The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 15

Travel eisure Chinese adventure B2 Midwest Menu B3 Crossword B6 Sunday, Feb. 18, 1996 11 i WEIRD WONDERFUL AMERICA 1 llf -'fci Iky "Ji-. nr Plenty of horse sense LAURA BERGHEIM riving through the bluegrass landscape of I 1 Lexington, home to farms that bred 1 such superstars as Secretariat and Man O'War, you can almost hear the snort of the hors-' es and the stomp of their hooves. Pull into the ul-. timate equine attraction, the Kentucky Horse Park, and you enter a world where the best in show is par for the course, Within the park is The American Saddle Horse Museum, which honors a graceful, homegrown breed of riding horse.

Even non-horse-lovers will enjoy the collection's engaging displays, dramat-' ic multimedia presentation and fun interactive 'exhibits that explore the history and culture of hhe American Saddlebred. The American Saddle Horse Museum Address: 4093 Iron Works Pike, Lexington, KY 4051 1 Phone: (606) 259-2746 Directions: The museum is in the Kentucky Horse Park; from Interstate 75, take exit 120 for Iron Works Pike and follow signs. Hours: September to May, daily, 9 a.m. -5 p.m. (closed Monday and Tuesday, November to mid-March); Memorial Day-Labor Day, daily, 9 a.m.-6p.m.

Admission: Adults, seniors, children, $2. visited the Christ child. Mardi Gras, French for Fat Tuesday, is the single-day climax of the season. Promptly at midnight Tuesday the party ends and the mounted police clear the streets. In the 12 days prior to Mardi Gras more than 60 parades meander through the city streets and more than a million people line the parade routes fighting for throws trinkets tossed from the floats.

Later, many of these trinkets, particularly white, silver or gold beaded necklaces, worthless bits of plastic, are transformed into valuable commodities on Bourbon By DEREK BRIDGES Pantagraph staff It'll probably be a quiet, chilly Tuesday night in Central Illinois. Nothing special. Fat Tuesday isn't a legal holiday here. But if you get in your car and head south on Interstate 55, as far south as the interstate goes, then jump on Interstate 10 to New Orleans, it will be a vastly different story. There, it's not only a legal holiday, it's legalized madness.

It'll be Mardi Gras and the Pope won't be in attendance. Spot yourself a good 15-17 hours to make the drive and don't bank on Street. They're used to barter for, well, flesh. Drunken packs of men roam the street and throw these beads to women on balconies trying to coax them to expose their breasts. Many do.

Mardi Gras organizations are non-profit clubs called krewes and many are named after mythological figures such as Aphrodite, Eros, Hermes, Pegasus and Thor. Each krewe is completely autonomous and, refreshingly, no commercial or corporate sponsorships of Mardi Gras parades are permitted. Some of the older krewes veil See MARDI GRAS, Page B5 finding a hotel room anywhere near the French Quarter (hint: you might find a room near the airport). There's still time to get there and who needs sleep? Get together with a couple friends, take turns driving and sleeping. And when you get there, make sure you have a clear idea on a meeting place in case you and your party gets separated in the surging masses.

Carnival, loosely translated from Latin as farewell to flesh, is the season of merriment that starts in New Orleans each year on Jan. 6, the Twelfth Night Feast of the Epiphany the day the three kings i 3. llf i hi If you're not sure what American Saddlebreds are, it's not for lack of exposure. They're among the most common riding horses, bred for their easy, comfortable gait and beautifully proportioned figures. TV's Mr.

Ed was an American Saddlebred, as was Robert E. Lee's famous mount, Traveler, who charged into battle yet survived to grow old in peace. The horses of other Civil War generals were also Saddlebreds, including Ulysses S. Grant's Cincinnati, William Tecumseh Sherman's Lexington and Stonewall Jackson's beloved Little Sorrel. Their stories are told in the museum, which first traces the breed's bloodlines to a mixture of thoroughbred stock and early American horses descended from sturdy European breeds and native Narraganset mares.

