What’s Going On: As I continue studying to upgrade my Amateur Radio license, I’ve added a couple of “stealth” antennas to the attics in my house. Unfortunately, because of my HOA, I can’t put anything on the outside of the house; I’m limited to using the attic space for the equipment. While not ideal, it’s been working better than expected. I hear stations from Europe and South America regularly in the evening. I look forward to being able to talk to them soon!
What I’m Eating: Last week, I stopped by the Easy Rider Diner in Fountain Square for lunch. It’s owned and operated by the Hi-Fi concert venue located next door. The food coming out of the kitchen looked really good, as did the Cobb Salad I ordered (there is lettuce under all the toppings), but the $6 upcharge for 4 chicken nuggets was a little steep, in my opinion. The Blue Cheese dressing was definitely out of a bottle, too (and not that good). I’d go back and try something else next time. The salad didn’t do it for me this time.
I also picked up a couple of new items from Trader Joe’s.
The Kalua Pork Spring Rolls smelled VERY good while they were cooking, but unfortunately, the taste was off. In my opinion, there was a very strong black pepper taste. The folks at the What’s Good at Trader Joe’s website seemed to like them better and mentioned a strong liquid smoke flavor (they still gave them 7.5 out of 10)
Unlike the Spring Rolls, the Shrimp Boom Bah had a much better taste and included a nice spicy sauce. The only issue I had was they could have been crispier. An air fryer might have done the trick (I don’t have one).
Where I’ve Been: Traveled down to New Richmond, Ohio, last weekend to check out the Annual International Cardboard Boat Regatta on the Ohio River. This is my first time checking it out, and it was a lot of fun. The town was having a River Days celebration, and the race was one of the weekend activities. All of the boats were made out of cardboard and paint. Some really creative designs! New Richmond is also the home of the world’s only Cardboard Boat Museum.
What I’m Watching: Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food (2023)
If you’re on Social Media, you might have seen the woman on a flight pointing to something off-camera and proclaiming it was “not real.” @Travispaints painted his interpretation, and it is amazing! Zoom in; it’s a who’s who of fictitious characters.
And Finally… Just in time for summer grilling… Juicy Grilled Burger – You Suck at Cooking
What’s Going On: *Warning* This will be a LONG post covering a week-long trip with lots of links, photos, and me rambling on for a while.
It was nice to return to a 3-day weekend after a week on the road last week (more on that later). Besides getting the tent out to dry off, I haven’t unpacked much since all my camping gear is in stackable tubs. I still need to move it back into storage & get it out of the garage…
Where I’ve Been: Last Saturday, I returned from a 1500+ mile loop that took me through KY, TN, NC, VA, WV, and OH. I left on Monday morning and traveled to Asheville, NC. South of Lexington was a new Buc-ee’s that I wanted to stop and check out. Everyone in a 100-mile radius must have had the same idea as this place was PACKED. Every pump had a vehicle parked in front of it, and the inside was wall-to-wall people. There were even lines to the men’s restroom, which you never see. I heard one person say they had been waiting for over an hour for their food, so I saw myself out and headed down the road.
I arrived in Asheville in the early evening, and even though I was driving all day, the weather was beautiful, and the traffic was light. I chose a place near the Grove Arcade called Carmel’s Kitchen & Bar to have dinner. The Pimento Cheese sounded great, so I ordered it along with a bowl of Shrimp and Grits (with a cream sauce vs. a brown gravy which was different and not as good as the traditional) and a cold glass of Chardonnay.
Tuesday morning, I spent some time in downtown Asheville taking photos. I stopped at City Bakery for some coffee and a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit and left full and happy! They know how to make a proper biscuit in the South!
I was waiting around for East Fork Pottery to open at 11 am so I could pick up some coffee mugs I’ve had my eye on for over a year. I had every intention of stopping at Buxton Hall Barbecue for lunch to try their legendary fried chicken sandwich, but I was too full, so I hit the road and drove along the Blue Ridge Parkway toward Mt Mitchell State Park, the highest mountain peak east of the Mississippi.
The Blue Ridge Parkway has got to be one of my favorite drives ever; this was my first time driving it. I was only on it for less than 100 miles, but I’m very interested in driving the entire 469 miles and visiting sites along the way. I stopped in a town called Little Switzerland, NC, for a snack, but just about everything was closed on Tuesday.
