Tuesday August 18. 2026

Today began with a delightful cup of coffee, two creamers, and two sweet and lows. This indulgent indulgence was merely a prelude to the scrumptious breakfast of scrambled eggs and sausage gravy served on a warm biscuit. As we savored our meal in quiet contemplation, a woman and her husband made their way out of the dining room and paused. Their conversation was filled with admiration and shared interests. “I absolutely love your shirt!” said the woman. “And I’m a huge fan of wolves!” I was wearing my new Alaskan T-shirt. They engaged in pleasant conversation, and it turned out that they are from the Ontario, Canada region. Their visit to Bowling Green was to pick up their corvette, which had been on display at the National Corvette Museum this past month.

Ray and Donna are incredibly kind people who shared the story of their Corvette. Ray’s uncle had purchased the car to be built. He rarely drove it before his health declined. To prevent theft, he hid the car in the back of his property and covered the car with a tarp. He then strategically placed various items, including branches to conceal it. After several years, Ray’s uncle passed away, and the car became his inheritance, but they had to clear it from its hiding place.

This past month, the Corvette Museum featured this beautiful 2016 Stingray Z51 Convertible. It boasts a unique blue soft top that was factory-installed. The Corvette factory that built this car is conveniently located across the street from the museum. Donna surprised Ray by visiting the Ministry in Canada (similar to our DMV) to obtain the special license plates. She had to try several different ways and finally got the approval. These plates are truly fitting for the car.

An hour later, Heather and I were chasing snakes on another winding road heading towards Mammoth Caves National Park. We arrived with seconds to spare of our tickets entering time. Our Park Ranger Sue gave us our initial instructions of the do’s and don’ts of Mammoth Caves rules. Down into the depths of the abyss we went. Awe the cool air. We were both glad to be wearing pants. It started out getting cooler then after a while, the sweat started.

Heather and I met another Park Ranger, Steve. He answered our questions and even shared some fascinating information about caves and the history of the tools used to illuminate the cave system. We were grateful for his knowledge and assistance. As he was about to change his duty station, Ranger Chrissy took over and answered a question Heather had about the vertical lines in some of the formations.

We knew we had a steep climb ahead, and our calves were already aching. Heather’s allergies were acting up, making the ascent even more challenging. We took frequent breaks at every other bench, and eventually, we reached the summit by taking breaks at every bench. At one point, I jokingly asked Heather to promise me she wouldn’t let the buzzards feast on my carcass. She couldn’t resist the humor and made no promises.

After lunch, we drove around and ended up in the countryside. The drive to the Green River was beautiful, and we returned to our hotel to change into shorts. We then visited the National Corvette Museum, which was well worth the trip. I couldn’t help but think of how proud Ray and Donna were about their car on display. As we walked in, another couple was dropping off their car inside, and the sweet rumble of the engine as they drove it to its display spot filled the air.