My time in Louisville was nothing short of amazing. It was only for 7 weeks, but I made the most of that short assignment. First of all, I worked with a group of really nice people who were a pleasure to meet and helped get me up to speed on the changes that have taken place in MFM over the years since my time away. Nothing in medicine stays the same and that is especially true in the world of ultrasound. This is the job where a really great sonographer who knew her way around scanning fetal hearts, helped me to improve my skills in this area. It was evident she loved to teach and was great at it – I told her I could totally see her as an applications specialist someday (this is a job where a person who is employed by the manufacturer of the ultrasound machine trains sonographers how to use the features of their newly purchased machine, in an effort to help them become more productive and to optimize their image). As luck would have it, she later became an apps specialist for one of the leading manufacturers of ultrasound machines on the market! Thanks to her giving me this foundation by sharing her knowledge with me, I to this day, consider her to be one of the key people I have met in travel work that has really upped my game and helped me to improve my skills to where they are today. (If she is reading this … thank you!)
I was in Louisville in the middle of a very hot and humid summer, so finding some water to cool off on my downtime, was essential. Three experiences come to mind when I think of how I accomplished this goal. The first involved taking a road trip about an hour east of Louisville to the town of Frankfort, KY. My companion and I took a historical river boat tour on the Kentucky River through Kentucky River Tours. We learned about the history of the river, bourbon and Daniel Boone. Afterward, we visited Daniel Boone’s grave site, which is located high above the Kentucky River, in the Frankfort Cemetery.
The second experience I had in the “summer of Louisville” was renting a kayak/paddleboard hybrid from Nachand Canoe and Kayak in nearby Prospect, KY. This was an excellent way to cool off on a hot day in the waters of Harrods Creek. If you are torn between whether to kayak or paddleboard as I often am, this was a fun way to do both. And having a seat on your standup paddleboard makes it easier to go from sitting to standing, without that same degree of instability that you are more likely to feel on a traditional SUP. I highly recommend this activity during the summer heat, while in the Louisville area. An added bonus of this location is that a walking trail is right nearby. I did not personally experience this, but figure it is worth mentioning for those who are fitness minded individuals looking for additional options for getting some exercise.
Lastly, on my final night in Louisville, which happened to be the same day of the Kentucky Derby that year, I took an evening paddlewheel cruise down the Ohio River on the Belle of Louisville. This day in Louisville is one that I will never forget, with all the hoopla and excitement in the air because of the Derby race earlier that day and then to be able to cap it off with a cruise on the river, made it especially special and a great way to celebrate the completion of my job assignment. The boat offered inside and outside seating, snacks and drinks available for purchase, a DJ playing some fun tunes for those interested in dancing the night away on the interior dance floor, and a beautiful skyline view, which is magical when lit up at night. The pedestrian bridge was a colorful sight to behold at night as well. This event may have marked the culmination of my time in Louisville, but is not the last of my fun ideas for this great city. In my next blog post, I will share some final remarks and recommendations for Louisville with some additional ideas for fun during any season of the year in this great city.
Your words are too kind – thanks for spreading your knowledge at each site you work with!