I made my way to Spacious Skies Campgrounds – Bear Den near Spruce Pine, NC. This is a private campground right off the parkway, and being early in the season was very quiet. I felt like I had the entire place to myself!
I packed up camp Wednesday morning and went to start the car… Click, Click, Click, dead battery. I knew I was about due for a replacement and almost did it before I left, but luckily I was at a place where I could walk up to the front office and ask for a jump. Once underway, I made a beeline to the closest Advance Auto and picked up the AGM battery I had my eye on weeks earlier. This thing should outlast the car, and it ought to be for $250. The employee offered to swap the batteries out, and I was on my way 10 minutes later, only delaying me for an hour from my originally planned departure time.
Today’s destination was the Red River Gorge Bridge and a Bed-and-Breakfast in a small town called Clifton Forge, VA. I had no idea what to expect at the Gorge, but the pictures I saw looked incredible. As my GPS told me I was getting closer, I kept looking for the bridge. I didn’t see it until I was practically ON it!
That crossing was pretty unimpressive, but I noticed on the map that I could go down under the bridge, so after stopping at the visitor center (and picking up a sticker), I did that!
After playing around down by the water, it was time to load up and head to the evening’s accommodations. The Red Lantern Inn was a great little Bed & Breakfast that was in the middle of downtown Clifton Forge, VA. Not much in the town except a few restaurants, bars, and a HUGE train yard. I unloaded my gear and went down the street to Jack Mason’s Tavern and Brewery for dinner. I ordered a Mushroom Swiss Burger and the House Cut Chips, dusted in Old Bay. The beverage for dinner was a local ale the waitress recommended when I said I wanted something light. It all hit the spot, and I was ready to settle down for the night.
The Red Lantern Inn was clean and spacious, and I had the whole place to myself. The owner was off-premises attending to other things, and we exchanged a few text messages to get the code to enter the building and the WiFi password. I never met her, but I would not hesitate to stay here again. It was clean and VERY quiet. Just what I needed after all the driving I had been doing.
Thursday’s activity was what prompted the trip in the first place. The Green Bank Observatory houses the world’s largest 100-meter (330 ft) fully steerable single-dish radio telescope. Located near the middle of the National Radio Quiet Zone, the telescope is the newest and most significant of many at the facility, topping out at over 400 feet in height and housing a dish of over 100,000 square feet. I purchased a tour ticket online and arrived about 30 minutes before the tour to use the facilities and check out the museum and gift shop.
We took a bus to the telescope and got up close and personal. Unfortunately, the only camera you can use is film because anything electronic is forbidden within a 1-mile radius. We were even asked to put our car key fobs in a Faraday Cage to block spurious emissions. Our tour guide was from Ireland, and she had been working there for several years. Her husband was a scientist working at the facility who had passed away, so she started doing tours and stayed in Green Bank.
After geeking out at the Observatory, I needed to find some lunch. I saw on Google Maps a Ski Resort called Snowshoe about an hour away and learned it is pretty active in the summer months with Mountain Biking, so I headed west to check it out.
I had already been to the highest mountain peak east of the Mississippi, but it felt like I was going even higher as I made my way to the top of Snowshoe Mountain. The road just kept going up and up, with switchback after switchback, until I finally reached the top. And what a surprise it was to see a village with a hotel, grocery store, and what looked like 4-story apartment buildings (pretty sure they were hotels).
I walked around for a while, checking things out and dodging many mountain bikes riding around the area. I can only imagine what this place is like in the winter, with skiers everywhere. I grabbed lunch at the Junction Ale House—nothing special here, just a little pub with staff that acted like they wanted to be elsewhere. I definitely do not see myself returning here, even if I visited in the winter to ski.
“After lunch, I made my way down the mountain to camp. I had two “First Come; First Served” sites in mind, Dry Run & Tea Creek campgrounds, Dry run was nice but pretty full. I drove down the road a little more and found Tea Creek to be just perfect. There were 12 sites, and only 2 were occupied. I nabbed a site near the entrance and set up camp.
An older gentleman came over, and we chatted about camping, cars, and the generator the other site was using (he was not a fan). The bugs died down at dusk, and I enjoyed a night of tuning through the shortwave bands tuning in signals from all over the world (the low noise floor in the Radio Quiet Zone helped a lot here.
