Once again into another match!
Welcome to Delaware State Park, just north of Delaware, Ohio, for today's disc golf match at the campground course. This is one of two courses available at Delaware State Park, and is in the area reserved for camping guests. It is a nine-hole course with short, technical holes, which should give our players a break from the rough times they've had recently. There is no map available at the park itself, but the signage makes it fairly easy to follow your way through the course. She has been on an incredible streak; can she keep it up, or will he be able to right the ship? Let's see how they fare:
Course Result:
His Holes: 3
Halved: 6
Her Holes: 0
Course Record: Him 8 - 4 - 12 Her
Holes Record: Him 57 - 74 Her
After a straight forward halved first hole, a missed putt by her allowed him to take hole number two. After trading missed putts on hole 3, she had a chance to tie the score with him having bad tree luck, but a missed putt led to the hole being halved. After trading missed putts on what could have been a par on the 5th, she had another missed putt on the six with cost her another hole. She had a little bad tree and rough luck on the seven while he was able to make par, winning him a third hole. She had a chance to get back in it with him ending up in the rough, but a missed putt for par halved the hole. One final halve brought him a shutout. The shot count was a decent 39-42 in his favor.
He has found a good course to be able to get back in the win column, but can he keep it up? We'll find out next time, but until then, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
Freedom Rolling is once again proud to present a brew review! Today, we'll be heading the coast of northern New England to see what's on tap, and if something good can be found. As with this and all the other brew reviews, please ensure that these, or any brews, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be.
Down east in Portland, Maine, we find the Definitive Brewing Company and their Particles Double India Pale Ale. With no surprise to the drinker, hops are the name of the game when giving a taste. What sets this particular brew apart is not only the translucent yellow presentation, but the initial scent of the blend of three different hops used. It's almost as if you're going to having a fruit salad, and not a beer. Although the taste is more of your average hoppy brew, drinkers will find it intriguing when part of a flight.
South we head along US Route 202 into New Hampshire and the Northwoods Brewing Company in Northwood for their Northwoods Life Golden Ale. Northwoods is particularly proud of their New England grains and malts with Vermont hops, and is a tribute to the outdoors. Aside from the beautiful golden color that is presented, just a light hop scent comes to the drinker without being overpowered. One sip, and this light yet basic brew has a balanced, smooth texture with only a small aftertaste that isn't too disturbing to the palette. Northwoods loves the outdoors, and if you're looking to take a leaf peeping tour through New England, this beer may just be for you.
Back up along the coast of Maine, this time to the city of Freeport and the Maine Beer Company for their Lunch India Pale Ale. The name of this particular brew comes not from the actual meal, but a finback whale with a distinctively shaped dorsal fin that very commonly visited the area in the 1980's. The control of the moderate hops is very evident in this golden colored brew, as they will wait to hit until at the top of your palette. A hint of citrus in the after-taste will complete the journey, making this a decent summer choice when looking for Lunch or one of its offspring in the waters of the Atlantic.
If your Internal Compass takes you traveling, coastal New England is certainly not a place to miss for both the views and the brews, so you may want to give it a go.
Trip number 23 saw us going to Indiana, where we stayed at the Follow the River RV Resort in Florence, Indiana. This is a privately owned park near the shores of the Ohio River. Our stay at this place was for one month.
Grounds: The park is along the Ohio River, barely a half mile from the Markland Dam. This allows for quick and easy access to most anywhere in the area. In fact, unless you don't mind the long trip along the river, you're almost assuredly going to be driving into Kentucky for most of your resupply, as well as many of the attractions you might wish to visit. The actual grounds itself are on what looks to be converted farmland, so be ready to be surrounded by rolling corn fields. The place can be easy to miss if coming from the nearby city of Vevay, but it can't be missed from the bridge side with their sign that sometimes contain funny sayings. There is a casino nearby if that attraction tickles your fancy, and is a doable day trip drive to both the larger cities of Cincinnati and Louisville.
Sites: Follow the River has over 150 RV sites, along with a half-dozen "tiny house" cabin rentals. About a third of the sites are pull-thru, while most are of the back-in variety. Each has 50-amp full hook-up electric, water, and sewer. The water is a little odd to reach because it's so close to the ground, and the valve will drag along the gravel. The electric also seems to have some issues, as we found an open ground on our site, while guests near us had to completely change sites because their electric box wasn't working at all. In addition, the site we were given was not level, and we had difficulty finding a proper spot, even to the point where a neighbor admitted the same with his rig. There may be intentions to remedy the leveling given a pile of gravel near the row entrance, but it remained as is through the entire stay.
