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Discover the Rosstica Trail and you May Find Yourself
By Amanda Gilmore, Bridges Magazine
In the past year, Jim and Darlene Ross have become owners of a wine tasting room in downtown Ashland, Ky.; a Rowan County vineyard and winery; a lodge in Bath County; and an Irish road bowling course (more on what that is later). And that’s in their spare time from jobs as doctor and attorney, which they do, by the way, in Savannah, Georgia.
But, if there is any stress involved in running four new businesses while juggling fast-paced careers and family nearly 600 miles away, you wouldn’t know it from talking to Jim Ross. The enthusiastic emergency room physician, art collector and fledgling wine-maker excitedly talks about even more plans for the region of his native Kentucky that the couple has called home for more than 20 years. Their recent foray into the wine and hospitality arenas is just part of a larger vision to see the region become a destination known for its “cultural elegance.” The Rosses split their time between eastern Kentucky and Savannah, where Jim works with various hospitals and Darlene is with an historic downtown law firm. Their dream for the winery, lodge and hundreds of other attractions in the eastern half of Kentucky is essentially a mix of their two homes. They even have a name for it: The Rosstica Trail.