I set out for Hillbilly Hotdogs (see below) and Wayne National Forrest in Southern Ohio on Friday morning. After lunch, I found my reserved campsite and had a problem. It was at the end of a cul-de-sac and about 10 feet down the side of the hill. The tent pad was about 10×10, and a drop-off on the backside. NOT a good site for the tent I use and not a good location if it rained like the forecast called for. I talked to the Camp Host and was informed there were no available sites, so I went to Ironton, OH, and used some Holiday Inn points to get a room for the night.
We were back on the road for our final day of travel on Saturday. I have been wanting to visit Serpent Mound again for years, I remember my Grandmother taking me here as a kid, and I wanted to see it again. Built a long time ago, Serpent Mound is a burial ground of ancient Americans that’s in the shape of a snake. The United States Department of Interior designated the mound as a National Historic Landmark in 1966.
It’s hard to see in the pictures, but the mound is over 1000 feet long and of great historical significance to the area. The visitors center has a nice display explaining the effigy’s who/what/why and, of course, stickers for my collection.
After the mound, I visited family and had lunch to celebrate Father’s Day a day early; it was the best BBQ I had eaten all week! I was left with a 2-hour drive back to Indy and was ready to get off the road! This is the 3rd year in a row where I’ve picked an interesting place to see and made a week-long trip out of it. It was nice to get away from the office and get out into nature before the high temperatures make it uncomfortable this summer. I’m already thinking about next year’s trip, and driving the entire Blue Ridge Parkway is on the shortlist.
What I’m Buying: Stickers, lots of stickers. When I visit a significant location, I like to purchase a sticker to commemorate the occasion. right now, they’re being put on the cooler that goes with me on every trip, but I’m running out of room, so I need to figure out something else to sticker up.
ICE! You have to have ice to keep things cool when you’re off the grid. It’s nice to see that ice is still only a couple of dollars a bag, even in the middle of nowhere. The local liquor store gives away bags with any purchase, so I always have a bag or two in the freezer to get me started. I’ve been told you can get ice from fast food restaurants really cheaply, but I never think about getting it there (and I rarely eat fast food anymore).
What I’m Eating: I had a few BBQ meals while traveling. Nothing that noteworthy and, honestly, a little disappointing with dry brisket and a side of mac and cheese where the sauce was broken and oily. I was expecting more and would rather eat the local BBQ at Traxx in McCordsville!
When camping, I normally dine on dehydrated meals from various manufacturers. Mountain House, Backpacker’s Pantry, and Pakit Gourmet are in constant rotation, and I always get a solid, filling meal with just a cup or two of boiling water.
On this trip, I fixed my ever-favorite Chili Mac with Beef and tried a new meal of Chicken and Rice both from Mountain House. Both were very filling, and the Chicken and Rice could have passed for homemade; it was that good!
Since I was in the area, I had to check out Hillbilly Hotdogs in LeSage, WV. This place was one of the first places visited by the Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives show and features “The Homewrecker” hot dog that weighs 1 pound and is covered with just about every topping they have. I saw one come out of the kitchen, and it was ridiculous!
I ordered a Hillbilly Dog (Deep-fried Weenie, Chili Sauce, Mustard, and Onions) and a West Virginia Dog (Chili Sauce, Mustard, Onions, and Cole Slaw), along with an order of Deep Fried Pickles w/ Ranch. Everything was hot and fresh, and I would stop here again if I ever found myself in the area. It was pretty crowded for a Friday afternoon and a popular stop for the bikers traveling along the river route.
What I’m Watching: I downloaded several movies on my iPad Pro to watch while camping, and I never even played them. I ended up spending my evenings reading, tuning in to distant stations on the shortwave radio, and relaxing to the sounds of nature.
What I’m Reading: I’m still reading “Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421 “and hope to finish it this weekend. Several more books are in the queue, including one about Switchboard Operators during World War One.
What Else: The Fishers Health Department has released its “Inspection report of retail food establishments” which gives a letter grade for local restaurants (I believe they need to post their grade for people to see at some point). This is a HUGE step in transparency for the public. The letter grade system is used in a lot of major cities and does a great job of not only calling out places not meeting the standards but also warning the patrons of the issues. I was surprised at some of the C-grades from places I often frequent, and I will no longer be dining there until they get their act together. Kudos to the Fishwers Health Dept for leading the way with this program. Hopefully, other cities (looking at you, Indy) will follow!
