If This Is Louisville, I Must Be in Valhalla

I’m not ashamed to admit that I like watching golf and none more so than the Ryder Cup, which pits the best European male golfers against those from the States. This year, the match was played last weekend at Valhalla Golf Club—“heaven” to the Norse gods—in Louisville, Kentucky.

Let’s face facts. Other than Ryder Cup fans (and only last week, at that) and horse racing fans, who like watching the running of the Kentucky Derby every May, Louisville doesn’t bubble to the surface as a place to visit.

Let me, however, introduce you to a couple of off-the-beaten-path places to visit that just might have you coming back to this historic town on the Ohio River time and again.

For baseball fans, visit a mecca of the sport at the Louisville Slugger Museum, where you can learn everything you ever wanted to know about making baseball bats. OK, that sounds a little dry, but starting with the 120-foot-tall bat that greets you at the entrance, and continuing with an exhibit about “presidents and baseball,” and the opportunity to see what a 90-mph fastball looks like (scary!), the museum offers plenty of surprises. One of the most interesting parts of the place, though, is the factory where the bats are made. You get to learn about how the wood is selected, and follow that wood until it’s in the hands of one of today’s Major League Baseball sluggers.

For whiskey lovers, make a pilgrimage to Jack Daniel’s Distillery, about an hour’s drive south of Louisville, in Lynchburg, Tennessee, population 361. Opened right after the end of the Civil War by “Mr. Jack,” today, this southern sipping whiskey is shipped around the world, but every bottle is made in tiny Lynchburg. You’ll learn a lot about how whiskey is made—I had no idea it was so complex…and SLOW…to make—but don’t expect a sample. Thanks to a twisted sense of irony, the county where the distillery sits is dry.

In addition to these destination spots, consider visiting the following:

• Belle of Louisville, the oldest operating steamboat on the Mississippi River system.
• Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, an amusement park with several claims to fame, including the world’s tallest and longest stand-up roller coaster.
• Church of the Epiphany, which has no permanent fixtures, and walls that slide out of the way to let the congregation enjoy the great outdoors (when it’s not beastly hot).

Finally, Louisville’s most famous son undoubtedly is Muhammad Ali (still known as Cassius Clay to older Louisville residents). You can visit two sites that not only recognize Ali for his place in society, but also strive to make a difference in the world.

• Muhammad Ali Center – Cultural center and international educational center.
• Muhammad Ali Institute for Peace and Justice – At the University of Louisville, the Institute strives to advance the work, study and practice of peacemaking, social justice and violence prevention.

From an iconic warrior, to various “sacred” sites, we come full circle to Valhalla. As it happens, Ali visited his hometown last week to support the Ryder Cup. I hope you enjoyed this visit to an obscure little slice of heaven.

Comments

[Dan McCauley]

As an alternative to visiting the Jack Daniels' Distellery, consider the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. One can visit any or all of the 8 distilleries on the trail. The furtherest is located about 1 and 1/2 hour(s) from Louisville. You can get the details at www.kybourbontrail.com.

[Bob Hanvik]

I want to response - albeit tardily - to Carol Daniels. First, I want to thank her for her comments; I'm thrilled that she took the time to read and respond. Second, and very importantly: Mea culpa, mea culpa. She is absolutely correct that the distance between Louisville and Lynchburg is too great to do a simple day trip; I have visited both towns, but separately, and I should not have been so flip in my recommendation. My apologies. Thanks, too, to Carol for her thoughts regarding Kentucky's fine distilleries; your recommendations are much appreciated, as I have NOT been fortunate enough to visit them. Finally, I'd like to clarify one point: Carol pointed out - absolutely correctly - that Lynchburg, TN, has almost 7,000 residents, yet I referred to "pop. 361" in my post. I should have put the latter reference in quotation marks, as that's one of Jack Daniel's "marketing claims." I apologize for any confusion.

[Carol Daniels]

Jack Daniels' Distillery in Lynchburg, TN, is 245 miles from Louisville, which is a good four hour drive, not one hour. Think about it, Louisville is in the northern part of Kentucky and Tennessee is south of Kentucky (I am a Kentucky native living in Minnesota). Since you were highlighting Louisville, Kentucky, it would have been more appropriate if you had referenced Kentucky's many bourbon distilleries (Kentucky is known for it's bourbon) such as Makers Mark, Woodford Reserve, or Jim Beam to name a few. And for those who do not know, all bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon.