Great Blog Train Hop/Giveaway - Destination: Somerset, Kentucky, USA

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The Great Blog Train

A monthly blog hop departing from your online train station on the first Wednesday of every month!

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The Great Blog Train has 7 Engineers

plus a "Destination Co-host"!!

If you link up that means your blog will be seen on 8 different blogs!!!

Please meet our Destination Co-host:

LuAnn from "Back Porchervations"

This month we will be travelling to Somerset, KENTUCKY!

Also, remember to visit the DINING CAR on one of the Engineer's blogs!

If you are interested in being a Co-host for the Great Blog Train then please click HERE and fill out the form (THANK YOU!!)

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The Great Blog Train's Great Giveaway!!!

1 Lucky winner will win the following:

- $10 Paypal Cash from Heidi

- 1 Monthly Ad Space from Angie ($15 value)

- 1 Bar of Handmade soap from Laura

- 1 Recipe ebook - "My Cookie Creation Countdown" by Angie Ouellette-Tower

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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(photo of Main Street taken in July 2013 by J. Bearden of South Carolina)

(photo of part of the business district surrounding Highway 27, from the Homefinder website - 2nd of 3 listed photos)

Destination: Somerset, KENTUCKY

Location:   Pulaski County (south central Kentucky), about halfway between Lexington, KY and Knoxville, TN

Known For:  Somernites Cruise, Master Musicians Festival

Population:  11,196 in 2010

Official "City" Website:  www.cityofsomerset.com

Festivals/Events: Somernites Cruise, Master Musicians Festival

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SOMERNITES CRUISE

Probably the thing Somerset is most noted for is the monthly "Somernites Cruise", which runs the 4th weekend of the month from April through October of each year.  This is their 15th season.  From SomernitesCruise.org:

Somernites has garnered national attention with coverage on various TV shows including My Classic Car and Horsepower TV.

'Officially' the cruise takes place on Saturday only - with the ability to look at the cars and talk with their owners downtown in the afternoon, and/or buy food and souvenirs, and when they take to Highway 27, the "business district" (my term), a 6-lane divided highway where they cruise up and down during the evening hours.

(both photos from the Somernites Cruise website, April 2015)

Downtown, the streets get blocked off to vehicular traffic early Saturday morning, and locals not attending the festivities will give a wide berth to the area.  (It once took me about 30 minutes to go from one traffic light to the next when I forgot to go around.  Ugh.)

The festivities have grown over the year, with "Friday Night Thunder" - think of a big block party taking place in the mall parking lot at the south end of town.

People line both sides of the road on Highway 27 to watch the cars cruise by on Saturday night, with a parade-like atmosphere.  Some people even stake out preferred spots as early as the day before, setting up with lawn chairs and those canvas gazebo umbrellas.

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MASTER MUSICIANS FESTIVAL

From the MasterMusiciansFestival.Org website:

2015 is the 22nd year for the premier summer event in the Lake Cumberland region, (and will feature Dwight Yoakum*added). The 2014 festival featured The Counting Crows and 2013 featured Willie Nelson.

Past performers have included Mark O'Conner, "Pigmeat" Jarrett, Doc Watson, Nickel Creek, Richie Haven, JD Crowe, Punch Brothers, Robert Lockwood, Jean Ritchie, The Avett Brothers, Steve Earle, Old Crow Medicine Show and hundreds of other captivating acts. 

The Master Musicians Festival was named the Southeast Tourism Society's "Festival of the Year" for 2013 and has been featured in numerous publications and web reviews.

They really do have an eclectic selection of musical artists.  My brother, who lives in Utah and has a Masters in Music, has heard about it even (without me telling him), and has mentioned wanting to come see it one year.  That, as much as anything else, tells me that this festival is a BIG DEAL.

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There are other area attractions, with Somerset being the main city of any size closest to these facilities:

LAKE CUMBERLAND/CUMBERLAND FALLS

Lake Cumberland is a Kentucky State Park and a big tourism draw for the area.  Several businesses in town build houseboats, and not just the kind you would find at the "Hillbilly Yacht Club".  There was talk of having some power boat races this year or next, but I can't find information about that online, so don't quote me on it.

Some of the resorts have special festivities around holidays (Independence Day, Halloween and Christmas), and activities for all ages of visitors and locals alike.

My favorite feature of the Lake Cumberland area is Cumberland Falls.  There are some cabins, etc. in the park itself, but plenty of places to stay in Somerset and nearby towns.  There are miles of hiking trails and places to picnic.  

One of the biggest draws for the falls is the monthly 'moonbow', or a rainbow by the light of the full moon.  This is one of the few moonbows in the world and the only one (reportedly) in this hemisphere.

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MILL SPRINGS BATTLEFIELD

A number of Civil War battles took place in the area.  The most developed of these near Somerset is Mill Springs.  There is a museum with tours and several re-enactments and other activities during the year.  There is also a "Ghost Walk" (living history night presentation) in the fall.