And Finally… I’ve been watching Mark Rober videos lately. In this video, Mark sets up a series of Olympic-style challenges for his backyard squirrels to compete in. From a balance beam to a diving board, these squirrels prove to be surprisingly adept athletes. Mark uses his engineering skills to create various contraptions and obstacles for the squirrels to navigate, such as a tiny zipline and a miniature pole vault. He also peppers the video with funny commentary and hilarious slow-motion replays of the squirrels in action. But beyond the laughs, this video is a testament to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of these furry creatures. So next time you see a squirrel in your backyard, give them a little respect – who knows what kind of Olympic potential they might have!
What’s Going On: Finishing the preparations for an upcoming road trip to West Virginia. It’s a combination of camping and a few hotels. The goal is to visit the world’s largest radio telescope in Green Bank, WV. Details to come!
What I’m Buying: I love over-engineered items, and Yeti products are just that. Some would say overpriced, and I’m not going to argue with them, but the gear is rock solid. I have several tumblers, wine mugs, and even their folding camp chair (it’s amazing). I had a bunch of Amazon credits from my Amazon Credit Card, and after talking to the owner of a 36 oz Rambler with the “Chug Cap,” I decided to pick one up. Yeti designed this one right. It’s roughly the same circumference as a Nalgene, so it fits perfectly in the cup holder extender I have in the Subaru. I did an Ice Test, and it kept ice for several days (almost 3), so it’s sure to help your drinks stay cold on all but the longest road trips.
What I’m Eating: Nothing too exciting this week. Several meetings ran into the lunch hour, so I ordered a few sandwiches at work. Jimmy John’s has their Summer Wraps back on the menu, and the Chicken Caesar is my favorite.
Potbelly has a “Clubby” on the menu as a limited-time offer, and it was a nice change from the Wreck I normally order.
What I’m Watching: Top Chef World All Stars just ended, it was the 20th season for the franchise, and host Padma L announced she would be departing the show. She has hosted all but the first season. It will be interesting to see who takes her place in season 21
What I’m Reading: After finishing, and really enjoying “Falling” by T.J. Newman, I moved to her next book, “Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421.” It started off fast and pulled me into the story immediately. I’ll probably have this one finished by the end of my trip next week.
And Finally… The History Guy’s latest video should be very interesting to travelers. “ORD Stands for Orchard: A History of Airport Codes” gives you some insight into the 3-letter airport codes that sometimes make no sense.
I’m not one to make a fuss about turning a year older, but I know people who are! This year my birthday fell on a Friday & after a super busy first quarter, I decided it was time to take a day off and enjoy a long weekend with family and friends.
We hit up our favorite BBQ place Thursday night to start the long weekend. Traxx BBQ is located n McCordsville. I did a little write-up about it earlier this year. This particular Thursday night the place was packed! I’ve never seen the parking lot so full, but the good thing about BBQ is that it’s already cooked, so you usually get your food quickly after you order. I ordered the Brisket and Smoked Sausage with Baked Beans and Mac-n-Cheese as my sides. My better half ordered pulled pork with Hush Puppies and Potato Salad. Scarlet Lane Brewery is located in the same facility, and it’s 21+, so we found a seat in there. It had less people noise, but the music made up for it. A little loud, but at least it was stuff I enjoyed.
Friday morning started with a tour of the Indiana War Memorial & Museum, something I have meant to do for a while now. The rainy weather was a good excuse to do something inside, and this museum did NOT disappoint!
You’ll need a solid hour to see everything; this free attraction is fantastic. They take donations at the end of the self-guided tour, and I encourage you to donate to keep this place operating. Every war, from. Civil to the Middle East, is covered, and all service branches are represented. The names of fallen Indiana soldiers are framed throughout the facility, and the sheer number is eye-opening.
We worked our way over to Mass Avenue and settled into a booth at Garden Table for lunch. Garden Table is a fun and hip place to have a lunch date or meeting. The menu is eclectic, and the atmosphere is very welcoming. I’ve been there three times in the past two months, and each time was just about perfect, from food to service. After lunch, we made a quick visit to The AMP at 16 Tech, The Garage (just window shopping), and Best Chocolate (can’t visit here without buying Truffles). As you can see, we were making our way around Indy to check out the new venues we hadn’t been to for a while.
Garden Table
I asked a co-worker, who knows her coffee, what a good shop would be for an afternoon treat, and she answered Bovaconti without hesitation. Bova (that’s what the cool kids call it) is in a former jewelry store in Fountain Square. It’s on the smaller side and had a good crowd when we visited mid-afternoon. I had a basic cold brew, but my date ordered the Spanish Latte, and it was one of the best coffee drinks either of us had ever tasted. A Spanish Latte consists of espresso, sweet condensed milk, cinnamon, and steamed milk. The condensed milk and cinnamon are a great combination!
