Friday, April 25, 2025

Indy Spring

Back home again in Indiana spending time with my buddies
Randy, Larry, John and Bill.  This shot was taken at the
newly re-opened Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.

It was great returning to Indiana as many buddies live in the area, including one of my college roommates, Randy.

Randy, Murph, Kim
Kim was visiting from Evansville and we began the day
with a great breakfast at the Highway 341 Cafe,
also known as the "Wallace Opry."  In Wallace, IN.
In C'ville we visited the recently completed
Veterans Park at the C'ville American Legion.
The main reason was to confirm the locations of 
important bricks honoring our Veterans.
This brick honors John and Capt. Murph's Dad.
These bricks honor our friend Bill and his family members who served.
These bricks honor my college roommate and his Dad.
Bill, Randy, Kim
The central area where most of the bricks are laid,
surrounded by flags on the flagpoles.
"Flanders Field" poem, WWI honoring older veterans.

Click HERE for brief video of the entire park.
General Lew Wallace was an honored and revered
veteran of the US Civil War and was well-known
in C'ville and Montgomery County, IN


Ben is a senior at Wabash and a
highly accomplished classical pianist.
Sadly, I could not attend this concert
due to my trip to AZ.
Ben's Dad is a friend of Randy and Murph,
whom we met at the C'ville American Legion.
Recording of Ben's Senior Recital at Lewis Salter Concert Hall, Wabash College (85 minutes)
Randy and I did attend this student
recital.  All the performances
were excellent.
Ben's artistry was truly remarkable.
Interview with Ben HERE.
Bill took this photo of the gang having breakfast
at Charlie Brown's, famous Speedway restaurant
in downtown Speedway, IN.
We visited the museum and all were impressed with the
new layout, many vintage Indy 500 race cars,
eye catching displays, exciting interactive exhibits
and authentic artifacts from the entire history of the track and race.

Bill in the gift shop afterwards.

Bill, John, Randy and I relaxed at the
Speedway American Legion, Post #500. 
Directly across Georgetown Avenue
from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Like many American Legion Posts,
the urinals feature Jane Fonda targets,
recalling her treasonous behavior
during her visit to North Vietnam.

While visiting John's son, Patrick and his family in Indianapolis, we had dinner near this
iconic building.  Hinkle Fieldhouse was the home of the Indiana State High School Basketball Finals
every year during the era when Murph was in high school and college.

John is standing on the platform at Victory Circle
at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
This is John's first year working at the track as a
member of the Safety Patrol or "Yellowshirts."

Monday, April 21, 2025

Faculty - Delt Dinner

John '82, Steve '77, Craig '79 & Randy '77
help master chef Mark (not pictured here)

Several Alumni gathered at the 603WW Shelter to prepare a southern meal for the Actives and their guests, the Wabash Faculty.

It was a busy, yet fun evening as the faculty spent an evening with their Delt students in a non-academic gathering.  

Brad '79 (back toward the camera) and Batch '77

The Kitchen Crew:
John '82, Randy '77, Batch '77, Craig '79, Mark '99
Bill H'77, Steve '77, Mark '78, Larry '78, Brad '79, Murph '76

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Northbound TX-IN

Gotta love the Jackalope!  This creature graces
more than a couple pubs I've visited!

As Kelly VI and I have now made this trip several times, it is becoming a bit more routine.  Yet, there are always new and unique sights along the way.

This large statue of Sam Houston
is alongside the highway between Houston and Dallas.
My overnight stop was a free campsite
at a local park midway between Houston and Dallas.
It was a bit gray, damp and very quiet, but
being by the water is always good.
Kelly VI seemed quite at home here.


And the sunset was gorgeous!
It's already spring in Texas!  Beautiful flowers roadside.
Back in Keller for a visit with Bill,
we found this fun spot for dinner.
You'll notice that many of the outside table are mounted in the backs of old pickup trucks!
And there's an oil well (non-functioning) in the yard.
Lots of fun things on this property, including this VW Bug that caught my eye.
Even a Ferris Wheel!

 

Bill and I enjoyed an April baseball game
at the Texas Rangers' ballpark.

Campsite at Fort Sherman Dam Recreational Area.

The ducks visited in the evening.



A gorgeous sunset that night.

Well done mural in Arkadelphia, AR


Boondockers Welcome site

Visited this park enroute 


This park used to be a ferry landing and 
that is a ferry that served here.

The high level bridge that replaced the ferry
runs over the dam and locks at this site.


BW site in Eldorado, IL

Loads of fun sculptures at this house. 
Enroute through TX, AR, MO, IL and IN
 I noticed that many farmers' fields were flooded and
many rivers had flowed over their banks. 
While the high waters did not impact my driving trip,
I was concerned for the farmers being forced to plant later than usual.

Great bike trails cross
each other in Eldorado,
so I rode them.