Sep 07 Day 18 - The Old Spanish Trail - Otter Creek, KY

This morning I arrived in Otter Creek, KY where I'd stay overnight with my old Navy buddy Woody and his wife Linda. I unpacked and we visited, then it was time for Woody to have a lie-down and give his newly installed shoulder a rest so I scooted over to the nearby town of Hodgenville to see some of the Lincoln touristy stuff. I'd been there once before but I wanted to pick up a couple of gifts and take a few pics.

Hodgenville's downtown square 

I wandered into the Lincoln Museum where their primary focus seemed to be selling souvenirs to the unwary traveler. I glanced through an open doorway into the adjoining room and as I did so an officious looking man said "There's a $3.50 admission fee if you'd like to visit the museum room and the upstairs room." Somehow I couldn't bring myself to fork over even such a piddly amount to look at more artifacts so I changed my course and without missing a beat did an exit. 

Museum or souvenir shop?

 Back outside I decided to head over to the Lincoln statue and take a quick photo. As I approached there was a guy holding a selfy stick and grinning away at the camera on the end. Evidently he wasn't happy with the shot so he continued to shoot, then look at the result, then shoot some more. I found this entertaining so I started shooting pics of him and his selfy efforts but when he noticed me he sort of blanched and said "Uh, I'm just learning how to use this but I'll get out of your way". 

I shot a couple of pics and turned away so he came back and picked up the teddy bear he'd posed with but left sitting between Lincoln's shoes. This time he said sheepishly "I forgot this, it's been all over the world with me." I nodded and said "Uh huh." 

With the Lincoln statue photo session concluded I walked around the square a bit looking in the windows - most were closed since it was a holiday -  and eventually I went into the Almost Home foo-foo store. Those people seem to have accumulated the world's largest inventory of brick-a-brack; their items must have numbered in the thousands. I found a couple of gift things and called it good, stores like that make me nervous.

With my shopping done I headed back to Woody's where we had a fabulous dinner fixed by Linda, then we just sat around catching up on old memories from our days in the Navy and the years that followed. Woody's three days older than I am so I have to show respect and not challenge any of his recollections regardless of how unfounded they may be. 

You got that right sonny...show some respect

As holidays go, particularly Labor Day, this one was great.; I got to mingle with tourists and hang out with one of my oldest friends. It doesn't get any better than that.