Bovaconti CoffeeBovaconti Coffee
Saturday morning arrived rather quickly and we headed down to Cincinnati for a surprise birthday party in Covington for my Brother-in-Law. Before heading out, we decided to add another stop to Bova before traveling down I-74. I ordered an Iced Spanish Latte with Oat milk this time, and my co-pilot had the same with regular milk. Along with the coffee, we purchased a couple of maple nut pastries which they warmed up for us. The combination of iced coffee and the warm pastry was one of the best things I’ve had for breakfast in a LONG time!
The Cincinnati area has a lot of interesting things to do and see. We stayed across the river in Covington, KY but had lunch with family at The Miamiville Trailyard in Loveland, Ohio. This place reminded me of Four Day Ray in Fishers, except this place was right on the Little Miami Scenic (Rail) Trail.
Back to Cincy and Over the Rhine to do some shopping. There are no public restrooms easily available, so we stopped in at Krueger’s Tavern and enjoyed a glass of while (and used the facilities). I really miss having lunch at Krueger’s when they were in Indy. The Malt Vinegar Aioli paired with their shoestring fries was delicious!
There are murals everywhere around Cincy, and some of them are quite good!
Outside Taste of BelgiumSpace Dog Mural
We found a place to stay just 2 blocks from the evening event called Pickle Factory Boutique Hotel. It’s basically an Air B&B with several units on the top two floors. We were emailed the access information the morning of our stay and everything went smoothly.
Living AreaBedroom
The rental was spacious with a living area/kitchen and a bedroom. I’d stay here again in a heartbeat. It’s reasonably priced and close to downtown.
Cincinnati is like another world. There aren’t many straight streets anywhere because of the Ohio river and the hills make for some fun driving in and around town. Getting there from Indy couldn’t be easier as I-74 has to be one of the least congested of the Federal Highway System. Rarely do you run into heavy traffic or police running RADAR, it’s always a relaxing drive that goes by pretty fast. As a German settlement, there are hints of the heritage everywhere and the food scene is just as good, or better, than Indy. If you’re looking for a weekend getaway, consider Cincinnati for a change of scenery, I don’t think you’ll regret it!
And finally… New tracking technology developed by StarChase fires a GPS tag that attaches to a car and allows officers to track suspects after the pursuit has been called off. This could have a big impact on vehicle persuites and possibly save some lives in the process
Where do we begin? 2022 was a wild year, full of food, tech, travel, and fun. The site stats continue to improve, with an average traffic rate of just over 5000 page views per month. Thanks for returning to read my weekly ramblings! With that, let’s go back and revisit some of the highlights from 2022.
While I can’t predict what 2023 has in store, I’m already planning several trips to new places around the US and maybe even an international trip, or two, later in the year. We’ll continue the weekly post schedule, as that seems to be doable on all but the craziest weeks. I have a lot of post ideas saved up, and I look forward to sharing what I’ve found and continuing with my thoughts and observations. Happy New Year, and we’ll see you again next week!
Once again, it’s that time of year for my annual Leadership Exchange trip. This year we met in Nashville, Tennesee (on previous trips, we traveled to San Diego, CA, and San Antonio, TX). The delegation comprises mainly of senior executives and a few public officials from around the Indianapolis area and is always thought-provoking and impactful. Last Friday was a travel day to get the pre-arrival team on site and ready to hit the ground Saturday morning. I’ve attended this conference for a few years as a delegate, but with my new role at the new company, I’m part of the staff hosting the event, and I get to see how the sausage is made, so to speak.
Driving to Nashville from Indianapolis was uneventful and about as heavy as expected for a Friday. There are always a few people that do everything they can to pass everyone, and this time two of them were met by a KY State Trooper just over a rise in the road. My trusty Valentine One radar detector, and some general road trip common sense, kept me on the right side of the law as the 5-hour trip ticked by without event.
