Thelma and Louise in Kentucky

On Thursday, I made the almost 8-hour trip to the May Lodge here at Jenny Wiley State Park Resort in Prestonsburg.  Thelma came from the east, driving an almost equal distance.  Yes, we met in the middle and I was never happier to see her gleaming smile. 

Today, we visited Loretta Lynn's birthplace in Butcher Holler and despite our best efforts, it was hard impossible to get a decent photo without the tripod.  Using gravel to prop the camera on the hood of the car, we got this.  And yes, the rock sits just like you see it...tilted.

We arrived at the Mercantile.   Loretta Lynn's brother, Herman Webb gives tours of the homeplace.  So, the guy working at the Mercantile called Herman to tell him there were two ladies who wanted a tour. Herman was so cute, he asked if we knew there was no heat in the house and that it'd be cold. (It reached a high of 51 degrees today, but it was 9:30am and still quite chilly. Hence my red nose.)

Herman reminded me so much of my granddad.  We got his address and decided to adopt him.  We agreed if we lived here in Kentucky we'd surely bring him dinner and love on him.  He's a handsome fella, huh?



We pulled up at the house and Loretta Lynn's music was blasting. OK, so maybe it wasn't blasting, but it was definitely noticeable as we opened the door of the car. 

 

 

 

It was a beautiful country home in the middle of the mountains. We enjoyed standing with Herman by the fence and talking while the horses insisted that he hurry up and feed. He explained how he acquired the horses and we asked questions about the area. We thanked him for the tour and he stuck out his hand to tell us bye. I wanted so badly to grab him up and squeeze him tightly. I regret that I didn't. He was so cute and personable. 

 

 

We took this photo across from the Van Lear Historical Society's museum where we got a tour from the infamous Eli. He had a great handlebar mustache and was very knowledgeable.

  

Then, we made our way from Paintsville over to Pikeville where we did a driving tour of the Hatfield-McCoy feud.  We drove and drove and drove!  We stopped by Dils Cemetary where Randolph "Ranel" McCoy, his wife Sarah and daughter Roseanna were buried.

 



We ended our day with coffee in the dining room at Jenny Wiley.  Due to the incoming storm, we'll be heading out a day early.  We're sad to be departing prematurely but, it's better to be safe than sorry.  Stay tuned for more Thelma and Louise fun in Kentucky!