AUTHOR: Tanmay DATE: 9/27/2005 01:55:00 AM ----- BODY: Sunday came, bringing along a huge downpour of incessant rainfall. Amey was down with fever and headache, Bhavna with assignments (another type of headache), Megha with tests (yet another) and Nidhi does not generally like to go on trips with less number of people. That left me and Poramet again. It was about 12:00 noon by the time we left. Our mission was to explore the city we lived in... go all around it... on the main streets and check out all the different things the city offers which stay hidden like gems.
We found the Fort Harrison State Park... just about 30 mins dricing distance from our place and it seemed like a place to be at some other time. With the cats and dogs coming down, we didnt feel like paying to get in and not getting out of the car at all. We moved through the express-way loop all around Indy. Checked out various Churches and museums on the way. We then went some way towards Cincinnati but didnt find something that caught our eyes. And finally after about 4 hours of exploration the two of us came back.
We then watched 'Romeo Must Die' on the TV and just lazed around till dinner time. Thats when all the people with the aches were back to normal. The rain though was still coming down in torrents. But with so many people showing some enthusiasm, we decided to go get some nice spicy Indian food. After about an hour, with tummies full and hearts satisfied, we returned to our home sweet home. Talked a little and off we went to sleep and off to start another week....... hoping to have another fun weekend soon ! :)
Thanks for reading!! Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Monday, September 26, 2005
Tour de Indiana- Day 3
Saturday... the day we had decided to get off onto the I-65 express way and head towards the Brown County State Park... one of the largest in Indiana. Its close to Nashville near Bloomington and is really really cool ! We started at about 1 PM in the afternoon. Expecting a drive of about 2 hours to the BCSP. We were also hoping to get some good places on the way. Today we had quite a few people together... me n Poramet the duo from y'day and plus we had Amey, Bhavna, Megha and Nidhi (alphabetically listed). And surely was fun.
We had taken a frisbee and a ball to play. We got to a gas station to get some gas (obviously) (and no that wasnt a place to be :) ) But it was a good place to get some pictures done. Back on the way and I-65 wound along some really beautiful curves with greenery and farms on both sides of the road, with some nice smell coming in through the little opened windows. The weather was quite humid and hence we had to have the A/C on. As we were crossing Columbus, we saw some boards to Simmons Winery and Farm Market. Though none of us is a connoisseur of wines, it defintely is fascinating to visit a winery. We had a great experience at the Huber Winery during our trip to Mammoth Caves (another blog if interested).
Though Simmons Winery wasnt the same experience, it surely was a cute place. It had a lovely grape farm right on the side with juicy grapes hanging down and the lovely big leaves smelling really sweet in the sunny humidity. The Farm Market had some huge pumpkins on display and a lovely splash of colors with a huge array of flowers and plants for sale. The wine shop itself was not a big one though it did boast of a lot of Award winning wines in store with a pretty wide price range. The cellar, of which I was lucky to get a peek, was pretty huge compared to what was on display. Well, overall it was not an experience as Huber Winery where a (cute) guide had takes us along on a tour of the whole place and the infrastructure and the process of making wine and also how to taste wine and understand the difference in wines.
Anyways....after about an hour at the winery (and loads of pictures) we started off towards BCSP again. Wsnt too far from Columbus and we made it in about half an hour. We took some food along with us on the way.
Once at BCSP, we went straight off to the lake in there. Once we were out of the car, we were in for a welcome from a swarm of mosquitoes. But the green mountains and lake though dirty, the serenity and the tranquility of the place made us forget the mosquitoes after a bit. There was a trail of about 1.2 miles weaving its way all around the lake. We decided to munch on the food first. We spread a sheet over the green lawn and all the food we have on top of it. Lots of food, lots of pictures and lack of hunger marked this session of the day. Me and Amey played some frisbee along the gentle slope. Nidhi joined in in some time. Sure was fun. Sweated profusely but was awesome. We then set off on the trail. It was so awesome... with wooden brides and platforms marking the way. The lake looked real calm with the reflections of the trees surrounding it. The water was very still, suggesting a lot of depth in there.