Along the way, I saw a sign. A sign I hadn’t seen in years. A sign for Schlotzsky’s Delli. Remember that place? They closed all of the Indianapolis locations in the early 2000s. My main memory of Schlotzsky’s is the bread they used. Well, I had to stop and see if it was as good as I remembered. This particular location was a drive-thru attached to the side of an IGA grocery store. I ordered the original, and it WAS as good as I remembered, but I forgot one thing, the Original has black olives on it. I love every olive out there except black olives; they just taste strange to me (probably because they’re not salty). Luckily there wasn’t a lot on the sandwich, and I just picked them off and enjoyed the sandwich. In 2018 the IBJ had a blurb saying Schlotzsky’s was planning on returning to Indy, but Covid might have delayed those plans… Fingers crossed, they make it back!
Our daily sessions took place at the Nashville Entranapurial Center one day and the GEODIS Park soccer stadium the next. Fun fact, the architect that designed GEODIS Park is the same one designing Eleven Park in Indianapolis.
I attended 2 of the cultural activities available, the first being a walking tour of the murals all around downtown Nashville and another at the Country Music Hall of Fame, where the Hatch Print Show printing company is located. Both activities were very well led by people very passionate about their respective subjects.
2-weeks out from the trip, they were calling for temps in the 90s, but we had just about perfect weather with temps in the 70s and very low humidity. Nashville is an interesting town with a lot of history. Country music isn’t really my jam, but our trip focused more on business than music, and the networking opportunities were second to none. I always return from this conference with a bunch of new connections and a newfound respect for Indianapolis as we learn that we’re doing a lot of great things in this city. With the leadership I spent several days with, we have many more good things to come.
Wednesday morning got here before we knew it, and it was time to pack up and head back to Indy. I made a quick detour while leaving downtown and stopped at the Nashville Farmers Market. While it was not terribly impressive on a Wednesday, I could see this place being a great place to visit on the weekends when all the stalls and merchants were open.
I mentioned in my initial Tom Bihn Synik 30 review that I’d be traveling with the bag, and it performed flawlessly. It was way heavier than normal since I was carrying 2 laptops, an iPad Pro, and a Surface Pro (we had a lot of presentations to show), along with all the gear to keep things charged and connected. The padded straps were a lifesaver as I drug all my gear all over Nashville for 5 days. 10/10 would recommend if you’re looking for a quality gear bag for everyday use.
And Finally… October 9, 2022, will mark the 15th Year Anniversary of IndyScan.com in its current format we created in 2007. The domain was first registered in 1996 and used for another purpose, making the domain 26 years old this year. I’m going to work on a little retrospective during the month and recap where we were and where we’re going with the Blog in the future. Have a great week!
I went on a Cross Country trip for work last week, so I missed my regular Sunday posting deadline. So this will be a post with 2-weeks’ worth of updates (and probably pretty long, too), but I have lots of pictures to share!
I left on Saturday to head out to San Diego, a place I’ve never visited. Indianapolis International Airport was pretty busy, being a weekend, but as usual, once you checked your bag, security was a breeze. Correct mask usage was close to 100%, but you always have a few defiant people trying to be difficult.
Airline employees are NOT messing around, and the trouble makers were given a choice; wear your mask or leave. It’s also funny how people are so anxious to get on the plane and just sit there. I’m quite fine waiting at the gate until it’s closer to time to depart. I like to minimize my time crammed into a tiny space.
We had an uneventful trip to Dallas, and it was the first time flying into DFW, where it didn’t take 30 min to taxi up to our gate. I had just enough time to grab a bite to eat before we loaded up and started our second leg of the trip. For some reason, we left 20-minutes early, and there were plenty of open seats on the flight. This is the first time flying since COVID, but it was nice to let someone else do the driving and visit a place not easily accessible by car.
On this trip, I stayed in the Gas Lamp District of San Diego. It’s a lovely area of the city that’s like a mix of Broad Ripple and Mass Ave in Indianapolis (with a baseball stadium only blocks away). Just about every restaurant had outdoor seating in what were once street parking spaces, and the later it got, the busier the streets became. I got there a little earlier than others in my group and hit a local seafood spot called Water Grill for some oysters. They came with some delicious bread and salted butter.
East and West Coast oyster sampler and fresh bread and butter at Water Grill in the Gaslamp District of San Diego.
I stayed in the Pendry Hotel this trip. It’s a great little boutique hotel with a price tag to match. One of the interesting features of the rooms here is the showers. It’s right there, in the middle of the room, with glass on 3 of the 4 sides. The attached pub was a favorite hang out for those of us on the trip, and I made several great business connections making the trip well worth the time and expense.
