Countryside Food Rides: Jackson's Orchard (Bowling Green, KY)

Bike: KTM Super Duke R

The Pumpkin Festival at Jackson's Orchard is a staple of South Central Kentucky living. It takes place every weekend in October of every year. You don't have to talk about going or make plans with your friends to go -- you just go. It's the only time all year that I buy Apple Cider, and I look forward to it.

For me, Fall is all about watching football, enjoying the last few nice riding days of the year, and doing the Jackson's Orchard trip. Nailing all three in one day would make for a great day, so today's plan was pretty simple:

1) Watch some football with my buddy Brad.
2) Meet the family at Jackon's Orchard.
3) Ride home on some fun roads with my buddy Mark.

Combined with yesterday's ride, I reckon this was the perfect Fall weekend...

Still love a good fence row.

We called it 'Roller Coaster Road' on the school bus.

At first I thought it was hilarious to see the Wendy's Cheeseburger Tour at Buffalo Wild Wings. But after thinking about it for a few seconds it makes some sense -- you can't eat wings and drink beer while watching football at Wendy's!

BW3.

Behold the elusive Cleveland Browns fan! Rarely spotted outside of Ohio, this creature was still having a good day because the Browns hadn't played yet. [I can make fun of him because I'm a Dolphins fan. Same boat.]

Spicy Garlic Buffalitos.

VERDICT (B-Dubs): It's always a fine place to watch a game and eat some wings. But honestly, I haven't had the wings since I first tried the Buffalitos because Buffalitos are so awesome. It's like if Taco Bell made a Chicken Soft Taco with any BW3 sauce you want, except it's better than anything Taco Bell can do.

Jackson's Orchard sits on top of a big hill. A really big hill.

Headin' uphill.

It's Pumpkin Festival, so it's big crowds. Nobody knows how big because they don't track attendance.

Bike Parking I.

Pumpkins.

Jackson's Orchard & Nursery Inc.

Apple Cider on the left.

Apples.

More apples and stuff.

Still more apples.

Picnic lunch from the Hot Dog Cart featured a Hot Dog, a Jumbo Hot Dog, a Pork Burger, Potato Chips, and Sodas.

There's plenty of stuff for the kids to do.

Cool sky. There's a Hayride and a Corn Maze, too. I lost a kid in the Corn Maze one year. Terrifying, that.

There's Arts & Craft type stuff, too.

The line for the Caramel Apples & other good stuff can be pretty long...

...but the line out back is always shorter!

When I think about Jackon's Orchard, this is what I think about -- Caramel Apples!

Apple Cider Slush, slightly used.

Apple Cider Float! I can't even believe that's something that's real.

Happy Guests I.

Somebody stole my Apple Cider Float.

VERDICT (Pumpkin Festival): Good times, every time...

Happy Guests II.

Bike Parking II.

Headin' downhill.

I guess that's one way to do it.

The road that was paved yesterday is now striped, too.

Headin' home...

Route.

UPDATE (9/22/12): We might not make it to the Pumpkin Festival this year, but Jackson's Orchard is a great place for birthday parties and we attended one for a five-year-old one week before the festival starts. Kids do love the hayride, corn maze, the slide, the animals, the playground, etc...