Bluerauder
04-08-2008, 12:23 PM
MEMORIES OF LOUISVILLE, KY
REGIONAL MARAUDER MEET, 3-6 April 2008
Firepower and Horsepower (aka The Bourbon Run revisited)
Thursday, 3 April 2008
593 miles in the rain through VA, WVa, and KY
Following N40GL the entire way at 75-80 MPH
Nearly catching Haggis & Ladyhawke joining the I-64W run
Coming up behind 03mmmonroe and SC Cheesehead as they join at I-75/I-64W
Arrival at the Hampton Inn at 6:30 PM
Quick check-in and change of clothes
Convoy to the Gasthaus Restaurant (9 miles). Reservations for 7:30 PM
Zack getting pinched off by an 18-wheeler as the right lane ended
Excellent dinner at the restaurant (Weiner Schnitzel & dark beer for me, the wife gets Jaeger Schnitzel and white wine)
Why is Mike Poore going straight instead of taking I-64E toward Lexington?
Follow 03mmmonroe back to the hotel, still raining
Meet Killjoy for the first time
Hang out in the hotel lobby/lounge until nearly midnight
Friday, 4 April 2008
Up at 7 AM
Still raining
Breakfast in the hotel lounge
Mill around out front and in the lobby
Rain stops
Why does Dr. DOOM get preferred parking out front?
10:00 AM departure time comes and goes
More milling around and scratching
20 MM Convoy to Fort Knox, KY departs at 10:15 AM (not bad for MM folks) .... MM2004 in the lead
I-64E to Gene Snyder Freeway to KY 31W south. Who played the "Goldfinger" theme on the FRS/GMRS radio? :rofl:
Pics of convoy enroute
Marauders in double file down 31W (The Dixie Dieway)
Arrival at the Patton Museum, Fort Knox, KY at 11:00 AM
Mill around in the parking lot, take pics
Pat and I hit the restrooms 500 yards away (whew!!)
Group breaks in two sections for a guided tour of the museum
Tanks, vehicles dating back to WWI displayed inside and outside
Lots of history M1, M1A1, M60, M48, M47, M26 T-72, Panzer II . And more
View of General Pattons life, exploits and memorabilia
Back to the parking lot
Peel off and head south for about a mile to view The Gold Vault repository
The Free Sample sign had been removed. No gold today.
Head back to the hotel
Embassy catches me on 31W --- in his Crown Vic
Chase Embassy to the hotel
Short nap before dinner
Gather in hotel lobby at 5 PM
Convoy to Rumors Restaurant
Another excellent dinner (Fried Shrimp & beer for me, Salmon and Ice Tea for her)
Starts raining again through the night
Back to the hotel one at a time
MM03MOK rides rear seat security in the Bluerauder
More hanging out in the hotel lounge
BYOB and LCR games
Saturday, 5 April 2008
Up at 6 AM
Coffee & juice in the hotel lounge
Dr. DOOM is parked in front of the hotel under the canopy again
8 AM Breakfast at the Hometown Buffet near the hotel (about 30 people show up MM.Net foots the bill)
Head to the touchless carwash on Shelbyville Road with DOOM & MERCMAN for a quick wash to knock off 2 days of rain & grime
Top off with 93 Octane at the BP station on Blankenbaker Parkway
Back to the hotel to do a quick external detailing & wheel wipe
Check under the hood and see hours wasted on engine compartment 3 days ago
Gather in front of the hotel
Another 10:15 AM departure (MMers are always 15 minutes late)
~ 20 MM Convoy to Buffalo Trace Distillery
Guided tour begins at 11:30 AM. DR in lot changing serpentine belt.
Quick overview of the history and making of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
White oak barrels are charred on the inside to give the color & taste
Bourbon works its way into the barrel wood and out again as temperature fluctuates
Break into two groups to tour buildings and barrel warehouses (~61* F is base temp)
Barrels weigh 530 pounds each, 52 gallons each (stored in rows called Ricks)
Bourbon barrels cannot be reused. Sold to Irish Whiskey and other users.
Blanton, Eagle Reserve, Buffalo Trace, and Pappy Van Winkle
Bourbon tasting (root beer for the non-drinkers)
Lots of opportunity to spend in the gift shop (bourbon, barbeque sauce, buffaloes, candles and clothing items)
Cashier had trouble keeping up with our volume of business
Mill around in the parking lot until the gang catches up
Confusion over lunch vs. convoy to Wild Turkey
Group splits into 3 sections
Group 1 heads back to hotel
Group 2 head to Outback Restaurant for lunch
Group 3a goes to Sonic for lunch
Make two loops around Sonic and head to Arbys up the street in Group 3b with Haggis, Ladyhawke, MM03MOK, RF Overlord, DOOM, and Cruztaker.