Staff: This park claimed to have recently changed ownership prior to our arrival, and although we experienced some site issues, the staff was receptive and prompt when it came to fixing these anomalies. However, the cleaning crew could use some improvement, as the bathrooms were found to be in a dirty state on several occasions.
Amenities: The campground has a good number of amenities available to the guests, including trash pickup, a heated pool, an arcade-style recreation room, laundry facilities, a nature trail, playground, and an airbag trampoline. The pool has seen better days with some wear and tear, but is otherwise functioning properly. The dryers in the laundry barely function and seem to be even more of "quarter eaters" than the arcade games. The bathhouse does contain showers suitable for Mickey Rooney, with broken hooks in the handicapped stall that has the only head set to a suitable height, and the shower is only able to run at one barely-warm-enough temperature. Cornhole inside the recreation room was a bit of a plus, especially given the incredibly humid days during this stay.
Atmosphere: This is definitely a family-friendly park, as we saw a number of younger campers during the stay. Although there were a couple of rowdy activities, it wasn't a "party-going" location, and most everyone was generally respectful of their surroundings. Fun does seem to be the name of the game, as the marquee is usually equipped with funny sayings on either side, giving the camper a smile on their face as they stay.
Overall, Follow the River RV Resort receives a 7 out of a possible 10 rating. The price is a better point compared our previous stints in New England, although a little higher than some of the competition across the river in Kentucky. They do charge a service fee for credit cards, and although this is unavoidable for a deposit, the remainder of the fees are best to be paid with cash or money order. The location is probably the best selling point of this campground, and the issues mentioned are ones that could easily be fixed. As their marquee said at one point, "I'm Sexy And I Tow It", and we'd be more than happy to tow our rig back to this location should our Internal Compass bring us to the area once again.
Welcome back to Boone Woods Park in Burlington, Kentucky for the back nine. We've previously covered this course as part of the front nine. The course is a bit interesting as there seems to be a sort of "old course" that has 11 holes, while you go to the other side of the grounds to complete the remaining seven. If you like the nine-hole variety, it is recommended to extend this to 11 and play the entirety of that section. Our players did modify hole 12, skipping a gap that would almost certainly result in lost discs and dropping a marker for the second shot. How did our players do this time around?
Course Result:
Halved: 4
His Holes: 1
Her Holes: 4
Course Record: Him 7 - 4 - 12 Her
Holes Record: Him 54 - 74 Her
Hole 10 saw her continue her dominance, as she was able to make par and win the hole. His short game continues to suffer, as a missed putt on 11 cost him yet another chance to halve, as she took it. Although both players traded misses on the 12, he had to three-putt from close range to make the hole halved and lose an opportunity to catch up. Hole 13 saw her once again make par and win the hole. And although she missed a putt on 14, his unlucky shot placement gave her another win. She could have extended it further on 15, but a missed putt led to a halved hole. After another halve, he had a wonderful opportunity to make par on the 17, but missed two putts to end up halving the hole. The 18 was very difficult, as she had to take a penalty from an out-of-bounds shot, leading to him picking up his only hole win on the match. The shot count was a little more respectable at 48-50 in her favor.
This impressive swing in course record, may not be able to be overcome, or will it? Find out at the next course, but until then, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
Once again, a trip to the links is at hand!
Welcome to Burlington, Kentucky, home of Boone Woods Park for today's disc golf match. Boone Woods is a free-to-play course at a park with many different amenities, nestled within a suburban development. There are multiple tees on a few of the holes; our players will be taking the shorter of the tees. There is only one basket that remains in play for each hole. Playing on a Saturday, the course is incredibly popular, as many others were seen. How did our players fare this time around?
Course Result:
Halved: 2
His Holes: 1
Her Holes: 6
Course Record: Him 7 - 4 - 11 Her
Holes Record: Him 53 - 70 Her
Hole 1 saw the putt missing woes for him continue, as it cost him a chance to halve the hole, giving it to her. He would win it back on hole 2 after a miss from her. However, that's as close as he'd get, as she powered through hole 3, winning it convincingly. He would miss a putt on hole 4, costing him yet another chance to halve. He had a golden opportunity to get back in the match on 5, but missed another putt to leave the hole as halved. Traded misses with give her hole 6, but some real bad luck on the green would cost him hole 7. She was not immune to the bad putt luck, as a couple of misses would mean hole 8 was halved. The rough was not kind to him, though, as the 9th saw her complete the routing by two strokes. This was a difficult course for the both of them, partially with the distractions of the other players, as the shot count was 51-57 in her favor.
She is starting to pull away. Will he be able to figure out how to get over his problems and start picking up wins? We'll find out, but until next time, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
The time has come upon us for another brew review! Louisville, Kentucky is the place we are headed, this time to Atrium Brewing, a few blocks from Shelby Park with a quaint section of outdoor seating behind the building. As with this and all other brew reviews, please ensure that these, or any brews, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be.