With photos being taken by 3 cameras at various different spots and various different poses, it was a gala time. The darkness came in swiftly making the girls to get afraid and rush along the trail. But it sure was not something that should deter a moderately experienced hiker. The 1.2 Miles trail finally ended at the same spot where it started circling all around the lake. Most people were more than eager to get into the car n have some cool A/C air flowing onto their faces. It had become quite dark and with the trees and congested areas inside the park, it was real fun to drive on the curves and bends and slopes and check out the blackness of the dark by switching the car lights off. There was a yellowish fog settling down over the County as we drove out of the State Park - home bound. Miraculously, the drive home seemed far shorter and we were back home by 10:00 PM. We had a long discussion of what to do on the next day, but it was quite a tough one as most people weren't sure whether they would be able to and there was a storm brewing that cut out a lot of destinations. We left the decision for the next day, and I had a feeling we were going to get out on some other express way and check out somethings on the way. Adios till tomorrow, need some rest...
We had taken a frisbee and a ball to play. We got to a gas station to get some gas (obviously) (and no that wasnt a place to be :) ) But it was a good place to get some pictures done. Back on the way and I-65 wound along some really beautiful curves with greenery and farms on both sides of the road, with some nice smell coming in through the little opened windows. The weather was quite humid and hence we had to have the A/C on. As we were crossing Columbus, we saw some boards to Simmons Winery and Farm Market. Though none of us is a connoisseur of wines, it defintely is fascinating to visit a winery. We had a great experience at the Huber Winery during our trip to Mammoth Caves (another blog if interested).
Though Simmons Winery wasnt the same experience, it surely was a cute place. It had a lovely grape farm right on the side with juicy grapes hanging down and the lovely big leaves smelling really sweet in the sunny humidity. The Farm Market had some huge pumpkins on display and a lovely splash of colors with a huge array of flowers and plants for sale. The wine shop itself was not a big one though it did boast of a lot of Award winning wines in store with a pretty wide price range. The cellar, of which I was lucky to get a peek, was pretty huge compared to what was on display. Well, overall it was not an experience as Huber Winery where a (cute) guide had takes us along on a tour of the whole place and the infrastructure and the process of making wine and also how to taste wine and understand the difference in wines.
Anyways....after about an hour at the winery (and loads of pictures) we started off towards BCSP again. Wsnt too far from Columbus and we made it in about half an hour. We took some food along with us on the way.
Once at BCSP, we went straight off to the lake in there. Once we were out of the car, we were in for a welcome from a swarm of mosquitoes. But the green mountains and lake though dirty, the serenity and the tranquility of the place made us forget the mosquitoes after a bit. There was a trail of about 1.2 miles weaving its way all around the lake. We decided to munch on the food first. We spread a sheet over the green lawn and all the food we have on top of it. Lots of food, lots of pictures and lack of hunger marked this session of the day. Me and Amey played some frisbee along the gentle slope. Nidhi joined in in some time. Sure was fun. Sweated profusely but was awesome. We then set off on the trail. It was so awesome... with wooden brides and platforms marking the way. The lake looked real calm with the reflections of the trees surrounding it. The water was very still, suggesting a lot of depth in there.
With photos being taken by 3 cameras at various different spots and various different poses, it was a gala time. The darkness came in swiftly making the girls to get afraid and rush along the trail. But it sure was not something that should deter a moderately experienced hiker. The 1.2 Miles trail finally ended at the same spot where it started circling all around the lake. Most people were more than eager to get into the car n have some cool A/C air flowing onto their faces. It had become quite dark and with the trees and congested areas inside the park, it was real fun to drive on the curves and bends and slopes and check out the blackness of the dark by switching the car lights off. There was a yellowish fog settling down over the County as we drove out of the State Park - home bound. Miraculously, the drive home seemed far shorter and we were back home by 10:00 PM. We had a long discussion of what to do on the next day, but it was quite a tough one as most people weren't sure whether they would be able to and there was a storm brewing that cut out a lot of destinations. We left the decision for the next day, and I had a feeling we were going to get out on some other express way and check out somethings on the way. Adios till tomorrow, need some rest...
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Tour de Indiana- Day 2
As we started off towards CHL, the heaviest rain of the day started pouring. It was a drive to enjoy and both me and Poramet were defintely having a good time with the nice green farms glistening in the rain. There was a railway track parallel to the road and when a train did go across it, it was a moment to be captured in a frame. Poramets camera was coming in handy with lots of other scenic views coming along the way.
