A Day at the Races

Jim insisted that I should capitalise on my being in Kentucky and a relative stone's throw (in American terms) from Keeneland, which is apparently one of the world's great horse-racing venues in one of the world's great horse, er, farming areas. I know nothing about such things, and thought it would be a good idea to get to know more. This meant driving, in the pouring rain, to London, Kentucky, along the Hal Rogers Parkway. This used to be called the Daniel Boone Parkway until the great American folk hero's name was replaced by that of a local politician! The road, like most of the roads around here, are serious feats of engineering, cutting against the grain of the mountain chain for hundreds of spectacular miles.

Charles and Jim

I met up with Jim and his long-time friend, Charles. The three of us were to go to Keeneland. These two chaps have been friends for 50 years and were raised in the mining heartland of Hazard, Kentucky. They entertained me with decades-worth of stories of their adventures in the valleys, forests, hills and mines. Some would make your toes curl and are not for relating here!

Horses running

We arrived at the races after a half-tonne plate of breakfast pancakes under grey skies and a bitter wind. We watched horses run. Despite the weather, it was a fun day and a cultural highlight of the journey so far.

This unplanned, but enjoyable detour meant a three-and-a-half hour drive back in the dark to Wise, Virginia, for my appointment the following day. I set-off at nine-thirty from London, heading into the blackness, and the mountains, and the forests... 'Sense of trepidation' doesn't really do it justice! The quiteness of the roads was unsettling and, of course, I got lost around Hazard (again!). Ipod rock music invigorated me and provided ample opportunity to practice my awesome singing (while distracting me from the twanging of banjos)! Long Live Rock 'n' Roll!

I arrived back in Wise at midnight alive, relieved, tired and hoarse, but pleased I'd also had another kind of horse experience and spent time with a couple of genuinely decent blokes. Thanks chaps!