Garret to get me some information on what there is to do in Louisville.. Thanks to Garrets sister Sheila and I located the
Jackpots Twin.. Cahoots which I will talk about in another blog in a day or two..

So at any rate back to the trip.. I had driven through Charleston, WV many times, and always had wanted to stop and look at the capital building, but I
never had.. The capital building you can normally see from I77 when you blaze through town as just this standard capital looking buiding complete with a
dome.. This one seemed extra large for a state government and also is complete with a GOLD dome.. Craziness.. I finally stopped, got over my fears of
inbred hicks, and decided to check it out.. It was MUCH larger than it seemed from the interstate.. It also was wide open for anyone to just wander
around.. it seemed quite over the top much more so than most government buildings.. We were trying to get up into the upper balcony of the dome, but we
never were able to figure out how to get up there.. We did find out that the doors allowing access to the roof were unlocked and we wandered on the roof
for a little bit.. Check out some of the ornate details of the capitol building..

Capitol Building with the sun setting

The inside of the dome

We also walked by the river that runs through the capital city and saw a number of pairs of stairs that run down into the water.. Neither Sheila or I
could figure out what exactly they were for, or where they went..

Most likey they were used when the river was at a different level.. I seem to have remembered West Virgina flooding from time to time, so it makes sense
why the river had what looked to be some level of flood controls around it too..

Andrews girlfriend Alison gave us the suggestion of a 24 hour diner in Charleston called the Southern Kitchen.. It wasn’t bad, and I suggest you check
Sheilas blog for more details, but this was the first place on the “Pancake tour of America”..

Finally after a much needed meal and trek around a very secure West Virgina capitol complex we got back on the road.. 1030 or so we get to the river city
or derby city.. I have seen this place referenced as both names so I am not sure which to call it.. Either way we stopped at some shitty sports bar to get
our bearings.. We then got a hotel and headed to Frankfort Street Beer Depot.. This place was suggested by a co-worker of Sheilas.. It was a parallel of
Sadlacks in Raleigh.. The beer was inexpensive and good.. We tried to play pool but the local drunk pretty much quelled that.. We watched him fall over at
least twice.. He kept trying to get in on our pool game, and wanted to bet his leather jacket.. Each time the value changed.. First it was 250 bukcs, then
150.. Who cares.. The final straw was this lovely exchange:

Drunk Dude: Whats your name?
Me: Bob..
Drunk Dude: Hey Bob.. {hick} What would you do if someone had a gun and blew their brains out..
Me: Uhh.. I think I would be a bit bothered by it..

Then he tried to go to the womens bathroom and fell over a stool into the door.. Classy.. He was shortly kicked out of the place and probbably passed out
in the parking lot.. I wasn’t worried about him driving I don’t think he could have been able to start a car..

Anyway that was day one, and it only took 9 hours to get here not including hte hour or so stop over in Charleston.. Average cruising speed of 80 sure
does help.. The West Virginians also jacked up the tolls to 2 bucks a stop since last time I was here.. I guess times are getting tougher for em..

More to come…