The road-trip was a short but interesting one, the reason being that it was completely dynamic and we had to keep a sharp lookout of where we are going and that we dont miss out on the right intersections and go the wrong way. US-36 was the next road to take and we were looking out for a place called Fincastle after which the intersection was to come. Now, the map we had referred indicated Fincastle to be quite a big town. But it was quite the opposite with the place not being more than just a bunch of houses on either side of the road and most importantly the board saying 'Fincastle' ! We soon got the US-36 we wanted and sticking to it got us to the Lake. It was a state-owned recreation area and we had to pay $4.00 to get in. But it surely was worth each penny.
With an artificial beach, lots of docks with ships anchored and ofcourse some lovely greenery. The lake was one of the most beautiful ones I have seen and there was a peninsula that I wish I could take everyone to for a visit. It had one of the most scenic views of the lake with a dam to the left and the sunset right ahead. It was gorgeous ! Oh! I forgot to tell you that just as we entered the lake area, the rain had gone.. dont know where, and there was this nice bright sunshine making it really really beautiful out there. The air had got nice and cool with the rain and sunlight adding just the right amount of light to the atmosphere to make it a perfect place to be at the perfect time!
After roaming around the complete area inside and checking out all the stuff listed on the map we had taken at the entry point, we decided to get back to Indianapolis and plan where to go the next day. With Saturday and Sunday coming on, it was important to check out a good place to go with the right weather to be there. The drive back was nice too, a bit longer than what we expected but was quite scenic. The one place that stood out of all that came across was Dansville. It was this one cute town with these cute houses and buildings. Driving through Avon, for me was one of the most boring part of the drive with the traffic moving at a really slow pace. But all and all, it was a wonderful day. We had quite a few maps along with us and we decided to refer them to search the place to visit on the next days. After quite a lot of search... the decision was... drive down I-65 South and take a look at all the things that come across and we feel interesting. The next day also was going to see some Thunder Storms at the northern part of the state and so the decision to go South... Next days descriptions.... next blog....
The road-trip was a short but interesting one, the reason being that it was completely dynamic and we had to keep a sharp lookout of where we are going and that we dont miss out on the right intersections and go the wrong way. US-36 was the next road to take and we were looking out for a place called Fincastle after which the intersection was to come. Now, the map we had referred indicated Fincastle to be quite a big town. But it was quite the opposite with the place not being more than just a bunch of houses on either side of the road and most importantly the board saying 'Fincastle' ! We soon got the US-36 we wanted and sticking to it got us to the Lake. It was a state-owned recreation area and we had to pay $4.00 to get in. But it surely was worth each penny.
With an artificial beach, lots of docks with ships anchored and ofcourse some lovely greenery. The lake was one of the most beautiful ones I have seen and there was a peninsula that I wish I could take everyone to for a visit. It had one of the most scenic views of the lake with a dam to the left and the sunset right ahead. It was gorgeous ! Oh! I forgot to tell you that just as we entered the lake area, the rain had gone.. dont know where, and there was this nice bright sunshine making it really really beautiful out there. The air had got nice and cool with the rain and sunlight adding just the right amount of light to the atmosphere to make it a perfect place to be at the perfect time!
After roaming around the complete area inside and checking out all the stuff listed on the map we had taken at the entry point, we decided to get back to Indianapolis and plan where to go the next day. With Saturday and Sunday coming on, it was important to check out a good place to go with the right weather to be there. The drive back was nice too, a bit longer than what we expected but was quite scenic. The one place that stood out of all that came across was Dansville. It was this one cute town with these cute houses and buildings. Driving through Avon, for me was one of the most boring part of the drive with the traffic moving at a really slow pace. But all and all, it was a wonderful day. We had quite a few maps along with us and we decided to refer them to search the place to visit on the next days. After quite a lot of search... the decision was... drive down I-65 South and take a look at all the things that come across and we feel interesting. The next day also was going to see some Thunder Storms at the northern part of the state and so the decision to go South... Next days descriptions.... next blog....
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Tour de Indiana- Day 1 [contd.]
We reached Purdue just in time for our test which I dont think went was so nice for me. No.. am not going to talk about the test here :). Once we were done with the test... we decided to check out some spots at the campus.
