Ending 2016 at La Quinta California

12-19

Christmas this year, for us, will be in Los Angeles. We have reservations for six days at Playa Del Rey, just south of Santa Monica. On Christmas Day, we’ll meet Terry’s (sister)San Joaquin Valley kinfolks for dinner at Hollywood, along with her niece Kaylee, a student at Whittier College.

We’re planning a tentative itinerary for our LA visit and making a list of the attractions which we have not visited before.

12-27

Out visit to L. A. was just perfect. We enjoyed every minute of the experience, with sight-seeing, dining, shopping, and visiting. Visiting and Dinner with Terry’s sister and family at Universal Studios and City-Walk, was definitely a highlight.

Los Angeles is a city of interesting history, geography, geology, culture, economy, sports, education, and government. Our visit centered on the things that we had not previously experienced and we still only “scratched the surface”. It definitely is a destination that will keep you coming back! The city and county of Los Angeles, with legendary Hollywood northwest of downtown, the San Fernando Valley to the east, and the inviting beaches of Santa Monica and Malibu to the west, offer infinite views and attractions. Of course, the ever-present Pacific Ocean and beaches are stunning views.

My favorite discoveries were downtown, an incredible site of history, architecture, entertainment, dining, and sightseeing, which is often overlooked. Another favorite was our ramble along the coast to Malibu and then over to Simi Valley. Hollywood and Beverly Hills, with its historic film studios, beautiful buildings, homes, and landscapes was fun, however, we didn’t see any celebrities. Also, the Metro rail is a comfortable, inexpensive, and expeditious alternative to transportation around the city and county.

Thanks for the tips and suggestions from friends on fb! We researched all of these attractions before we went, so we knew the what, when, and where, in advance. We didn’t do it all but the following is a summary of what we did do and see;

Bradbury Building an architectural landmark in Downtown L. A.

Los Angeles Theatre an L. A. lavish landmark

The Cathedral of Saint Vibiana 1876 Cathedral, now an L. A. public historic site

Los Angeles City Hall 1928 the “Dragnet building”

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels the new Los Angeles Cathedral

Getty Center John Paul Getty-art center for L. A.

Little Tokyo downtown heart of the L.A. Japanese community

Old Farmers Market a Hollywood street-market landmark for “foodies”

Pueblo de Los Angeles Old L.A. town center

Olivera Street Historic downtown L.A. old district

Masonic Hall 1858 Now part of historic downtown

La Luz del Dia a real Mexican yummy food joint

Chinatown interesting items, shops and restaurants Downtown L. A.

Biltmore Hotel Downtown L. A. with stunning Lobby and Galleria

Grand Central Market Downtown L. A. with murid of food vendors, shops, and fun events. Mix of Cuisines and cultures. 

L. A National Cemetery U. S. National Cemetery with interments from Mexican-American War to present

Dodger Stadium Elysian Park home of the L. A. Dodgers, overlooks downtown L. A.

UCLA Campus second of 10 campuses in the UC System, nothing like visiting this inspiring campus

Runyon Canyon A walking-trails park in the Santa Monica Mountains, adjacent to Hollywood

Semi Valley and Regan Presidential Library sweeping views from the mountaintop

Malibu

Pepperdine University a private Church of Christ affiliate university, magnificent campus

King C Gillette Ranch on Malibu Creek in the Santa Rosa Mountains, the “razor man’s” ranch, now a popular park

San Fernando Valley/Hollywood/Universal CityWalk north of L.A. Basin, circled by mountains

Mission San Fernando Rey de Espana 1797 Mission, and now a Catholic “Chapel of ease” with a cemetery of famous people like Bob Hope.

Canter’s Delicatessen on Fairfax, open 24/7/365, with scrumptious eats

Farmers Market with curious vendors, restaurants, shops

Loyola Marymount University private Catholic university

The Apple Pan In West L. A. is a 50’s-style with great food and Model for “Johnny Rockets”.

Griffith Park A sunny day, beautiful park, and Daisy loved being walked there

Forest Lawn (a corporate complex of cemeteries) Cemetery adjacent to Griffith Park

Hollywood Memorial Cemetery One of the oldest cemeteries in L. A. with many famous dignitaries and stars

Happy New Year!!!!

Los Angeles Itinerary:

12-22 Thur. Playa Del Rey

12-23 Fri. Hop-on/Hop-off (Purple Route (Downtown LA))

12-24 Sat. Hop-on/Hop-off (Yellow Route (Beverly Hills/Santa Monica)) OR

Metro to Chinatown/Universal City-Walk/Hollywood

12-25 Sun. Drive Around and Dinner with Sister

12-26 Mon. Drive-Around; San Fernando Valley

Reagan Presidential Library off Madera Road

Mission San Fernando Rey de Espana

12-27 Tue. Pomona/Riverside

We finish 2016 with work in the Kiosk, with our fellow-hosts. We have six couples that we share the work with. They come from a multiplicity of places;

Brandon and Kelly from Iowa

Dick and Devera from Montana

Dave and Zara from Pennsylvania

Bob and Pattie from Redding California

Gordon and Connie from Alberta Canada

It has been a terrific 2016, with lots of highlights, with new people, places, and things. We wish all our family and friends a very Happy 2017! 

Travel to Southern California and our winter quarters at Lake Cahuilla

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Spending a few weeks in Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Valley has been very agreeable and relaxing. We enjoyed showing my sister Rose around and we also enjoyed some nice visits with Terry’s cousins and families. We liked visiting Ethel M’s Garden and Chocolatiers, Red Rocks Park and the west Las Vegas area. We also had some good visits with Aunt Pat around North Las Vegas.

The weather has been beautiful, with warm days and cool nights. We spent our first week at Samstown RV Park, which was a good location for the Strip and Downtown. It’s always fun to cruise the Strip and Downtown and discover what attractions and amusements are taking place.

Our next two weeks were at the Clark County Shooting Complex RV campground, where we lived and worked the winter of 2014. This is situated on the north end of the valley, on Sheep Mountain, overlooking Las Vegas. It’s a scenic location with easy access to the North Las Vegas area. While here, we enjoyed some nice visits, and dining with Aunt Pat and her family. Veronica hosted an outstanding Birthday party for Aunt Pat and we all celebrated Aunt Pat’s birthday with scrumptious food and pleasant fellowship.

11-12-16 Saturday

We traveled from Las Vegas to La Quinta today. My favorite part was the Mojave Desert, on California 247, from Barstow to Yucca Valley. Up and down the mountains, across the Lucerne, Johnson, Yucca and Morongo Valleys, discovering some incredible natural wonders. Astounding, are the boulder fields just northwest of Yucca Valley. and skirting the north side of the San Bernardino Mountains. San Bernardino, the largest county in the United States, is larger than each of the nine smallest US states, and larger than the four smallest states combined, and provides a lot of fine sight-seeing!