Mini-Convoy departs at 2:00 PM to Wild Turkey Distillery, Cruztaker in the lead using Army map skills
We dont need no stinkin GPS
Other group is already at Wild Turkey when we arrive at 2:30 PM
Break into 2 groups for the distillery tour (sneek into the 1st group when the guide wasnt looking)
Learn about the evaporation from the barrels 10% is the Angels Share
It takes only 30 seconds to fill a barrel with bourbon. Longer to empty -- but more fun.
Collect barrel bungs
See more of the actual fermentation and distillation process here than Buffalo Trace
15,500 gallon and 30,100 gallon fermentation tanks generate heat & odors
Looks nasty Haggis and 1st Merc poke holes in the crust
Old Railroad Bridge and the S-Bridge visible from the tower. Nice pics.
A little taste of the High Wine a light burn all the way down .tip of the tongue is numb pure 132 proof crystal clear bourbon before it is cut to the various available proofs and finally goes in the barrels
Haggis & Cruztaker busted by tour guide trying to peel a magnetic W.T. logo off a parked truck
Back to the gift shop to pick up a few souvenirs and a bottle of Wild Turkey 101 and Wild Turkey American Honey
Convoy of about 10 MMs and 1 Corvette back to Pig City Barbeque Restaurant. Can hear somone's Nav system over the FRS/GMRS radio. Who was it?
Arrive at restaurant parking lot at 5 PM
More groups arrive between 5:30-6:00 PM
Barbeque, ribs and brisket (I get the Burnt Beef sandwich, wife gets the BBQ Chicken)
Mill around the parking lot after dinner
Police escort arrives and chats with MM owners
30 MM convoy departs restaurant lot at ~ 7:30 PM with MM2004 leading, police lights flashing and blocking traffic on Shelbyville Road.
Single file down to Blankenbaker Parkway where Hack Goby & Carol are positioned to take videos
Unmarked red police car passes me on the left -- right at the turn
Police cars leap frog from light to light to stop traffic as we pass through
Make the final turn onto the hotel street (Alliant Avenue) at 7:41 PM
6 Blue MMs line up in back of the hotel for photo opportunity. Zack, Mike, Bluerauder, Dennis R., SC Cheesehead, and Knine.
Standing Ovation for the police escort
Louisville Metro Police go along on a Dennis Reinhart ride along
Motorhead350 assumes the position on the trunk of the police car
More milling in the parking lot
Dominic nearly busted by Louisvilles Finest on a Sharpie Run
Gather in the conference room at 8:15 PM
Surprise birthday party for Ken . His 50th !!! Nice cake, too.
MM.Net announcement of Marauderville VI (MV6) in St Louis, MO 18-21 September 2008. Save the Date !!!
Goodie bags from Bourbon Country visitors bureau, dash plaques, and vendor raffle with very nice prizes . XCal 3 and a specially marked bottle of Buffalo trace, tote bags, fender bibs, T-Shirts and more.
Dominic asks members to sign his MM.Net Marauder banner
Group breaks up slowly around 9:30 PM, some goodbyes due to early departures in the morning
Sunday, 6 April 2008
Up at 6 AM
Pack suitcases, load car and eat breakfast
Dr. DOOM is still parked out front
Depart hotel at 8:00 AM
Attend local church services
Top off the tank with Marathon 93
Meet up with Haggis/Ladyhawke and N40GL turning onto to Blankenbaker (perfect timing)
Run all the way to Charleston, WVa in mini-convoy
Stop at Cracker Barrel for lunch about 1:15 PM (long delay with food)
Back on the road at 3:00 PM
Haggis/Ladyhawke head north on I-77
N40GL and Bluerauder continue on I-64 to I-81 to I-66
Back home at 9:36 PM total mileage 1,435 miles (about $223.30)
Wow, what a trip !!!
And now I have finally met some more MM.Net screen names in person: MM2004, Embassy, jinxed, chapel1, Killjoy, Zack, Mike, DR, Leadfoot281, Knine .... who'd I forget?
Convoys are more interesting when you can hear all the chattering on the FRS/GMRS radios. Check channel 5. If you don't have the radios ... go get some and enjoy a whole new convoy experience. :up:
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES GANG
Check out the Event Gallery for a collection of members pics of the event.
