This year we barely touched Indiana crossing from St Louis, Missouri to Louisville, Kentucky on I-64 but my GPS log says we did stop at the welcome center so at least our feet did touch the ground.
Our first pass through Indiana in 2006 followed Route 36 across the center of the state and our subsequent trips focused on the southern half. This time we took a slightly more northerly route stopping to see the Clegg Botanical Garden in Lafayette and the Minitrista Botanical Garden in Muncie.
Actually our primary purpose for this northern route was to see the Williamsport waterfall which is the highest in Indiana. Rather impressive for the flatlands of Indiana but very difficult to get any photographs from a lower vantage point. The kids get down to the pool below the falls but that takes more agility than I have. I also hope to get here again when there is a heavy rain and the falls are more than this small channel.
in 2009 we spent some almost incidental time passing through the state. We had time to go the slow route on the way from St Louis Missouri to Columbus, Ohio so we stopped overnight in Vincennes and Columbus, Indiana just meandering our way.
During our stay in Louisville, KY we made a few trips over to Jeffersonville which obviously is how I got the skyline pictures and I think at least one of the Gallopalooza horses was here. Not to be out done we also found the pig. After spending a month in the city we took a few days to relax camping at Indian Celina Lake, IN where we found these tiny mushrooms shown here with a dime for scale. John also took time to paddle the lakes before heading to St Louis.
In 2008 Indiana was back to just a pass through state. After visiting my sister in Bloomington, Illinois we shot down the interstate ditch with a quick overnight in New Castle and then on to Columbus, Ohio to visit doctors and friends.
In 2007 we started some rather aimless meanderings across Indiana and I don't remember the exact reasoning other than to stay off the interstate and see places we had never been. We were also doing a lot of camping and seriously considering trading the tent in for an RV. Other than a few items of general interest I've put views of Indianapolis, the Eiteljorg Museum, the Indianapolis Zoo, and the Indianapolis Botanical on seperate pages available through these links or the tabs above.
After our first rapid crossing of Indiana for a short stay at Hueston Woods State Park in Ohio, I was getting back into picture taking mode. Wandering back toward Indianapolis to check out some more trailer options we past Brookville lake shown here and along the Whitewater river. Although I'm not allowed to have whitewater fun anymore (another story for another place) it's still fun to look and dream. Adding to our bucket list there is a nice Railroad museum with excursion trips we need to check out in the future.
On our way up to Michigan from Ohio we stopped at the Back 40 Junction restraurant in Decatur, Indiana. It is just packed with these old rail era treasures inside and out.
With it's location just to the west of Ohio, Indiana has been primarily a transition state; a place to pass through rather than a destination in its own right. That said we explored parts of the state later in our travels, but starting out in 2006 we were still focused mostly on the destination and not the journey as we continue to fight that tendency even today.
Our original pass through Indiana in July followed US-36 which we picked up just north of Columbus, Ohio and intended to follow west as far as possible on our way to Washington. Getting off the interstate and onto the more interesting back roads was both to slow down and enjoy the country and lingering uncertainty on exactly how pulling the trailer was going to work out. The horse may not be spectacular but does represent a feeble start to stop and smell the roses.
The first overnight of our travels was at Turkey Run SP north west of Indianapolis in Parke County which claims to be the covered bridge capital of the world with some 31 available to visit. I really should take the time to get photographs of them but since covered bridges did not really excite me that remains on the bucket list.
We did stop at Billie Creek Villiage in Rockville both on the way west and on our return in October. The village has several buildings relocated from various parts of Parke County, three of the covered bridges, and this horse drawn wagon which makes a tour over each of them. The highlight of the tour is a stop at the farm house where the guide takes you inside for a fascinating description of how life was actually lived back in the "Good Old Days" and no you really really don't want to go back there.
The goat here was part of the exhibits. You can buy a small cup of seeds to feed them so they are very tame and mostly want to be in your face getting fed rather than lay back and be photogenic. I had to sneak around the other side of the barn to catch this lazy bones before she jumped up and came over. It was hot enough they would be still for just a little. The village also provides facilities to some of the 4H members who do not have room at home. Pigs may make nice house pets as we'll explain later but it's real hard to convince mom It followed me home can I keep it
.