Some California Historical Characters and memorials we plan to investigate;

Cabrillo (1542) Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo became the first European to explore California, landed at San Diego, discovered Catalina Islands, sites of San Pedro and Santa Monica and Santa Barbara Channel Islands

Drake (1579) Sir Francis Drake landed north of San Francisco Bay, claimed the territory for England

(1669) Gaspar de Portolb, governor of the Californias, led an expedition up the Pacific coast, established California's first mission on San Diego Bay

Vizcaino 1593 Sebastián Vizcaíno cruised the California Coast and attempted to establish a Spanish Colony at Santa Cruz.

Junipero Serra in 1768 he founded nine of the 21 Missions of Alta California

Jose de Galvez attributed as Spain’s motivator for expansion into Alta California and also Spain’s reason for abandoning it.  

1826 Jedediah Strong Smith and other trappers made the first US overland trip to California.

California has a very interesting history and we enjoy reading, exploring, and visiting the respective monuments and markers.

A More detailed California history timeline:

1542 Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese explorer employed by Spain, explored San Diego Bay.

1579 Francis Drake, an English sea captain, sailed along the coast and claimed California for England.

1602 Sebastián Vizcaíno named many landmarks along the coast, and urged that Spain colonize California.

1697 The Spaniards began establishing missions and other settlements in Baja (Lower) California.

1769 Captain Gaspar de Portolá, Governor of Baja California, led an expedition that established the first presidio (military fort) at San Diego. Father Junípero Serra established San Diego de Alcalá, the first mission in California.

1770 Gaspar established a presidio at Monterey.

1776 A group of Spanish settlers from New Spain (Mexico) reached the site of what is now San Francisco.

1796 The Otter, the first American sailing vessel to reach the coast from the East, appeared in California waters.

1812 Russian fur traders established Fort Ross on the northern California coast.

1821 New Spain won its independence from Spain.

1822 California became part of New Spain.

1826 Jedediah Strong Smith, a trapper, became the first American explorer to reach California by land.

1841 The Bidwell-Bartleson party became the first organized group of American settlers to travel to California by land.

1846 American rebels raised the "Bear" flag of the California Republic over Sonoma. U.S. forces conquered California during the Mexican War.

1848 James W. Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's mill. Mexico gave California to the United States by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

1849 The Gold Rush began.

1850, September 9 California became the 31st state.

1869 The Central Pacific, the first railroad across the Sierra Nevada, was completed.

1906 An earthquake and fire destroyed much of San Francisco.

1907 The first commercial film made in California, The Count of Monte Cristo, was completed near Los Angeles.

1915 International expositions at San Diego and San Francisco marked the opening of the Panama Canal.

1945 The United Nations charter was adopted at the San Francisco Conference.

1960 The legislature provided funds for a project to distribute excess water from the northern mountains to coastal cities and southern California.

1963 California became the state with the largest population in the United States.

1964 The nation's first major college demonstration occurred at the University of California, Berkeley.

1965 Rioting broke out in the Watts section of Los Angeles.

1971 An earthquake shook Los Angeles area, killing 64 people and causing more than $500 million worth of damage.

We plan to drive over to San Diego for a visit, and these are some of the sights and attractions that we have planned. Some are revisits and some are new to us.

Any suggestions?

San Diego points of interest:

Old Town

Balboa Park

USS Midway

Seaport Village

Cabrillo National Monument

Mission San Diego de Alcala

Presidio Park

Point Loma Lighthouse

Hotel Del Coronado

Star of India

Embarcadero

Dana Point

Sunday 12-4-16

San Diego trip:

We decided to take a five-day trip to San Diego and visit the sights, do some dining, and shopping. Traveling from La Quinta to San Diego, we missed the Moreno Valley Freeway (my mistake), so we continued on the I-10 San Bernardino Freeway to the 215 and south to the I-15, experiencing heavy traffic, especially for a Sunday morning. (I’m no longer allowed to question the GPS or Terry’s navigation directions!)

We consistently stayed right with our long rig and just watched the races in the left lanes!

Making our way on down to Lakeside, we took our RV site at the Rancho Los Coches Resort RV Park, a very nice resort, tucked into a small canyon, with beautiful facilities, landscaping, and surroundings, and providing easy access to downtown San Diego via I-8. The canyon was first occupied by Conejos, Native Americans who left behind metates and manos, still seen in the rocks along the creek. Rancho Los Coches Resort RV Park is situated on the old Mission San Diego land grant and a subsequent Mexican land grant, the smallest Mexican land grant made by Governor Manuel Micheltorena . Artifacts and structures from this small Apolinaria Lorenzana land grant still remain. Later on, Jesse Wilber Ames, a seaman from New England came around the Horn and established a grist mill here, a site that later became a stage station on the Butterfield Stage Route.

Lakeside is now a “cowboy town” with a large rodeo arena at the foot of El Cajon Mountain. We highly recommend the RV Park and Lakeside for a quiet, scenic haven, when visiting San Diego.

The San Diego Trolley Tour was terrific, with an outstanding guide and loads of sights. Some revisited places and some new places, all with very interesting and entertaining opportunities AND fantastic weather. It was a good "overview" tour and it was so accommodating and relaxing. Parking is free in "Old Town" and an excellent location to pass some time before and after the Trolley Tour. Now, we have some ride-up(light rail), drive-up, and walk-up sights to visit in the next few days. Lov'in San Diego, the people, places, and things!

Friar Junípero Serra, the Spanish priest and friar of the Franciscan Order, who founded a (1769) mission in Baja California and the first nine of 21 Spanish missions in California from San Diego to San Francisco, had an outstanding success in California. I had a posthumous visit with Father Serra and his most important advice was; "don't believe any government promises"! The joke, of course, was, after all the land-grant Missions developed California, it all got taken away (the secularization ("disestablishment")) by the Mexican government.

We saw the home of the San Diego Padres and the San Diego Chargers. The Padres, Petco Park was our favorite, a beautiful ball park. The Chargers, Qualcomm Stadium is a huge concrete bowl on the outside, but it’s a well-designed interior and has its own light rail station. The current argument concerns a possible Chargers move to L A.

It’s somehow strange to me, when an NFL team moves to another city.

We had a (lunch) (Filippi's Pizza Grotto) pizza from a stone, wood-fired oven. Half Margarita, half "works", OH so good! Jim Simmons, they had a huge sausage offering, a whole case of all sorts of Italian sausages. Check it out at San Diego's "Little Italy"!

Off the beaten path, on a beaten path! From Point Loma, along the well-worn trails, we get a view of the Pacific Ocean on the west, a view of Point Loma Submarine Base/Naval Air Station and San Diego on the east, and north the Rosecrans National Cemetery and the San Diego River, with south the Cabrillo National Monument and Point Loma Lighthouse, with nothing but the sound of wind, waves and barking Sea Lions and Seals. Point Loma is where Cabrillo landed, and California began.

It’s all laid out before us, on a beautiful day, in a silent-state, from this awesome overlook! Gottta love San Diego!

Wed.

Spent today using the San Diego light-rail. It goes most everywhere and it's fast and cheap. No parking fees, no traffic jams. The rail lines traverse the inland canyons and hills, connecting to downtown San Diego. We enjoyed seeing the neighborhoods and communities along the routes. It was cool but sunny today. Casa Guadalajara in Old Town is really good Mexican.

