The inspiration behind MRCs Boone's Lick Kentucky bourbon coffee drink ...
"I was happy in the midst of dangers and inconveniences" are the words of the great American woodsman Daniel Boone (1734-1820) that I repeated to myself many times as I traveled his route westward across the Appalachians to Cumberland Gap. As Boone noted, a true adventure is marked by triumphant exploits and unanticipated vexations. My journey was repeatedly interrupted by difficulty, doubt and fleeting setbacks.
Like Boone, however, my troubles presented experiences beyond what I would have ever imagined. When the worst came I refueled by spirit with a deep breath and a cup of freshly brewed coffee heated over a small campfire somewhere in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Tenacity, courage, and coffee are the ingredients of extraordinary achievement, right?
My journey began on Boone's birthday, November 4, at his birthplace in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and ended at his final resting place in Frankfurt, Kentucky. Packed with minimal provisions of coffee, bourbon, beans, jerky, and oatmeal I camped at night in the same forests where Boone had done so long ago. I wanted to experience as authentically as possible Boone's adventures as he blazed the settlers' trail to Kentucky. Ironically, though, a series of mishaps brought me much closer to Boone's real life experiences - some good, some not so good.
Legendary adventures are seldom easy, and this certainly held true for me on this journey. The first night I brooded over minor inconveniences that kept me up most of the night. Firstly, I was disconnected from any cellular service so was geographically disoriented and secondly, the camp site was adjacent to a cow farm with constant "moo" sounds all night. My back ached from the long drive and the hard uneven bedding.
Needless to say, I did not wake stretching to the blue sky and exhaling a sigh of contentment. There were no sounds of birds chirping or scenic views in the distance. Instead, I felt miserable and alone with the scent of manure carried in the morning breeze.
After pumping fuel and programming my navigation app at a station six miles from camp, my truck only made it 40 miles to Harrisonburg before the engine gave way. "No! not now ... uh!" Slowly, I coasted into an Exxon station where I noticed a young man standing. "Excuse me, do you know anything about car engines?!" I called out to him. He immediately came over since he admired the voodoo blue color of my FJ and was eager to take a closer look. He was very helpful and even returned later to check on me just as the tow truck hauled away my FJ.
To me, this man, Buck, epitomizes the hard-working, good-hearted nature of America's heartland - a Boonesman in his own right. As it turns out he is a blue grass musician who invited me back to Harrisonburg for an evening of live music, a BBQ campfire and a comfy place to sleep. His girlfriend had once traveled to the same Palestinian cities as me, including Nablus and Ramullah, too!
I chucked my plan to return through Pittsburgh and accepted the offer making Harrisonburg my final stop before returning home. Buck, part Cherokee, gave me my Cherokee name, "Dances with Diesel." Why? Oh, as it turns out, that fuel station six miles from camp was actually a diesel station. I know, right?! I put diesel in my fuel injection FJ! Fate or fortune?
Oddly, New Jersey law dictates gas stations operate only at full service, and so my first time at the pump after 20 years was at a truck stop in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. A minor detail I had not considered important. This oversight would soon transform my usual cheerful mood to one of brazen stubbornness as I refused to be deterred.
I captured my Appalachia adventure and the sentiments of Buck in a drink I call, Boone's Lick. This is a spin on the classic root beer float - vanilla being Buck's favorite. I have tried several of MRC's roasts and found that the PNG medium dark fits best with my preferred choice of bourbon, Buffalo Trace. The result is a smooth drink that can be enjoyed anywhere, anytime. The flavors are caramel, vanilla and hint of licorice.
After a not-so-quick fix, I was back on the road towards Kentucky. I spent my second night under a full Beaver moon in Kingsport, Tennessee just north of the Cherokee National Forest. It rained all night so there was no night visibility I was expecting. Despite this, I woke the following morning to a beautiful autumn rolling landscape full of gold- and scarlet-colored leaves.
As I cruised along the Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail (Route 58) towards Cumberland Gap I listened to the tunes of America, Molly Hatchet and the Marshall Tucker Band absolutely captivated by beauty of the Appalachian Mountains. I spent most of the day at the Gap before making my way to Louisville and then on to Boone's grave in Frankfurt, Kentucky.
In Louisville I found a Choctaw trading post where I bought a silver American eagle ring and a bag of Elk jerky. That night at a country music venue I rounded up a few other solo women and we danced all night. The following day I ventured to the Buffalo Trace distillery in Frankfurt, bought a few bottles and enjoyed the tantalizing scent of bourbon in one of the storage rooms.
Afterwards, I grabbed a dish of Staxx BBQ and then ventured up to Boone's grave. It was one of the most peaceful moments during my journey ... eventually I made my way back to Harrisonburg where I enjoyed great company and blue grass music. Buck and his friends were very hospitable and friendly.
The following morning I let Buck take the wheels of the FJ and we ventured "off road" six miles atop Rocky Run trail to catch a stunning view of the West Virginia Appalachia countryside. Amazing.
I accomplished all this in just 5 days!
At the end of it all, I realized that it's not so much the places of my adventures that matter most to me, but the people I meet along the way.
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