REGIONAL MARAUDER MEET, 3-6 April 2008
Firepower and Horsepower (aka The Bourbon Run revisited)
Thursday, 3 April 2008
593 miles in the rain through VA, WVa, and KY
Following N40GL the entire way at 75-80 MPH
Nearly catching Haggis & Ladyhawke joining the I-64W run
Coming up behind 03mmmonroe and SC Cheesehead as they join at I-75/I-64W
Arrival at the Hampton Inn at 6:30 PM
Quick check-in and change of clothes
Convoy to the Gasthaus Restaurant (9 miles). Reservations for 7:30 PM
Zack getting pinched off by an 18-wheeler as the right lane ended
Excellent dinner at the restaurant (Weiner Schnitzel & dark beer for me, the wife gets Jaeger Schnitzel and white wine)
Why is Mike Poore going straight instead of taking I-64E toward Lexington?
Follow 03mmmonroe back to the hotel, still raining
Meet Killjoy for the first time
Hang out in the hotel lobby/lounge until nearly midnight
Friday, 4 April 2008
Up at 7 AM
Still raining
Breakfast in the hotel lounge
Mill around out front and in the lobby
Rain stops
Why does Dr. DOOM get preferred parking out front?
10:00 AM departure time comes and goes
More milling around and scratching
20 MM Convoy to Fort Knox, KY departs at 10:15 AM (not bad for MM folks) .... MM2004 in the lead
I-64E to Gene Snyder Freeway to KY 31W south. Who played the "Goldfinger" theme on the FRS/GMRS radio? :rofl:
Pics of convoy enroute
Marauders in double file down 31W (The Dixie Dieway)
Arrival at the Patton Museum, Fort Knox, KY at 11:00 AM
Mill around in the parking lot, take pics
Pat and I hit the restrooms 500 yards away (whew!!)
Group breaks in two sections for a guided tour of the museum
Tanks, vehicles dating back to WWI displayed inside and outside
Lots of history M1, M1A1, M60, M48, M47, M26 T-72, Panzer II . And more
View of General Pattons life, exploits and memorabilia
Back to the parking lot
Peel off and head south for about a mile to view The Gold Vault repository
The Free Sample sign had been removed. No gold today.
Head back to the hotel
Embassy catches me on 31W --- in his Crown Vic
Chase Embassy to the hotel
Short nap before dinner
Gather in hotel lobby at 5 PM
Convoy to Rumors Restaurant
Another excellent dinner (Fried Shrimp & beer for me, Salmon and Ice Tea for her)
Starts raining again through the night
Back to the hotel one at a time
MM03MOK rides rear seat security in the Bluerauder
More hanging out in the hotel lounge
BYOB and LCR games
Saturday, 5 April 2008
Up at 6 AM
Coffee & juice in the hotel lounge
Dr. DOOM is parked in front of the hotel under the canopy again
8 AM Breakfast at the Hometown Buffet near the hotel (about 30 people show up MM.Net foots the bill)
Head to the touchless carwash on Shelbyville Road with DOOM & MERCMAN for a quick wash to knock off 2 days of rain & grime
Top off with 93 Octane at the BP station on Blankenbaker Parkway
Back to the hotel to do a quick external detailing & wheel wipe
Check under the hood and see hours wasted on engine compartment 3 days ago
Gather in front of the hotel
Another 10:15 AM departure (MMers are always 15 minutes late)
~ 20 MM Convoy to Buffalo Trace Distillery
Guided tour begins at 11:30 AM. DR in lot changing serpentine belt.
Quick overview of the history and making of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
White oak barrels are charred on the inside to give the color & taste
Bourbon works its way into the barrel wood and out again as temperature fluctuates
Break into two groups to tour buildings and barrel warehouses (~61* F is base temp)
Barrels weigh 530 pounds each, 52 gallons each (stored in rows called Ricks)
Bourbon barrels cannot be reused. Sold to Irish Whiskey and other users.
Blanton, Eagle Reserve, Buffalo Trace, and Pappy Van Winkle
Bourbon tasting (root beer for the non-drinkers)
Lots of opportunity to spend in the gift shop (bourbon, barbeque sauce, buffaloes, candles and clothing items)
Cashier had trouble keeping up with our volume of business
Mill around in the parking lot until the gang catches up
Confusion over lunch vs. convoy to Wild Turkey
Group splits into 3 sections
Group 1 heads back to hotel
Group 2 head to Outback Restaurant for lunch
Group 3a goes to Sonic for lunch
Make two loops around Sonic and head to Arbys up the street in Group 3b with Haggis, Ladyhawke, MM03MOK, RF Overlord, DOOM, and Cruztaker.
