This weekend I went to check out the Georgetown International Kite and Culture Festival.  As one might think I saw many kites, international flare and interestingly enough… dogs.   I was was surprised to see how many kites were flying high this sunny afternoon.  This has turned out to be a large event with lots of food vendors and and live music.  If this was not enough excitement for one day I witnessed the catch of what had to be a 40-50 pound Grass Carp.   I knew that the Elkhorn Creek had it’s secrets but I did not realize that they were so huge!

Here are some iPhone photos to illustrate what I saw today:

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Spring hath come and with it a million blooming flowers that are praying to escape a late frost.  Today I went to Buckley Wildlife Sanctuary and took some low-quality photos with my iPhone.  Most came out suprisingly well.  Have a look:

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I love to run.

For what ever reason I like running even more when it is raining or snowing.  Call it crazy but I love it.  We are so padded in our daily lives that rarely is there ever a chance to experience anything real unless, of course, you don’t pay your taxes.

So I’m about mid-run, getting warmed up so much that the snow flakes are actually refreshing as they melt on my face, when I start up a hill.  It’s a pretty steep hill and it’s hard enough to tackle when conditions are “normal”, however, the wet snow makes it more interesting than usual.

I tried following some tire tracks, thinking that I might have more luck, but I had much more traction when I made my own tracks.  Just has I was making the transistion from following the tire tracks, to creating my own, I watched as an analogy visualized before me.  It made so much sense!

“You get more traction when you create your own tracks”

Now this might not make sense to everyone but as an entrepreneur I work very hard to what I believe will be a successful business.  Instead of working to make some one else prosperous I’d like for the hard, caffeine-filled, hours to go to my own future.  When I was running in those tire tracks it reminded me of “going through the motions” and not getting anywhere fast.  However, when I starting creating my own tracks I could feel the resistance of fresh snow and feeling that I could move forward with decisiveness and tenacity.

Or… maybe just had too much coffee and was hallucinating on cold, oxygen-rich air.

I love a good scare so that’s why I’m going to Headless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Houses!

If I survive I’ll come back to post pictures and may even a video.   Wish me luck!

Hauntworld has listed Headless Horseman Hayrides & Haunted Houses as the #1 Scream Park in America! Marking the 3rd time in 5 years that Headless has been a #1 pick of theirs! Hauntworld has also listed Headless in the 2009 TOP 13 Haunted Houses again for the 5th year in a row! Thank you everyone at Hauntworld magazine!

With the rains over the weekend I was curious to see if Anglin Falls was flowing.  I hadn’t been there in a couple of years and was looking for an excuse to go.   It was not flowing as much as I had hoped but it was still very peaceful.

History

Dedicated Dec. 10, 1996, John B. Stephenson Memorial Forest State Nature Preserve in Rockcastle County protects a 123-acre wooded gorge with a rich spring floral display. The preserve honors John B. Stephenson, the former president of Berea College who enjoyed the area’s beauty and solitude and worked hard to preserve the forest surrounding Anglin Falls. Long open to the public, the preserve will remain a significant source for education, interpretation and inspiration for the people of Kentucky and the students and faculty of Berea College.

• Features – Anglin Falls (75 feet), spring wildflower display, Anglin Creek, forested gorge.
• Access – one-mile foot trail over uneven terrain, moderate to strenuous
• Activities – hiking, nature study, birding, etc.
• Directions – Rockcastle County. From Exit 76 on I-75, go east 3.5 miles on KY 21 to the center of Berea. Turn right at the light (staying on KY 21), past the Boone Tavern, and travel another 5 miles. Turn right (south) on to US 421 and travel 2.6 miles. Turn right on Burnt Ridge Road and travel .2 miles, then left on Himanns Fork Road and travel 3.4 miles. Look for a red brick house on the right (box 530); approximately one-tenth of a mile past the house make a sharp left turn down a steep hill on to Anglin Falls Road.  Travel .9 miles on Anglin Falls Road to a sign that says “Anglin Falls” next to a mailbox marked “542 R2″. Turn left and travel .2 miles to the parking area/trail head.

NaturePreserves.ky.gov

Media

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I had a 14 hour drive and 924 miles in front of me. I was able to slip through the night with out any accidents or traffic jams.  Whew!  It’s good to be back home!

Here are some photos I took along the way:

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It was July 27, 1998 and I wanted to see what the world had to offer.  I left my hometown and took a bus to Parris Island; Marine Corp Recruit Depot for the East Coast.  Three months later I dawned a uniform and the title of United States Marine.  I learned several things during my time in the service and many of those things stick with me today.  The trait that I value the most is that of tenacity.  NEVER GIVE UP under any circumstance.  I believe this will continue to help me through the next 30 years.

~Semper Fi

1. The Mountains
2. Ale81
   
3. The absence of gun control what’s so ever!
4. People that wave at you from their front porch as you drive by
5. That you can go back in time 20 years when you visit rural Ky
6. The Festival Of The Horse in Georgetown
7. The Sheltowee Trace
   
8. The Pinnacles of Berea
   
9. Woodford Reserve!
10. Did I mention the mountains… ?