The breed emerged in the mid-19th century as the most popular American horse, and was the first American breed to gain its own registry, when the American Saddlebred Horse Association was founded in 1891. See STORY, Page B4 ''Wit iiLr W.I AH. Costumes are the order of the day during Mardi Gras, above, as this reveler can keep his identity secret while enjoying the festivities. Photo at left shows people on balconies enjoying one of the more than 60 parades that occur during the days prior to Mardi Gras. The PantagraphDEHEK BRIDGES i HJLtt j-u "i wm mmjm mini' till 4 1 V-iikJ Hidden pleasures spice long, cold winter Round trip from Bloomington-Normal Airport.

Lowest available fares. This Last City Week Week Atlanta $258 $365 Chicago (O'Hare) $99 $99 Dallas $268 $369 Denver $318 $322 Detroit $194 $194 Los Angeles $348 $412 Miami $278 $395 Minneapolis $198 $283 Nashville $168 $273 New York (LaGuardia) $232 $232 Orlando $258 $364 Phoenix $385 $385 St. Louis $244 $244 San Francisco $328 $412 Seattle-Tacoma $388 $437 Washington, D.C. $196 $196 The above lares, provided by Uniglobe Champion Travel on Thursday, are subject to change without notice. Certain restrictions may apply.

Call CITYUNE'S Travel Line 829-9000, enter category 3610, sponsored exclusively by Uniglobe Champion Travel. A IS. sure to ask for one of the villas with a whirlpool. Packages (overnight accommodations, dinner and sleigh ride) start at $165 a person. Call (800) 729-9375.

How'd you like to slumber in the slammer? Here's your chance to break into a Minnesota jail the old Fillmore County Jail, built in 1869 and hosting unwilling guests through 1971. Now it has been transformed into a handsome bed and breakfast inn. However, the innkeepers have kept one room looking much like it did during the jail's heyday. One big difference. You have the keys.

And I'll bet that real prisoners did not have the walk-through shower leading to a double whirlpool tub, rocking chairs and other un-convict amenities. Breakfast comes with the See MIDWEST, Page B5 coupon book, (800) 289-6646. You don't have to experience a Rocky Mountain high to see herds of elk frolicking through a winter wonderland. Just point the minivan toward Thunder Bay Resort in Hillman, a northeastern Michigan lodge offering unique elk-watching sleigh rides. OK, so the tour is kind of rigged.

The resort's owners usually leave feed in the woods to lure elk. Later, visitors hop into a sleigh, which glides through the woods toward the feeding area for a peek (hopefully) at these wondrous animals. But even if you don't see any elk who cares? At the sleigh ride's halfway point, guests stop at a North Woods cabin to savor a five-course gourmet meal that includes champagne toasts and decadent desserts. Then you'll return to the lodge; make By BOB PUHALA Chicago Sun-Times Features Looking for a weekend getaway that delivers lots of bangs for its bucks? And you don't care whether those "bangs" are in the form of bargain prices, unique places or unusual things to do? Well, you can roam the Midwest during winter, scooping up wallet-warming deals, or discovering little-known activities that can transform doldrums. For a great family getaway, head to Indianapolis, which offers a special "Cold Cash" package of fun: one night at the Omni Severin Hotel Downtown; tickets to both the renowned Children's Museum of Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Zoo; and participation in the Omni's A-OK Kids Program (supervised fun and games), which includes gifts and souvenirs.

Cost is $131.90 for two adults and one child; additional kids are $7.40 each. Reservations are required, and you must mention the "Cold Cash" coupon package. Call (800) 556-4639. For other Hoosier state winter travel bargains that include everything from romantic weekend getaways at bed and breakfast inns to ski adventures with trail condo accommodations, call for an Indiana tourism "Cold Cash" misuse CITYLINE Champion Travel lntnt Informatlof.