Louisville Group Spends Weekend Kayaking and Camping in LBL Backcountry

As the sun began to sink below the horizon, we packed up our gear. We wished them well for the long evening ahead and for the last leg of their trip. Their exhausted smiles will forever be etched in my memory. Smiles that only come from contentment from an excellent day on the river with friends. Perhaps by the time they return, we’ll have larger kayaks ourselves. And we’ll be strong enough to keep up with their speed. If not, we’ll offer them trail magic again, and find a few more lessons learned.

PaddleMary MedlockJune 17, 2016kayak, Western Kentucky, Land Between the Lake, land between the lakesComment

Jones-Keeney Wildlife Management Area Group Hike

About a quarter mile down the trail we cross Buttercup Hill, which is just past peak bloom. We turn right down a side path to our first point of interest, Jones-Keeney Natural Bridge which is only about ten feet high at the top with an arch. Ducking under the rock slab, Shara shows us the chamber behind the arch which is backed by a 15-foot rock wall with a small waterfall and a couple of cairns left by previous hikers. Mosses and ferns cover many of the rock faces. The place is magical.

HikeVince MedlockJune 13, 2016Western Kentucky, Dawson Springs, Trail Town, Hiking, hike, kentucky Comments

Changing Our equilibrium, One Hike At A Time

You might notice, that I mentioned earlier, that I had a chance at changing my own equilibrium. I have changed. I have Melinda Walker and EKI Director's Gerry James to thank for it. You see when I started BeintheWater my intentions were to inspire people and to help make changes in our community. I fell prey to my own comfort zone issues. You see, I felt like if I couldn't create a huge event or undertaking, that it wasn't worthy of the effort. I wasn't heeding my own advice. I wanted the mountain in one big step. I had forgotten my own personal motto. "Be Water, Matthew. Be Water." I needed to focus on the raindrops and not worry about where the river merged with the ocean.

A Shared Oasis: World-class rock climbing debuts at The Breaks Interstate Park

I took what I’d call a reconnaissance trip to The Breaks in 2012. I wanted to look at it with my new climber’s perspective, and I was thrilled with what I found. Several sport routes had already been developed. Assuming (generally a bad idea) that climbing was permitted, I got a crew of Lexington climbers together to explore the new territory. That’s when I met Austin Bradley.

On Hiking

Writing about the great outdoors is incredibly intimidating when you haveThoreau's Walden and Leopold’s Sand County Almanac at your bedside stand. But here it goes, and I’ll do my best not to murder their legacy with this page out of my sketchbook…

A few months before moving to Kentucky....

The most memorable hike of my life

I turned the video camera on and acted as if it was set up for a remote picture. She hardly even notices the constant clicking of my camera, so she was still oblivious. I went over to Lois Jean and held her in my arms then asked her the magic question

HikeJosh PattonApril 18, 2016Kentucky, National Park Service, Virginia, Get outdoors, love Comments

The Explore Kentucky Must List: Waterfalls (Pt. 1)

Nestled between the bourbon distilleries and horse farms of Kentucky is a landscape of unbridled beauty where far below the soaring mountains and towering natural arches water flows through the tributaries, creeks and rivers. One would not realize it, but on these many waterways Kentucky has hundreds of waterfalls scattered throughout the state

Must List, HikeBill FultzMarch 30, 2016Waterfalls, kentucky, Cumberland Falls, Must list Comments

Cumberland Falls State Resort Park: Our Take

One place I had never been and one of Kentucky’s largest attractions is Cumberland Falls located within the Big South Fork area of Daniel Boone National Forest on the Cumberland River. The falls is the largest in the state, one of the largest in the region, and it separates both McCreary and Whitley County, Kentucky. The state park resort Dupont Lodge is the key place to stay when visiting this nearly 1,700 acre park and has a very warm and friendly environment.

Blanton Forest Adventure: Day One

As we met one another early Saturday morning, it quickly became apparent, that this was going to be a great event. The level of enthusiasm that Gerry brought to the gathering was contagious. Everyone was smiling and sharing a little bit about themselves. Rather quickly everyone was making informal introductions as they seemed eager to meld into a group.

