Before we even rolled into Kentucky, we asked you guys what we absolutely had to do—and by a huge margin, you said bourbon. So we did what any reasonable vanlife-ish couple would do: we made three rules and immediately made it way harder on ourselves. Rule #1: hit all 18 distilleries and “stamp” our passport (spoiler: no passport books, so we’re collecting stickers/receipts). Rule #2: do it in under 48 hours. Rule #3: I (Hillary) drive after the first stop because safety first… while Bob does “just a few drinks.” Bob also debuted his new system: the BBR (Bob’s Bourbon Rating), and he’s only ranking the distillery experience—not the bourbon—because your favorite bourbon is still the best bourbon. We start early, chase a tight schedule in a cloudy, rainy, mucky Kentucky day, and bounce between big commercial campuses and smaller, more personal spots. Along the way we learn weirdly fascinating facts (sweet mash, red winter wheat, pot still production, extended aging), try to stay on time, and keep getting distracted by food. By the end of day one, we’ve knocked out nine stops, argued about rankings, and confirmed something we didn’t expect: even if you don’t do the full tours, the people and the vibe make the experience. Also, yes—Mr. Lemon is still rolling, and yes—this might have to be a two-parter because 18 distilleries is… a lot.