First up is the Meatball Italian pilsener. The main difference between an Italian pilsener and the traditional German pilsener is the hop taste that is found, and this pale colored brew certainly tastes more moderately hopped compared to other beers across the board. When you try this offering, there is a sharp bite that is experienced when first sipped. If you're not used to this style of beer, it may not be something that you'll want to seek out, as it is an average brew.
Heading a little further down the flight, we find the Velcro Sneakers amber lager. Aside from the reddish color you'd expect from this style of brew, that familiar smooth amber scent and taste will sing proudly, while there will be no lingering aftertaste in your mouth once you finish a sip. If you're a red or amber lover, this is probably one of the most refreshing you will have in this category, and it does rank as a top tier brew for any craft beer lover to enjoy.
With two down and two to go, we give the Steep Hill IPA a try. Presented in a yellow, hazy color, the scent of citra hops will emanate when first presented to the drinker. With one sip of this brew, there is a very strong sense of the hops as you would expect from an India Pale Ale, but good control is shown by the brewer in that there is no aftertaste to be found. It might not be the way to ease into the category if you aren't used to it, but it is certainly one of the better choices in the country if you're looking for some good hops.
Finally, we come across the Sobremesa Mexican lager. The golden color gives the drinker what you'd expect to see from a cerveza, but if you're looking for a bold statement of excitement south of the border, you'd best turn to another brew. Sobremesa has a very empty taste, sometimes seeming as if the drinker is having flavored water. It looks to be one of the newer offerings from Atrium as not much additional information was found, and perhaps this is a good thing, as it could use a trip back to the drawing board.
So if your Internal Compass takes you to Louisville, Atrium isn't too bad of a place, but there's no shame in being selective on what you pick.
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." --Genesis 1:1
Welcome to Petersburg, Kentucky, a western suburb of Cincinnati, and the home to the Creation Museum. The Creation Museum was first created in 2007 by Australian follower Ken Ham as a way to further explain and defend the Biblical view of the creation of the earth. It's not limited to just the first chapter of Genesis, as it covers the Seven C's of History: Creation, Corruption, Catastrophe, Confusion, Christ, Cross, and Consummation. Along with its nearby sister attraction of the Ark Encounter, this has been a place for Christians to flock from around the world to celebrate history, but also remains a place for everyone to visit and learn about this topic.
Once you park and enter, you're met with the option of the Botanical Gardens or the zoo. Sadly, the zoo was under construction during our visit, and though the entry fee was lower than its sister attraction, we don't know if this was done to account for the lack of major attraction. The Botanical Gardens offers a very calming walk through nature, though visitors may wish to beware the rickety suspension bridge, or the floating bridge on the way to the museum itself. Finally going into the museum sees exhibits on various dinosaurs and dragons that roamed the earth, and are believed to have been included as a kind on Noah's Ark. The exhibit serpentine seemed a bit less crowded so you didn't feel like you were being pushed through. A few other exhibits are also on display, such as a tribute to dinosaurs that roamed the Earth, as well as the development of a human being within the mother's womb. Sometimes, the museum will also do early concerts in their auditorium before the artists head over to the sister attraction.
At the end of the day, if you're already in the area for a good amount of time and purchased multi-visit tickets, the Creation Museum is worth visiting, not to mention if you can get in on a day where they offer the free concert of modern Gospel music. If you can only choose one, the Ark Encounter is probably a better choice, followed with a purchase of the books of signs at each attraction to be able to read through what you missed. It is recommended that visitors get some form of multi-day pass to be able to leave and enter at will if you do choose the Creation Museum, because the concessions are overpriced without any sort of added quality or value.
So the next time your Internal Compass takes you to Kentucky, do learn of the Creation, but be careful about what package you use to decide to visit.
We're back, and it's time to complete the course!
Once again at Grant County Park in Crittenden, Kentucky, our competitors are meeting for the back nine at the Pinhook Disc Golf Course. We've previously covered the course during the front nine. If you'd rather the nine-hole variety, there are a couple of options. First, the tees for hole 4 and 14 are very close to each other, though it will only get you eight holes. We did find another player who seemed to like to play holes 1 through 3 several times in a day, and if you were to do that three times, though showing a lack in variety, it could also be a good choice. However, our players are on the back nine, hoping to have a better showing than the front. How will they do?
