Day 1: April 26, 2016 Bridges and More Comment via blog

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I left home about 7:30 and hustled down the expressway to Louisville, Kentucky. There I climbed onto US-31W (Dixie Highway) and US-60 then stayed with Sixty as it split off toward the west. That's when the trip began.

I'd hit the road without so much as a cup of coffee. Now that I was on my planned route, I was ready to eat. Several pickups stood in front of the Green Valley Restaurant while their drivers sat around a table inside drinking coffee. My hunger quickly met its match.

This well cared for 1922 bridge caught my eye in Cloverport, Kentucky. I kind of liked the classic water tower, too.

In Owensboro, Roadside America alerted me to the World's Largest Sassafras tree not far from my route. The plaque beside it says its probably the world's largest and definitely the country's largest. A Roadside America entry tells how a lady and a shotgun once saved the tree from road crews.

This 1931 bridge over the Green River looked pretty good to me but Bridgehunter.com reports that it as under study and "At high risk for demolition and replacement."

I wasn't trying to find every old alignment on this trip but I couldn't ignore this. Much of the narrow road is lined with homes that probably appeared after it was bypassed but some of it still looks quite pristine.

When I first stumbled into Marion, Kentucky, back in 2004, that hanging sign said "Sweet Shoppe" and the place was open. It has not been open on a couple of subsequent stops, including today, but at least I can see that the old soda fountain is still there.

For the rest of the day, I saw things I photographed as I headed home from the big Lincoln Highway drive three years ago. In 2013 I ate lunch parked at this church, crossed Cumberland River on this bridge, and the Tennessee River on a bridge that this bridge replaced not long after.

I'll be returning on US-62 which runs a little closer to Apple Valley Toyland that US-60. I figured I would stop by on the return but the timing and weather were right today so I slid off route just a few miles. It's hard to tell whether the art or the puns come first and it really doesn't matter. There's the proverbial "deer in the headlights" and the work in progress called "Thronehenge" "Lawnmower Ranch" was actually Keith's first installation here. Lastly the proud poppa shows off some artwork by his daughter (Note the "palm" tree.) and son (There's a toaster inside that turtle.). This time there is even proof that I was there.

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