Dresden and Cletus spent the morning being harassed by (I mean introduced to) Talking Tom and animal sounds this morning.  Cletus has been barking up a storm at Wayne and me since our arrival yesterday, partially, I think, because I was wearing a lot of DEET when they sniffed us initially, which would probably put off a sensitive puppy nose. So, when Cletus started up again this morning, Wayne opened up Talking Tom (iPhone/iPad app), and the cat proceeded to echo Cletus’ barking.  At first perplexed, Cletus finally realized it was a game, and tried to instigate Wayne into playing the app again.

As if Wayne needed instigating.

For our morning’s activities, we decided to go a little further east again, and hit two locations.  The first was Rock Bridge Arch.  It was labeled an “easy” trail, but it started with dozens and dozens of steps.  We continued to proceed down the hill (realize this means you have to go up again), and started searching for the arch itself.  Wayne had given up hope completely on finding the arch when we turned around a bend, saw a waterfall, and then continued on to the arch itself.  From there it was another half mile (directly up) back to the parking lot where we were parked.

I have to say that the park is well maintained.  At the parking lot there is a composting toilet that smelled freshly cleaned - and it was Monday, and there were a lot of people there over the weekend.  They do a much better job here in Kentucky than we do in Hawaii.

From there we went up to the Sky Bridge Trail, and headed out to do the loop.  It really was amazing, and amazingly beautiful.  Wayne ran down to take a photo from below, and Philip followed as the two Stephanies waited.  Once the photo ops were done, I went down the arch to meet up with Wayne, and then we finished up the trail.  We tried heading to the scenic overlook, but the brush growth was so overwhelming that it didn’t really work.

After this, I was particularly hungry, so we started to head first for the Lodge at yesterday’s hiking spot, then we revised that plan to Subway, and then finally decided on the restaurant at the end of the road - Sky Bridge Station.  It had 4 1/2 stars in Yelp, so I figured we were good.  Oh well, best laid plans of mice and men and all that.  They had good local microbrews, and the menu pretty much consisted of hot dogs and quesadillas.  Unfortunately, we had a waitress who was perhaps three weeks on the job, and not quite on the ball.  I cannot truly describe the experience in words, but imagine that it takes 45 minutes for 2 hot dogs and 2 quesadillas, they get the quesadilla order SERIOUSLY wrong, and then trying to pay.  The restaurant also had a section with climbing gear, which Wayne went to check out.  He came back with a Cliff Bar, and he told the waitress that he “would like to get this.”  She then proceeded to explain what an energy bar was…we gently explained that we would like to purchase it.

When she showed me the receipt, I wasn’t wearing my glasses, so I pointed to the total and asked her what it said.  She replied, “That says tip, and the next line says total.”  Again, the gentle explanation.  Poor kid.  She’ll probably never wait on people over the age of 40 again.

And then it was back home to the dogs, a nap, and dinner preparations.  We had giant salads, leftovers from last night, and juicy hamburgers.  Followed by a hot tub soak.  What a wonderful day, with wonderful human beings.  Wayne has promised that we will come back to Kentucky again next year.  I simply cannot wait.  I so very much enjoy Kentucky, and love my very good friends.

Good night, y’all!