Two Rivers Campground, Carrollton, KY

From Fort Boonesborough we continued heading north to Two Rivers Campground in Carrollton, Kentucky.  Google Maps estimated our travel time to be one hour and forty five minutes but in reality it was over two hours.  There was one stretch of road where we wound ‘round on top of a ridge.  That stretch was an extremely curvy and narrow ten miles long and it took us about a half hour to go the distance.  We were never more happy to see I-71 shortly after that.

Two Rivers Campground is a small but very nice campground on the Kentucky River with paved and almost level sites, full hook-up (yay!), a playground, and a nice, clean bath house.

As we were setting up the skies turned ominous…

… and we wondered what kind of night we were in for. Instead of Van Gogh’s Starry Night it was Stormy Night.

Thankfully the rains held off until we were finished setting up.  We were even able to continue our tradition of finding a local spot to eat a few miles down the road in historic downtown where we ate at Welch’s Family Restaurant located by the river before the rain started.  The food was OK but the view was fantastic.  We watched a tug boat pushing some loaded down barges up the river while we waited for our food.

Night time brought some heavy rain but thankfully all was well with everyone in the campground and there was no storm damage locally.  These days you just never know so when one comes out at the end of a storm unscathed it’s a good thing.

We were in need of some groceries so the following day we went to Kroger in the newer part of town by the interstate.  I was glad to see a Kroger in town.  It gave us the opportunity to earn some highly valued fuel points.  And, even though we had not eaten before we shopped we stuck to our list and no unhealthy snacks found their way into the buggy.

On the way home we stopped at Mi Viejo Mexican restaurant for a bite to eat.  They offered a buffet so after checking it out that’s what we both went with.  It was delicious and probably some of the most flavorful Mexican food I’ve had since we lived out West.

While Ronnie rested I grabbed my camera and took a short walk…

The Kentucky River flows right behind our camp site and I couldn’t help but think that this beautiful blue bridge that spans it should be the color of the bridge in our old town of Irvine.  The towns folk bleed blue not only for the Kentucky Wildcats but for their Estill County High School Engineers as well.  However, the bridge in Irvine just (and I do mean just – the bridge was unveiled just this week) got a fresh coat of green paint.  Maybe next time.

I was also curious about these pillars standing tall beside the bridge…

They’re directly across each other on each bank. My guess is that they once supported a train track?  Again, it’s just a guess.  I just thought they were cool.

The following day we unfolded the bikes and took a short ride to the river.  Carrollton’s River Walk is a paved walking trail along the Ohio and Kentucky River banks. It begins (or ends depending on where you start!) in the campground about where our truck is and wraps around behind our camper…

… and leads to a nice park, Point Park, on the Ohio River.  There was a serious soccer match going on; people sitting on benches or walking; and a fella launching his boat at the boat ramp.  There’s a small splash park for the kiddos and a skate ramp for those a bit more daring.  It’s the perfect place for a picnic, with shelters and public restrooms, basketball court, volleyball court, and the walking trail.  Point Park is aptly named as its location is where the Kentucky River meets the Ohio River.  

The Kentucky River was always muddy in Irvine and is muddy even this far north – constant runoff from the surrounding mountains I suppose. Here, the mud seemed to just stop right where it met the Ohio River without flowing into it.

As we were admiring the view from one of the benches another tug boat was making its way down the river with five empty barges.

It was moving along much quicker than the loaded down tug boat we saw going upriver the other night.

Two Rivers Campground had a good WiFi and Internet signal which meant we were able to watch a few shows on Amazon Prime and I was able to get caught up on blogging.  I’ve done a little bit of research regarding Internet for RVers and it appears to be costly no matter which option we would choose.  So, the verdict is still out on that.  Meanwhile, we’ll just use whatever is available at campgrounds that provide it.

Our last day full day at Two Rivers was a most gorgeous day!  The door and windows were open and there was a nice, cool breeze blowing all day making it quite comfortable to be outside.  Mid-afternoon we hopped on the bikes and rode to Welch’s for some ice cream.  The River Walk takes you to Main Street so it was an easy, safe ride. After enjoying some Butter Pecan ice cream in a waffle cone we rode along Main Street.  Ronnie popped into the hardware store for some washers for our water filter then we popped into a boutique to have a look around.  I’m always hesitant to do any sort of shopping because we are limited on space.  We’re almost to the point of having to get rid of something if we bring something new in so if I don’t shop then there’s little chance that we’ll get to that point.  But, there are times when curiosity gets the better of me!

While we had full hook-up Miss LizzieBelle got a much needed bath.  She’s never cared for water other than to drink it.  In fact, one time while I was floating on the Colorado River with her on my lap she bailed on me.  Without warning she literally jumped out of my lap into the water and swam back to shore.  She had had enough of that floating in water nonsense, ha!  Anyway, she tolerates the bath because she knows she gets a tasty treat when it’s all said and done.

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I was reading a very old magazine I had brought with me and I ran across a recipe for Marinated Cheese.  I tossed the magazine without saving the recipe but being a Cheese-aholic I’ve thought of nothing else since.  I decided to make some using ingredients I had on hand and from what I could remember of the recipe.  This is what I came up with..

