Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park

This morning started with the one thing about campgrounds that gets on my nerves - there's always a kid riding his bike around at 7am waking everyone up. We had zero room to be upset though, as we had a crying little one during the night that I'm sure our neighbors heard through the open window. I soon realized August was infatuated with watching the bike riders, and I'm starting to wonder if in a few years he's going to be that kid.

"If only I was a little bit bigger"



I wanted to take some more time this morning to see what Breaks Interstate Park had to offer, so we stuck around for a while. The park was having some activities as part of a special weekend event, so we decided to hit up the Bird Feeder Craft Activity. It was near our campsite, so we could just stroll over there. It was supposed to start at 10:00, but at around 10:30 there still didn't seem to be anything happening at the designated spot. I started talking to another family that was waiting and they said the Park Naturalist had been "held up by a pack of Girl Scouts" but should be there soon. A few minutes later he showed up and I could tell immediately we were in for an experience.

This guy was actually here when the gorge started forming I think. I hope I'm half as spry when I'm his age. I'll let you in on the secret steps to bird feeder making, and I am not making this up. You start with a bagel, tie a piece of string around it, then tie a piece of bear corn (also know as squaw corn) next to it. Then you smear peanut butter on both sides of the bagel, and dip it into a bucket of bird seed. Voila! August's dexterity wasn't quite there for this task, so we were able to take the demo bird feeder home to the RV with us.

After that we packed up and headed out. We were determined to try to make use of the nice pool and splash pad we'd seen yesterday, so we stopped by there on the way. There were lots of cars and lots of people, so I figured we were in. We got all changed, and schlepped across the parking area to get some swimming in. At the ticket counter, the guy said, "We're not letting anyone in right now. They found poop in the pool." Sure enough, everyone was out of the water and it appeared that it was going to be some time before it would get the all clear. We decided we could pass on the pool, and headed on towards our destination for the day.

So the first leg of Kentucky exploring began. The downside to driving through the mountains is that going 90 miles takes way more than the hour and a half you could assume it would take in Indiana. August and I spent almost three hours in the RV this afternoon. It's tough to ask that of him, and it's hard to feel good about it. He usually handles it as well as you could expect, which we are thankful for. I will be glad when the terrain starts to even out and the drives are shorter.

On our drive we took a wrong turn in Hazard, KY and ended up in a county park. We had some extra time before we were to meet Chris, so I decided to let August stretch and maybe check out the playground. There were a bunch of cars there, and I soon noticed we were at the Perry County Relay for Life. It's always awesome to see people rallying for the fight against cancer in honor of their loved ones and we enjoyed walking around taking it in.

What else could we do but hit the photo booth the Kiwanis Club had set up? One of the props was this hilarious Duck Dynasty head band and beard wig, and August wore it so well. Of course, photo booths weren't designed for 18-month-olds, so it was hard to get a good pic. Lots of fun though, and I was really glad we had happened upon it.

We ended up missing one turn in the mountains near our destination, Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park, and by the time we got turned around and to the park, I was feeling a little frustrated and ready to stay in one place. I stopped at the lodge

to get directions to the closest campground, and was dismayed to learn it was another 5 miles around the mountain, and did not seem to have a pool. Long-distance bicyclists have a real affinity for an end of the day swim, and August was itching for a swim with daddy. The lodge was really nice, and we decided to splurge and stay here instead of continuing on down the road. I am soaking up the A/C right now, and the pool was perfect for a late afternoon swim.
This is how August felt about swimming.

Dinner was at the Dining Room here, and it was delicious. We've been having good luck with our meals out lately. A couple of years ago the cafeteria at DePauw served something called a "Hot Brown" and I tried it. It wasn't like anything I'd had, and now I always order it if I happen to see it on a menu, which is rare. Horribly unhealthy, but so yummy. It is basically toast, with ham and turkey on top, covered in cheese sauce, and topped with tomatoes and bacon. Sounds a little weird, tastes like heaven. The Kentucky Hot Brown offered here did not disappoint. Chris had the philly cheesesteak and we shared some green beans and an order of pintos and cornbread. Pintos seem to be a common side dish down here.

We met a super nice guy from Zionsville named Jim who was here for his wife's family reunion. He was intrigued and enthusiastic about our trip, and it was great to happen upon some Hoosier Hospitality down here. To top it all off, he had secretly picked up the tab for our dinner. The world is a better place for kindnesses like that. If you happen to read this, thanks Jim!