At Seaport Village my favorites were the USS Midway and the Star of India. Also, two really cool Chinese ships were in port.

We have done more than most in the last several days but San Diego has a lot more to do and see, next time!

We decided to make a circuitous route on our San Diego trip, so we returned via I-8 east, over to El Centro, in the Imperial Valley. This portion of I-8 has very interesting scenery, geography, and geology. Traversing the Cuyamaca Mountains, the routes ups and downs, cross four, 4000-foot-plus summits and some spectacular, towering bridges, three Indian Reservations and then plunges 4,000 feet, over 11 miles, into the Imperial Valley.

After lunch at El Centro, we headed up to La Quinta on CA 86, past Speckels Sugar, Salton Sea, and the Mecca Medjool Date farms.

At Spreckels Sugar, in Brawley, we see a mountain of raw sugar piled high, outside, next to the plant, reminding us of the Spreckles cultural contributions in San Diego. . This Imperial Valley plant is one of the worldwide sugar operations of the Spreckles company.

John Diedrich Spreckels (August 16, 1853 – June 7, 1926), the son of German-American industrialist Claus Spreckels, founded a transportation and real estate empire in San Diego, California, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The entrepreneur's many business ventures included the Hotel del Coronado and the San Diego and Arizona Railway, both of which are credited with helping San Diego develop into a major commercial center.

Spreckels contributed to the cultural life of the city by building the Spreckels Theatre, the first modern commercial playhouse west of the Mississippi. He gave generously to the fund to build the 1915 Panama-California Exposition and, together with his brother Adolph B. Spreckels, donated the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park to the people of San Diego just before the opening of the Exposition. Spreckels paid the salaries of a resident organ tuner and of the organist for many years, providing free daily organ concerts.

Spreckels died in San Diego on June 7, 1926. His biographer, Austin Adams, called him "one of America's few great Empire Builders who invested millions to turn a struggling, bankrupt village into the beautiful and cosmopolitan city San Diego is today."

The Salton Sea, a 15X39-mile, below- sea-level Lake, is a beautiful blue gem in the desert valley, but rapidly becoming a polluted salt lake, due to evaporation and agricultural run-off. In the 1960’s the lake was a playground for boaters and swimmers from L A and surrounding areas but it slowly lost its appeal. Currently the lake is more salty than the Pacific Ocean but less salty than the Great Salt Lake. Its shores remain a winter destination for people seeking the warm, sunny winter weather, they just don’t swim anymore.

On the north end of the lake, huge acreages of dates are seen, growing in the sun, watered by drip-irrigation water, from the Colorado River, via a 132-mile canal. My favorite is the tender, sweet Medjool, a large. dark fruit, with chewy consistency.

Entering the Coachella Valley and Lake Cahuilla in late afternoon, as the sun is setting, and the Little San Bernardino Mountains are purple with shadows, we return to our site at the lake, glad we made our San Diego trip. 

Fall 2016 Rocky Mountains and Traveling with Rose

Second week of October with Diane and Dave at Woodland Park, on Ute Pass, on the north slope of Pikes Peak.

I wrote this poem for the Scarecrow that we constructed at Dave and Diane’s;

As we were visiting in Woodland Park

We encountered the Sun Valley Scarecrow stark

We inquired, if he ever tired of standing staring

The Scarecrow replied, I never tire of the joy of scaring

Stuffed with straw, wearing old pants and shirt

He guards the field to protect the dirt

He stands for hours, under the sun

And fights a war without a gun

He’s one of a kind, that’s what we know

A scarecrow on the outside, but inside aglow

He’s happy in the yard all day

Just chasing the hungry birds away

10-11-16 traveling with Sister Rose

We met Rose at DIA in Denver and spent two days with Dave and Diane at Woodland Park. Together, we made a day-trip to Cripple Creek and enjoyed the “Fall colors”, Mining Museum, lunch, and the open-mine overlook.

After a very pleasant and relaxing visit with friends, Diane and Dave, we headed west and visited the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Beneath a grassy mountain valley in central Colorado lies one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. Petrified redwood stumps up to 14 feet wide and thousands of detailed fossils of insects and plants reveal the story of a very different, prehistoric Colorado. Located on Ute Pass, this high mountain park seems like a very unlikely location for an ancient wetlands, and an even more astounding story of how it was raised up to thousands of feet above sea level.

Continuing to Buena Vista, in the Upper Arkansas River Valley, we saw Pronghorn, Buffalo, Hawks, and Deer, but no Elk. In the Arkansas Valley, the snow-capped Collegiate Peaks rise abruptly from the valley floor, in towering rows. We enjoyed two days in the Arkansas Valley, on the Arkansas River, at the foot of the Collegiate Peaks, in the Sawatch Range. Buena Vista, “Beautiful View”, certainly lives up to its name!

Next, we headed to Salida, situated on the Arkansas River, just west of the Sawatch Range and north of the Sangre De Cristo Range, for a little shopping.

Leaving Salida, we followed US 50, from the Arkansas River Valley, over Monarch Pass (11,365ft) to the Gunnison River headwaters. Around Gunnison we saw a herd of Yak, a most unexpected discovery. We took a campsite at Gunnison, an RV Park run by an Ole Miss Alumni.

Next day, we followed the Gunnison River to Montrose for a visit to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, a stunning sight. Black Canyon of the Gunnison exposes you to some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and craggiest spires in North America. An awesome park to visit, with terrific trails, towering overlooks, and abundant wildlife.

On Saturday evening, we caught the LSU vs USM football game on the SECN network, at the Montrose R&R Sports Bar. Spending a couple of days in Montrose, we learned about the Gunnison Tunnel, which irrigates the upper Uncompahgre Valley, while enjoying the sights of the San Juan Mountains to the south, and the Uncompahgre River, which joins the Gunnison at Delta. Irrigation is a fascinating study in the western States, employing a variety of methods, using surface and sub-surface water sources. The most interesting to me is the use of surface water, utilizing gravity to irrigate millions of acres of agricultural land. Very fascinating stories and history in the development of these systems!  

10-17-16

Today, we cruise over to Delta and then Grand Junction, for a visit and lunch with my friend Monty. We saw the confluence of the Uncompahgre River with the Gunnison River at Delta, Colorado. Delta, located at the river delta, is a town of beautiful murals, prolific fruit orchards, and old pioneer buildings, a unique spot on the Western Slope of Colorado.

We spent several days at Grand Junction, Colorado, located at the junction of the Gunnison and Colorado Rivers. GJ is the largest town on the Western Slope and is home to the Colorado National Monument, and Grand Mesa, one of the world’s largest flat-topped mountains. The Grand Valley, taken from the early name of the Colorado River, is a garden-spot for agriculture and ranching.

We had a pleasurable lunch-visit with Monty and caught-up on our news and old recollections. Monte and I worked together in Denver. It’s nice to see old friends!

