It has been an interesting month of wandering, and wow, the weather has really cooperated! Spring is here. Crops got planted, mowing is in full force, the leaves are getting full, and lightning bugs are out. Will we see cicadas this year? Parks, trails, cities, towns, and restaurants. The past several weeks have been awesome! Keep reading.
It’s the month of May, and it goes without saying that it’s race time, and most definitely, sports season with summer around the corner. Besides pools looking to open, kids’ spring sports are kicking into high gear, high school sports are finishing up, the Pacers are establishing their winning ways, the Indians and Fever are making waves, we’ve had the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, the Masters and PGA, the Mini Marathon, and of course, the granddaddy of them all – the Indy 500 experience.
There isn’t a better venue and a better day than spending time at the historic Speedway and watching motor car racing. I had the opportunity to visit on Fast Friday and enjoy a beautiful, sunny, hot day—experiencing great food, hanging out with friends, and seeing some practice laps. The Speedway is so historic. There is so much to see and do. I can’t wait to take in the newly opened museum. All of the pageantry and tradition are just unbelievable. You need to check it out when you get a chance. A side note: I have never been to the actual 500 race itself. My tradition is to listen to it on the radio and watch the tape-delayed running (it’s live this year).
Indianapolis visits have been aplenty recently. I was able to attend a Good Friday breakfast that benefited the YMCA. It was held at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. If you ever get a chance to visit this venue, make it happen. What a great historic and iconic place to spend time in. We have enjoyed ballroom dancing and concerts at this venue. And we’ve been to the Repertory Theatre for plays. This is a must-see location in downtown Indy. It’s located along the Cultural Trail near the Circle and State House. Washington Street is the starting line for the Mini Marathon. When you’re there, you get to experience more of downtown, places like the Convention Center, JW Mariott, Victory Field, White River State Park, and the Indianapolis Zoo. We have a great State Capitol with many things to do.
While sticking with the Indy theme, I was fortunate to attend a dinner at Newfields, the Indianapolis Museum of Art. This is such a special place to visit. There are things to do inside and out. In addition to all of the art throughout the museum, there is so much beauty and art to see while wandering the grounds.
There’s nothing like a nice dinner with friends at Rick’s Boatyard overlooking Eagle Creek on the northwest side of Indy. My wife and I recently celebrated 30 years of excellence and shared memories with co-workers and their spouses one Friday evening. This was a very special day for me and Nettsie as we spent time with Ryan Lindley, Steve Hayes, Greg Foltz, and their spouses. Thirty years is a long time working together, growing together, and becoming good friends over the years. Rick’s is a fun place to enjoy any occasion, but special ones make it even more memorable and enjoyable.
I know many counties have a leadership program. Hendricks County has a strong program that lasts almost a year and shows all facets of county government, leadership, and the like. I was privileged to participate in this program as a presenter during the infrastructure and history day. I have been invited to share my knowledge of Hendricks County for many years as we take a bus tour to different locations and sites. The class learns about water, wastewater, and fire departments in Plainfield, the Indianapolis Airport Authority, the Waste Management landfill in Danville, the NHRA Raceway in Brownsburg, and so much more. We drive past residential, retail, and industrial developments. We discuss how planning and zoning occur and the decision-making process. We talked about the history of Cartersburg and settlers receiving land from their Revolutionary War service. We never have enough time to discuss it all. But we really had an enjoyable day. If your county has a program like this, you should join and learn more about your community.
Wow! There is so much to cover and no further time. I didn’t even mention the spring flower hike at Burnett Woods, a Central Indian Land Trust nature preserve in Avon, or Canyon Forest, a Sycamore Land Trust Nature Preserve southwest of Bloomington. There was Terre Haute and its hospitality during the Indiana Economic Development Association spring conference, with great dining at The Terminal and M. Mogger’s. My wandering to Raccoon Lake, Rockville, Montezuma, and Clinton (29 mph speed limit signs). There was the ribbon cutting in Borden for the next phase of the Monon South Trail. Driving through the creepy looking old Indiana State Sanitorium, Parke County Covered Bridges, eating at The Ranch in Hollandsburg, or having ice cream and coffee at Bear’s in Rosedale.
I am worn out. It was an awesome wandering month! Please continue sending us your places to visit, eat, and enjoy. Thank you for reading.
– Jeff Banning