Today's short drive brought us through beautiful horse country onto our way to Kentucky's largest city.

Knowing we were only passing through, Keeneland was the spot we chose to help us better understand the Bluegrass region.

Keeneland is unique in that it is both a Thoroughbred race track and an auction company. We were allowed to explore. We promised we'd return when we could spend the time needed to truly experience this awesome place.

Colonel Sanders (1890-1980) is BIG in Kentucky. The Louisville Visitors' Center even had a small museum dedicated to this unique man.
Before there was KFC, there was really no such thing as fast food chicken. Fast food meant thin, easily griddled burgers and thin-cut potato sticks you could dump in the deep fryer. But starting in 1930, a school dropout and army veteran named Harland Sanders had a popular roadside motel, restaurant, and service station in Corbin, Ky., where he served down-home southern classics including fried chicken and country ham.
KFC seasoning is what his chicken is famous for today, but it was this pressure cooker that made the original recipe finger lickin' good.
As we wandered around town, we saw a variety of painted horse statues, standing regally in front of local businesses. Each one is unique and has a story behind it. Known as Gallopalooza, this project began as a way to beautify the streets, encourage local exploration, increase tourism, showcase local artists and generate civic pride. We'll keep searching for them as we explore tomorrow.

Conceptional artist Serkan Özkay made this 30 ft. David and it is part of an amazing outdoor art series, located throughout the city.
We delighted in strolling down historic Main Street. It was like a hunt to find our favorite players who have been inducted into the Louisville Slugger Walk of Fame. They are permanently enshrined with a bronze caste of the Louisville Slugger model bat they used, and a bronze home plate with highlights of their career.
We were headed into the Louisville Slugger Factory, but had to get this photo of the World's Biggest Bat first. Made of steel, it weighs 68,000 pounds and stands 120-feet tall. The Big Bat is an exact-scale replica of Babe Ruth's 34-inch Louisville Slugger bat.

We learned the incredible history of this family run business. We then had a great guided tour through the factory (no photos allowed) where Louisville Slugger bats are crafted with the same pride that started in 1884. We were shown each step of the process and we even got our own mini bat as a souvenir.
This was Babe Ruth's bat. The notches around the logo were carved by Babe, himself, to indicate his home runs. We learned so much about the players and their dedication to their 'sluggers'. It was educational and interesting.


We loved the historical architecture we found everywhere.
We ended our day at Spalding University's Festival of Contemporary Writing for a public reading by Michael White, author of Travels in Vermeer.
This was another event which had a theme of "art as healing". Mr. White shared his memoir which spoke of his new found fascination with Vermeer and the power his works had to mend his broken heart.
This loft, located in the heart of it all, is our home for two nights.



And this is where we will dream about all the fun Louisville will hold for us tomorrow.