Next day, we headed on down the Colorado River to Moab, Utah. Taking the UT 128, “River Road”, the steep, narrow, gorge, with towering sandstone walls, and spectacular rock formations, we picnicked at Dewey Bridge and took a campsite at Moab.

Our next day, visit to the erosions of Arches National Park, as always, brought new and exciting views of contrasting colors ,landforms and textures, massive arches, towering spires, soaring pinnacles, massive fins, and giant balanced rocks. On the 28-mile driving tour, we picnicked, took photos, and enjoyed the spectacular sights.

Leaving Moab, we decided to cross the San Rafael Swell, between Green River and Salina, making our way to Cedar City, Utah. The Swell is situated along a 110-mile stretch of I-70 with no services, so fuel-up in advance! The swell is a huge anticline, exposing very old rock. Subsequent erosion by powerful flash floods and wind, have eroded the sedimentary rocks into numerous valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas and buttes. These "basement" rocks below the present-day Swell moved upwards relative to the surrounding areas and caused the overlying sedimentary rocks to fold into a dome-like shape called an anticline. The elevation of the swell reaches 8500 feet according to my altimeter. It’s an astounding geographical wonder and should be a National Monument.

After a long day, we stopped off at a Salina RV Park for a good night’s rest.

Next day, we cruised on down to Cedar City, Utah for a couple of days camping and exploring. In the morning, we drove up to Cedar Breaks National Monument for sightseeing and a picnic lunch. At 10-thousand feet, Cedar Breaks National Monument, looks down into the brilliant colors or colorful, half-mile deep, geologic amphitheater, on the edge of the Grand Staircase, of the Colorado Plateau. With a brisk, cold wind, we didn’t linger too long but it’s a special place!

Our next attraction is Zion National Park, so we took a campsite at Springdale, on the Virgin River, at the mouth of Zion Canyon. With towering sandstone walls surrounding us, we can watch the constant changes of light and shadow on the sandstone walls of the canyon. Daisy also likes the walk along the river!

With free shuttles in Springdale and Zion National Park, we could move around the area, so I enjoyed the break from driving. We took the shuttle tour of Zion National Park, made some pictures at selected stops, and enjoyed a picnic lunch at the Temple of Sinawava, at the head of the canyon. Also, I must complement the Visitor Centers at all the parks, especially for the informative overview videos. Zion is an awesome place!

After a couple of days at Zion, we headed down the wild and scenic, Virgin River to Las Vegas. From Zion National Park, the Virgin River flows SW across SW Utah, NW Arizona and southern Nevada, to the Colorado River and Lake Mead, just south of Las Vegas. My favorite section of the river is the I-70 route, through the Virgin River Gorge in NW Arizona.

In Las Vegas, we took a very accommodating campsite at Samstown Casino and RV Park on Boulder Highway. We enjoyed the remainder of our visit with Rose, by exploring around Las Vegas, and visiting Terry’s kin.

Our visit to Red Rocks canyon was loads of fun. The conservation area showcases a set of large, 3000-foot-high, red rock formations: a set of sandstone peaks and walls called the Keystone Thrust. Red Rock Canyon features a one-way, 13-mile scenic drive, a Visitor Center offering information and interpretation about recreation opportunities, hiking and trails, wildlife, vegetation, geology, cultural resources and terrific views. The facility also offers a book and gift store. Additionally, the Visitor Center maintains an informative desert garden of native plants. We have been so fortunate to see the beautiful “Fall colors” on our entire travels with Rose!

Traveling from our summer assignment in Indiana to our winter assignment in southern California, I had a complete revelation of John Charles Fremont’s statement: “the breast expands when, upon some far-away hilltop, the eye ranges over a broad expanse of country or in the face of the Pacific Ocean, we do not value enough the effect of space for the eye; it reacts on the mind, which unconsciously expands to larger limits and freer range of thought”. Wide-open spaces are good-medicine for us all!

November 2, 2016

Sadly, we had to say goodbye to Rose and drop her at the Las Vegas Airport, ending her nice visit with us. We plan to stay another week or so before we head to our winter quarters in Southern California. 

Indiana Summer/ Colorado Fall

Our last weekend in July with Glen and Kim, we had dinner with Bill and Amy on Friday, visited the Jackson County Fair on Saturday and Joe Huber’s Farm on Sunday.

Friday evening, we met Bill and Amy for dinner in Scottsburg and enjoyed the evening together.

On Saturday, we drove to Brownstown and the Jackson County Fair. The Jackson County Fair truly has something for everyone! Located at the Fairgrounds in scenic Brownstown, Indiana, the Jackson County fair is one of the best county fairs we have ever experienced. It is an outstanding County Fair with exceptional participation from the schools, churches, businesses, and communities. My favorites were the “largest pig”, garden exhibition, old farm tractors, and the IDNR exhibit.

On Sunday, we had lunch at Joe Huber’s Farm, in Starlight, a homey, scrumptious, comfort-food restaurant on a farmstead, with pick-your-own produce, farm market & gift shop. We had fun exploring the farm and winery.

We crossed the East Fork of the Muscatatuck River near its confluence with the East fork of White River. The Muscatatuck is "bifurcate" (divided into two main segments) with both forks flowing roughly parallel toward the southwest. The Vernon Fork is the more westerly of the two while the other branch is known as the East Fork of the Muscatatuck.

New Pekin claims the distinction of the oldest consecutive Independence Day celebration in the US. On the Blue River, it was an early stage stop between New Albany and Salem. At New Pekin, the 73rd Indiana Volunteers captured some of "Morgan's Raid" Confederate soldiers but did not inhibit the raid. It also suffered an EF4 tornado in 2012, with the effects still clearly visible.

In the Borden Valley, Borden was founded in 1816 by Rhode Islander John Borden, who made his fortune in the Leadville, Colorado silver mines. His mansion overlooks the valley, town and the Borden Institute, which he also founded. An all-around distinguished citizen and philanthropist.

We also enjoyed seeing Salem and Floyds Knobs, Indiana.

We also visited the 1812 Pigeon Roost Massacre SHS, near Henryville. After having read so much Indiana pioneer history, I was really glad we got to see it. Thanks Glen and Kim!

Henryville (1850) was named in honor of Colonel Henry Ferguson, who was once a colonel in the Pennsylvania militia. He purchased the land on which Henryville was established, and helped persuade Pennsylvania Railroad officials to run the line through his land in Clark County, Indiana.

Henryville is the birthplace of "Colonel" Harland Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, and home to Indiana's oldest state forest, Clark State Forest. It's all finger-lickin’ good!

8-1-16

Returning to Bloomington and Monroe Lake, we recommence work with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, for the month of August. The Bloomington population has recently, noticeably increased, due to the return of Indiana University students. Paynetown SRA is also experiencing more patronage from the returning students, grabbing some concluding lake-time before the culmination of summer.

Recently a camper asked, “at Paynetown SRA, where is Paynetown” ? Well, Paynetown was covered by the waters of Monroe Lake, Indiana’s largest lake, in 1965, following the completion of Paynetown State Recreation Area and Monroe Lake.

