Dandee Lion Rose: Last week Pt. 2, Mammoth Cave, trail riding and Amish hats!!! (Stay turned for Pt. 3, cause this is longer than intended!)

As I said, we were on the road by 7:30, stiff and tired. ;) We stopped at a gas station for doughnuts off of 65 near Elizabethtown. No big deal, just standard cruddy DD. Matt has a thing for good doughnuts. These were not all that good. Kids were happy though! (Some of these pics are my phone, some Isabelle's camera)

Since we have been looking for property in KY, and we planned to be shown some while down in this area, we got off the interstate, got adventurous, and took some side roads to get to Mammoth Cave, coming in the back side instead of through Cave City.

We got off at the Bonnieville exit and started West. Funniest thing, as I was checking where we were on Google Map, Country Girl at Heart B&B showed up! Without even planning to, we drove right by the bed and breakfast we would be staying at! We also took note of for sale signs and took a few numbers. It was such a GORGEOUS morning! Cool, a bit foggy, the views in some of the open spots were TDF!

We soon passed n Amish store. Deciding that they may know where some good properties were, we turned around. The store was called Detweiler's (pretty sure I spelled that right...). This was a Amish supply/ bulk grocery type place. First off, let me say the Amish down there aren't like the Amish up here. Up here when you try to talk to them they close up like a clam afraid of being dinner!! Down there they are all smiles, and open!! Happy to talk to you and be as helpful as they can.

While there we admired to beautiful glass coal oil lamps, nifty gadgets, and hats. Matt had wanted an Amish hat for a long while. He was so excited to find half an aisle dedicated to them! Yes, he left with one! lol! As did Isabelle and Gabriel. We also found a cookie press in metal! Growing up we always made Christmas cookies with my great grandmas old cookie press that was handed down to my mom. I bought a plastic one a few years ago, but it was junk. I can't wait to try it out!!! Maybe when I have an oven again... We didn't leave with a lamp, though Matt REALLY wanted to and even asked about it again on Saturday as we drove by the last time.

We drove past, not planned, one of the properties we wanted to be shown that I had found online, we walked it. Wasn't well suited for what we want, so we were able to cross it off our list.

Walking property

Sawyer was feeling left out that he doesn't have a hat!

Proud of his hat!!! :P

It was such a nice drive! Shortly, we reached the turn off for Mammoth Cave. We took a short trip into the little gas station on the corner for a potty and drink break. Neat little place, had a tack store, and archery shop in it as well! Matt admired a crossbow for Isabelle, but we left soon driving into the National Park.

Soon we came up to cross the Green Rv by ferry! Now I have been on a few ferries, and I thought Matt had, too, but apparently not. Gabriel was so excited!!

Once we got to the visitor center and picked a tour, we got in line to get tickets. The tour sold out as I walked up, so we got tickets for the same tour later in the day. We decided not to hand out at MCNP, but check out the other towns nearby and take Isabelle on a trail ride while Matt sat with the boys.

Me is my hat. I have had mine for weeks, but now Isabelle has dubbed us "The Hat Family"....lol!

Ennis helping Isabelle

We were the only 2 on this ride, since it was only 30 min.

Isabelle on Midnight

The trail ride was fun! Isabelle was saddle sore, I wasn't, which I thought was kinda funny! ;)

We drove around, grabbed lunch and then headed back to MCNP for our tour. We went on the New Passage tour. 500 some- odd steps, mostly down. My legs were wobbly! I wore Sawyer, Matt carried Gabriel most of the way. I think Gabriel's favorite part was the bus ride though!

Right about here Gabriel says, "I sure wish there weren't dragons here." After talking with him a second about how these were formations, he says, "It looks one(a dragon) to me!"