The weather was unseasonably warm. Even in the Missouri Ozarks, 90-degree days are uncommon in late September. I’m usually not thrilled with such hot weather. However, considering I got completely wet during our five-mile Ruby’s Landing River Resort kayak trip, the heat was welcome. Read more
It seems lately we’ve been coming across more German restaurants in our travels than we ever did before. Most of them have been around for a long time, so apparently we just hadn’t been traveling in the right areas in the past. When we saw the German Café was TripAdvisor’s top rated restaurant in French Lick, Indiana, we decided to try it. Read more
One of the things I love about travel writing is that we constantly experience new adventures. Sailing is one of those things we never did before—until our private sailboat cruise with Sail Peoria. Read more
You’ve heard of Daniel Boone, the early American frontiersman. Chances are, however, you’ve never heard of Squire Boone. Squire was Daniel’s younger brother, ten years his junior. Just as daring as his older brother, Squire explored territories that would become the states of Kentucky and Indiana. He discovered what is now known as Squire Boone Caverns and lived the last part of his life there. Squire Boone built a grist mill and village near the caverns, which are located near Indiana’s first capital, Corydon. At his request, when he died, Squire’s remains were placed in the caverns. Today, a tour of the cavern takes you past not only gorgeous formations, but also a casket that contains Squires remains. Read more
We first wrote about the Nina and Pinta replicas in 2013, when we stumbled across the ships in Clinton, Iowa. The Nina and Pinta, replicas of two Columbus’ ships, offer tours to the public. A couple of weeks ago we visited Peoria, Illinois. As we walked down to the Illinois River to board the Spirit of Peoria for a moonlight cruise, we noticed the Nina and Pinta replicas docked there. Checking the schedule, we found the ships were in Peoria through September 24, 2017. Their next stop was Cape Girardeau, Missouri, where they’ll be from September 29 through October 8. Read further for our original experience and descriptions of the Nina and Pinta replicas. Read more
1843 was a big year for Delphi, Indiana. That was the year the Wabash and Erie Canal reached the Lafayette and Delphi settlements. They could now export products they produced—mostly agricultural products— to the east within a couple of weeks. They could also import needed tools, supplies, and cultural products like pianos. Within a few decades, however, the railroads came through. Faster than donkeys could tow a boat and able to run year-round, trains took over the transportation industry. Canal boats became obsolete.
Today the Wabash and Erie Canal is active again in Delphi, albeit for just the distance it takes for visitors to experience a short replica canal boat ride. In addition to the boat ride, an interpretive center filled with hands-on exhibits, a reconstructed 1850s village, and walking trails add to the canal experience. Read more
