July 4th in Louisville, Ky (July 4, 2016)

 As noted in last post, weather was bad. It did not just rain, most of the time it flat poured. I got the photo at left passing by...it is Slugger Field which is the home of the Louisville Knights AAA baseball team. Nice field and the team is pretty good. Its a brand new place in downtown Louisville (well, a few years old now) but a much better ballpark then what they had which was a combined football/baseball field.

Above is the new bridge, still under construction. Will be great when its done but that looks to be awhile. As noted in previous post, took a long time to build the two new bridges, but will be a great improvement.
At left is Yum Arena which is the new home for the Louisville Cardinals Basketball team. They also hold a lot of concerts there. Freedom Hall was the old arena and it was nice, but this is nicer. It is also huge.
Usually I would have made a tour of the area and seen some sights, have done that in previous posts here when I visit. This trip though just did not get to get out much. Mainly due to the weather, partly due to the time. Been some serious rain the last few weeks. Did enjoy spending time with family and friends. We do what we can.

July 3 - On the Road. (July 3, 2016)

Hit the road over the 4th of July holiday...made a trip to my home town of Louisville, Kentucky. It was a wet trip for the most part, except for the very last day. Very powerful rain and so did not get to take a lot of photos as usual of places there, but did get a photo or two here and there.
This was at Tamarack in West Virginia. I usually stop there as it is a good break from the long drive and they have cool things inside. Well worth a visit. I also usually stop at the State Capital and I did...on the way back. Was a nice place to explore as always.

Road construction in Louisville has been taking forever but its a major re-work of the old city transportation system. This is the Abe Lincoln Bridge and this was my first drive over this new modern marvel. They have another bridge they are working on building (photos of that tomorrow) and both are badly needed. The plan to build these were discussed back when I was a boy...and that was a long time ago. Still nice to see that.
Roads are quite a mess right now. I think these projects have been underway for over 10 years.

This is out on Bardtown Road. One of my favorite areas of the city and a big fan of the city motto "Keeping Louisville Weird". Many cool stores and restaurants.
This was a walk I took with my family, to see my son's new apartment. Oldest had been living there, the youngest just moved there days ago from North Carolina. It is a fun city with a lot to see and do. My seeing was limited due to weather but will have a few more things tomorrow to show you here.

Fathers Day in the Blue Ridge Mountains (June 19, 2016)

Nice motorcycle ride (have some more photos on my "Racing with the Wind" blog page) on Father's Day. The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of my favorite places to spend time at and to ride to....just a magic and amazing area that I really enjoy to visit over and over. Lots of things to see and something new to see it seems each time I go there.  

This is the Mountain Farm, and it was an authentic farm back in the day. Was told the buildings, while not original, are not recreations but date to the period. This is the barn, and over to the right (with the crossed wood) is a "Bear Proof Pigpen". Living out there you had to plan for animals. As I remember the chicken coop was Wiesel proof.
It is a fun place to explore and they had a lot of period people in period costumes and musicians playing period music. Though did not know it when I headed there, picked an especially good time to visit.  

Another view from the parkway. Lots of areas to pull off, plus a lot of picnic areas and lot of things to see. Stop at a visitor center, get a map and check out all this area has to offer. If you have never been on the Parkway...you really, really need to do so,  

I made a quick stop on the way back at Charlottesville, VA. Again, there is a great deal of things to see in the town that is also the home of the University of Virginia (which I shared some photos of on my last visit there earlier this year). Like to go there and have been there a few times over the last few years.
Not sure I have ever seen the front of this statue, have seen the back but this is the Lewis and Clark Statue. Think its pretty neat and just part of the history of this town.
Thomas Jefferson had his house there, and did a lot of design work on that as well as some of the design at UVA. As for me, saw this and some other new things, and enjoyed my short time there.
Stopped in Short Pump (just outside of Richmond) and visited the Carolina Ale House. Liked that restaurant when I lived in (duh) Carolina and good to see it here, made my send visit there with an early dinner).
From Richmond to the Blue Ridge Parkway up I-64 is a hair over a 90 minute drive. Enjoyed this day a great deal.    

Richmond International Airport (June 13, 2016)

 Nice visit to the RVA airport, which is an international airport according to the sign. Had a Navy friend (Debbie) come visit again for a few days, this is her second trip in a few weeks. So for the record this was my fourth trip here. Very nice day for her to fly, and enjoy going out to get her and even to get back to go...just love flying and aircraft.