Located on the south shore is the 13-thousand-acre Charles C. Deem Wilderness Area, an outstanding hardwood forest of remoteness. My favorite hardwood is the Shagbark Hickory, remaining an essential tree, owing to its versatility.

8-31

Today ends our summer at Monroe Lake. The IDNR folks were terrific and we had a blast. Now, we’re looking forward to a few days in Cincinnati with Glen and Kim.

My list of suggestions for visiting Cincinnati:

William Howard Taft National Historic Dist.

2038 Auburn Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45219

Roebling Suspension Bridge Walk to KY

Ault Park trails

3600 Observatory Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45208

Mount Airy Forest

5083 Colerain Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45223

Spring Grove Cemetery

4521 Spring Grove Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45232

Carew Tower Observation Deck

441 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Krohn Conservatory

1501 Eden Park Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden

3400 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH 45220

Jack Cincinnati Casino

1000 Broadway St, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Age of Steamboat River Trade

Library

800 Vine St.

Great Views of Cincinnati

http://cincinnatiusa.com/article/5-spectacular-views-cincinnati-and-where-find-them

Devou Park

1344 Audubon Road

Covington, KY 41011

Eden Park

Eden Park Dr.

Cincinnati, OH

Free Stuff in Cincinnati

http://365cincinnati.com/guides/50-free-cheap-things-cincinnati-summer

Roebling Floodwall Mural Panels on E. Riverside Drive Covington KY

Main Strasse Village

George Rogers Clark Park

Sept. 9

We made a farewel visit to Bill and Amy in Madison and then drove up the Ohio River to Vevay. Glen had recommended crossing to the Kentucky side to see the Ark in Williamstown. It's the full-meal deal of a Noah’s Ark reproduction, but when I found out that they don’t have two of everything but do have a Zipline, plus a $40 ticket, we opted for exploring the old river towns. Sorry Noah!

At Rising Sun, it was like going back in time but they do have a Casino to bring you back into the present. In the 1830s, Rising Sun was a seasonal stop for hundreds of flatboats daily heading down the Ohio River. A relay cool visit!

Friday Sept 9

We drove on over to Cincinnati and met Glen and Kim at the Hamilton County Park.

We set us our campers and got ready to have some vacation fun!

Sat.

We stopped by Skyline Chili for a picture.

When I worked in Cincinnati, many years ago, I ate lots of 5-way chili. Today, I just reminisced about the good old days and took a picture. I did Operating System work for NCR computers and we ate many a late night meal at Skyline.

We spent most of the day around the riverfront. At Cincinnati's Eden Park, overlooking the Ohio River and Kentucky, we strolled the park and made some pictures. The Cincinnati Belle came steaming by as we sat on the stone wall, high above the river.

At Covington, Kentucky, opposite Cincinnati. These beautiful murals on the Covington river wall, depict the history of the area. Beautiful art work, each mural created by a different artist.

Cincinnati is loads of fun and we love sharing it with Glen and Kim. My favorites are: Roebling Suspension Bridge, Great American Ball Park, Paul Brown Stadium, terrific Cincinnati city and river views, Krohn Observatory, Covington Floodwall murals and George Rogers Clark Park.

Sun.

We enjoyed this visit today. We toured the Greek Revival home of former President William Howard Taft, on Cincinnati's Mount Auburn and found it most entertaining and educational. This Taft quote is so appropriate for today: "Individual Liberty cannot exist unless modified by respect for the rights of others and all obey the law."

What do you think about this?

It has been a terrific weekend in Cincy, enjoying the food, attractions, architecture, history, and beautiful parks.

Monday

Heading back to Seymour, we picnicked at the William Henry Harrison Tomb State Memorial, the final resting place of William Henry Harrison, ninth President of the United States; his wife Anna Harrison; and his son John Scott Harrison, Congressman and father of the twenty-third President, Benjamin Harrison. It is located on Brower Road approximately one-half mile west of U.S. Route 50 in North Bend, Ohio.

Close by is Shawnee Lookout, just west of the William Henry Harrison home and Memorial. The archaeologists believe that this prehistoric aboriginal settlement, along the Ohio River, dates back ten-thousand years. We could just feel the history of the area! There is a Hamilton County park encompassing the settlement where the archaeology work continues today. That's now on our visit-list!

We’re spending the remainder of our Indiana summer at Glen and Kim’s house, making dinners, helping around the house, shopping, and visiting.  

Thursday, September 15, 2016

It was both sad and exciting to leave Indiana and head to Colorado, after such a fine summer in Indiana.

Traveling from Seymour, Indiana to Colorado, our first day was moderate and brought us to St. Louis. Along the way, we reencountered the historic Wabash River, Erie Canal, and Lincoln’s old circuit riding haunts. We saw the old half-way tavern between Vincennes on the Wabash and St. Louis on the Mississippi. The stories those old places could tell!

We took a site near Kaskaskia, in a campground that we have used several times before. We experienced some heavy rain through the night and come morning we decided to continue west on I-70.

Friday, 9-16

Today, we encountered a rainstorm system that stretched from Kansas City back to St. Louis. We decided to take an RV site at Boonville, Missouri. Small towns never fail to surprise me; on the Missouri River, Boonville has a rich history. Its namesake is the Boone family but somehow the "e" got dropped. The community derives its name from Nathan and Daniel Morgan Boone, who were the sons of Daniel Boone and established their salt business near the community in the early 1800's by delivering the salt from salt licks to St. Louis.

It's also situated on the scenic Katy Trail, the longest rail-to-trails (240 Miles) in the country, following the Missouri River.

Saturday/Sunday 9-17/9-18

Continuing west on I-70 we experienced a beautiful sunny day, resting with a picnic lunch at Topeka, on the State Capital grounds. The Capital Building and grounds are beautifully landscaped and decorated. The highlights were the Capital Dome and a very large Burr Oak, covered with huge acorns.

At Fort Riley, the site was the first Capital of the Kansas Territory. 1853, Fort Riley was the home of the first US Army Calvary School and home of the “Buffalo Soldiers.

The afternoon was very warm, so we took a site at Milford Lake, USACE Curtis Park, just west of Junction City, opting for a two-day rest and relaxation.

Monday, September 19, 2016

Cruising west on I-70, we stopped off at Abilene, Kansas, to visit the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Home, and Mausoleum. We walked around the beautifully landscaped and ornamented grounds and enjoyed the shady, quiet experience of the place.

The next point of interest was the “Cathedral of the Plains” a Romanesque-style Roman Catholic parish church in Victoria, Kansas. It stands on high-ground, visible from miles around.

The afternoon drive became warm, se we took a campsite at the RV Park in Colby, Kansas, a nice, quiet retreat just of I-70.

Tuesday 9-20

"Six days on the road and we're making Golden home tonight"! We love it! Jefferson County Fairground, in Golden has a splendid campground at just under 6,000 feet elevation. We arrived in the very busy traffic of Denver and headed straight over to Jefferson County Fairground, on the west side. We're right on the new Denver light-rail, therefore, we can go anywhere in the region comfortably by rail, so we've decided to stay a week. NOW WE'RE READY TO PLAY TOURIST in the Mile High City!

