Fun In The Sun At Cave Run

Don't let the title fool you, the real fun was in the shade but that didn't rhyme. Moseyed our way down to Cave Run Lake in eastern Kentucky this past weekend for a little R&R. The world may be going to hell in a flaming handbasket but you still got to have a little fun. Just try to keep away from the bears.

Cave Run is in the Daniel Boone National Forest just a bit north and east of Red River Gorge. We camped by the shore in the Zilpo area, which involved taking the scenic route to get there. It was actually the only way to get there other than by boat, but the road in is a National Forest Scenic Byway according to the Wiki Gods.

Back in the 60s they dammed the Licking River to form the lake and it still has some of that narrow, twisty character of an Appalachian river. Zilpo was once in a bend of the river, now Cave Run curves around it.

We were on a mission from Mod to do as little as possible as much as possible. It's too soon to judge how successful we were but we were doing a lot less than some folks. Was kind of nice to kick back and watch other people work on their next case of skin cancer.

Did manage to get a little hiking in, wandered up Zilpo Mountain until the trail got a bit sketchy. Nonexistent even. Did have the only overlook of the lake to be found, which is where the first photo was taken. On the way back down we noticed a faint sound coming from the leaves as we walked, eventually discovered we had a mess of daddy longlegs running alongside us.

With it being a holiday weekend of sorts, we were far from the only ones there. It was interesting, wandering around the campground you could easily tell who didn't understand what 'bear country' meant.

Y'all wouldn't be looking at nearly as many photos if I'd managed to remember my fishing pole. Cave Run is supposed to be good muskie fishing and there was no shortage of people after'em.

Don't think I've ever been to a lake with quite as many boats skittering about. Then again I prefer lakes where the people aren't. Decided Cave Run must be Catholic with all the wakes .

Was pleasantly surprised at the relative lack of poison ivy, made taking photos of all the wildflowers much less hazardous. There was still plenty to be found but it hadn't managed to hire itself out as edging yet.

We were only there for two nights, much too short a time to enjoy it properly but we gave it hell.

Made friends with this bashful critter when we went to say goodbye to the lake. Unless my memory is worse than Joe Biden's, that's an eastern box turtle.

This here is what they call a goodbye photo. Bye!