BIG shower in the center of the rooms in the Pendry Hotel
After a couple of days at the conference and seeing some great places around town, it was time for the discussions to end. I opted to stay in town an extra day to do some exploring. One thing that caught my eye was the maritime museum along the harbor. I had passed it several times in our travels, so I decided to visit on my last full day in town. It was a remarkable history display and had more model ships onboard real ships than I have ever seen in one place.
San Diego Maritime Museum
After the museum, I took the train up to Encinitas for lunch. The “Coaster” runs north and south from San Diego to Oceanside and is very scenic. It’s a good way to check out the scenery outside the city for just a few dollars. My round trip to Encinitas was under $10.
Sad Diego to Encinitas via train that travels along the Pacific coast.
Time to head back to Indy! So far, the travel part of this journey had been great, but…. You knew there was going to be a but…. I got stuck in DFW on the way back. All that rain in Indy while I was gone made its way out east and delayed my flight from New York to Dallas to come pick me up for the last leg of the trip. I ended up getting back 3-hours later than expected, but we made it back safe.
Although I was a little apprehensive about traveling across the country with the current status of the Pandemic, it was a great trip with enough activities to keep me busy the entire time. The weather was perfect, and I can see why people love it out there as much as they do. It’s always nice to get home, though. Now that I’ve gotten a taste of the San Diego area, I’d like to visit again and see some of the things I missed on this last trip.
Here are some bonus photos taken during the conference and some of the excursions we went on.
I hope everyone enjoyed their Labor Day weekend. I took an extra day off work to make it more like a vacation. The weather was amazing, and it was nice to get out and be active without melting in the 90+ degree heat. I just realized this post should be for Week-36, so I must have missed a post somewhere along the way… I also updated the theme to something a little fresher than what we’ve been using for several years.
I visited a new-to-me Disc Golf course north of Tipton, Indiana, over the weekend. The Heartland Disc Golf Course is located on the grounds of the Heartland Church in Sharpsville, Indiana, and was built in May 2020. Although they only have 9 baskets, they have long and short tee pads that allow you to play a round of 18-holes. There was just one other group there when I visited, and after they left, I had the place to myself for the better part of an hour.
I’m hoping to expand the recipe section of the website and have been looking at WordPress plugins to make things more professional looking, like other sites with recipes.. I’ve started using the “WP Recipe Maker” plugin and edited our recipe for Buffalo Chicken Dip to reflect the new format. It’s going to take a little time to get all of our existing recipes into the new format but going forward, it should be easier to add new ones that we find along the way.
I was hoping to get to the Farmer and the Flea outdoor market this weekend, but the rain on Saturday kept us inside. However, I’m planning on visiting next weekend and will share any unique finds I discover.
And finally, if you’re a fan of Rick and Morty, you might be interested in the First teaser trailer for Rick and Morty live-action starring Christopher Lloyd, Jaeden Martel.
So how was your 2020? It was an interesting one to say the least. Something we’ll all remember the rest of our lives. My New Years resolution is to try & revive the blog with a weekly posting format that will allow me to build each post as the week progresses and publish the summary once a week.
The following is a 2020 recap by month via pictures I took along the way. Warning, there will be a LOT of food pictures. If you follow me on Social Media a lot of these are re-posts but I’m adding more context. You can click on each one for a larger image.
January 2020
Finally made it to Working Man’s Friend for a legendary burger. Why did it take me so long to visit?
Celebrated a successful 2019 with the team from work (Cowboy Ribeyes at Sullivan’s)
Started playing with Sports Betting (have turned $50 into $400 this year).
Had the best Calamari EVER at King Dough.
February 2020
Interviewed the founder of Clustertruck and got a behind the scenes look at the downtown operation.
Made a killer Deep Dish Pizza to celebrate Super Bowl LIV.
And some homemade Coconut Marshmallows for for people at work.
Correctly guessed the winner of the Daytona 500 and turned $5 into $53.75.
March 2020
Covid is starting to get a lot of coverage in the news and we start testing a new video collaboration tool called “Zoom”.
The Covid Memes also start to become a daily sight.
Last burger and Fry combo at Kreuger’s in Indianapolis (they closed after this).
I put the 3D printer to use and start printing sanitation hooks for friends and family.
The Work From Home revolution begins as office parking lots start looking like a late Friday afternoon every day of the week.
April 2020
Found a new casserole that is the definition of Comfort Food.
Got a free speed bump on the home Internet so working from home was lightning fast!