We took a very nice camp site with a splendid view of the foothills, Front Range mountains, and Denver. Jefferson County Fairgrounds is very well maintained and managed, plus it’s situated very close to the RTD light rail station.

OK, here's the skinny! That Colorado State gold-domed Capital is covered with gold leaf, inside are Allen True's beautiful murals, and the 13th step is exactly one-mile high.

Terry and I enjoyed a morning latte at the Denver Union Station. The barista creates artistic masterpieces with every cup. Union Station is still the transportation hub of Denver but it’s history with an incredible makeover. Check out the Main Hall. Very nice! All light rail lines go to Union Station, meaning quick connections to anywhere in the Denver Metro area, including DIA.

Thur.

What a terrific first-day of Fall! Had to wear a jacket this morning, had a very enjoyable, reunion-lunch with Ted, and made some great plans for rambling the Colorado Mountains!

Denver has changed and grown so much since we lived here. We really like the light-rail transportation system and it's really being used very effectively by the people. Traffic and parking are so hectic, the rail is a terrific alternative to driving. Seniors can ride any RTD, on an all-day pass for $2.60. Forget driving and parking!

Fri.

Golden remains an old-west town and we enjoyed a relaxing morning visit.

Golden was the first Capital of the Colorado Territory and it still has that old-west look and feel. The big "M" on the mountain denotes the Colorado School of Mines. Just down the creek is Coors Brewing Company and the Jolly Rancher Candy Company.

Sat.

With a last minute check on my brakes, I noticed we needed pads, so I just replaced the calipers, pads, and rotors. Notice the chunk of firewood that was required to remove the left-rear rotor, the right-rear required a lawn timber that I drug out of a scrap pile. All the work was done behind a shopping center, adjacent to O'Riley's Auto Parts. Yep, I had to go over there twice for additional parts/material stuff. This meant two work days in Golden but now we now have brand new brakes. Now, we're ready for the high country and some early-season snow ball fights. Due to an early snow, some of the high mountain passes were under chain law, including Loveland Pass. It didn’t last long on the roadways.

Tuesday 27 September 2016

Today we departed Golden and headed to South Park. We were both exhilarated and disappointed along the route. Exhilarated by the breathtaking, golden Aspen groves and disappointed at not being able to find a campsite where we could hear the Elk bugle all night. From Conifer to Kenosha Pass we saw the most beautiful fall displays of Aspen that we have ever seen. We had intended to camp at 10,000-ft Kenosha Pass, but around noon, the place was literally jammed with leaf-peepers and campers like us. I knew the Elk were there and had we waited to 5/6pm, after the day-crowd departed, we would likely have found a campsite. With promising prospects, we cruised on down into South Park and enjoyed lunch at Fairplay City. Next we checked the Middle Fork of the South Platte River, and Fourmile Creek on the Weston Pass Road, along the S. Fork of the South Platte River. I talked to some people who had heard Elk early this morning and they also saw a Moose. They also informed me that the Tarryall Reservoir Road was very rough and Antero Reservoir was closed to camping. We did see some Pronghorn, but found no public-land campsite to accommodate our rig.

Continuing our search, we headed on down the Middle Fork of the South Platte River to Eleven Mile Canyon Reservoir. Here, we took a very accommodating site at the Eleven Mile State Park. Tonight, at 9,000-feet, we’re anxiously listening for the Elk.

Some FYI notes to friends:

Just south of Bailey, we passed the east portal of Roberts Tunnel. The early Romans built water transport tunnels but this one would have baffled Roman engineers. It’s almost as long as England’s Chunnel, transporting water from Lake Dillon, under the Continental Divide, into the North Fork of the South Platte River, which flows by Denver’s water intake. The two-unit project started at the west and east portal sites and met in the middle. Amazing stuff you see around our awesome country!

Aspen groves are clonal colonies of Aspen trees which begin from a single seedling and spread by root suckers, so consequently, each grove is unique with identical genetics. Wonder what would happen if a Kansas Aspen was integrated into a Colorado Aspen grove. Jayhawker goes Centennial!

Early hunters and trappers called Colorado’s high valleys or basins “parks”.

South Park is a high, flat, grassland valley or basin (1,000 square miles) at about 10,000 feet elevation, nestled between the Mosquito and Park Mountain Ranges. It is the largest and southernmost of three similarly named high altitude basins in the Front Range of Colorado, the others being North Park and Middle Park.

The Parks are unique, magical places with pure Colorado beauty. No wonder so many people are moving to Colorado! Note: If you decide to move to Colorado, they tax your retirement and the cost of living is high, so bring a bankroll!

Our 2016 Summer in Indiana; Our Work Assignment and our Indiana Experiences

May 2016

So far, the month of May, in southern Indiana, has been an immense experience, with Terry’s family, in the Ohio River Valley. We’ve had some terrific family get-togethers in Madison, Seymour, Columbus, Indianapolis and the southern Indiana area. Regardless of lots of rain, we have been impervious to the weather and have filled our time with loads of exciting adventures.

After lots of time in the western states, visiting historical sites, and reading historical accounts, we were reminded that the Ohio River Valley was once the “western frontier”, called the Old Northwest Territory. The past month has been an extraordinary assessment of some familiar and some new historical interpretations. I enjoyed a recent documentary on the frontier days of Kentucky, focusing mainly on the explorations of Daniel Boone and friends. This led me to read accounts of others like Simon Kenton, James Harrod, George Rogers Clark, and other frontiersmen.

Another surprising experience was a weekend with Glen and Kim in Indianapolis. We took our RV rigs to the Indiana State Fairground and set-up a base-camp for the weekend. The Fairground Exhibition Center was hosting a classic-car auction and we just happened to be right in the middle of the event. We have NEVER seen so many classic cars and trucks going on the auction block. We learned this is another sub-culture of hobbyists, restorers, and collectors, coming together to share their passion for “road art” and classic vehicles.

Our weekend was very entertaining, exploring Indianapolis.

June 2016

Our two-month, (June and August) assignment at Monroe Lake, involves working about 20-hrs/week, at the campground Kiosk, checking campers in/out of the 227-site campground.

A unique weekend came about when we assisted the IDNR with the International Bowhunting Organization Tournament completion at Fairfax SRA. It was a huge and very successful event for the State of Indiana and the IDNR. 

Notes on Monroe Lake Staff;

IDNR Property Manager Jim

Mgr. Corey

Visitor Center Karen/Rex

Activity Center Sara(IU Senior)/Jill(Naturalist)Hannah(Naturalist)

Main Gate Gary/David

CG Gate Donna/Michael/Kenny/Lakota

Security Andrew/Danny

Our summer residence at Monroe Lake is surrounded by rural southern Indiana farmland, producing the usual corn, soybeans, hay, and cattle. The land consists of rolling hills with steep hollows, so the best farmland is in the creek and river bottoms. The forests are predominately hardwood consisting of beautiful stands of Oak, Poplar, Walnut, Hickory, Sycamore, Maple, Ash, Elm, Beech, Persimmon, Paw Paw (Indiana Banana), and Cottonwood, providing food and cover for abundant wildlife.