Mini-Convoy departs at 2:00 PM to Wild Turkey Distillery, Cruztaker in the lead using Army map skills
We dont need no stinkin GPS
Other group is already at Wild Turkey when we arrive at 2:30 PM
Break into 2 groups for the distillery tour (sneek into the 1st group when the guide wasnt looking)
Learn about the evaporation from the barrels 10% is the Angels Share
It takes only 30 seconds to fill a barrel with bourbon. Longer to empty -- but more fun.
Collect barrel bungs
See more of the actual fermentation and distillation process here than Buffalo Trace
15,500 gallon and 30,100 gallon fermentation tanks generate heat & odors
Looks nasty Haggis and 1st Merc poke holes in the crust
Old Railroad Bridge and the S-Bridge visible from the tower. Nice pics.
A little taste of the High Wine a light burn all the way down .tip of the tongue is numb pure 132 proof crystal clear bourbon before it is cut to the various available proofs and finally goes in the barrels
Haggis & Cruztaker busted by tour guide trying to peel a magnetic W.T. logo off a parked truck
Back to the gift shop to pick up a few souvenirs and a bottle of Wild Turkey 101 and Wild Turkey American Honey
Convoy of about 10 MMs and 1 Corvette back to Pig City Barbeque Restaurant. Can hear somone's Nav system over the FRS/GMRS radio. Who was it?
Arrive at restaurant parking lot at 5 PM
More groups arrive between 5:30-6:00 PM
Barbeque, ribs and brisket (I get the Burnt Beef sandwich, wife gets the BBQ Chicken)
Mill around the parking lot after dinner
Police escort arrives and chats with MM owners
30 MM convoy departs restaurant lot at ~ 7:30 PM with MM2004 leading, police lights flashing and blocking traffic on Shelbyville Road.
Single file down to Blankenbaker Parkway where Hack Goby & Carol are positioned to take videos
Unmarked red police car passes me on the left -- right at the turn
Police cars leap frog from light to light to stop traffic as we pass through
Make the final turn onto the hotel street (Alliant Avenue) at 7:41 PM
6 Blue MMs line up in back of the hotel for photo opportunity. Zack, Mike, Bluerauder, Dennis R., SC Cheesehead, and Knine.
Standing Ovation for the police escort
Louisville Metro Police go along on a Dennis Reinhart ride along
Motorhead350 assumes the position on the trunk of the police car
More milling in the parking lot
Dominic nearly busted by Louisvilles Finest on a Sharpie Run
Gather in the conference room at 8:15 PM
Surprise birthday party for Ken . His 50th !!! Nice cake, too.
MM.Net announcement of Marauderville VI (MV6) in St Louis, MO 18-21 September 2008. Save the Date !!!
Goodie bags from Bourbon Country visitors bureau, dash plaques, and vendor raffle with very nice prizes . XCal 3 and a specially marked bottle of Buffalo trace, tote bags, fender bibs, T-Shirts and more.
Dominic asks members to sign his MM.Net Marauder banner
Group breaks up slowly around 9:30 PM, some goodbyes due to early departures in the morning
Sunday, 6 April 2008
Up at 6 AM
Pack suitcases, load car and eat breakfast
Dr. DOOM is still parked out front
Depart hotel at 8:00 AM
Attend local church services
Top off the tank with Marathon 93
Meet up with Haggis/Ladyhawke and N40GL turning onto to Blankenbaker (perfect timing)
Run all the way to Charleston, WVa in mini-convoy
Stop at Cracker Barrel for lunch about 1:15 PM (long delay with food)
Back on the road at 3:00 PM
Haggis/Ladyhawke head north on I-77
N40GL and Bluerauder continue on I-64 to I-81 to I-66
Back home at 9:36 PM total mileage 1,435 miles (about $223.30)
Wow, what a trip !!!
And now I have finally met some more MM.Net screen names in person: MM2004, Embassy, jinxed, chapel1, Killjoy, Zack, Mike, DR, Leadfoot281, Knine .... who'd I forget?
Convoys are more interesting when you can hear all the chattering on the FRS/GMRS radios. Check channel 5. If you don't have the radios ... go get some and enjoy a whole new convoy experience. :up:
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES GANG
Check out the Event Gallery for a collection of members pics of the event.