Downs After Dark Weekend June 2022

 June 16 - 18

RECAP:  This recap is of the trip we took to Louisville June 16 - 18, but if you'd like to see the racing recap from my days at the track all week long, CLICK HERE.  On Thursday June 16 Kim and I boarded a flight to Chicago at 5:30 am.  Oh my.  When we arrived at Midway Chicago airport we split paths with Kim going on to Pennsylvania to visit her family for a week and I flew to Louisville where I was meeting my buddy Keith for a long weekend featuring a night of racing under the lights on Saturday.  The original plan was to check into our hotel, the Sheraton in Jeffersonville, Indiana right on the Ohio River, fifteen minutes from the airport and Churchill Downs.  Then to go to Twilight Racing on Thursday, explore Louisville on Friday, then spend the day at the track Saturday before an early morning flight home.  But, you know how plans go.....first, on Tuesday before the trip Churchill announced racing had been cancelled for both Wednesday and our planned day Thursday due to the extreme heat (highs in the upper 90's).  So when I arrived we went for dinner and then drove around Louisville and discussed what should we do as an alternate plan.  We opted to make plans to go visit the Mega Caverns which are over 100 feet below ground (basically below the Louisville Zoo) in the morning on Friday and then do the track in the late afternoon where I had selections for Monmouth Park which didn't start until 2 pm.  We'd grab a bite to eat and then head to our pre-arranged Ghost Tour Walk in Old Louisville.  Both those excursions were AMAZING, especially the nearly two-hour walk around old Louisville where our guide, David told the best stories.  Saturday morning we met my cousin Mary Beth and her partner Ron Riddle for breakfast at Wagners, which is a little pharmacy/diner right across the street from Churchill Downs.  Just an old fashioned diner that was fun - enjoyed the visit.  We went back to the hotel and then returned to the track around 2 pm for the extended day.  The track experience was THE BEST.....under the nights with over 40,000 LOUD fans - most dressed "to the nines" (like I was) made for a special night - as did all the winning.  Last race went off after 11 pm so we got very little sleep before Keith dropped me off at the airport at 5 am for my 6:25 flight.  But, like the first part of the trip - the unexpected happened.  My flight was postponed to 10 am, getting me to Orlando at about noon, missing my 9:30 flight.  The "next" flight from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale wasn't until 10 pm so I was rerouted at 1pm to Baltimore with a 6:30 flight on to Fort Lauderdale, arriving at 9 pm.  I said "NO" to that and looked at options once I arrived in Orlando.  As I was on my computer the flight was changed again, now leaving at 7:30 am and getting to Orlando at 9:30.  I booked a rental car figuring it was better to drive the three hours and be home in early afternoon than to spend the day flying and waiting.  I arrived in Orlando ten minutes before my original flight to Ft. Lauderdale which was delayed fifteen minutes to 9:45.  I got to the gate in time and the door was still open.  But because my flight had been cancelled I could not get on.  Got the car and drove - "landed" at Fort Lauderdale International (where my car was waiting) at 1:30pm and was home by 2pm.  A long day, but shorter than had I stuck with the flights.  Here are photos of the highlights of our trip.....

Dinner With A View Of The Ohio River

225 Pleasantview - My Cousin Roz's house....my favorite house of all time

The Explorer Amidst The Light Display (part of their Christmas Lights section)

It's deceiving - the ceiling is some 20-30 feet above ground inside the caverns!

The afternoon at the Churchill Downs Simulcast Area

The Handicapper:  Won FOUR-of-FIVE with a tidy profit for the afternoon

The Ghost Tour - The neighborhood along 4th Avenue's "Millionaire Row" in Old Louisville

The Ghost Explorer:  Across the street from the First Church of Christ

Where the "Lady of the Stairs" is often seen pacing and crying amongst the columns

Not haunted but this mansion was once owned by a Kentucky Derby owner where the horse was stabled in the back yard!

Our tour guide David in front of the site of "The Dark Room In Glitter Ball City" home.

