2016-26 Corbin Kentucky, Cumberland Falls

2016-26

London/Corbin Kentucky

Cumberland Falls, Kentucky

Campground:  Grove Drive-in Campground.  Daniel Boone National Forest.  30 amp/water.  $18 senior rate.  Operated by American Land and Leisure.  Discount is no longer 50% off in parks run by a concessionaire.  Nice paved roads and campsite pad.  Many campsites on are two levels with the lower level having a large area for the picnic table and fire ring.

Distance Traveled:  48 miles

Marina at Grove campground

I was expecting to pay half price at a National Forest campground, but with a concessionaire running the place it was more like 25% off.  Still a fair deal and the campsites are very nice.  Good amount of space between campsites and lots of trees of course if being a national forest setting.

My first day of exploring brought me to Cumberland Falls and Yahoo Falls.  Cumberland is a state park resort and I would later come back and have a nice lunch in the lodge.  The falls are called the Niagara Falls of the South.  They are pretty grand with tons of water flowing over them.  During early spring and any floods the falls doubles in size.  Just a short walk on paved paths to the falls.

Cumberland Falls

walkway to lower portion of falls

walls carved out during flooding of river

during full moons, you can see a "moonbow"

Outside the park I was treated to the scene of a small black bear running along the roadway ahead of me.  With guard rails on both sides, he continued running along the road until he found a break in the guardrail and loped off into the woods.  Although a small bear, his thick fur coat looked way too heavy for his size.

overlook view to Yahoo Falls

The second falls, Yahoo Falls was much different.  For one thing, getting there was a challenge along some really narrow rural roads with lots of guard rails since much of the road hugged the edges of the mountain ridges it wound around.  Then it was a short hike to the upper viewing area which I would not recommend since trees obstructed the views of the falls completely.  Taking the lower path which involved 180 steps to the bottom of the canyon was a piece of cake going down.   The falls are the tallest in Kentucky and as you can see by the pictures is a narrow ribbon of falling water.  Pretty neat to be able to walk behind the falls where native Indians camped nearly 10,000 years ago.

top view of Yahoo Falls

that's all the water that flows over the cliff

180+ steps to river bed, views of Yahoo Falls

highest waterfalls in Kentucky

behind the falls

can you see a frog?

Then it was back tracking on the same route and as I mentioned, stopping at the Cumberland State Park Lodge for lunch was perfect.  They had a turkey dinner special for only $6.95 with coffee and taxes it came to $10.  Great price for lunch with fantastic views looking down into the valley and the Cumberland river below.  I even had a nice chat with an older couple touring the area between visits with family and grandkids.

Planning camping routes and campsites:

I’ve decided to stay in the area for two weeks after doing some research on other campgrounds that should be part of the National Senior Park Pass system.  They being TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) campsites throughout Tennessee.  Unfortunately, like many of the National forests and Army Corp campsites, they are being leased out to local communities or corporations who no longer honor the senior park pass.  I’ll stay here through the Labor Day weekend which is always a pain trying to find a campground to stay at since most campgrounds book up early for holidays.  Some are now charging $26-$45 per night for a campsite.

What I have found out is that Tennessee gives 25% off at their state parks to seniors during season and 50% off during off season (Nov-).  I’ll be taking advantage of the 25% discount after Labor Day weekend and enjoying some great state parks.

Home of Kentucky Fried Chicken

The first restaurant to serve KFC

Up the road from the my campsite is the small town of Corbin Kentucky.  It’s the home of Colonel Sander’s first restaurant to serve Kentucky Fried Chicken, KFC.  He owned a small motor lodge, restaurant and gas station.  The original restaurant has been expended a bit in size but still retains much of the original section of the Colonel’s restaurant and historical features.  Co. Sander’s sold the franchise business for about 2 million dollars outright without retaining an shares in the new company.  The new KFC company even offered him shares, which would have made him a millionaire many times over but he said no.  Today, a nephew owns and runs the original store and recently showed a reporter from Chicago a copy of the original receipt which was then published in the newspaper.

Excerpt from online report: 

The story of the how the recipe was (literally) placed into a reporter's hands started simply enough. A reporter traveled to the Harland Sanders Cafe and Museum and met with Joe Ledington, the nephew of Harland David Sanders (AKA Colonel Sanders).

During the interview, Ledington showed off a family scrapbook with a handwritten recipe for fried chicken included among the family photographs 

The recipe reads:

11 spices — Mix with 2 cups white flour
1) 2/3 Ts salt
2) 1/2 Ts thyme
3) 1/2 Ts basil
4) 1/3 Ts oregano
5) 1 Ts celery salt
6) 1 Ts black pepper
7) 1 Ts dried mustard
8) 4 Ts paprika
9) 2 Ts garlic salt
10) 1 Ts ground ginger
11) 3 Ts white pepper

The Tribune's food staff was quick to test the recipe and deduced that the "Ts" measurement is shorthand for tablespoon, not teaspoon. The verdict? The recipe "is the real deal." The only addition the group felt was necessary to add to make it perfect, was MSG — confirmed as an ingredient by a KFC spokesperson.

So, the original Kentucky Fried Chicken recipe has been chillin' this whole time in an old Colonel Sanders family scrapbook?

new entrance to KFC

now a museum and KFC restaurant

part of the original cafe

the kitchen where all the ingredients came together

original diner furniture

KFC served today

Photos:

Cumberland and Yahoo Falls

Col. Sanders Restaurant and Museum