Wade Mattingly

I was reading an article in today's Lexington Herald Leader. It was discussing bicycling in Lexington, KY and how there is so much going on for biking in the area. It served to remind me about how much fun the Legacy Trail has been for visitors in the last several months. The Trail opened in September of 2010. The trail winds from the YMCA on Loudon Ave and ends at the Lexington Horsepark.

I had read about the trail numerous times in the Lexington Herald Leader and decided I needed to take a look at this trail first hand. At the time I was running 5 miles or so every few days. When I saw the writeup in the paper I decided then and there that I was gonna do my mini-marathon there. I had only done a top run of 8 miles. But I knew I wanted to hit a milestone run and this was gonna be my place.

I trained for a month to get to the point I felt like I was ready. On that morning on the first of October 2010, I headed to the YMCA and parked my car. I saw the 2 mile marker right in front of me. FYI they are supposed to be bringing the trail from downtown out to the Loudon Y. Funds have made this a slow process.

After a brief moment of stretching (I think it's overrated) I took off on what would be a long trek. The path quickly wound past Lexmark International and steered me over a bridge that crossed over probably one of the heaviest traveled roads in Lexington, New Circle Road. As I pasted through this area I thought, "Man this is gonna be easy." I passed over a rustic bridge and headed up a hill. I was excited. This was gonna be a fun trip.

The worst part of this run was crossing over Newton Pike. I had to stop and wait several minutes for the light to change. It really messes up your MOJO. Little did I realize how it would haunt me later. I continued on my path and manuevered around several runners/walker. Each time it was enjoyable to say hello and pass on by.

There are two unique points within the trail where you get to pass through a tunnel that runs under a roadway. The first one crossed under Citation Rd. It was a quick detour off the main path that wound down a steep decent. However, it was extremely cool to feel the engineering that surround me as I passed through it. I mean, they had to create this "after" the road was built, right? The second amazing tunnel passes you from oneside of I-75 to the other. I mean really, that is a crap load of traffic passing overhead. It appeared as though there were lights in there. It was midday so nothing was on. I even saw tracks where vehicles had traveled. It was cool, but a little unnerving, I had to keep an eye over my shoulder to make sure none were coming.

What passed between those two tunnels was a beautiful stretch of flatlands that saw me pass a mother reading under a tree to her two kids. The shortly thereafter there was another parking point where you could enter the Legacy Trail. This area really gave you as sense of the beautiful Kentucky farmland that surrounds us. One drawback was being downwind of the sewage treatment plant. That was nasty.

After crossing under the I-75 tunnel, I was presented with an area that appeared allowed you to go either one of two ways. Fortunately, I was behind another runner and learned from his mistake that I should go left, not right. As I learned later, I wasn't the only one who had this issue arise. I saw a group on the other side of the fence on my way back looking at me as if to say, "yep, we were supposed to go left."

From this point, I crossed another long expanse of land that afforded me looks at the beautiful Kentucky Horsefarm prairies. There was another beautifully aged iron bridge on this path. I knew I was nearing the halfway point of my trek (8.1 miles) and would not be taking the full journey to the end. I was a bit sad to not see more of the beautiful TRAIL but glad to be turning around for my journey back home. I was at my halfway point.

Most of the rest of the trip back home was a journey of endurance, pain, and fortitude. It was fun to see the pastures from another viewpoint. The other trekkers were nice and the weather was wonderful. I would highly recommend this trail to homebodies and newbies alike. It was fun, challenging, and beautiful.

Oh yeah, the Newtown Pike crossing I mention earlier? Well, on my way back, I was less than 2 miles from completing my 13.1 mile journey. I just wanted to trudge through it and be done. But! I hit it...the four way stop and Newtown and Citation. When I stopped, I knew this was gonna be a nightmare. See, my muscles thought they were done. I mean we stopped, right? So when I had to fire it back up, they didn't agree with me. The last 1/2 mile was a nightmare that saw me running much like my grandpa would. At some point, I saw a snail pass me.

I did complete the full trek. It was exhilirating, memorable, and something I will revisit in the future. Keep in mind, this story is being written four months after it was completed. With crystal clarity. Yes, this trail will stick with you. BEAUTIFUL! Go to Legacy Trail for more information.

Clemens Heights/Clemens Grove Subdivision in Lexington, KY is a small
community on the south end of Fayette County Kentucky. The neighborhood has a surprisingly high variety of homes styles throughout the neighborhood. Homes here were first built in the mid to late 1970’s and the subdivision was finished out in the early to mid 1990’s. While this is an unusually long build out period, it has provided a varied and unique looking neighborhood.

