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.
Shall we have another match?
Coming to you from Grant County Park in Crittenden, Kentucky, our competitors are meeting at the Pinhook Disc Golf Course for today's match. Pinhook is a free-to-play, professionally designed 18-hole course. The map offers multiple baskets and tees, and while the multiple tees still exist on holes 1 and 17, the long baskets are the only ones available for play. The signage at some of the holes themselves are fading, but the map at the beginning of the course is very well detailed to help the players along, along with a few signs at some of the holes as to where the next tee is. Our first match is at the front nine: How did our players fare?
Course Result:
Halved: 1
Her Holes: 4
His Holes: 4
Course Record: Him 7 - 4 - 9 Her
Holes Record: Him 52 - 59 Her
The first hole found him still in that slump, as a missed putt gave her the point. Second hole saw a couple of missed putts from him, once again allowing her to take a bigger lead. He pulled it back from the third on a missed putt of her own, and tied it on a difficult four. Bad tree luck from him meant a halve of hole 5. The missed putt woes continued for him on hole 6, allowing her to take it with a convincing 4 strokes, while bad tree luck for both of them on the 7 gave her a two-hole lead. It wouldn't last long, as she had not one but two missed putts on the 8 giving him the hole despite some incredibly bad tree luck, and another missed putt cost her the victory as he took hole 9 despite his continued bad tree luck. Stroke play saw a difficult course go 52-53 in her favor, as the better showing did not come.
It looks like he might be getting into a rhythm; can he pull it out in the back 9? We'll find out, but until then, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
What? Another match you say?!
Coming to you from Walton Community Park in beautiful Walton, Kentucky, our competitors are back for another disc golf match. This is a free-to-play disc golf course with 9 holes. A map is available online as well as at the start of the course, and you'll need it because hole 3 is misnumbered as hole 4, and some of the signage is missing. However, our players are going to power through it. They did decide to modify hole 6 because of their lack of distance by crossing the deeply sloped creek with two strokes, dropping a marker on shot number 3. Other than that, it was fairly normal. How did they do?
Course Result:
Halved: 2
Her Holes: 5
His Holes: 2
Course Record: Him 7 - 3 - 9 Her
Holes Record: Him 48 - 55 Her
Our players were both battling much more than each other this time, as he is still in his slump, and she had some illnesses plaguing her, and it started right away in hole one. She took a penalty and missed a putt, but a miss of his own led to them halving the hole. Holes 2 and 3 showed how much physical and mental pain were on her, as two missed putts on each one allowed him to take a two hole lead. It wouldn't last long, as she gets one back on the 4, followed by a par on the 5 to even up the match. Hole 6, although modified, saw him miss not one but TWO putts, giving her the lead. She wouldn't look back on 7, tapping in a par as he continued to struggle with distance. They would halve hole 8, and then trade missed putts with her winning hole 9 and the match. The strokes this time were a dismal 46-50 in her favor, and both of them are really hoping for a better showing next time.
It seems she is gaining quite the edge, especially in the driving game. Can he start to drive better, and maybe improve on the short game to pull it back? Or will she get over her short game woes and put these matches away for good? Until next time, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
Time to return where we last left off!
Welcome back to General Butler State Park in Carrollton, Kentucky for the back nine at the Three Rivers Disc Golf Park. We have previously looked at this course during the front nine match. If you prefer the nine-hole variety, although there isn't a nine available, there is a modified eight that can be played, as the tees for 3 and 13 are very close to each other. Simply skip 3-12, and go right to 13 to finish out the short version of the course.
As previous, the yellow baskets were used. She dominated the front nine, but our competitors are getting a bit tired without any sort of a bottle refill at the maintenance building between holes 13 and 14. Will they even be able to make it through? Who will come out on top?
