We are the Windyana Wanderers

And wander we did in windy Indiana!

With granddaughter, Camille, as our guide, we wandered over Butler University

Lake Holcomb 

and saw a glimpse of her college life. It warmed our hearts to see her enthusiasm, especially for the dance program. Her first college performance will be in The Nutcracker next month. Having performed almost every part while she danced with the Northwest Florida Ballet, including the part of Clara, she is back to performing the part of an angel. (We think there was a bit of type casting here.)

Using the Let’s Roam scavenger hunt app, we explored downtown Indianapolis. Needing a team name, we came up with Windyana (a term Camille coined in reference to the constant wind in Indiana) and of course you can figure out the reference to the Wanderer. As we found the locations, we were challenged to answer questions and post photos.

Challenge: do a cartwheel in University Park (don't think we could have met this challenge without Camille!)

Challenge: re-enact a scene from a movie
at the Historical Indiana Theater.

Christopher Columbus Monument

Challenge: eat something
yummy at City Market.

Challenge: photo with deer at Eitoljorge Museum

This proved to be an excellent way for an overall view of the history and culture of the city. It was much easier with a sharp, college student navigating and conquering the challenges.

We wandered through Waterman’s Farm Fall Festival, meeting up with nephew, Scott, and family.

Cousins are the best!

Sunday was a near perfect weather day so we wandered down the Monon Rail Trail,

When not wandering, we spent time in The Wanderer.

As Scott, Mel, Jack and Samaya returned to Cincinnati and Camille returned to campus, we wandered down to Brown County State Park for a little R & R.

A definite “must return."

Hearing there was a big party happening at the Turner Farm near Van Buren, we wandered that way. Yep, we encountered a bunch of 70-year olds celebrating their birthdays, so we joined in. (Just so happened to be ABN's high school classmates.)

I believe The Wanderer enjoyed her best parking spot ever on the Turner Farm; pretty, neatly maintained and new hook-ups. (Whoops, forgot to take a photo.) Located next to “The Party Barn”, we had access to the most amazing facilities, including an indoor Outhouse.

Big thanks to ABN’s classmate, Dale and his wife, Georgia, for providing the perfect venue for the Eastbrook High School Class of ‘67’s 70th Birthday Party.

Windyana lived up to it's name on Saturday night with 25 mph winds, gusting to 45+ mph; needless to say, we did not sleep much in The Wanderer! 

With tire issues and Brake Buddy replacement in Tennessee, fallen branch and dent in ladder in Virginia, lost wheel cover in Maine, and a couple of water leak repairs, this trip has been a bit stressful for The Wanderer. 

If all goes well we will be home later today. As always, we love going home so we can get some rest and relaxation started on the never ending “to do” list before we start the next adventure.

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Driving through the colors

is the best way to describe our trek across New Hampshire, Vermont and New York.

We are a bit disappointed our photos and especially our videos do not show the vibrancy of the colors. The foliage was stunning!

While the colors in New York were pretty, they were not as brilliant; however the farms were quite picturesque. 

A large part of our New England Adventure has been our Harvest Host stays. In New Hampshire we parked at the Twin Barns Brewing Company in Meredith. As we mentioned in our last post, the owner and bartender, Dave, was most gracious and very much interested in our travels.

In Montpelier, Vermont, the Morse Farms Maple Sugar Works was a seriously delicious stay!

A surprise find was Crazy Williez Brewery in rural New York.

Initially we were the only guest in the brewery which gave us an opportunity for an insightful conversation with the bartender, Nicole. She told us the busiest time for the brewery is in the winter when folks are snowmobiling on a path across the farm. She said the wood stove would be fired up so folks could stop in to warm themselves.

The chickens belong to the neighbor and that is where Nicole buys her eggs. After a bit, another couple came in; Nicole introduced us.They make maple syrup which is the only maple syrup Nicole will buy. She gave us the phone number of her friends who make goat cheese, saying it is the best ever and they keep her supplied. Talk about shopping locally! Oh, and the brewery also sells beef!

Also parked at the brewery was a couple from Longmont, Colorado. (No, Steve and Adele, we asked and they do not know you.)

Moving across the state, we parked at Chateau La Fayette Winery on Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes region. 

An absolutely beautiful setting!

This concludes the Cliff Notes version of our 2019 New England Adventure. There is so much more to explore! We have seen the magnificent colors, now we want to experience the summers exploring the small towns and bike paths. Maybe sit in the local coffee shops and breweries, take in a few yard sales and consignment shops, poke around in the local art galleries and farmer’s markets and soak up the rural New England culture. The locals have been so friendly; we just want to know them better.

Now, to figure out how we can manage The Divine Resort (aka known as ABN’s garden) while we travel in the summer!

Last night we parked in the parking lot of Blend of Seven Winery near Delaware, Ohio. 

Here we had an absolutely delicious peach wine that tasted just like fresh peaches. The owner made us a peach wine float using peach ice cream. Yep, a couple of bottles found their way on board The Wanderer.

We are headed home but first we have a very important engagement in Indianapolis.  

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Perfect timing!

Leaving ANP

Arriving at ANP 5 days earlier.

This trip has been a bit
rough on The Wanderer

Moving closer to the coast, we had a different perspective in taking the back roads. The quaint little villages and towns are closer together which meant Captain had to do a lot of “stop and go” driving while avoiding the tourists. And it isn’t exactly a smooth drive (actually had a wheel cover jar loose and is somewhere along US Hwy 3.) 

Even so, it is quite a lovely drive.

In Acadia National Park we were away from the hordes of tourists. Not. First on the agenda was a drive around the park.  Now why did we think Acadia would be different from the other national parks? We jockeyed for parking in the scenic view pull-outs and were able to take a few photos.

View of Bar Harbor from Cadillac Mountain

Overcast skies did not make for really good photos.

From the campground we had a path to the ocean, of which the hordes were not aware.

(ABN entertained the idea of taking her coffee to this secluded little spot to watch the sun rise; didn’t happen

What is it about Bar Harbor? It is chocked full of tourist and souvenir shops, but we ABN loves it. Maybe it has an artsy feel;

 Indeed, there are art galleries and shops tucked in among the souvenir shops which made for an excellent way to spend a cool, rainy, windy day.

Fair skies and mild temperatures on Tuesday set the stage for a beautiful walk around Jordan Pond.

Some of the trail is planked,

it took us over some rocks,

and a detour due to construction.

The views were worth it!

This is why we came to Maine!

And this,

a true Maine Harbor experience at Thurston’s Lobster Pound on Mount Desert Island.

Taking a suggestion from fellow bicyclists, we did a little exploring on the Schoodic Peninsula.

Yep, I think next time we will camp in the quieter part of Acadia National Park and explore on the bike; maybe during blueberry season.

The fall colors intensified in the 5 days we were in Acadia National Park. As we drove from ANP, we couldn’t keep the GoPro turned off!  With restraint we are sharing only one brief clip of the 260 miles we traveled from ANP to our Harvest Host stop in Meredith, NH.

Last night we parked The Wanderer in a field adjacent to the parking lot

 of Twin Barns Brewing Company 

while we enjoyed dinner and a very good McGuigan Breakfast Milk Stout.  Dave, our host and owner was quite engaging and very much interested in our travels.

Time to think about returning home; (just thinking about it.)

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