Clemens Heights Subdivision is built on two sides of a hill. The top of the ridge has a road that runs across it and bisects the neighborhood, called Twain Ridge Dr. Clemens Drive is the road that serves as the main entry point to the neighborhood and intersects with Twain Ridge Dr. to form the nexus of the subdivision. It also has the most homes built on this main road. Clemens Heights can also be entered from Copper Run Subdivision by way of Calevares Dr. and through Wyndam Downs Subdivision by way of Twain Ridge Dr.

A popular floor plan during this time was the split level, bi-level, or split foyer (depending on how you like to state it) home. Traditionally when you enter these homes you have the option of either walking up the steps to the main floor or walking down the steps to the lower level which is usually partially below grade level. There are a few other floor plans on this side including ranches, tri-levels, and a maybe some 2 story homes. However, you find a higher number of homes built in the more modern and traditional floor plans like the 2 story homes with a traditional staircase connecting the first floor to the second floor, built in the 1990’s. There are also a few modern, contemporary houses that are VERY unique looking.

The effects of such a unique neighborhood in Clemens Heights Subdivision are reflected in both the active and sold prices for the last six months. Active listings for the area range from a 3bedroom 2 bath home that has 1,228 square feet for $124,900 to a 3 bedroom 2 full bath and 1 half bath that has 2,270 square feet for $184,500. There have been 7 homes to sell in the neighborhood in the last year. The low price of $87,000 was for a foreclosure that was a 3 bedroom 2 bath home on 1,416 square feet. This home was subsequently rehabbed and resold for $140,000. The highest selling comparable in the area was a 4 bedroom 3 full baths and 1 half bath on 3,023 square feet, which sold for $228,000.

Clemens Heights/Clemens Grove Subdivision in Lexington KY has become a very popular subdivision in the last few years because the price per square foot is below the traditional $100 per square foot of most areas of Southwest Lexington Ky. This has allowed do it yourselfers to come in and update this older neighborhood and improve the value of homes. If you are looking for a quaint little community that is close to a lot of churches, restaurants, shopping, and parks; this is a place worth spending an afternoon viewing homes.

Plantation Subdivision in Lexington, KY is a small community on the south end of Fayette County Kentucky. The neighborhood has a surprisingly high variety of homes styles throughout the neighborhood. Homes here were first built in the mid to late 1970’s and the subdivision was finished out in the early to mid 1990’s. While this is an unusually long build out period, it has provided a varied and unique looking neighborhood.

Plantation Subdivision is built in a circular pattern with the main road bisecting the neighborhood into two fairly unique areas. Forsythe Drive is the road that encircles the bulk of the neighborhood. It also has the most homes built on this main road. Gladman Way is the road that bisects Forsythe and is the only road the enters or exits the neighborhood. The lower half appears to be the original starting point for homes being built in the neighborhood. Most of these homes were built in the late 1970’s, starting around 1976. A popular floor plan during this time was the split level, bi-level, or split foyer (depending on how you like to state it) home. Traditionally when you enter these homes you have the option of either walking up the steps to the main floor or walking down the steps to the lower level which is usually partially below grade level. There are a few other floor plans on this side including ranches, tri-levels, and a maybe one or two 2 story homes. The upper half is a mix of anything built from the 1970’s to the 1990’s. As you would expect you find a number of the homes in the split level floor plans. However, you find a high number of homes built in the more modern and traditional floor plans of the 1990’s like the 2 story homes with a traditional staircase connecting the first floor to the second floor.

The effects of such a unique neighborhood in Plantation Subdivision are reflected in both the active and sold prices for the last six months. Active listings for the area range from a 3 bedroom 2 bath ranch on 1,805 square feet for $154,999 to a 4 bedroom 3 full bath and 1 half bath, 2 story home on a full basement with 3,114 square feet of living space for $249,900. There have been 5 homes to sell in the neighborhood in the last 6 months. The low price of $118,000 is somewhat of an anomaly in the fact that it was a dated interior and this is the first time the home has traded hands since 1977. This home has since been rehabbed and placed back on the market. It is currently pending. The highest selling comparable in the area was a 4 bedroom 2 full bath and 1 half bath, 2 story home on 2,438 square feet that sold for $230,000.

Plantation Subdivision in Lexington KY has become a very popular subdivision in the last few years because the price per square foot is below the traditional $100 per square foot of most areas of Southwest Lexington Ky. This has allowed do it yourselfers to come in and update this older neighborhood and improve the value of homes. If you are looking for a quaint little community that is close to a lot of churches, restaurants, shopping, and parks; this is a place worth spending an afternoon viewing homes.