Curious Craig Escapes

Taking the Leap…

They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.  Andy Warhol

I have long had the burning desire to go, to see and to explore.  This blog is a small reflection of that; as  I have made a concerted effort to document my wanderlust.  Today is a little different.  Today is the day I become a digital nomad, full-time traveler, an Escapee.  I am officially jobless & homeless.  That is obviously a bit dramatic but I just like saying it. I have for months (maybe even a lifetime) been preparing for this day. However, I did give myself permission to back out if I needed to.  I just never took me up on the option. […]

Bluegrass Museum Owensboro, KY

International Bluegrass Museum – Owensboro, Ky

Pickin’ & Grinnin’

I have been wanting to drop into the International Bluegrass Museum for a couple of years but somehow it never seems to fit into the schedule. On a previous visit, the museum was closed.

It’s an early rainy morning the weekend before Christmas and the whole riverfront is deserted.  Much to my surprise, the museum is open today. […]

Mammoth Cave Supergraphic

Kentucky Caves and Kangaroos

Traveling in a fried-out Kombi

I turn off of I-65 at the Mammoth Cave exit. The stretch of road leading to the visitor center is lined with kitschy tourist traps. Right off the exit is a towering T-Rex promoting Dinosaur World.  Big Mike’s appears to be the powerhouse of rock shops, but this doesn’t dissuade some locals from piling their geodes on pallets and makeshift plywood tables to hock their crystalline rocks and other novelties. I admire their capitalistic idealism.  Of course, there is the always ever-present southern favorite: hillbilly mini-golf, taffy and fudge shops. […]

Spooktacular, Fort Boonesborough Campground

It’s  Spooktackular

The much anticipated Halloween week is off to shaky start. Fort Boonesborough Campground is beyond busy and cars are haphazardly parked everywhere. Immediately I notice my designated campsite is very uneven, with an uphill slope right as you would step out of campers door.  To maximize the flatter space,  precision placement on the concrete pad is paramount.  The layout will require backing up toward the passenger side creating a huge blind spot for me. My best-laid plans go awry and I’m practically jack-knifed and I am creating a traffic jam on the road that flows past the site.  I quickly become frustrated and pull out to circle around to allow others to exit.

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West_Virgina - Rafting

Whitewater Rafting the New River, West Virginia

Wild Wet West Virginia 

Its 40 degrees and dark when I arrive at the whitewater rafting outfitters.  I exit the truck to see my breath creating billows of fog when I breathe. I hear, oddly, a crowing rooster.  He is getting an early head start on daybreak.  I’m shivering and start to wonder what have I gotten myself into. Other rafters appear on the scene and quickly I realize I’m the more senior of the bunch. Picking raft mates that I may bond with seems to be mere luck of the draw,  so I begin summing up the guides in hopes that I find one I’m comfortable with. […]