(1) Not official YET, but HBO is doing a docu-drama featuring author David Domine about his book about this house/trial/story

(2) In the basement/wine cellar a body of Jamie Carroll was found leading to the trial and conviction of two men who lived there

(3) When the house was for sale David actually saw the house with the realtor right before the two who moved in and committed this murder as well as many other crimes

Belgravia Court - I'm standing in the street, all the homes face a court yard NOT the street

The "Pink Palace" in Belgravia Court - home to "Avery" the ghost who's a protective ghost.  Saved one owners life when he appeared to her as she was in the tub; she was startled, hopped out and a moment later a would-be intruder had thrown a huge cement block through the window over the tub to break into the house....would have hit her on the head and killed her :O

Conrad's Castle:  Haunted by Mr. Conrad who's often seen shaking his finger as if chastising guests who wonder off away from the tour group

The Bourbon Inn - a bed & breakfast today where guests often see the ghost of Annie Whipple who dabbled in the dark arts to try and save a little girl; did so but she mysteriously died and now she roams the stairs frequently

To LISTEN To Virtually ALL The Stories, Go To This Podcast:

CLICK HERE

Churchill Downs at dusk

The Handicapper:  Cashing the first of SEVEN WINNING tickets (from ten bets)

The Fashion Statement Maker

The Crowd lines the home stretch on all levels

The Best Friends

The Teller, Amy - punched in seven winning tickets

Included a $5 Daily Double and a Pick 3 ticket which had the winning combination FOUR times

The Handicapper - "You should bet with ME!"

For the weekend:  27 winning tickets and a profit of over $150!

Denver Anniversary Getaway: Day 3

 February 15:  A Day At The Gaylord Resort

After the long day yesterday, today's plan was to spend the day leisurely enjoying the Gaylord Resort and all it's amenities and winterfest activities.  We began the day by getting out morning coffee (or in my case peppermint mocha) and sat outside by the open fire pit and admired the mountains.

As we went back inside the resort I took some photos of the amazing lower lobby....

 

AMAZING....the back-side of water :)

A quick change of clothes and we hopped into the adults-only hot tub (not that there were any children out and about).  You can't see it in the photos but there was steam rising off the water - low 40's at the time we were in the water.

Our "farewell dinner" was at the Vista Montagne, an Italian restaurant and the Chicken Parmesan was great!  Sat on the "porch" overlooking the caboose on the train tracks. 

The final activity after we'd changed into warmer clothes was to take in the "Winterfest" and especially the Light Display.  We had considered doing some of the activities but in the opted to just enjoy for one final time the chill in the air and the beautiful sights.

As we left Winterfest we stopped for a final photo-op on a ski-lift amidst the Christmas trees.  What a great getaway it's been!

Denver Anniversary Getaway: Day 2 (Part 2)

 February 14:  Excursion, continued

We left the sledding area and continued along through the park, stopping from time to time for photo ops of the sensational mountains and the surrounding areas.....

Probably the "coolest" stop of the day - although they were all sensational - was when we arrived at Glacier Lake which was nearly 100% frozen over.  Will directed us to a path around the lake, and then he came bounding across over the ice and encouraged us to join him.  Once we were in the middle of the frozen lake he took photos of us from a 180 degree perspective to get all the backgrounds.  The best of which was the "hanging glacier" in the mountains.  Unfortunately because of global warming, scientists recently discovered that the glacier was now only a giant snow field.  Still, amazing to gaze at!

We continued on and again stopped from time to time to admire the majestic mountains; finally came upon some deer just before we left the park to head for Estes Park.

 

We reached the quaint, small town of Estes Park and the first item on the agenda was to grab some lunch.  I asked Will, "If this were the ONE and ONLY time we were to visit here, what's the ONE best restaurant for lunch?"  He named a few but said if he had to pick it would be Claire's and the dish he'd highly recommend was wild game meatloaf.  All seven of us sat around a big table and had lunch, Kim and I splitting the meatloaf meal.  DEEEEEE-licious!

The final stop was the Stanley Hotel.  Here was where Steven King stayed in the midst of a white-out blizzard and came up with the idea for the movie "The Shining."  The hotel complex was built in 1881 and it's said to be THE most haunted hotel in North America!

We concluded our day with a great dinner at the Gaylord Resorts' Old Hickory Steakhouse.  We were up at 6 am in order to catch our Uber and as we closed the door after dinner it was about 9 pm.  Caught up on the latest episode of "Celebrity Big Brother" and quickly fell asleep!