Timber & Bluff and the States Project

On Thursday, February 25th, I worked my last day as a graphic designer, and plunged head on into starting my own business, Timber & Bluff Design Company. I have been fortunate enough to have been surrounded by creative friends from Kentucky, and to meet some awesome creative individuals that have helped me get this thing started. It’s still a work in progress, but I’m excited for the future.

Gerry Seavo JamesMarch 14, 2016Kentucky, tshirt, Timber and Bluff, Merchandise Comments

Spring Break: Red River Gorge "The Final Day"

When we left camp we headed up to Sky Bridge to catch the beautiful scenery before the crowds came. Sky Bridge is a natural arch formation that can be walked across. It's one of many arches within the Red River Gorge National Geological area and Clifty Wilderness and is very similar to the larger arch Natural Bridge just outside of the gorge in Natural Bridge State Park. The biggest difference between Sky Bridge and Natural Bridge is that Sky Bridge is much higher while Natural Bridge is much wider and longer.

Spring Break-Red River Gorge "Day without signal"

Today we got to do a bit more than we had on the entire trip and we found a flushable bathroom at the Gladie Ranger Station. That's a good place to be near because you can go in wash up with warm water and use a clean bathroom. We got up late but still managed to get quite a bit done. We started by going to Chimney Top Rock, we took some cool pictures and then started driving through the Red River Gorge scoping out some campsites.

HikeMichael CheserMarch 10, 2016flyfishing, kentucky, red river gorge, Spring Break

Kentucky's Ancient Forest: An adventure in Blanton Forest State Nature Preserve

Far off the highway in Eastern Kentucky’s Appalachian mountains, Blanton Forest State Nature Preserve is home to the largest known old-growth forest in the state. Old growth forests are rare in the eastern United States. Their trees die from rot, disease, and windfall, rather than from crosscut or chainsaw.

Winter Survival Weekend at Natural Bridge State Resort Park

The event was organized by park naturalist Drew Stevens with instruction provided by survival expert John Rose. John has vast experience in wilderness and urban survival, bushcraft, wild edible and medicinal plants, and much more. He has worked as a wilderness advisor for a movie that was filmed in Red River Gorge and on the Discovery Channel’s “Man, Woman, Wild.”

Day Two: The Trip To RRG (Half Moon)

I called the Forest Services's Gladie Ranger Station to see if Chimney Top Road was open. We found out it would be opening soon so while waiting we headed out to Swift Camp Creek Trail #219 by Rock Bridge where we quickly jumped off into the creek with our waders on and fly rods in hand.

Spring Break 2016 - Road Trip KY

While most college kids want to head south to the coast , Kelsey Morris, my girlfriend and I decided to an Explore Kentucky Fueled week; albeit a cheaper and more relaxing route. We decided to do a road across the Commonwealth.

Explore Kentucky Initiative on WBKO's Midday Live

Big ups to Laura Rogers and WBKO TV in Bowling for inviting me to be on their Midday Live show today to talk about our endeavors for 2016. This was our first television appearance since our re-brand from Explore Kentucky into the " Explore Kentucky Initiative."

Gerry Seavo JamesFebruary 26, 2016wbko, television, media, Western Kentucky, Bowling GreenComment

Snowshoeing in Red River Gorge

I walked along the roadway until I got to the start of the Gray’s Arch Trail. Even though the trail had already been broken, I put on my snowshoes for added benefit.

HikeDamien HesseFebruary 15, 2016red river gorge, hiking, KentuckyComment

Harvest Louisville

The ubiquity of the phrase, “Farm to Table” in today’s restaurant world has seemingly turned those three words into a cliché more than a selling point, a slogan that entices your taste buds about as little as seeing the word, “Organic” displayed in the supermarket. While this Portlandia segment-worthy concept of farm fresh ingredients may have run it’s course in the minds of foodies, Harvest restaurant in Louisville, KY is taking things to a new level of fresh – and we’re celebrating them for it.

Ben KembleFebruary 5, 2016Louisville, food, Nulu, Kentucky Comment

Jim Beam Nature Preserve in Jessamine County

The preserve was established in 1995 to celebrate Beam's 200th anniversary, and the 115 wooded acres are cared for by the Nature Conservancy of Kentucky.

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