This is a view of the control tower. Richmond has good service but not being a hub city there are not a lot of direct flights. Many journeys from the airport have a stop in them. There are some direct flights to Orlando and Jacksonville, Florida and sure there are some more (especially if they are hub airports).
Used to love to fly out of and wander around Charlotte, NC and also Louisville, Kentucky which is where I came from prior to settling down in Richmond.
One of the very interesting things at the airport is the Aviation Museum which is also on the grounds. Nice collection of aircraft and some very friendly people there. I highly recommend a visit to the museum if you are in the area.  

Richmond Greek Festival and Broad Appetit ( June 3 and 5, 2016)

 Two festivals over the weekend. The first was Friday June 5 (actually went on for around 4 days) was the Richmond Greek Festival. A favorite and fun event filled with some great food, interesting ethnic dancing and music, and just a chance to see some fun people in a fun setting. The look inside the church was very interesting.
Greek Orthodox Church is very old as a religion, dating back to the time of the Catholic Church. Very nice building on the inside and enjoyed that.
Went on a Friday night, this being early. By the time I left it was wall to wall.  

Sunday the forecast was not good weather wise with expected severe storms. Those though (unlike Friday which had rain coming down in buckets on my way home) did not happen and it was a beautiful day. Some blocks of Broad Street were closed and was able to walk down the street and check out food from some 70 or so local restaurants. I also got to see one of my favorite local bands "The Voodoo Dolls" seen here at left. It was a very fun time and a wonderful way to spend a Sunday. Nice to enjoy two of my favorite events on one weekend. Looking forward to doing it again next year.

Petersburg Ride (May 27, 2016)

Started out good. Went riding on a Friday as I was off to Petersburg, VA. A favorite stop and had a refreshing beverage at The Brickhouse Run in that town. Actually, its in the Old Town section. Went up via Jefferson Davis Highway which takes me though Chester, VA and is a nice road though a lot of redlights.
Just was a beautiful ride on a fantastic day. Sure has been a lot of rain in May, in fact during the month Richmond broke a (something like) 127 year rainfall record. So it was a very nice day to get out.
Unfortunately, when I got back on the bike got a fuel injection light. The bike was rideable. I stopped at an auto parts store and got some of the famous tune up in a can (Seafoam) and hoped it was going to clean the injectors. That didnt work. It sort of came and went which was real aggrevating. Once again the motorcycle got me home, which it has never in the last almost 11 years, failed to do. I took it out for another ride around town.  

Just a quick note on the photo at left...it is a set in Petersburg for the PBS series "Mercy Street"which is filming in Petersburg. I got back to Richmond, stopped in a Triumph dealership to talk to a mechanic who used to work on my bike and she is now working there. Said I would have to take it to a Kawasaki dealer due to the fact she does not have the proper equipment. The bike has a computer that can tell them what is wrong with the bike. Nearest dealer is around 20 miles away. Richmond is not real good on motorcycle shops, least in the city of. I liked going to Velocity but that closed which frankly sucks. Was a great shop.
After the ride(s) talked to a buddy now in Florida who told me sensors don't fail off and on, either work or don't. So he suggest to get a can of contract cleaner and see if that does not solve the problem. I also have (and have had ever since I got the bike) the Kawasaki Service Manual. It also seemed to think the same thing, and was going at "wiring problem".  

Exploring Concord (May 22, 2016)

 Had time before going back to Richmond for a quick tour of some of the area. Lived there for 14 years due to another job transfer from Louisville. Same job but closed factories; and that happened to me twice. Plan to remain here in Richmond after retirement (its a fun town as you can see from older posts.
This at left was taken on Union Street which was always a favorite street to drive down or to walk. Lots of really big and very cool houses such as this one. In fact the founder of  the mills, Mr. Cannon's house is for sale. Not this one but very cool.    

This is downtown Concord, with lots of cool businesses and many neat things to see. Like Union Street a lot of older buildings can be found there. The big Cannon Mills Mall is the place to go now, but some very fine restaurants keep this place very alive though not so much on a Sunday morning. Still it was fine to wander around, saw some of the sights and even some of the Memorial Gardens. Did not get to wander in there was their gates were locked till noon and this was prior to that. I did however get a few photos.      

Before going home went to Cabarrus Brewing Company. I got one (and only one) beer and some lunch there. Nice place, and I think its the first craft beer brewing company in Concord. Reminded me much of places in Richmond, which is a very big craft beer brewing town in its own right. Was located in a former mill...one of the many which have closed over the years and is being re-made into places for a number of businesses. The food was good, and the beer I had (tasted two, got the brown ale) was excellent. Did a big of visiting, saw a riding buddy, my former neighbors across from my former house and a co-worker also from Louisville who has retired to Concord. Trip back to the RVA was fine with just one little road construction delay. Had a great time and will be back probably in December to see some more of the sights there.