Back from solo trip to KY

[PNW Judy]

Best wishes on your surgery and for a quick, successful recovery.

[Mass Tim]

Thanks for the kind words :-)

[Mass Tim]

Just a few observations:

Frankfort, KY - the downtown section is quite nice, full of old buildings in good repair. I ate at Nema's, a Persian restaurant, the food was very good and the price was moderate. For most of my meal, I was the only person there. In fact, in Frankfort, I think I was the only person walking around at all!

Toyota - I was unable to take the plant tour, as they are not giving tours until March (they are working on the 2007 Camry right now), but my hosts were very hospitable and open to answering any questions I had about the process and the Toyota Production System. I was the only person there (in a room that seats about 300.)

GM Bowling Green Assembly - definitely worth the trip. Reservations required and it's $5, but just to see the process was fascinating (and they have also implemented many aspects of the Toyota Production System.)

Traffic - I didn't have to deal with much. There was some coming North out of Bowling Green on Tuesday, but it was "rush hour" time. Even still, we moved along quite nicely for a weekday. On the two-lanes, I had the roads mostly to myself.

Construction - some on I-68 in WV and on I-64 near the KY-WV line in KY. I also noticed US-33 in central OH is being realigned.

Sleeping in the car - state law in PA stated that a car should not be parked in a rest area for more than 2 hours in any 24 hour period. The OH rest area where I stopped and ended up sleeping had a posting requiring anyone who wanted to sleep for more than three hours to sign a register. I didn't see a register (and I didn't plan to sleep that long, anyway.)

Wigwam Village, Cave City, KY - quite comfortable, except for those low door frames :-) The desk clerk was kind of strange - I think he wanted me to extoll his virtue for the arbitrary pricing he gave me. I was in number 5, and when I showed up, I was the only person there.

Blue Licks park - scene of the last battle of the Revolutionary War, a nice little park, not very scenic, though there is an interesting, small museum on the premises ($2.50 admission) that shows artifacts from the native population. I asked the woman running the place where a good place to eat was. Unsurprisingly, she told me the lodge buffet. I tried it, nothing spectacular but better than I've had at some places. Options: ribs, fried chicken, fried catfish.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Summer in New England ends next week, but I am planning to take some scenic Autumn tours this year on the weekends. I don't know when that will start, as I am going in for surgery this coming week, and I don't know how long recovery will take.

Tim,
Our thoughts are with you for a speedy recovery! I have my own date with the laser surgeon in the next few weeks -- tough to find the time to squish that in. Hopefully your recovery will be as swift as I anticipate mine to be.

I liked the poetry-beat of your roadtrip dispatch. Very cool.

Mark

[Mass Tim]

Just wanted to say thanks for the good wishes and to let you know that the surgery went off without a hitch, and now I've begun to road to recovery. No trips for Labor Day weekend, but I hope to be out and about in a week or two, as the colors are starting to pop up more and more on the trees around here.

[PNW Judy]

I'm glad things went well and you'll be up and about in time to enjoy the Fall colors! Hooray!

[Mass Tim]

:-)

I am planning some loop drives: One through Western MA, one through Eastern CT, one through Western CT, and one that includes NY/VT. Reports to follow - look for them in about two weeks (hope I don't miss the VT peak, fingers crossed!)