Well, our trip to Southeast Indiana went well. Thank you to those who passed along thoughts and ideas.
Unfortunately, the best-laid plans are not always how things work out. With the extreme cold and unforgiving weather, we changed plans and improvised to an extent. Little to no hiking meant taking the Madison Historic Trolley Tour. What a great trip! I highly recommend this ride to get an overview of the city. We have been to Madison many times, and this tour gave us even more history and background on this very historic community. After the tour, we stopped at Hinkle’s Hamburger Shop, a longtime staple along Main Street. A good greasy spoon to try out.
Taking advantage of Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) winter accommodations is what drives our wandering in the winter season. We stayed at the Clifty Inn at Clifty Falls State Park and enjoyed the comfortable surroundings of the inn. Meals in the dining room and time spent in front of the warm fireplaces made for a nice, relaxing stay. We also spent a good amount of time playing Wingspan, an enjoyable board game that we take on trips with us. I highly suggest looking into this game, as well as the many other associated games in the series. It is fun to play while learning about birds found in many habitats.
The weekend started off with touring Ohio and Switzerland Counties. If you have not driven these winding, curvy roads, you are missing out. The hills, pastures, and woods are just gorgeous. When the leaves are off the trees, you get a completely different view of the landscape. All seasons are a great time to visit, and I suggest making that happen to experience the different feel of this rural area.
Spending time in Vevay with friends (thank you, Pat and Jacquita) makes for a special trip as well. Hearing about places you visit from locals is the best. That brings out so much more when exploring a community. The hometown tour is always rewarding.
Our trip home took us through Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge, formerly the Jefferson Proving Grounds, and along interesting, mostly gravel roads on the west side of the facility. You never know what you might come across while out and about. It might not be hugely impressive, but it can be very interesting. The Muscatatuck River was one of the features we followed along the way.
I highly suggest taking the tour of Vernon in Jennings County. Vernon is the county seat and a town with a mayor who is elected every two years. That was a new one for me. What a great historic community to explore. Very quaint and enjoyable. One of the notable features is the large Vernon Cemetery on the south side of town. It is also interesting to look at the town’s geography. The Muscatatuck River meanders around all sides of town, which is unlike anything you have seen. Again, one of those unique features you have to wander around and discover. While there, read about the historic Tunnel Mill. I have heard about it for years. It is a very interesting story.
I will leave you with one last thought. The Lost River, or should I say the Unlost River. With all of the recent rain, what is typically a dry creek turns into a rushing torrent. The Orangeville Rise emerges from the ground and rages downstream, flooding the local county road. There were so many flooded roadways in Orange County that it made it difficult to get off the beaten path without having to backtrack. It makes for an interesting way of exploring backroads while trying to avoid the flooding.
Where are you wandering to? Give me some spots. Always looking for places to visit.
