We had a huge week in Indiana. Right after we moved from Columbus and got set up, we had a family barbeque to go to at the home of Gary's brother. Gary's sister also was there along a with a cousin and families. I guess we were so busy talking that no one thought to take any pictures. So here is one from um, er -- well at least a few years ago.
On Monday, Gary wanted to ride a rails-to-trails bike trail near where he had gone to high school. We rode about 6 miles each way from Bunker Hill to Peru and back on the Nickel Plate Trail. It was a very good path. The ride was very enjoyable. We stopped a few times and grazed on wild black raspberries. It is a trail we would recommend highly. After the ride, we ate at our favorite place in Peru -- Mr. Weenie. We had one of those local delicacies we have reported on before -- the breaded and deep fried pork tenderloin sandwich. (And we had two more at the Fair – Friends Church had the best one for our tastes, nice and thin and crispy.)
Tuesday we stayed at the campground of Mississinewa Lake , an Indiana State Park. Gary’s brother worked exactly 50 years ago on the construction of this flood control dam. In true state park fashion Gary made a campfire and I actually cooked dinner over the hot coals. I was quite proud of myself. Gary called me, "Campfire Grandma Boone".
On Wednesday and Friday we attended the Wabash County Fair. We watched Gary's two grand nephews show hogs, saw their other exhibits, and then watched them sell their animals at auction. . It was quite an experience, not so much for Gary as our resident 4-Her, but for me as a city girl. I learned a lot!
Thursday, we went to a minor league baseball game in Ft Wayne and again saw the Tincaps play in what we feel is one of the finest minor league parks we have ever been to. We went a bit early so I could also do some laundry. There is no washer/dryer in our travel trailer. I wondered why Gary took an interest in researching a Laundromat for me. When I got there it was essentially right across the street from our favorite brewery in Ft Wayne -- Mad Anthony. Of course I joined him after finishing the laundry and we had dinner and just walked to the game from there.
When we arrived at the ballpark, there weren't two seats together left in the stadium. We took the tip -of a nephew, waited for standing room only to be sold for $5 each, and then by the fourth inning took unoccupied seats in a great area. And to make it an even better deal, Gary winds up catching a free t-shirt launched into the crowd between innings. It went way over our heads but hit the facing of the second deck and basically fell into Gary's lap. He didn't even have to stand to make the grab.
Whew, and if that wasn't enough, on Saturday we went to a performance of the Peru Amateur Circus. In history, Peru was a major railroad town with 3 separate ones passing through the town. Back when circuses were traveling by rail, they found it convenient because of the railroads to winter in Peru. Some circus performers would also just winter in Peru and a group of them had ultimately settled in Peru. With that heritage, someone proposed about 60 years ago that Peru should have a citizen circus. And from its modest start in a tent that Gary can remember, they now have their own permanent circus building. Every summer for about 10 days, kids from 8 to 21 from all over Miami County put on circus performances. I never could have imagined the quality and professionalism of this production. Hundreds of people are involved and it is virtually a year-round effort.
(Click on any of the pictures to make it larger.)
