We left Paducah about 9 on Friday but not before a short tour of the riverfront ... I think Jo-Anne said "Wow really smells like fish!" Yup.

There is a really nice park on the waterfront where you can watch the barge traffic and imagine the side wheelers docking here with western explorers in the 1860's.

There is a high flood wall that runs the entire length of the waterfront and it is painted with at least 30 murals of the town's history ... and this neat train above as well. And many restored historic buildings ... but still 95 and humid so not much walking.

Off to Bardstown Kentucky about 330 miles to the east. The Kentucky parkway highways are as beautiful as they were when I first came here in 1968 with no advertising and a hundred miles of forest and rolling hills. The Caddy is purring nicely and getting 24.7 MPG on the $4.25 gas.

Rolled into Bardstown which is the world center of bourbon whiskey and into a Hampton. The draw for this place is bourbon and one of the first visitors was George Washington who stayed and imbibed at the Old Talbot Tavern below.

Supposedly ol' George had a pint or two at this bar as we did but in the 1780's. Unfortunately the greeter was pretty rude and wouldn't let us eat right here as we had done a couple of years ago so we just had a beer and left. Bardstown is the home of many distilleries you can tour but with the heat and a long day we went back to the hotel.

The Hampton here is from the 80's and still has the original furniture.

And a nice Jacuzzi tub that was so old an rusted that even Bruce wouldn't chance it.

And finally to round out Friday the 13th a question ... "Why would anyone in their right mind try to steal the 1980 fireplace?"