It’s fall high school sports season, and everyone should get on board!
When was the last time you attended a high school sporting event? Over the last month, my Indiana wandering was minimal, but the sporting events I attended were exciting. Not having kids (or grandkids) in school doesn’t preclude you from supporting your local teams. We were able to attend a pretty good football game and an exciting cross-country meet. I’ve also had several conversations about some of the other fall sports, including tennis, golf, cheer, and soccer. Attending these competitions makes me appreciate the times I had coaching or watching not only my kids but also all the other athletes, and oh how I miss those days. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention all the school bands as well. Get out there and support your local teams and communities. The beautiful fall weather we’ve had is great for supporting and enjoying.
A well-planned conference and vacation wrapped into the same trip is always a great way to explore. Banning Engineering became employee-owned by creating an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) a couple of years ago. This transition has led to a great experience within our organization. A CEO/President ESOP conference was held in Jackson, Wyoming, this past month. With that said, I just had to take some extra time to wander Wyoming (and Idaho/Montana). What a beautiful place to visit, and apparently, late August has fewer crowds. So blessed to see the beautiful Wild Wild West and not have to deal with much traffic, congestion, or people.
Without further elaborating on our adventure, please see the attached photos. I will say that a one-day trip from Jackson is doable, taking you through the Great Tetons and then along Yellowstone’s entire outer loop, and back (remember no traffic). It is 10 hours or so of driving, and we spent 5 hours or so hiking, visiting, eating, and enjoying.
Thank you, Scott Manson, for passing along a place to visit in Indiana—Martell Forest near West Lafayette. This place was completely new to me, and I can’t wait to visit and hike in the woods. It sounds like a good fall trip.
I would also be remiss if I did not mention the LIV (Roman Numeral 54 – number of holes/players, for those that did not know) Golf Tournament at Chatham Hills in Westfield. What an enjoyable event! We Hoosiers know how to do things right. It was a remarkable show. One to check out next year.
Keep wandering, and please pass along places for me to wander to!
~ Jeff Banning