When I am on journeys taking pictures of surrounding areas, I love taking pictures of store fronts or signs. For one, you never know from one day to the next if that store will be there when you return. Also, the pictures bring back wonderful memories, especially if you have eaten there. The first picture below was taken in Cumberland Gap, TN. When I took the picture, I was trying to capture the Old Drugs Store sign... however when I was framing the picture on my camera I noticed the sign behind it. To me it had a deeper meaning the way that the picture was taken. We are all not perfect and have slipped up in some form in our lives, but we all still have the opportunity to continue on in our lives (just like The Old Drugs Store). Now, you can see some humor in this picture as well...just depends on how you see it. That is why I like pictures...that is especially why I like sharing them. For those that do not know where Cumberland Gap, TN is located, it is on the other side of The Pinnacle. You can take Highway 25E (exit 29 off I-75) and go past Corbin, Barbourville, Pineville, and Middlesboro. You will go through the tunnel underneath the mountain and Cumberland Gap is the first exit after the tunnel. When you walk through downtown Cumberland Gap, it will take you back to the early to mid 20th century. You can eat at a local diner located on the main strip. There are no fast food places in this town, which makes it an awesome experience. You can also take a look up and see the mountains above you. Good ole' Appalachia.
The second picture was taken in Beattyville, Kentucky (Lee County). We parked and walked through the downtown area. While we were there, you can tell that it is going through an extensive renovation to increase the beauty of the downtown area. The town recently had their Annual Festival (Woolly Worm Festival). We passed the Purple Cow (pictured below). I took this picture through a nearby flower pot. At the time, I did not think about the pink and purple contrast, but after taking the picture...I soon began to love it.
The Dehart's Bible and Tire Store has been serving the Rowan County community for years. When I first moved to Morehead, my supervisor told me of this place outside of town. According to his story, he was with a reviewer from Massachusetts who made him stop so that she can take a picture because she felt that people would not believe her that there is a Bible and Tire store in Kentucky. Talk about Bible Belt, huh? This store is located near the Carter County line on Highway 60. I will have to be honest...I do miss the time that I spent in Morehead / Rowan County. Once I got out to explore the area, I really became fascinated with life in Northeastern Kentucky. For my Western Kentucky folks, don't worry...I still have love for you and still would like to go back at some point. I am just glad that I have had the opportunity to become immersed in an area, culture, history, and people that I would otherwise never would have encountered. Okay, sorry for the tangent, but I had to capture the Bible and Tire store before leaving Morehead. On this day (Aug. 2009), we went up to Poppy Mountain to check out the area. It really creeped out my then girlfriend because it seemed to be a scene from a bad scary movie. One the way back, we stopped to take this picture.
This last picture was taken in Elkhorn City, Kentucky. We had the joy of eating at the Rusty Fork Cafe. I will say that the food was awesome ( I guess I am like my father...always thinking and talking about food). For $6.00, I got four vegetables and a meat. Elkhorn City is located in Pike County near the Virgina border. It is a tiny town with his roots based upon being a junction along the railroad (as seen in the background of the picture). We ate at the Rusty Fork after leaving Breaks, Va. You know, I would have thought that we would not have received the best service in a place like this in Eastern Kentucky. I know that it is shallow, but it is true. A black man with a white woman stopping in a pretty much hole in the wall place (but the food was good)...I would have expected to definitely encounter some racism, but no...the people were very friendly and very nice. This has been my experience in Eastern Kentucky thus far. It has opened my eyes to the shallowness that I had in the contents of my heart. Now...don't get me wrong, I am not stupid. I know not to venture into some areas alone or even at all. If you are going to the Breaks Interstate National Park, stop at the Rusty Fork...you will not go wrong with what you order.
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