From MillSprings.Net:

On January 19, 1862, the small town of Logan's Crossroads (now Nancy, Ky.) erupted in a blast of artillery and musket fire, as Confederate and Union forces clashed in the Battle of Mill Springs.

~~~oOo~~~

I hope you have enjoyed your nickel tour of Somerset.  If you visit and happen to run out of things to do there, give me a call.  I can tell you all about Bee Lick or Monkey's Eyebrow or Dog Walk, Kentucky, too!

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#AtoZChallenge - All Gallow's Eve - S

SOMERNITES CRUISE

(graphic from www.somernitescruise.org)

Click the Somernites button to go to the official page of the Cruise!  From the home page:

Beautiful and historic Somerset, KY is recognized by the Kentucky State Legislature as “The Car Cruise Capital of Kentucky” and is home to Somernites Cruise, the largest monthly classic car show in the state. Held on the fourth Saturday, April-October, rain or shine, Somernites has garnered national attention with coverage on various TV shows including My Classic Car and Horsepower TV. Now more than half-way into its second decade, the Cruise shows no signs of waning in popularity.

"Somernites Cruise" weekends are the 4th weekend of each month from April through October.  Most of the festivities take place on Saturdays, with vehicles of all shapes, makes, models, ages etc. lining the streets of town with their hoods up.  People walk by, talk with the owners of the vehicles, etc.  People and their cars come from all over the US.  The 15th Annual Somernites Cruise kicks off this Saturday, April 25!

Most of the streets around 'fountain square' are closed to all but Cruise-entry cars after 9 or 10 am.  The crowds are usually large enough that no local would drive through town anyway.  Seriously!  I was on my way to work one day and even as far out from the center of town as I was, it took about 30 minutes to go 1/4 mile.  But when you visit, email me and I'll let you know the best ways to get around the crowds. ;)

(from the Somernites Cruise Facebook Page photo stream)

After 7:00 pm on Cruise weekend, cars take to the 6 lanes of Highway 27, Somerset's 'main drag', but maybe a mile from downtown.  They drive up and down the road, sometimes until well after dark, and the sides of the road are generally crowded with spectators.  Serious spectators.  People who camp out the night before to get their favorite spot.

(from the Somernites Cruise Facebook Page photo stream)

If you are a car enthusiast, this is really a must-see event!

~~~oOo~~~

So have you ever been to a Somernites Cruise?  Are you nuts about cars and antiques?  Let me know in the comments!  

And while you're here, if you click on the butterfly graphic at the top of the post, that will take you to the 2015 A to Z Challenge participant list, where you can find hundreds (I'm not joking here - HUNDREDS!) of other folks who are writing about the A to Z of just about any and every topic under the sun!

So When You Come to Visit

Since my theme this month is "Friendship", I thought it would behoove me to write a post on some of the things I would suggest doing in the area when a friend comes to visit.

1.  Watersports

Somerset is quite close to several areas of Lake Cumberland, and there are a few business that will rent you anything from a 'personal watercraft' all the way up to a houseboat.  There are even the occasional boat races on Lake Cumberland.  In addition, marinas usually offer holdiay related events such as fireworks on July 4th and drive-through Christmas light displays at the end of the year.  For lots of links and information, you can visit the Lake Cumberland Tourism site maintained by the Somerset/Pulaski County Convention and Visitors' Bureau.

If you have kids, there is always the Somersplash Water Park, open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and the odd weekend before or after those days.  Attractions include a wading pool for the wee ones amongst us, a lazy river perfect for relaxation, a wave pool and multiple body or tube slides (including a bowl slide and a speed slide) for those more adventurous than me!

If you are into fishing, there is plenty of opportunity for that too.  (I don't usually go, but my husband and his father are avid fishers.)

2.  Cumberland Falls

There are lots of hiking trails around the falls and several scenic lookout terraces.  Probably the most popular time to go is on a night where there is a moonbow over the falls.

3.  Historical Sites

There are several Civil War ear sites around here, but Mill Springs is arguably the most famous.  They have a visitors' center and do re-enactments every so often, as well as some kid-friendly ghost-type activities around Halloween.

Ft. Boonesboro (of Daniel Boone fame) is a little farther away, but makes a nice day trip.  You go into the fort, see a short multi-media presentation and then can walk around and see shops and cabins as they would have appeared in Boone's time.  I liked seeing the progression of cabins (first where it is just a room really, with a dirt floor) showing how living quarters improved from just after move-in until after they had been there for a while and made improvements.  My boys really liked the blacksmith.  It is my understanding that several people/guides etc live there much as they did back in the day ... including having to make their own fire.

4.  Festivals Etc.

Two things for which Somerset is probably most well-known is the Master Musicians' Festival and Somernites Cruise.

I did not know much about the MMF until my brother (who is in music at the University of Utah) mentioned it some years ago.  Being that he thinks it's a big deal, it must be!  Their site hasn't been updated for 2013 yet, but they do have a rather active Facebook page.  And one year, MMF had Nuttin' But Stringz there, which is like one of my favorites.  I'm going to try to embed a Youtube video:

Somernites Cruise is draws the biggest crowds to Somerset on the 4th weekend of each month, April through October.  On Friday night there is a block party downtown for the cruise.  On Saturday afternoon, people park their vintage vehicles along main street and people walk by and they all gab about cars for the entire afternoon.  Parking can be a bear at times, but that's to be expected.  There are food and craft, etc, vendors around as well.  Then, Saturday night, the cars cruise up and down Highway 27.

People are setting up lawnchairs, blankets, coolers, etc etc up and down Highway 27 and setting up in front of the various businesses to get the best vantage point for see the cars cruising by.  This usually starts early Saturday morning, but I've even seen folks out the night before!

Anyway, when folks come to visit, we can always find something to see or do, even if they want a true "vacation" and want to rest.  But how often does that  happen, really?