Total Eclipse of the Cache - Louisville

Extra! Extra! Have you heard the news? Total Solar Eclipse in 2017!

TaGeez and I had heard the news, but we thought there's no way we could travel (with 55 million others including some good friends) to see it  along the "Path of Totality" this year. Whereas Michiganders would see the sun with 79% coverage by the moon, those along the 70-mile wide swath of the moon's path would see 100% coverage.

But joy! The stars aligned (pun intended), and TaGeez found he could get two days off. It would be a short trip. Can we do it? We pulled out the maps and realized an 8-hour trip south would put us right along the path and would experience the longest period of the total solar eclipse of 2 minutes and 40 seconds! And WOW! There's a geocaching event in Gallatin, Tennessee!

We logged our 'will attends' and ordered our solar glasses, t-shirts and a geocoin. 

The hotels were more difficult as all hotels were booked within a 150-mile radius of Nashville. Panning further and further out for something we could afford, we booked one room in Louisville for Sunday and one near Nashville for Monday. We have ourselves a plan!

HEADING SOUTH

I love a roadtrip with TaGeez - we can entertain ourselves for hours. Good thing! We were stuck outside Cincinnati for two hours in construction traffic. It was really cool seeing the digital billboards along our route with the eclipse countdown.

Luckily we had geocaches along our way.

We reached Louisville later than we hoped so we headed right to Cave Hill Cemetery.

Holding the bodies of a number of influential Americans, Cave Hill Cemetery, a 296-acre Victorian cemetery came to be almost by accident. (AtlasObscura.com)

The Spring - Virtual and Earth Cache

Cave Hill had stunning views and artwork.

It is also the home of several famous residents. We first ran across Harry L Collins, the official corporate magician of the Frito-Lay Company.

And curving around the corner is Colonel Sanders! Kentucky Fried Chicken, right? TaGeez wants to know if people in Kentucky just calls it 'Fried Chicken'?

Seen next to Colonel Sanders...

Impressed by the statues realism? It's due to the former artist in residence, Barney Bright. Barney is probably as well know for his own risque tombstone which shows both he (as an old man) and his wife (shown eternally young) reclining nude. It caused great controversy, but the Cemetery Board finally conceded to the installation thinking it would be tucked out of the way, unnoticed. Of course, unknowingly that was the first aisle we turned down!

With just minutes before they locked the gates we cruised (a little too fast probably) to the other end to pay our respects to the great Muhammad Ali.

We turned to downtown while we had a little sun. I had promised my baby brother I would visit the Louisville Slugger museum. 

1,998 straight days of geocaching

It was too late for the tour so we bought commemorative Eclipse bats and posed for pictures.

Louisville was a funky, fabulous place! It had the same spirit as Ashville, NC. Colorful, random art. Let me give you a tour downtown...

30-foot David

Kentucky Science Center

Louisville Slugger Walk of Fame

TaGeez made a friend - Mayor of Louisville

Red penguins at the 21C Museum Hotel

Which is my warrior prince?

We were also able to grab several Virtuals downtown including a house that Thomas Edison rented and a well-known extreme skateboard park.

Thomas Edison House

The next stop was just outside downtown near Thruston Park. The Heigold House was a standing testament to a skilled German stonecutter's love of his new homeland. It's facade is the remaining survivor of anti-immigration sentiment, flooding, forced evacuation. It was the site of a municipal dump and now stands in a prime location for the pending waterfront rebirth.

After a fabulous yet exhausting day, we turned back to downtown for dinner. Because of the flood of eclipers, the restaurants and streets were packed. We made our way to the Troll Pub Under the Bridge, but the waiting list was way too long so we took some fun photos with the big guy. We eventually rounded the corner for pizza and live music overlooking the main street at Bearno's Little Sicily.

Louisville was an unexpected gem, and I'm happy to say we made it back a few days later. Off early to bed! Tomorrow is a big day!