Course Result:
Halved: 4
Her Holes: 4
His Holes: 1
Course Record: Him 7 - 3 - 8 Her
Holes Record: Him 46 - 50 Her
Starting on hole ten, an unfortunate missed putt led to him getting his first and only hole win on the match. She was able to come right back on the 11. A long 12 saw our players halving the hole, while the 13 saw her take the lead once again by one stroke. He had a chance to halve hole 14, but a missed putt led to her taking this one as well. The long 15 saw another halve. Hole 16 on the downward slope gave her a chance to make par, but a missed putt meant the hole was halved at 4 strokes each. She had another chance to win a hole, but yet another missed putt meant a halving of the hole at 5 strokes each. The very long 18 saw some terrible fairway shots by him, and she was able to take this final hole. The shot total was 49-53 in her favor.
On what seemed to be a long and difficult course for our players, she has now taken the course record. Will he be able to pull it back, or has her improvements to her game going to propel her to run away with the competition? Find out next time, but until then, Follow Your Internal Compass.
The time is once again upon us for a Brew Review! Today, we head back to the city of Louisville, Kentucky, this time to the Noble Funk Brewing Company. Noble Funk is in the old part of the city, offering beers and ciders for their patrons to enjoy, along with a variety of other food and beverage options. Today, we'll be looking at a selection to see what is offered. 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 on tap, it's time to get patriotic for the Mr. American Single IPA. The good ol' USA might be the red, white, and blue, but this brew has a lovely golden color. The looks can be a bit deceiving, as this has a fairly average taste when considering other brews done in this series. The hop taste is on the stronger side for the single version so it's not a bad choice if you like your hops, but if you're looking for an exciting experience, it's best to try something else.
Going a little further down the flight pallet, we come across the Holle Beaver Part Deux: The Beahollever. This double IPA comes with a golden color and strong scent from the citra hops. When compared to most doubles, the hop taste on this brew has much more of a controlled balance to it, and although the drinker will find a citrus aftertaste from the amount of hops, it doesn't seem uninvited, but rather a full circle to the experience. This makes the Beahollever a wonderful choice if you love your hops and are looking for a double.
Finally, we take a look at King of the Celts, listed as an Irish red ale. Although it may have the familiar red tint to it, this particular brew seems like it's mislabeled, as there is an overwhelmingly strong taste of coffee. If you blindfolded the drinker, they would think they're drinking a porter, and not a red. Noble Funk does state this to be an annual occurrence, but hopefully they try something different the next year, as this brew does not meet any sort of expectation as to what a red ale can and should be.
Should your Internal Compass bring you to Old Louisville, it's a toss-up as to whether Noble Funk is going to be up your alley, but you may find it worth your while.
Disc golf fans, here we are once again!
Coming to you from General Butler State Park Resort in Carrollton, Kentucky, we bring the first of two matches at the Three Rivers Disc Golf Park. State parks in Kentucky are free to enter for day use, and this 18-hole course looks to be laid on what used to be an old golf course that has since been converted for disc golf. The course was designed by former World Disc Golf Champion Avery Jenkins and professional Dana Vicich, with recent renovations made to the tee pads, and is well kept by the state park staff. Our players played the yellow baskets for all 18 holes, but with a slight modification to hole 6 due to their lack of distance throwing capabilities. There is a deep forest between the tee and the fairway, so the players agreed to drop a marker, taking their third shot from that point on the fairway, and continue to the hole.
With today's disc golf match comes an addition to our players' arsenal, courtesy of Disc 'n Dat in Florence, Kentucky for their reasonable selection of used and clearance discs, along with a signed explanation of the speed, glide, turn, and fade numbers. She has added a Discraft Crank 13/5/-2/2 distance driver, a Prodiscus Stari 4/4/-2/0 midrange, and a Latitude Pure 3/3/-1/1 putter. He is now including an Innova Champion Beast 10/5/-2/2 distance driver, a Westside Discs Bear 8/6/-0.5/2.5 fairway driver, and a DGA Rift 2021 Commemorative 5/4/-1/1.5 midrange. How did our players fare on the course this time around?
