Renfro Valley - Day 5

Monday, April 21, 2014

We left Dayton this morning and headed for home.  We stopped at Libby's Glass Outlet in Toledo where we picked up some new drinking glasses and then headed for lunch at the Real Seafood Company which is right beside Zia's where we stopped on the way down.  The lunch was excellent. 

Here's Lynn with her friends, Shirley Walters, Sharon and Linda.  

We had a smooth crossing at the border and were home in time to go with Bob, Linda, Neil and Sharon to Swiss Chalet before heading home.  It's been a great long weekend. Enjoyed some great country music and met a few new friends.  Looking forward to the trip to Branson in November. 

Renfro Valley - Day 4

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Happy Easter!

We left Berea after breakfast and headed to Cincinnati for a Riverboat Cruise. 

We enjoyed an Easter brunch aboard the boat with John and Linda from Tillsonburg, a couple who's company we've enjoyed this past week.  

It was a beautiful day for a cruise with temps in the mid to high 70s. 

You can see the Bengal's Football Stadium, Great American Stadium and their arena all in this shot. 

Here's the Great American Stadium, home of the Cinncinati Reds with the Great American Insurance Building in the background. 

Another great day!

We drove on to The Drury Inn in Dayton where we received a complimentary appetizers and 3 free drinks.  Despite that it appears that my weight loss program is working!!!!

Renfro Valley - Day 3

Saturday, April 19, 2014

After a hearty breakfast at our hotel we went on a bus tour of Berea and Berea College.  The college started in the1800's before the Civil War.  It is notable because it has never charged tuition.  It was designed to give Appalachian children an opportunity for a post secondary education that they could not otherwise afford.  That continues to this day.  The campus is the center of Berea and has 1500 students. They all have to work 10 hours a week minimum doing various tasks.   For example, the Boone Hotel is owned by the College and is largely staffed by students.  

Our guide was the director of Tourism for Berea.  She is a graduate of Berea College and a 5th generation Kentuckian.  One of her other talents was that she was a skilled claw hammer banjo player!

Back to the Hotel for lunch (sirloin tips) and then boarded the bus for a trip to The Kentucky Music Hall of Fame where my bluegrass hero JD Crowe is an inductee. 

Here's a few of Lynn's friends that are riding along with us. 

Neil and Sharron, Bob and Linda. Great folks.  Lynn and Sharron have been close friends for over 45 years. 

We left the Hall of Fame and headed back to the Renfro Valley Barn for a great Gospel show, followed by a Chicken dinner across the road at the Historic Lodge Restaurant and then back to the Barn for the show that started it all, the Saturday Night Renfro Valley Barn Dance.  

A great night with great entertainment!

Jan Parker, the host of the show. 

Jeff Watson, I could have listened to this guy all night. 

I keep receiving photos from Mandy of the most beautiful baby in the world!!!

Had to include this one in the blog of beautiful baby Maia!

Renfro Valley - Day 2

Friday, April 18, 2014

After breakfast at the Drury Inn, we hopped on the bus.  My old Metallurgical buddy, Frank Pring and his wife won the draw for VIP for the day!  This entitles them to sit at the front of the bus and be the first off at each destination.  Congratulations Frank!

We made a brief stop at the Kentucky Artisan Center before arriving at the Boone Hotel and Tavern in Berea, Kentucky, our home for the next two days. 

Lynn was greeted at the door by Mr Fred, a fixture at the Hotel. 

We did a quick tour of the town before dinner back at the hotel.  

Berea is home to Berea College (more about that later). 

After dinner we got on the bus and traveled a short distance down the road to the Renfro Valley Barndance, the longest running Barndance since 1939. 

It was Tribute night and he 14 performers  put on a great show!

Yesterday it was Frank Pring that I met after several years.  Today I met a very nice lady named Irene Felker at lunch.  She spent many years in Stoney Creek and I felt that I knew her somehow.  By dinner time the brain cells had done all their re-connecting and I remembered that she was Chris' Mom Mae's sponsor from Cheynne Presbeterian Church, helping her get to church etc.  

I wonder who I'll meet tomorrow??

My First Bus Trip!

IThursday, April 17, 2014

Lynn has always gone on Bus Trips, so this year we booked two trips. Today is our first trip! She books through Bradley Walters Journeys. Brad is a member of the Walters Family Dinner Theatre where I enjoyed so many shows last summer. Lynn has raved about how good his tours are, so this was my first chance to find out.  

That's Darren Walters (the host on our bus) on the left. 

This of course is going to be a challenge for me, as I am so anal when it comes to planning and executing a trip. We were up at 5:00 am and met the bus in Brantford at 7:00 pm.  I found that timing was precise and we had additional pickups in Woodstock and London right on time.  I have been joking that I would be the youngest person on the trip, but we were joined by Brad's sister and husband and their 11 year old son Skylar.  Thank you Skylar (a great kid).  

I thought I recognized a voice on the bus and it turned out to be Frank Pring, a coworker in Metallurgical at Dofasco 20 years ago before he retired. He looked great!

We had an easy passing through customs and made our first stop for lunch at Zia's along the riverside in Toledo, Ohio.  

 

It was a great lunch and run very efficiently for two bus loads of travelers. Back on the road and we made our way to an Outket mall just outside of Dayton. While Lynn made a vapour trail to the stores with her friend Sharon, I spent the hour sitting at a table just enjoying the spectacular weather. 

We made our way to our first overnight stop at the Drury Inn in Cinncinati.  I have heard a lot about Drury Inns and they did not disappoint. They include a reception that suffices for dinner as well as breakfast. 

Since Lynn is a "GOLD LEAF" member we were invited to a private dessert with the Walters Family.  A nice touch and a good chance to meet our hosts. 

All in all, it was a good travel day.  Looking forward to our first show tomorrow.