Indiana Vacation - part 2

We learned during our trip that Indiana is a beautiful state. The fall colors are amazing. Indiana also has a lot of cool parks and nature activities.

Our friends took us to Lincoln State Park on our first day there. It has Lincoln's boyhood home. It was nice to walk around and see the home, barn and equipment. We also went to Brown County State Park.

Lincoln State Park

We also went to Spring Mill on our last day. The pioneer village was closed for the season but we walked around the grounds. It would be cool to see when it's staffed. The park was beautiful and was a good size.

Spring Mill State Park

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The husband and I decided to check out one of the local caverns. We went to the Bluespring Cavern and took the Myst'ry River Voyage. We have been to a cavern and a cave on previous vacations, but never on a boat tour. It was a nice tour and we saw blind fish, crayfish and a ton of frogs.

Bluespring Cavern

The entrance

We also drove a lot. I am convinced it is state law that every town have a square. The towns were adorable. We saw a lot of small towns with empty buildings. I wondered where everything went. The houses were also great. I like to pester the husband and yell "Architectural Tour" if I see a town square or a historic district.

French Lick

Applacres, although spelled wrong, has lots of cool produce etc, plus popcorn samples that made me eat more. 

One of my favorite building in a square was the hotel for sale in Paoli, Indiana. I could imagine us buying it, living in it, running it and the restaurant, plus two store fronts, if we won the lottery. We figured we would lure in the elderly from the local senior center into the restaurant. We could lure hotel guests away from the pretentious French Lick resort down the road. We could lure skiers that come to town for Paoli Peaks.

Indiana Vacation

The husband and I had planned on visiting a friend in Indiana for a while. We lucked out and went during the fall. Since we live in Florida it was a treat to see leaves of other colors and cool weather.

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My friend took her picks and a few we wanted to see and made an iitinerary The husband is not one for having a plan. I usually like to have some idea of points of interest so not to have an blah day out. Or even worse, being in the middle of nowhere. Of course the plan changed when my friend couldn't get much time off.

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The husband's top pick since we were in southern Indiana, about an hour away from Indianapolis, was the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS). We went there after being there a few days. We got there before they opened. The husband was like a kid in a candy store.

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We lucked out when we got there. They had a bunch of FFA teens and they let us have the reduced FFA rate. We were the only two non-FFA people on the grounds tour bus. They take you around the track on a bus. It was at a much slower speed but incredably cool. The other tracks we have been to only let you walk around the track.

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They took us to the infamous bricks. The husband jumped out of the bus and was the first to kiss them. Of course he had his picture taken and posted it to facebook within 5 minutes.

They also take you around the media center in the Pagoda. They let you take photos in the media room and at the winners circle.

After the ground tour we wandered around the Hall of Fame. We took a zillion pictures.

They even have two gift shops. The husband got a hat and tshirt. He bought his Dad a foam brick. I even got a magnet.

Our next stop that day was the Kokomo Automotive Museum in Kokomo, Indiana. It was aboyt an hour away from IMS. It was a nice museum with only a $5 cost. He took a picture of every car in the museum. I bought a magnet since it was so adoreable.

Kokomo Automotive Museum on Facebook

While we were driving we also stopped at 4 Harley-Davidson dealerships so the husband could pick up more poker chips. The husband loves telling people about his travels to get poker chips. He is even starting to trade chips with others.

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We also stopped that day at Cycle Re-Cycle in Indianapolis. I found them online and knew they would have some parts for the trike project. We picked up a few things and talked to the guy with 30 years of experience.

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I almost forgot to mention that day's lunch. We tasted a local establishment (multiple locations in Indiana). Grindstone Charlie's. We have noticed on vacation that we end up going where the elderly eat during the week. Hey, they know good food and low prices. This place was no exception. The lunch prices were great. They had a variety of options. It was a cold day so I enjoyed a grill cheese and some chili.

Grindstone Charlie's

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AIM Expo, Orlando

This past weekend we went to the American International Motorcycle Expo in Orlando. It all started when I found a Groupon. Plus the husband is all about motorcycles. We took the father in law too.

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This was the husband's first convention. He loved it. They had over 500 exhibitors. The husband and FIL came back with two huge bags of free swag. My job was to carry one of the bags. They got 169 stickers, a bunch of lanyards and pens, plus a tshirt, more bags and pamphlets. They talked to vendors about things they need for the Trike project. They learned all sorts of things. We saw a new Suzuki electric motorcycle, motorcycles from India that are not sold in the US and they took a demo ride on a Yamaha.

At the Expo they had a wall of stickers.

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At home I had a table covered in stickers and swag.

Now if we go next year (if there is a Groupon we sure will), then we will go to the outdoors section and take the demo rides first. We were inside the convention center for 5 hours. We ended up eating there since you can't leave. Lunch was over priced but we still enjoyed it. We must have walked miles and miles. I was worn out at the end. I had fun though. The two of them were like kids in a candy store.

My First Motorcycle

I never had an interest in motorcycles. I remember my brother riding (and usually crashing) the neighbor's dirt bike. Over the years I have known more and more people who ride. The husband always said he wanted a motorcycle. He talked about building one.

In the beginning of the year we realized that we needed another vehicle. I was reluctant to buy a new vehicle since I just paid mine off and did not want to pay that much for another 5 years. The husband wanted a big truck but couldn't find what he wanted. Yet he came across the exact motorcycle he has always wanted - a Harley Davidson Electra Glide.

You see, he saw the movie Electra Glide in Blue when he was a kid. It stuck with him. He always wanted one. I finally watched the movie a couple months back. It wasn't bad. It held up with the times and could easily be remade (not recommending it since too many things are remade worse than the original. Just the story holds up in modern times).

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The husband has had his motorcycle since the beginning of the year. He has been bugging me ever since to get my own bike. He has taken me out on his bike, but it is too big for me to ride. He's been convinced that I need a trike. So when he said the neighbor had a trike that needed work I asked if he was selling it. Months later he made an offer on it. So I bought my first bike. An old police trike from the 80s. Ironic isn't it. 

We have to replace most of it. The body is good. It looks like it may have sat since the 80s. The husband and father in-law stripped the body. 

Naked!

The other week the husband found another bike for parts online. We are awaiting a part to get it running. I can practice riding on it and then use a lot of parts on the trike. I am excited about it since it is a 1981. I love old stuff. technically it is a antique. I haven't been able to find any photos of this particular trike online. It sure will look awesome when it is done. The husband gets his wish of building a bike and in the future I will be riding with him.