Where has 2025 gone? May is almost over with and I have fallen so far behind in posting anything. Yes! I am still alive and kicking and yes I still have a travel bug lurking within me. That said, 2025 has not offered me many opportunities to travel as much as I would like. I have not enjoyed the employment that I once had and have been actively looking for new opportunities, but I am finding that many companies don’t want an older person with a Masters Degree and lots of skills!! Unbelievable that I can’t even get an interview for an $18/hour call center job or Data Entry job. The “Sorry, you don’t meet our requirements” emails really astound me. Oh heck…. Life goes on. I keep looking. But, travel is more restrictive.
But, so far this year I have had a few opportunities close by. In January I made my way to the Ohio River town of West Point, Kentucky while my wife, daughter and Portuguese Water Dog Miles took a hike on a snowy/icy day to Tioga Falls Trail near West Point. They got the icicles and slips while I drove around the historic little town nearby. Fun was had by all.
Tioga Falls Trail is a steep two-mile out-and-back walking trail that was built on an old winding wagon roadbed. It crosses a railroad track and offers a broad range of flora and common trees, though on this day all that could be seen was snow and ice. Once up to the cascading falls it is magical, especially with the icicles hanging everywhere. For my wife and daughter, it was a bit treacherous. Even Miles had an interesting time. The best parts for me were driving down the very icy road to meet them. I had to go into low 4 Wheel Drive. Then, as they approached, they let Miles run down the long hill to meet me. He got near the bottom at the gate, full speed and tried to stop but slid forward about ten feet, despite doggy claws! I am so bummed I didn’t try to take video!
As they came back down, I took the little road back to the back entrance. The road is usually pretty easy to drive (I had done it before in the summer), but on this day it was an ice skating rink and I had to shift our Lexus SUV into low 4 WD. It was fun. Along the quarter mile drive I saw some unusual things, especially the unique signs with tanks and military trucks on them. Technically, this Historical Nature Trail is part of Fort Knox. The US Army and the Department of Defense can close it down for military training activities if needed.
Apparently, the Military Load Classification (MLC) system is used as a standard by NATO to classify the safe amount of load a surface can withstand. Vehicles are classified by weight, type, and effect on routes. Bridges, roads, and routes are classified by physical characteristics, type and flow of traffic, effects of weather, and other special conditions.
While they hiked I focused on the small community of West Point. It sits along the Ohio River near the edge of the Fort Knox military reservation. It has less than 1000 residents.
West Point was founded by Pioneer James Young, who built a cabin on the site in 1789 and later built a brick house that still stands in the town today. Lewis and Clark passed nearby and recruited some of the locals to join them on their Corps of Discovery west.
On the way back to get the hikers, I drive through an open field south of town hoping to maybe see some birds. No luck. But, off in the distance I did see a white-tailed deer that scampered off.
Did you enjoy what you saw here? My books cover so much more.
Enjoy the Ride With Sumoflam
LESS BEATEN PATHS OF AMERICA TRAVEL SERIES
You can get my books online! The series now has five books and I am working on books six and seven. Book Six will be all about murals from all over the country!! Watch for them later in 2025.