Course Result:
Halved: 4
Her Holes: 5
His Holes: 0
Course Record: Him 7 - 4 - 10 Her
Holes Record: Him 52 - 64 Her
Holes 10 and 11 were halved by our competitors. Hole 12 was on a fairly steep hill that she was able to use the support mount for the basket to stop the disc while his rolled down, losing him 3 shots and giving her this one. Missed putt woes came back for him on 13 and 14, the latter costing him a chance to halve as she took both of them. Although she had a missed putt on the 15, he had a terrible time in the rough that he could not overcome, giving her a fourth score in the match. Hole 16 was halved. On the 17, her long third shot got into the basket and bounced out, nearly giving her a par, but a missed tough putt gave him the chance to halve the hole. The very long 18 was incredibly tough, as a shot in the rough and a missed putt put him at double digit strokes and gave her the Hawaii win. The shots on the back nine were 51-61 in her favor, as he had quite a lot of difficulty with the trees.
The draw may have been a fluke, as she's back in form. Can he figure out his issues? Until next time, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
"But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee." --Genesis 6:18
Welcome to Williamstown, Kentucky, home of the Ark Encounter. The Ark Encounter is an historical tribute to the first eleven chapters of Genesis, in which a life-size replica of Noah's Ark has been built with much of the inside showing how life may have been for the nearly one year our ancestors spent being saved from the judgement against the Earth by flood. In addition, this museum also discusses life before and after the flood, as well as different kinds of animals that went along for the ride from extinct to least concerned. In addition to the ark itself, the Ararat Ridge Zoo may also be explored while on the property, along with other activities including ziplining, a virtual reality tour of life in the days of Noah, and an auditorium that regularly features lectures and Christian Rock concerts during the season.
Upon entering and parking, hop on a shuttle bus to take you down to the ark itself. Don't bother trying to walk from the lot, as they do not permit this. There may be a little wait depending on when you go as this is quite the popular attraction. There is an "entrance" to the ark itself, however you're also able to get in from the gift shop if you don't mind a little backtracking to the start of the exhibits, or if you want to pick up where you left off in the middle, as we did on both occasions. Just be mindful of when you go, because you may find yourself getting pushed through the designed serpentine of exhibits and missing something you may have wanted to see, especially if you're two or more people trying to stay together in the midst of a large crowd.
The price point for the Ark Encounter, along with parking, may seem a little steep. However, at the end of the day, when you consider what is offered, it is very much worth the visit to this place. Our excursion included a free concert as part of their "40 Days & 40 Nights" series, with some of the top vocal groups in the genre. If you find yourself to be in the area for an extended period of time when this series happens, the concerts alone may just make a one-year pass worth the price. Whether or not you consider yourself to be a believer in Christ, even if you once were a follower but seemed to "lose the path" somewhere along the way as many of us have done, this is most certainly worth the visit. Everyone is welcome to attend, and you may end up learning a thing or two.
So the next time your Internal Compass takes you to the Cincinnati area, make a stop down in Kentucky at the Ark Encounter for an awe-inspiring sight.
Many of you will know of our brew reviews, but that's not all that's available to imbibe.
Welcome to the Finger Lakes of New York State, otherwise known as the Wine Country. Nestled between Syracuse and Rochester, the Finger Lakes bring many tourists to west-central New York for their wonderful products and beautiful scenery. Some of the primary lakes from which to choose, among the several other that make up the area, are Cayuga, Seneca, Keuka, and Canandaigua. Each are surrounded by rolling hills and wide outlooks that will take the breaths of visitors, which is why the area is also a popular location for destination weddings. Rieslings and white wines are some of the best in the area due to the soil, but the reds and rosés can be just as good.
While in the Finger Lakes, consider one of the several area-wide events in the region, such as the Seneca Lake Wine Trail's annual summer kickoff event. The trail member wineries, sometimes numbering a couple dozen, sitting on the east and west sides of Seneca Lake will participate. Starting at one of the random locations, visit each winery, tasting what they have to offer as both a wine and food pairing. Do try to bring a non-participating driver with you, as it will become quite intoxicating, even after spreading the trip across the full complement of days. The cities of Geneva to the north, and Watkins Glen to the south, can provide good resupply or stopping points. Even if some of the wineries don't participate in the trail event, they can still be great places to visit for a short wine or even beer tasting, depending on the location.
A trip to the Finger Lakes would not be complete without a visit to the Windmill Farm and Craft Market. Situated outside of the village of Penn Yan, the Windmill is where vendors from around the area of many different walks of life come together on Saturdays during the summer season. First started by the Gunderman family in the 1980's after a trip to a similar outfit in Pennsylvania, the Windmill caught on quickly and saw several mile-long lines of backed up traffic. Although today's market days are not as popular as they once were, the wonderful environment cannot be denied for those seeking local purchases.
So if your Internal Compass takes you to the central or western parts of New York, be sure to stop in the Finger Lakes and the Wine Country.
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