Overall, it was a nice place with a LOT of students seen all around with iPods or some other music players with the buds in their ears hurrying for their classes, or thinking of what they just went through in the last class they attended. We had a small map of the campus that we refered to and saw whatever looked worth seeing on the map. Finally we got a nice map of the near by places and we debated about where we could go next. The competition was on between : Indiana beaches... Indiana dunes....Chicago. All were about 2 hr driving distance away ( 4 hrs back to home from there). Chicago was instantly disqualified as it wasnt in Indiana. And as the debate started to come to life, we had a winner... Cecil Harden Lake... closer to where we were.
It looked like a small lake nestling in a green area and it was finalized instantly. The rain now coming down in a steady drizzle and threatening to pour anytime made it even more interesting to be at the lake, looking at the boats bobbing up and down with the wind and waves, and thoughts of munching on a sandwhich and sipping some hot coffee while watching it, made the idea even more inviting. We had to leave immediately ...
Overall, it was a nice place with a LOT of students seen all around with iPods or some other music players with the buds in their ears hurrying for their classes, or thinking of what they just went through in the last class they attended. We had a small map of the campus that we refered to and saw whatever looked worth seeing on the map. Finally we got a nice map of the near by places and we debated about where we could go next. The competition was on between : Indiana beaches... Indiana dunes....Chicago. All were about 2 hr driving distance away ( 4 hrs back to home from there). Chicago was instantly disqualified as it wasnt in Indiana. And as the debate started to come to life, we had a winner... Cecil Harden Lake... closer to where we were.
It looked like a small lake nestling in a green area and it was finalized instantly. The rain now coming down in a steady drizzle and threatening to pour anytime made it even more interesting to be at the lake, looking at the boats bobbing up and down with the wind and waves, and thoughts of munching on a sandwhich and sipping some hot coffee while watching it, made the idea even more inviting. We had to leave immediately ...
Tour de Indiana- Day 1
23rd Sept 2005 - was a Friday... with a gloomy overcast sky, weather forecasts speaking of thunder storms over the weekend, the early morning traffic in full rush with people trying to reach their workplace in time and the University Campus right across the street from my window with little signs of students at the early hour. In a nutshell... Was just like most other Fridays.
But I had something different in mind... ' Tour de Indiana ' .... a trip to explore various places in the State that I am staying in and visiting atleast all the interesting place in the vicinity over the weekend. With car rental reservation already done, all that was left was gathering all the people and heading off.... first to West Lafayette where me and Poramet (friend) had a test to give and then move on with the plan. Initially there were about 4-5 people more, but unfortunately with something or the other poking its dirty head in their routine, it was just me and Poramet left on the trip. We didnt take the loss of our companions to heart and decided to complete our mission - Tour de Indiana.
Off we went at 8.30 AM, equipped with just 1 digital camera (no backup batteries) and a fabulous Chevy Cobalt as our ride... off towards our goal, which we werent yet clear of, driving towards West Lafayette for the test with the sky threatening us with thunder storms later, and some showers in the 1 hr drive ahead. The wind gushing through our hair, warning us that this is just 4 miles per hour and it can come down at much much much more. But the decision was made... as strong as it could be, and if all this talk had to affect our decision - only strengthened it....... next stop West Lafayette.... Purdue University
But I had something different in mind... ' Tour de Indiana ' .... a trip to explore various places in the State that I am staying in and visiting atleast all the interesting place in the vicinity over the weekend. With car rental reservation already done, all that was left was gathering all the people and heading off.... first to West Lafayette where me and Poramet (friend) had a test to give and then move on with the plan. Initially there were about 4-5 people more, but unfortunately with something or the other poking its dirty head in their routine, it was just me and Poramet left on the trip. We didnt take the loss of our companions to heart and decided to complete our mission - Tour de Indiana.
Off we went at 8.30 AM, equipped with just 1 digital camera (no backup batteries) and a fabulous Chevy Cobalt as our ride... off towards our goal, which we werent yet clear of, driving towards West Lafayette for the test with the sky threatening us with thunder storms later, and some showers in the 1 hr drive ahead. The wind gushing through our hair, warning us that this is just 4 miles per hour and it can come down at much much much more. But the decision was made... as strong as it could be, and if all this talk had to affect our decision - only strengthened it....... next stop West Lafayette.... Purdue University
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