Big Bone Lick

Big Bone Lick State Park is the site of the Fourth Annual Bad to the Bone Duathlon on September 19, 2009 at 8:30 a.m.  Participants will run 3.1 miles, bike 25.3 miles, and run 3.1 miles again.  The race features views of some of the most beautiful scenery in northern Kentucky such as pleasant valleys, peaceful pastures, enchanting woodland trails, and roads and towns along the Ohio River.  Racers will need the tranquil scenery to deal with the physical toughness of the running trails and bike courses.

To promote the history of this unique area, money collected from race fees enable the non-profit organization Friends of Big Bone — sponsors of the Bad-to-the-Bone Duathlon — to help make improvements in the park.  Currently money is being used to upgrade the signage of the main trail.  In the future, the group hopes to help improve the content and layout of the Visitor’s Center.

When racers cross the finish line, they can be proud of completing a grueling race.  They can also realize that they ran where mastodons, mammoths, and giant sloths once stood.

For more information or to register for the race, please visit the Bad to the Bone website.

Adapted from the National Park Service:

Meriwether Lewis traveled to Big Bone Lick in October 1803 on his way west to join William Clark and the men assembling in Louisville for the Corps of Discovery.  Lewis sent a box of Big Bone specimens back to President Jefferson.

Jefferson devoted much time to the study of Big Bone Lick and believed that some of the large animals might still be living in the western regions of the country.

In 1807, after the Corps of Discovery disbanded, Jefferson sent Clark to Big Bone Lick for the first organized vertebra paleontology expedition in the United States.  Clark employed laborers and collected enough bones in three weeks’ time to ship three huge boxes to the President.

Jefferson had a room in the White House to display the Big Bone collection.  The collection was divided and shipped to the National Institute of France in Paris, to Philadelphia, and to Jefferson’s personal collection, which was unfortunately ground into fertilizer by a careless servant.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition

Visitors to the Behringer-Crawford Museum can view excavated specimens from Big Bone Lick State Park in a display called “Kentucky on Ice.”  From its brochure:

“Trek through Kentucky during the last glacial period and learn about Ice Age geology and the great beasts of the Ice Age.  Experience the thrill of holding a Wooly Mammoth tooth, just as the first paleontologist who discovered it did.  Discuss the different theories of why these larger than life mammals died out.  Many specimens are on display for you to handle and investigate.”

The Behringer-Crawford Museum is located on 1600 Montague Road in Devou Park in Covington, Kentucky.  Call 859-491-4003 or email info@bcmuseum.org for more information.

The “World’s Longest Yard Sale,” also known as the “127 Corridor Sale,” stretches 654 miles across 5 states from West Unity, Ohio to Gadsden, Alabama.  Hundreds of thousands of shoppers enjoy this event each year.  It’s officially the largest outdoor shopping event in the world.  It’s nearly impossible for shoppers to cover the entire route in four days, so be prepared to pick up next year where you left off this year.

You’ll find homeowners selling stuff they’ve accumulated throughout the years, as well as professional dealers and vendors.  The one thing you are guaranteed to find is great deals on unique merchandise.  So pack your camera, sunglasses, a good pair of walking shoes, and plenty of cash, and come on out to the World’s Longest Yard Sale!  And don’t forget your patience, because the crowds and traffic can be a bit heavy in places.

And if you happen to visit the Yard Sale in Union, Kentucky, just south of Cincinnati, you’ll find yourself only a mile away from Big Bone Lick State Park.  So after you’re tired shopping for bargains, come and relax for a picnic at the park.

This year the World’s Longest Yard Sale runs from Thursday August 6th through Sunday August 9th.

Official Website