Course Result:
Halved: 2
Her Holes: 5
His Holes: 2
Course Record: Him 7 - 3 - 7 Her
Holes Record: Him 45 - 46 Her
He was able to get off to a good start on holes 1 and 2 by one stroke each, but it was all downhill from there. He had to take not one, but TWO penalties on the third from an out of bounds cart path not well placed for left-handed players, and those gave her the hole. Bad tree luck on the four meant she was able to take the hole and tie things up. Hole five on quite the slope was halved. Even with the modification and a penalty taken by her on hole 6, a few bad throws by him meant that she was able to take hole 6. Some play into the rough for him made it even worse for hole 7, as she was able to take both that and 8. It looked like the ninth would be the same after a throw into the rough and difficulty finding the disc, but a missed putt by her allowed for the hole to be halved. On this par 29, the shot count was 53-58 in her favor.
The course record is now tied, and she has taken the lead on the number of holes won. Will he be able to get out of this funk on the back nine, or will she take the course lead? Until next time when we find out, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
Freedom Rolling once again presents another Brew Review. This time, we'll be visiting Against the Grain Brewery and Public House in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. First started in 2011 at their location adjacent to Louisville Slugger Field, Against the Grain has been offering a wide variety of beer, along with an assortment of barbecue menu options. We'll be taking a look at a few of their offerings, but as always, please ensure that these, or any brews, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be.
First up to bat, we find the Sol Mate, their version of a wheat beer. After one sip of this brew, you'll find that it is that clean and smooth taste you'd expect from a wheat. There is a bit of a heavy malt to it, but it covers any sort of aftertaste that may come as a result of drinking. If you're looking to enjoy a good summer beer by the river and don't enjoy the hop taste, this may just end up being your "Sol Mate".
Against the Grain is certainly proud of their Louisville location, and what better way to celebrate this than with their hazy pale ale, the "Loo-a-Vuhl". It is unclear where the "hazy" part comes, as the presentation of this brew is a clean yellow. With one sip, you'll find an incredibly strong hops taste, but not really much of anything else. The lower ABV value, 5.5% specifically for the Loo-a-Vuhl, is what makes a beer a Hazy Pale Ale as opposed to the IPA version of the Hazy, but it's definitely teetering on the fence.
Time to show some excitement with Jazz Hands! In comes one of the more interesting styles of brews, a jasmine rice lager known as the "Jazz Hands". Behind the appealing golden color, one sip will remind you of drinking sake, a traditional Japanese rice wine. There is an aftertaste that comes much later, but if you're already in tune with sake, then you'll find it to be familiar. Although there wasn't a food pairing included when trying this, it would be curious how this goes with a sushi roll, or some other form of less-cooked fish entrée.
Unique and sometimes colorful titles are a trademark of Against the Grain Brewery. The brewer must have had a rowdy night prior to the making of their signature Double IPA, the "Citra Ass Down". Trying this particular brew, we can understand why it's so highly lauded. Starting off with that pleasant scent from the citra hops, you won't necessarily get the strong taste of hops you'd expect from a double, but this is a full drinking experience, as the strong hops will come in the aftertaste. You might need a palette cleansing water if you're looking to try anything else, but if it's just this brew for you, we can see why this 8.2% ABV monster is going to be thoroughly enjoyed.
We now take you south of the border, this time for the El Nopal Mexican Lager. One sip of this particular brew will find a much cleaner and smoother taste than what would be expected from a cerveza. It isn't a truly bland experience, though, as the first sip will find a little bit of a hop taste at the top of the palette, just to give that extra kick. This might not be brewed in Mexico, but if you want to take your mind down there, this may just be the way to do it.
