Churchill Downs, Snow, 2nd and Main, 413 again

Yesterday I went out to Churchill Downs for a few races at the invitation of a friend. We hung out in a hospitality room sponsored by Sellersburg Metals. Food and drink were plenteous, delicious, and complimentary. I bet in three races, all Exacta Box bets, and won the first two of the three. We were ensconsed in a room up on the Sixth Floor in the Jockey Club Suites, where if you walk out on the end balcony, you can actually look down on the Twin Spires. We were in the part of the facility that appears to be ready for conversion to a casino and hotel as soon as Frankfort (or the voters) say it is ok.

I did walk out on the balcony and was greeted with a chilling wind from the northeast, and for the first time this season, some glorious flakes of snow. Snow fell in Louisville yesterday and again this morning. There was no accumulation nor is any expected, but I am sure that Kroger is prepared for the onslaught of customers in absolute need of a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread.

I myself went to the Kroger early this morning, driving down Main to Third. At Second and Main, the former LG&E site, future home of the Louisville Arena, is cleared. Except for I-64, there is a clear shot of the Ohio River, as well as the Colgate Clock, Clarksville, and Jeffersonville, across the way in Indiana. This is the only point anywhere along Main Street where the river is visible, and this, of course, is only temporary. It is, with a little imagination, possible to look down the hill from Main to river and envision the ribver passing by as did the early settlers along the Left Bank of the Ohio River near Milepost 606. In the original layout of Louisville, the first street south of the river was Main. Washington Street is, frankly, an alley serving the northside of the buildings along Main. Witherspoon Street is a creation of the last twenty years. Water Street and the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad formery occupied the lowest reaches between Main and River Road. Louisville's riverfront has been entirely transformed in my lifetime, especially that part east of 2nd Street, a transformation still underway from downtown upstream to Beargrass Creek. But, for right now, the sight to see is the arena site, where the river is in view as it was in the beginning - well except for I-64. Imagine how niceit would be to have our riverfront back - without the intrusion of I-64.

Finally, the numbering of the entries is off by one. This one should be numbered 413 and the next one should be 414, assuming all the previous entries are numbered correctly, taking into account a few which were deleted for sundry reasons back in the summer.

Winter is on the way.