Life on the Kentucky Trail

Note to my wonderful readers (aka my Mom & Heather Lewchuk): I apologize for being neglectful (or is it negligent? Okay, both!) of this blog, your source of connection to my life. I have been too busy having experiences to write about them, but busy-ness is only an excuse, so put your reading hats on because do I have some stories for you! Starting with this one. Which I wrote on an airplane 2 weeks ago, just to remove any confusion. Happy reading!)

Quick – what are the 3 things you think of when you think of Kentucky?

I’ll wait for you…

Mine are the following:

• Fried Chicken (duh)
• Kentucky Derby
• Kentucky Bourbon

Also accepted would have been basketball, and Corvettes, depending on my audience.

Well I am happy to report that I recently spent a weekend in Kentucky and participated in all 5 of these stereotypes! I drove with my bf Ross from Nashville to Lexington, which is about 3.5 hours with the purpose of attending the Keeneland horse races, which occur every October and April (so I am told. Not Wiki’d as I am writing this on an airplane to Calgary and too cheap to pay for Wi-Fi).

Keeneland was SUCH a cool experience. If your vision of Kentucky includes rolling, lush green hills, beautiful horse stables that are bigger and fancier than most homes, and miles and miles of white picket fences, you would be accurate. The Keeneland races are structured similarly to the Kentucky Derby – everyone gets dressed up (men in suits, ladies in dresses and optionally hats) and sets up tailgate parties on the hill overlooking the race park. After an appropriate number of mimosas, drunken pineapple shots, and “sammies” (cute little southern mini sandwiches) have been consumed, preferably while playing corn hole (aka bean bag toss for my Canadians), [and after sneaking into the stables to meet the horses and actually ride an ex-race horse named Buddy!] we trekked up to the stables, paid $15, and we were in!

Me & Buddy

Jockeys coming into the race track. They are TINY!

Once inside, I truly felt like I was transported back in time. Everyone was dressed up, the buildings are grand and ornate, and although there are electronic betting machines and a few TV’s, the majority of people are standing in lines to place their bets in old fashioned windows for each race. I got a quick lesson and placed my bet: “$10 on My Harlequin Man to show!” and then got in a prime position immediately by the track (don’t think that would happen at the Derby!) to cheer him on! Alas, My Harlequin Man did not show, but easy come, easy go. I suppose I could have learned to read the odds, but I found it far more enticing to pick my favourite name. And I did win $4 later on that day! The track may have won, but it was definitely more of an experience than a Vegas slot machine.

C'mooon "My Harlequin Man!"

After we got back to our hotel around 4pm, the day was not yet over as the University of Kentucky, which is in Lexington, was playing in the Final Four college basketball tournament. (Aka March Madness, for you non-sports aficionados. I honestly can’t believe how much I have learned about sports living in the South). So we trekked downtown to find some food and watch the game, which they won by a hair against Wisconsin. Naturally, the city exploded in an eruption of blue and white and beer bottles and couches. Southerners love their sports. This night is ALSO when I experienced some fried chicken, because we had been drinking for 16 hours and it seemed like a positive life choice. It was.
On Sunday after a hair-of-the-dog brunch, we began the drive back to Nashville and opted to stop at the Four Roses bourbon distillery for a tour and tasting, because when on the Kentucky Bourbon trail…

I didn’t come 100% clear on why all the bourbon distilleries are in Kentucky. I’m sure they told me, but if you read the rest of this post you may understand why I didn’t retain all the info I was told. Something to do with clean water sources. Or prohibition. But anyway, they are. Oh – I did learn that Four Roses was once sold for medicinal purposes, though. Apparently there is some truth to the concept of “self medication”.

After one last stop at the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green (I didn’t go in – need to wait for my brothers to do that! Also didn’t get to see the sinkhole that swallowed 5 cars, although that sounds a little sketchy anyway), we arrived back in Nashville, exhausted, fulfilled, and ready to check Kentucky off the bucket list.

I make this look good. Even though this is just the lobby.