Monday night/morning: Louisville farm night with Margot's crew

After the lovely dinner with the Adams family, we made our way out to Margot's friend's family farm that is about 45 minutes away from Margot's house in the city. Not only were we looking forward to a fun night where we could hang out with Margot's friends and get to know them a bit, but the farm also provided us with a spacious area where we could all comfortably sleep. It was also a perfect way to really experience a classic night with Margot and her Louisville friends, because, as was explained to us, this was an epic spot for their circle of friends and the site of many crazy and monumental nights for them in the past.

Even the drive up to the farm was pretty eventful. After stopping for beer, we met a police roadblock on the road who were most likely looking for drunk drivers on Memorial Day. While we had nothing to hide, the cop who talked to us could somehow sense some degree of nervousness in the backseat when he looked in the back seat and claimed that Gina had a guilty look on her face. I personally didn't see it in her face, but it was not an issue because we had our resident southerner and Kentucky native Margot with us who promptly switched to her Southern demeanor and accent when speaking with the cop. After arriving at the farm we heard that the other car had an interesting encounter with the cops. The cop asked Bruno (who was driving) if he had had anything to drink, and Bruno, being the upstanding citizen that he is, admitted to drinking one beer with dinner. Unfortunately Bruno wasn't completely honest with the cop, he had actually had a Woodchuck Cider (from VERMONT!), not a beer, but we won't hold that against Bruno.

So we made it to the farm safely and we were instantly impressed with the layout of the cabin. We were told how Margot's friend Callie's father had built the cabin himself, which was just ridiculous because this cabin was no joke. Anyway, we put our stuff down and came downstairs and met all of Margot's friends, who were awesome hosts and were very friendly to our group of outsiders. After popping some champagne to celebrate college graduation for most in attendance, we did our best to get after to commemorate the occasion. Special thanks to Gina's Mom and Bruno's Mom who provided us with cookies and marshmellows, respectively, that definitely came in handy during the course of the night. It was a great night of Beirut/Beer Pong and generally festive drinking...and we even got to engage in a game of Civil War (Pong with teams and physical competition) with some Southerners (actually I think Kentucky was a border state, but whatever).

One of the highlights of the night was definitely a trip into the yard of the cabin where we got to climb onto the caboose. Yes, that's right, a caboose. Somehow Callie's family had used a crane to lift the caboose of a train into the yard of the property. It seems strange, but it was actually really cool. Especially when we got to climb on top of it and chill as we looked out across the Kentucky farm landscape. It was personally one of my highlights of the night. Chilling on this caboose with some of my best friends from College and our adopted Louisville friends, looking out onto silhouetted trees and what at the time looked like a full moon, but maybe my memory is hazy (it definitely is a little bit). Excuse that sentimental moment, but I just had to lay out the moment.

So we had a great night, except for the fact that the room we were staying in had no door knob. Which really isn't that big of a deal, it just freaked us out at the time. In spite of that, Danny was actually able to open the door in the morning using no hands (you can use your imagination as to how, or just ask Margot).

In any event, probably the true highlight of this part of our trip took place in the morning as most people were either cleaning up or trying to collect themselves after the fun-filled night. Danny, Bruno, and I headed out to an old trampoline that was set up in the yard not far from the caboose. Now trampolines are certainly not the safest things in the world, but this particular trampoline was extra hazardous for a couple reasons. First, it was set up on a fairly significant slant in the yard. Second, it was positioned right next to an electrical barb wire fence. Yes, that is correct, an electrical barb wire fence. Ok now back to the story. So Danny, Bruno, and I climbed onto the trampoline and started jumping around. We were having a great time, and then Danny climbed off. Not long after that, Bruno started jumping a bit out of control...

Things started to move in slow motion at this point. Bruno lost control and somehow jumped up (pretty high), and instead of landing back onto the trampoline, he was catapulted straight into the adjacent barbed wire (electrical!) fence. He was able to rotate his body in the air so as to not land face first into the fence, but he

could not avoid the inevitable. I was laying on the trampoline and Danny on the grass next to it watching the whole event unfold as Bruno landed square on the wire, ripping it from its post it was tied to. As this event slowly unfolded (it wasn't actually slow, it just seemed that way), there was definitely an element of nervousness and concern, because it looked brutal. As Bruno lay with is back on the wire, slightly convulsing as electrical current pulsed through his body from the fence, I was worried. Danny quickly pulled him up, and then, after realizing that he was at least conscious and from the outset, ok, I burst into laughter. I am actually having a hard time writing this right now because I am audibly laughing to myself recounting the event. As Bruno walked back to the cabin, people gasped at end result of the tumble, while I stood behind him laughing uncontrollably.

I kind of feel bad writing this, because he was left with some sizable cuts across his back and arms, but it was just so funny, especially considering Bruno's total lack of concern for his own injuries. In fact, he was laughing right along with me. People were trying to convince Bruno to get a tetanus shot because of his wounds, but all we could do was laugh because this scene was truly hilarious. Bruno probably thought it was funnier than anyone (except me). After the tumble and its aftermath, we headed back to Margot's so we could begin our tour of Louisville...

Matt