For the final offering from Against the Grain, it's time to step over to the dark side, this time for their Black Pilsner. A first look might mislead you into thinking this is a stout, but this won't have the heavy taste. It's clean and smooth, and although chocolate malts are used, the taste isn't very strong, making it a much more balanced choice. The brewers do give a funny tall tale about brewing this in the dark while blindfolded, but whether or not they saw what they were doing, they showed great control in crafting this choice, and is a satisfying choice for those that like to live on the "dark side" of beers.
So if your Internal Compass ever takes you to Louisville, don't shy away from the downtown area, because you'll want to give Against the Grain Brewery and Public House a try.
Back to the links for more disc golf action!
Coming to you from Florence, Kentucky, deep within a housing development at South Fork Park, our two competitors have yet another disc golf match. South Fork Park is a free-to-play nine hole course with all sorts of roughs, creeks, and even a few large hills to challenge our players. The course, along with the entirety of the city park, is very well kept with concrete pads and terrific fairways. Her recent hot streak was snapped with a halved match last time around, but how will they fare this time?
Course Result:
Halved: 1
Her Holes: 6
His Holes: 2
Course Record: Him 7 - 3 - 6 Her
Holes Record: Him 43 - 41 Her
Hole 1 starts out with an awful fairway shot from him, allowing her to win the first hole. Although she ended up in the water in hole 2, the creek was shallow enough to play as it lied while he had difficulty getting across, giving her a two hole lead. He was able to pull it to within one on the third after a couple of tough shots in the rough for her. After a halving on the fourth, a lovely drive from the top of the hill allowed her to win hole 5 and regain a two hole lead. However, a "lost disc" in the woods for her (which was later recovered) led to a penalty stroke, and him to pull within one. That would be as close as he got, as a missed putt from him on seven, a successful long putt from her on eight, and an overshoot from him on nine led to her winning the last three holes. Stroke play saw her dominate at 45-50 on a par 29, which doesn't do much good for their handicaps.
She's almost there; will she be able to pull it to 500 on the next match? We'll see what happens, but until next time, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
From one river to the next, we head south down the Lewis and Clark Trail to Missouri. After spending plenty of time at one of the country's great river, we head a little east to, arguably, its greatest river.
The Mississippi River runs north and south down the center of the United States, serving as a border and/or major water arterial for a total of ten different states. The Mississippi has always had plenty of history, first serving as the western border for the original Colonial America prior to British limitations for governance, and later reinstated once the states gained their independence. Today, call signs for radio and television stations are separated by this mighty river, with most to the east beginning with W, and most to the west beginning with K.
When you hear Missouri and the Mississippi River, most think of St. Louis and the Gateway Arch, or Hannibal, the original home of Samuel Langhorn Clemens, better known as Mark Twain. However, take a ride further south down the river to the city of Cape Girardeau. This city served as an important point during the American Civil War for the Union army, as they sought to hold control of the Mississippi, culminating in a battle in 1863. Some artifacts and ruins still exist, and can be toured. If war history isn't your cup of tea, head to the wall separating the city center from the river. On the city side, enjoy a wonderful mural of Missouri history in general, along with a tribute to several of the state's most famous residents. On the river side, take a lovely walk along the shore, seeing one of the old riverboats once very important to the area.
After experiencing Cape Girardeau, cross the river to Illinois and head south along the famous Great River Road. After passing the city of Cairo, head to Fort Defiance State Park. This is the point where the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers meet, along with the borders of three states. Wonderful views exist from a small tower, or head to the rocky point. After visiting, you find a junction of several US highways. Cross the Ohio River bridge and head into Kentucky, towards the towns of Wickliffe and Paducah. While on the bridge, a lovely view of barges and riverboats can be seen. Or perhaps cross the older Mississippi River bridge into Missouri. Either head towards the towns of Wyatt and Sikeston, or do some fishing at Bird's Blue Hole.
So next time you head to the Mississippi River, follow your internal compass. Perhaps it will take you to southern Missouri and the views of the great river.
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