Commonly, the hills have outcroppings of layered limestone which is used in a variety of applications. Old and new limestone quarries dot the countryside and many have become dangerous swim-holes, claiming lives, from drownings. The Bedford limestone belt is a region of solid limestone, producing high quality building material, which has and is being used in residential, commercial, public buildings and commemorative monuments.

The summer days are very enjoyable and the park is busy with people appreciating the outdoors. The weather can be hot and humid, adding to the attraction of Monroe Lake, largest lake in Indiana.

Our town is Bloomington, Indiana, home of the Indiana University campus. It’s a very impressive campus with stately “Indiana limestone” buildings, beautiful landscaping and a legendary academic and sports “Hoosier” tradition. The campus also facilitates entertaining and educational programs for the enjoyment of the community.

I have been very engaged in studying the history of Indiana as part of the “early northwest territory”. The area is loaded with historical sites, prominent in the struggle for control of the territory by the French, British, Indian, and American frontiersmen and pioneers.

Our exploration-visits to these curious sites has been rewarding:

Bedford Limestone Plant and Quarry

Salem and Beck’s Mill

Fort Vilonia

Columbus

Nashville

Brownstown

Washington State Forest

July 2016

After completing our June assignment at Monroe Lake, we returned to Glen and Kim’s for the first two weeks of July, enjoying their company, shopping, and reconnoitering Seymour.

7-15-16

We moved to Madison City Campground, on the Ohio River, for two days, in order to attend and assist in Bill’s retirement party. It was an enormous success and the food, fellowship, and comradery were an exceptional circumstance of enjoyment. We met and talked with numerous campers on the river and enjoyed watching the river “go by”. Madison has taken advantage of their mile-long river frontage and created a gorgeous, shady, landscaped river-walk, from the campground to the West end of town. The bridge over to Kentucky has a lofty, exhilarating, and scenic walkway across the Ohio River, which is very popular with tourists and locals. I walked over early Sunday morning in a dense fog, and with very low visibility, found the experience quite stimulating, concentrating on my other senses.

7-17-16

Now, we’re heading off on an Indiana “Bicentennial tour”. We have selected a circuitous route which intersects the most important historic centers of the state.

First we visited (1808) Harrison County’s Corydon, Indiana’s first State Capital, situated between the White and Wabash Rivers. This old settlement is well preserved and the site of much early history of the Indiana Territory. Taking a walking-tour, we explored an astounding collection of buildings and sites from the pioneer days. My favorites were the William Henry Harrison cabin, the old Indiana Masonic Grand Lodge, the old State House, and the “Constitution Elm”. Using your imagination, one can almost envision the pioneer people going about their business in the old State Capital. I could just picture the Grand Lodge Masons, discussing the issues and plans, concerning their new state.  

Next, we visited Vincennes, in Knox County, the first Indiana Territorial Capital, with its George Rogers Clark Memorial and old Cathedral St. Frances Xavier, on the banks of the Wabash River. We had a good afternoon rain but we persevered in our touring activities. This 1732 town was settled by the French trappers and traders from Canada, taken by the British, and then taken by the Americans. It played a major role in the process of US claim to the old Northwest Territory, creating Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

Just north, we encountered the (1809) “Ten O’clock Treaty Line, marking the southern line of the three-million-acre land acquisition negotiated with the Indians, by William Henry Harrison.

We traveled across huge agricultural farms of the Wabash Valley, verdant green forests, and through small, rural communities, with their churches, quick-stop/video stores, and bars. We picnicked at a small country church, under the shade of some large Maple trees, and enjoyed a quiet, restful lunch. Resuming our drive to Terre Haut, we observed large work-crews picking and loading melons in the fields.

Suddenly, a wide weather system approached from the northwest and the headwind rocked our rig and the ever-present corn and bean fields showed the underside of their leaves. Focusing on my driving, I noticed the battery alert Icon light on my instrument panel. With no noticeable problematic difficulty, we made it to O’Reilly Auto Parts in Terre Haute, where we diagnosed and replaced the voltage regulator. Just as I reinstalled the repaired alternator, a heavy rain came and we waited it out in town. Traveling from Vincennes, it’s obvious where Terre Haute got its name, as the town is on high ground, beside the Wabash River. Terre Haute, in Vigo County, is at the intersection of two major roadways: U.S. 40 from California to Maryland and US 41 from Copper Harbor, Michigan to Miami, Florida, so one can choose extreme destinations from here.

We drove around Terre Haute and visited the Masonic Temple, the Vigo County Courthouse, and Indiana State University.

The Classical Revival, Masonic Temple is governed by a Board selected from the six area Masonic Lodges. The building floors are used by the various area Blue Lodges and the York Rite Council, Chapter, and Commandery of Knights Templar.

The present Courthouse replaced the first, old brick building with the 1884 laying of the ten-thousand pound, Indiana limestone, corner-stone, by the freemasons. The architecture, landscaping, art, and furnishings of the elegant building are very impressive and pleasing to the eye.

Indiana State University’s main entrance, Fairbanks Hall and Dede Plaza are the focal points of campus and the landscaping is very impressive. The “Sycamores” have a long-range growth-plan for the University and because of the downtown location, development is spreading, and segmenting the campus. For example, the new football stadium is far from the current campus. With two other small colleges, Terre Haute certainly exhibits a college town persona.

Traveling on up the Wabash, we arrived at Lafayette, in Tippecanoe County, home of Purdue University, and obviously named for French General Lafayette, a significant aide to General George Washington and the Continental Army. Historic old Lafayette is situated on the east bank of the Wabash and Purdue University on the west bank. We made a late afternoon, early evening excursion around town and the Purdue campus. It was a very warm day but sundown and a light breeze brought a comfortable evening.

Purdue is a huge campus with much to see. Of course, we walked around the athletic complex and took a picture of Pete, the “Boilermaker”. My favorites were: old University Hall, Purdue Memorial Union, the Horticulture gardens, Cary Quad and Spitzer Court, and Purdue Pete the “Boilermaker”.

The old town, along the river, is an interesting collection of bars, restaurants, and shops, with the Tippecanoe County Courthouse as a centerpiece. The Courthouse is a stunning pastiche of architectural styles, the epitome of “county capitals”. Tippecanoe County’s name is derived from a Miami Indian term relating to “place of the fish-people”. The Tippecanoe River flows from Fort Wayne to its confluence with the Wabash, just upstream from Lafayette.

The “Battle of Tippecanoe” resulted in Governor William Henry Harrison’s army destroying Tecumseh’s headquarters, leading to the eventual defeat of Indian and British resistance, in the War of 1812. This (Tippecanoe) nickname was the source of the “Tippecanoe and Tyler too” slogan in Harrison’s presidential election of 1840. Unfortunately, William Henry Harrison died after serving only 32 days in office, the shortest Presidential service in US history. 

I really enjoyed seeing these historic places that I have read so much about!

