Today Layla and I took the new van for a maiden voyage.  I wasn’t real sure where we would end up but I just knew I did not want to head west.  Why???  Well this is the start of the Kentucky derby and I didn’t really want to be anywhere around Louisville. So, east it was.  After travelling for a little while I decided to go check out one of my favorite free spots near Morehead, Ky.   Surprised I was to find two of the forest service roads in that part of the Daniel Boone Nat’l Forest closed.  I’m guessing the water was still too high.  Which brings a point, it’s easier (and cheaper) to call the Forest Service and ask questions about an area before just driving there.  So we headed back to Boonesboro State Park where even with the flooding there would still be places to stay.

When I first moved to Kentucky this is one of the first “beaches” that I could come to and pretend to be near the ocean.  It was a great place for family fun and picnics.  Public restrooms and changing areas, tables lined a very nice covered pavilion.

Today there are no restrooms, no public bathrooms or changing areas, and no crowds of families playing on the beach.

What happened!?!?   Well here’s an excerpt from the local paper…

Jan. 20, 1990  (The Winchester Sun)

For the second consecutive year, the Kentucky River has caused problems at Fort Boonesboro State Park.  The park’s beach was closed after water conditions became unsanitary for the second straight summer.  Heavy flooding also damaged park grounds and buildings.   A local group is working to get a new swimming pool for the park in hopes of increasing its attraction to tourists.

The Kentucky River became sick.  Who’s to blame?  Well that’s a hard question to answer and even harder to fix.  Here’s a report from the “Kentucky River Basin Assessment”…

Overview.

A relatively small number of issues account for most of the problems in the Kentucky River Basin that were documented in the Kentucky Division of Water’s most recent Report to Congress under the Clean Water Act. Water quality issues in the basin include straight pipes, contamination by animal waste, erosion and siltation, alteration of flow, removal of streamside vegetation, and contaminated storm water, as well as some point sources of pollution.

Though this really saddens me there are some great times to be had at the state park.  They have added a wonderful swimming pool with kiddie pool and sprayers, and of course the monument for the original fort is within the state park.

Not to mention  Fort Boonesboro with the reenactments and demonstrations is a short drive or hike on a nature trail away.  Fort Boonesboro website.

But what about our voayge??? After a little rest it continues…

Where to I’m not sure yet… but today it will continue.

So for now, we’re gonna…

Get out, Be safe , and Go adventure.