The Ark Encounter

Our journey to the Ark Encounter took an unexpected turn when we first arrived at Big Bone Lick State Park in Kentucky. On our way to the campground, something alarming happened. It was a serious thing, threatening to end our journey and send us home. We learned that we may have narrowly avoided what could have been a disaster. It was gut-wrenching. It caused me to scratch my head and ask myself, how are we going to get out of this situation? However, since this was Friday afternoon, there was not much that could be done until Monday.

On Saturday, we put aside our worries and stuck to our plan to visit family in Cincinnati. I was born in Cincinnati and spent my early childhood there, making it a nostalgic journey. We gathered at my cousin Karen’s house for lunch, where I reunited with my aunts and uncles. It had been a long time since I’d seen them, so we spent the afternoon catching up and reminiscing. It was a heartwarming and memorable time. 

On our way back to the campground, there was one thing I had to do: stop for some Skyline Chili. Cincinnati is renowned for its unique, sweet chili. It was a dinner staple when I was growing up, enjoyed at least once a week. Dining at Skyline Chili brought back many fond memories.

Sunday greeted us with clear skies and sunshine, making it the perfect day to explore the historic community of Rabbit Hash. Located along the Ohio River and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Rabbit Hash is renowned for its rustic charm and unique traditions, making it a popular tourist destination.

At the heart of this charming village is the General Store, established in 1831. Its old-fashioned decor and variety of goods offer a delightful step back in time. It serves as a central gathering place for both visitors and locals. On the day of our visit, musicians assembled inside to play familiar old tunes, adding to the nostalgic ambiance.

Rabbit Hash is famous for its quirky tradition of electing animals as mayors. A practice that began in 1998 with the election of a dog named Goofy Borneman-Calhoun. Since then, dogs, cats, and even a donkey have served as mayor. Voting takes place at the General store. 

Besides the general store, Rabbit Hash is home to a few other local businesses, including a winery, an art gallery, a museum, and small shops that offer handmade crafts and antiques. Grammi and I spent some time exploring these local businesses.

Coincidentally, the General Store was hosting a motorcycle poker run that day. Motorcycles lined both sides of the street, creating a vibrant and chaotic scene that brought to mind events like Daytona’s Bike Week. Our visit to Rabbit Hash was a memorable journey into the past, infused with lively music and the unique spirit of this historic community.

With the weekend over, Monday brought the time to address that issue mentioned at the beginning. As you can see from the pictures, it was a serious problem: the A-frame on our travel trailer had broken in half. Don’t ask me how that happened. I have no idea. However, we were fortunate it happened as we approached the campground and not while traveling 60 MPH on the interstate.

As we arrived at the campground, I mentioned to Grammi that something felt off with the hitch. That turned out to be the understatement of all understatements. As we drove through the campground, people stopped what they were doing to stare, with some even following us to our site. At this point, I was wondering what was going on. It wasn’t until I started to back into our site that I realized the gravity of our situation.

A crowd gathered, gazing in astonishment. “Oh my gosh” said one lady, “you guys could have been killed.” “What the heck did you hit?”, said another man. To which I responded, “nothing at all.” Everyone was shocked by what they saw, saying they had never seen anything like it before.

Realizing that once I disconnected the trailer—if I could even manage to do so—it would stay put until it was fixed. I had no idea how long it would take to resolve this problem. We had five days booked at Big Bone Lick State Park, but was that going to be long enough? After discussing the situation with the campground host, they kindly put us in an emergency site and assured us we could stay there until we got it fixed.

In true camper spirit, the folks at the campground were quick to lend a helping hand. They came to the rescue with big floor jacks and jack stands to help get the trailer off the truck. With the bent A-frame at an abnormal angle, that was not going to be an easy task. But with the help of many, it was accomplished without further incident. A local resident connected us with someone who he thought could fix the A-frame. A big shout-out to Herman for getting us in touch with Matt Lovett of Fusion Welding.

Matt was quick to respond to our call for help. He came out to look over the situation and assured us he could fix the problem. He gave us a fair quote to build a whole new A-frame, and said for us not to worry, he would get us up and going again. 

We called the manufacturer, Grand Design, explained our dire situation, sent pictures and made a claim, even though we were two months past the warranty expiration date. Grand Design responded by saying they had never seen anything like this (Where have I heard that before?) and they would stand by us and see that we got back on the road.

We scheduled the repair with Matt for Wednesday and, with our claim at Grand Design complete, we had nothing better to do than explore the campground where we were staying. Big Bone Lick State Park is famously known as the birthplace of American vertebrate paleontology. The park features a museum with fascinating exhibits showcasing fossils and prehistoric artifacts found in the area. We marveled at the ancient remains of mammoths, mastodons, and other Ice Age creatures that once roamed this area.

Adult Mastodon Skull

On Tuesday, we finally saw what we came to experience—The Ark Encounter. Visiting this popular attraction had been on our bucket list for quite some time. There was some doubt over the weekend if we would get there, but things seemed to be working in our favor. 

The Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky, features a massive wooden ark, built to the dimensions described in the Bible. The ark is 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high, making it one of the largest timber-frame structures in the world. My first impression was one of awe. The attention to detail was impressive; it looked like it could survive another flood, although we know God’s promise not to do that again.   

Inside, we explored the ark’s three decks, each filled with informative exhibits showing how Noah, his family, and a multitude of animals could have lived on the ark during the great flood. The displays designed to be both educational and entertaining, provide insight into the daily life on the ark and how food and water might have been stored. There are also lifelike models of animals, giving a glimpse into how they may have been cared for. There is a lot of information that requires a lot of reading. When you visit, give yourself plenty of time to take in the full experience. We spent almost the entire day there.

Additionally, there is a small zoo featuring a variety of live animals, such as kangaroos, emus, and camels. Camel rides for children are a popular attraction, and a petting area where children can interact with some of the animals provides entertainment the kiddies. 

Leaving the Ark Encounter, I felt a mix of awe and contemplation. This larger-than-life replica of Noah’s Ark is both an engineering marvel and a thought-provoking experience. As I walked away, the grandeur of the structure lingered, but so did the conflicting emotions. Is the Ark Encounter an accurate representation of the Bible? What was the motive for building it? Is it a religious mission or a for-profit attraction? I can’t say for sure, so I’ll leave you to answer those questions for yourself after your visit.

On Wednesday morning, rain came just as Matt was scheduled to replace the A-frame on the camper. He called, saying he’d be there when the rain stopped. Finally, the work began around 11:00 am. Matt and his helper worked diligently until they finished just before dark. They did a fantastic job, making an A-frame that is better than the original. He kept his promise to get us back on the road. We were so lucky to have found Matt. I’m not sure if there was anybody else within miles who could have helped us like he did. 

A word about Grand Design: Grand Design is the manufacturer of our Imagine 22RBE travel trailer that we purchased new in March of 2019. When we sent the pictures showing the damage, I believe they were genuinely surprised. Kudos for them standing behind their product. They didn’t have to do that as the warranty had expired, but they did the right thing and paid to have the repairs done. They kept a loyal customer happy, and I would not hesitate to buy another Grand Design RV. I wish there were more companies like Grand Design.

Reflecting on our past few days, I am grateful for the experiences and the help we received. I am happy how things turned out, and still on schedule for our next destination. As a wise old traveler once said, good or bad—it’s all part of the journey. 

Until next time, happy days and safe travels.

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