It’s no surprise that so many historic sites would be found along the Wabash River, because it was a popular transportation route long before Europeans came on the scene. The Wabash takes it rise in Ohio and flows in a horseshoe or half-circle arc, across Indiana, to its confluence with the Ohio. Wabash is derived from an Indian word meaning “white”, undoubtedly related to the numerous white “sand bars” along the river banks.

Leaving Lafayette, we continued following the Wabash and crossed it several times on the route to Elkhart. At Delphi, we crossed the (1853) Wabash and Erie Canal, which connected the Great Lakes to the Ohio River at Evansville. Just north, we encountered the old Wilson Bridge, one of many historic bridges in Carroll County.

On US 31 in Fulton County, we discovered another curious and fascinating example of Indiana pioneer architecture, the “round Barn”. Round barns worked well for their purposes and they were easier and cheaper to build.  

At the confluence of the Eel and Wabash, in Logansport, we crossed the Wabash and Eel, heading north to Elkhart.

Logansport was settled circa 1826 and named for a half-Shawnee soldier named James Renick-Logan, better known as “Captain Logan” who served as a scout for U.S. forces in the surrounding area during the War of 1812. The entire block along the river is on the National Register of Historic Places. We should have explored a few hours in Logansport, however the mid-day heat was too oppressive.

We made it to Elkhart and setup at a very accommodating Elkhart RV Park, just in time for a refreshing rain storm. We plan to visit Notre Dame, Nexus RV Plant, and the RV Museum. We also resolved our truck alternator problem, thanks to O’Reilly Auto Parts.

The Notre Dame campus is under construction in every quarter, so it distracted from the views. Regardless, the experience of exploring around the famous campus was sensational. In the evening, it being summer break, the campus was quiet and almost deserted, so we toured at our leisure.

My favorites were the Basilica, Main Building-Golden Dome, Washington Hall on the Main Quadrangle (God Quad), St. Joseph Lake, St. Mary Lake, and of course, the Notre Dame Stadium, home of the "Fighting Irish". The stadium is undergoing MAJOR renovations. The Memorial Library was very impressive too. What a great treat, to see this historic old University!

Our visit to the NEXUS RV, factory-direct manufacturer in Elkhart, was a fascinating tour of how quality, custom, make-to-order RVs are manufactured for individual customers. You menu-order your options, the factory builds it, and you pick it up at the factory and drive away, realizing considerable savings. It was a cool tour!

The Elkhart RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum is all about the development of the Recreational Vehicle and Motor Home Industry from WW I to present. If you like RV’s, this is an incredible collection of camper and memorabilia dating back to the 1920’s. Very entertaining, informative, and nostalgic!

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Today, we broke camp at Elkhart and traveled to Indianapolis. Along the way, we traveled a portion of the Indiana Heritage Trail, a scenic, back-roads drive that provides glimpses, tastes, and handicrafts, of Amish life.

We crossed the headwaters of the Tippecanoe River, between Etna Green and Mentone.

Etna Green, a small town in Kosciusko County, is a quaint little town and home to a small Amish community.

Attwood, an old railroad town, was situated on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne, and Chicago railway. They’re still waiting for another train to come in!

Mentone is the self-proclaimed "Egg Basket of the Midwest" because of prolific commercial egg production in the area, and holds an Egg Festival annually in early June, to celebrate its heritage. A large concrete egg stands near the town center and is considered locally to be the "Largest Egg in the World". Now that's a unique claim-to-fame!

At Akron, we had lunch and walked the old village for a stretch-of-the-legs.

Chili, pronounced Chil-lye by the Hoosiers, is located on the banks of the Eel River, and is a popular water-recreation spot. They have canoe rentals and a shuttle service. It was hot today and the river was busy with paddlers.

Via the Wabash and Ohio rivers, Eel River waters flow to the Mississippi River and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico. Before the United States consolidated its hold on the Northwest Territory, the Eel formed a rough boundary between the Potawatomi tribe on the north and the Miami tribe on the south. Additionally, it was an area of competition between French and British colonial forces for decades before the American Revolution. It was also the scene of some serious battles between the Americans and the Indians, who were allied with the British. It is a beautiful and historic waterway and we enjoyed encountering it again on our way south.

At Indianapolis, we setup a camp at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, and explored around Indianapolis. It was appropriate to end our Indiana “Bicentennial ramble” at the Indiana State Capital. We visited around the artsy, picturesque, charming and bohemian neighborhoods, along Fall Creek, where one can find an assortment of fashionable, al fresco-dining, restaurants, bars, shops, and attractions. On Monday, we took a guided tour with Circle City Tours and enjoyed an enlightening, informative and historical tour of the city. My favorites were extensive;

·         Allison Mansion

·         Governor’s Mansion

·         Stokley Mansion

·         Indy Mortor Speedway

·         Lucas Oil Stadium

·         Indiana War Memorial

·         Downtown Indy

·         Scottish Rite Cathedral

·         The Eiteljorg Museum

·         White River Park

·         Indianapolis Zoo

·         Monument Circle

·         Indiana Central Canal

·         Indiana Cultural Trail

·         White River Gardens

·         Indiana State Capital

·         Indian State Museum

·         Indiana Convention Center

·         Indiana Repertory Theater

·         Christ Church Cathedral

·         NCAA Headquarters and Museum

·         American Legion Mall

·         Veterans Memorial Plaza

·         Victory Field

·         9-11 Memorial

·         Medal of Honor Memorial

·         IU/PUI

·         Butler University

Our favorites-list obviously touts the advantage of using a worthy professional tour service, maximizing time and tourist efforts. We like the overview tour-approach, followed by detail exploration of our favorites, on our own.

The Lilly and Allison Estate Gardens, along with several other projects, were designed and created by Jens Jensen. The architecture and landscaping around the city are stunning examples of the planning, designing, and construction of beautiful showplaces. An exceptional Capital City!

Indianapolis is a fine Capital City and loads of fun for tourists. We could revisit this city repeatedly, and still be excited to see it.

Some observations from around Indiana:

Like the American Elm, regardless of protection efforts, the Indiana Ash trees are becoming a thing of the past, as a result of the Emerald Ash Borer. We see dying and dead Ash trees everywhere we go in Indiana.

We were amazed at the huge agricultural production in the Wabash Valley. We observed the Melon harvest in progress and had to have a Vincennes melon.

We are very familiar with Robbins but have never heard the summer-singing repertoire that they’re performing in Indiana. In early morning and late evening, the woods are a symphony of “Robbin music”!

The Pioneer Village at Vigo County’s, Fowler Park is the most representative collection of authentic Pioneer log-cabins, and out-buildings that we’ve ever seen. Perusing the Pioneer Village is like going back in time. The park did a terrific job in locating, procuring, and moving these authentic structures to the park. If you like Pioneer Architecture, this is a must-see!

7-26-16

Concluding our “Indiana Bicentennial” tour, we arrived back at Seymour, to spend a few days with Glen and Kim, before we return to Monroe Lake’s, Paynetown SRA, for our August camp-host assignment. We’ll be working the Kiosk, an assignment that we’re very familiar with.