Marinated Cheese

• 4 oz. or 1/2 block white sharp cheddar (can use provolone, mozzarella, Colby jack, etc.) cut into cubes
• thinly sliced garlic clove (I used two small cloves)
• several pinches of rosemary garlic spice (can use whatever spice(s) you like)
• enough extra virgin olive oil to coat (I used a 1/4 cup or less)

Combine everything in an air tight container and let marinate for at least four hours.  About an hour before eating let the cheese come to room temperature.

Ronnie asked me what I was making and he was less than thrilled saying it didn’t sound very good.  I told him he didn’t have to eat any (which would mean more for me!).  However, when it was ready I forked a piece of cheese and gave it to him.  He ate it.  And, he liked it saying it was very good!  Well, phooey, looks like I’ll have to share.

Till next time friends!

Dates at Two Rivers Campground:  June 6 – 10

St. Mary’s, Georgia – historic downtown, Crooked River State Park and a marvelous evening with cousins

After saying goodbye to family in Ocala we headed a few hours north to St. Mary’s – a little town just north of the Florida Georgia line. We prefer short trips between destinations when pulling the travel trailer as does LizzieBelle. In fact, the shorter the better as traveling with her is sometimes like traveling with a young child. She doesn’t care for bumpy or curvy roads and I’m always trying to decipher whether or not she’s just grumpy or needs to stop for a potty break. So yea, short trips are most agreeable to all of us.

This trip was less than three hours and before we knew it we had finally left Florida after being there for three months in various locations throughout the state. Mind you, we weren’t far from Florida but we could now say we were in another state.

Our main reason for choosing to stop in St. Mary’s was to reconnect with my cousin and his wife whom I haven’t seen in, oh, maybe twenty five years or so. We’ve kept in touch with each others’ lives through Christmas letters but none of us could pinpoint when we had last seen each other. We surmised it was at a funeral of a loved one some 25 years ago since Ronnie had never met them and we’ve been married almost 23 years. Twenty five years is a long time so to say that I was thrilled that our schedules aligned is an understatement.

During our stay in St. Mary’s we camped at Crooked River State Park. It was a nice park with plenty of room between campers however relaxing in our camp chairs was limited due to the biting gnats. We did walk down to the river and enjoyed the view from a perfectly situated bench.

After setting up we checked out historic downtown St. Mary’s. It’s a quaint little town on the St. Mary’s river with some shopping and restaurants.

We ate at the Southern River Walk Bar & Grill then enjoyed a scoop of ice cream from Market on the Square – a fun little gift shop with an ice cream parlor in the back.

We spent a few minutes watching a boatload of people disembark from the ferry after a trip to nearby Cumberland Island.

St. Mary’s was hit hard by hurricane Irma in 2017 destroying much of the waterfront and sinking many boats. The town is recovering and is a lovely hidden gem.

In fact, those exact words were used by a fella we met in a laundry mat while in Salt Springs. He had lived in St. Mary’s and described it as a hidden gem. After he found out why we were going there he inquired about my cousin. I remember thinking what are the odds that this guy will know him and, lo and behold, he DID! They were neighbors at one time. Unbelievable! It truly is a small world.

The following day we went to my cousin’s house for dinner. I was thrilled at the invitation and was honored to have the opportunity to partake in what I knew would be a fantastic meal prepared by my cousin’s wife. She is a gourmet chef and has a reputation for hosting fabulous dinner parties. (I’ve seen photos on Facebook!)

Their house is on the river and has a gorgeous view.

It’s just so peaceful and serene. I could hang out there all day.

Another place I could hang out was the dining and sitting area just beyond the living room…

With all the windows one feels as though they are dining al fresco.

Another reason I love this room is all the plants.

I’m a plant girl. I believe plants warm up a space and extend an invitation to sit a spell and sit a spell we did as we enjoyed a delectable meal while catching up.

Here’s another gorgeous view with a couple plants on the windowsills…

With a view like that one (like me!) might actually forget they were at the kitchen sink!

Prior to the meal we savored hors d’oeuvres then dined on salad, salmon grilled to perfection and topped with a tasty sauce, sticky rice and sauteed corn and red peppers served with fine wine. Dessert was displayed on a cake stand and as we were touring the house Ronnie asked me if I thought it was real or not. I told him it was indeed real and not to touch it. I tell you I have to keep my eye on him but I’m glad he asked before he went poking his finger into it! Dessert was a beautiful and delicious Lemon Creme Brulee.

All that deliciousness was served on these stunning plates…

In fact, the entire table setting was splendid…

Do you see a theme here? Check out the foot of the wine glass. How cool is that?!

My cousin is a retired Captain in the Navy and we are extremely grateful for his service to our country. He and his family spent several years abroad throughout his career. During those years many beautiful pieces were collected and are now artfully displayed throughout the house. One room, in particular, showcases the beautiful collection that was amassed during the three years they were stationed in Japan…

… the guest bathroom! WOW! Ronnie and I felt as though we had been magically transported to Japan without ever leaving the house. So many beautiful pieces and works of art in a bathroom! I was told to take my camera and I can see why. In hindsight I should’ve taken more closeup shots but I was so mesmerized by the bathroom as a whole that I got caught up in trying to capture it in its entirety. Maybe next time.

Ronnie and I had a marvelous time. We were treated like royalty by our amazing hosts and all too soon the evening hour became late and it was time to bid farewell.

Cheers to a marvelous evening and catching up with cousins. We vowed our next meeting would be sooner rather than later.

Till next time my friends!