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Hometown Tourist
Sep. 23rd, 2003 08:32 pmToday started much better. Foggy at first, cloudy, then beautifully sunny. The tour of my hometown started at lunch. I picked up my best friend and took off for local sights.
Our first stop was naturally the best, Cumberland Falls. This is a 70 foot water fall off the Cumberland River near my hometown of Corbin. Cumberland Falls is rather unique in that it is one of only two known waterfalls that cast a "moonbow" during a full moon. It's an arc of light produced by refracted moonlight, similar to a rainbow created by sunlight. It's the only one in the Western Hemisphere to exist. The other waterfall that does this is Angel Falls in Africa. Some waterfalls may exhibit this phenomena on rare occasions, but these two actually have regular moonbow formations during the monthly full moons.
Sadly, I missed the moonbow for the month, it was last week. It's notoriously hard to photograph as the flash tends to wipe out the moonbow. The downpour we had yesterday caused the water to be up and a bit muddy, but it's still a breathtaking sight. Certain areas for pedestrians were closed off due to high water. I may run back down there later this week to see if they reopen those areas. I've got good pictures, but I'd love to get a close up.
After a brief detour to a cemetery for some geneology searching, I ended up at McHargue's Mill in Levi Jackson State Park. Levi Jackson was the first county judge in Laurel County, KY, and a tavern operator. I recently discovered that he was my great-great-great-great-grandfather. He donated much of the land for the park, hence it being named for him (probably the last of my rich relatives).
McHargue's Mill is a replica of flour mills used back in the day of grindstones. The area has a garden of millstones dating back the last century and the mill itself sits next to a flowing stream that used to turn the large paddlewheel for flour grinding. Neat area, but I wish the mill was still in operation. Took several pics anyway.
On the way home, I tried to persaude my buddy to stop and have our picture made at the first Kentucky Fried Chicken like most tourists do, but he would only stoop so low. The locals (and I admit even I'm included) generally laugh at the tourists who have their pictures taken with the sign or the Colonel Sanders statue. It seems silly to us, but through a tourist's eyes, I can see the appeal. I won't laugh, just snicker under my breath from now on. ;)
Well, I'm actually beat and have no idea what I'll do next. I'll think on it tonight and maybe come up with something tomorrow.
Our first stop was naturally the best, Cumberland Falls. This is a 70 foot water fall off the Cumberland River near my hometown of Corbin. Cumberland Falls is rather unique in that it is one of only two known waterfalls that cast a "moonbow" during a full moon. It's an arc of light produced by refracted moonlight, similar to a rainbow created by sunlight. It's the only one in the Western Hemisphere to exist. The other waterfall that does this is Angel Falls in Africa. Some waterfalls may exhibit this phenomena on rare occasions, but these two actually have regular moonbow formations during the monthly full moons.
Sadly, I missed the moonbow for the month, it was last week. It's notoriously hard to photograph as the flash tends to wipe out the moonbow. The downpour we had yesterday caused the water to be up and a bit muddy, but it's still a breathtaking sight. Certain areas for pedestrians were closed off due to high water. I may run back down there later this week to see if they reopen those areas. I've got good pictures, but I'd love to get a close up.
After a brief detour to a cemetery for some geneology searching, I ended up at McHargue's Mill in Levi Jackson State Park. Levi Jackson was the first county judge in Laurel County, KY, and a tavern operator. I recently discovered that he was my great-great-great-great-grandfather. He donated much of the land for the park, hence it being named for him (probably the last of my rich relatives).
McHargue's Mill is a replica of flour mills used back in the day of grindstones. The area has a garden of millstones dating back the last century and the mill itself sits next to a flowing stream that used to turn the large paddlewheel for flour grinding. Neat area, but I wish the mill was still in operation. Took several pics anyway.
On the way home, I tried to persaude my buddy to stop and have our picture made at the first Kentucky Fried Chicken like most tourists do, but he would only stoop so low. The locals (and I admit even I'm included) generally laugh at the tourists who have their pictures taken with the sign or the Colonel Sanders statue. It seems silly to us, but through a tourist's eyes, I can see the appeal. I won't laugh, just snicker under my breath from now on. ;)
Well, I'm actually beat and have no idea what I'll do next. I'll think on it tonight and maybe come up with something tomorrow.