Baked bread and ate a LOT of BLT’s throughout the year.
Had to upgrade the home networking setup to make the speed boost more usable.
Took advantage of a new Kincaid’s butcher shop opening up right down the street (Spud Buddies and Flank Steak).
May 2020
Early in May I had a Covid-19 scare and proceeded to the Lilly testing sight in Downtown Indianapolis. Test was negative.
Added some flair to the Zoom background in my makeshift dining room studio.
Continued to help keep Kincaid’s in business.
And the BLT’s were the go-to meal when working from home.
Operation American Resolve was a tribute to the front line healthcare workers.
Followed by a Blue Angel’s tour of the USA. They flew right over my office when they visited Indianapolis.
Civil Unrest brought out the ISP Chopper to keep an eye on things downtown (Flight track from Flightaware).
The Rose Bush in the front of the house decided to flex and brightened up the landscape.
June 2020
In June I set off to Indian-Celina Lake in southern Indiana for some camping. It was nice to have the campground pretty much all to myself!
The guys at work decided it was time for some Socially Distant Golf so we hit up a small little public course on the east side of Indy.
My Son wanted Pizza one night so we made pizza!
Bought a new Police Scanner to keep up with all the things going on downtown.
The YoHo General Store in Solsberry, Indiana was a place to stop for lunch…
…While I visited the Tulip Trestle in Bloomfield.
George Floyd mural on Mass Ave in Indianapolis (not my photo).
July 2020
Right before the July 4th Holiday we received bad news about Kincaid’s. They would end up being closed much longer than they anticipated (until October).
We celebrated Independence day with a BBQ chicken on the Big Green Egg.
Once of many beautiful sunsets from the backyard in 2020.
Introduced my son to the Soft Shell Crab roll at Ocean World in Indianapolis.
Lucked out on an NBA wager to end the month.
August 2020
I found and tried the “Danzig” of wines (80’s music reference if you didn’t know).
Discovered COCONUT ALMONDS! These are addictive & don’t last long after bring purchased.
Re-visited an old friend at Shapiro’s Deli. They took a big hit in 2020 but were still producing a quality product when I visited.
It was time to update my Avatar.
Speaking of visiting, we took a road trip to Gas City and tried Payne’s Fish and Chips. The Fattoush salad was delicious and they cook up a mean plate of food. Well worth the visit if you’re in the area!
September 2020
Took another trip to Indian-Celina Lake early in the month.
Tried to predict the future and placed a $5 bet on Notre Dame to win it all (they play in the semi-finals on the day I’m writing this post).
Took another camping trip a few weeks later. This time a multi-day, multi-state adventure. Starting in Madison Indiana at Clifty Falls. Just in time for the first Presidential debate. Bingo cards from the No Agenda podcast.
The next day I headed farther south to Mammoth Cave. I hadn’t been there since I was a kid. I picked a great time to visit. The crowds were non-existent and the camping area was wide open.
You aren’t allowed to burn regular firewood at this park so you have to use Bio-Blocks. I was skeptical but they actually worked great!
October 2020
Continuing the multi-day, multi-state adventure I started the morning with a drive to Nashville, which is in the news the week I write this because of a huge explosion.
While looking for a BBQ place for lunch I drove by Hugh Baby’s and the smell drew me in.
I ended up ordering the Mushroom Swiss Smash Burger (with SMOKED MUSHROOMS) and it was one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had. I still have dreams about it 3-months later.
Traveling northwest to Land Between the Lakes I drove around a corner to find a giant Minecraft looking structure. Turns out it’s a Charcoal Blast Furnace. I ended up seeing several of these on my travels and each one was just as interesting as the last.
Woke up to a COLD morning at Land Between the Lakes, probably because I was camping lakeside.
That afternoon I drove up to Garden of the Gods for some breathtaking views.
After arriving home I turned on the first episode of Ted Lasso (best show of 2020 in my opinion) and proceeded finish the season by the next day.
The following weekend I met some family in Auburn to tour the Cord Duesenberg Museum. It was HUGE and totally worth the 2-hour drive from Indianapolis.
Work had me downtown a few days later and I just had to stop in and get some Bison Meatloaf at St. Joseph’s Brewery.
Oct 31 was a sad day. The BEST James Bond (Daniel Craig is a close second) passed away at 90 years of age.
November 2020
Indianapolis continued to be boarded up because of the threat of election day violence.
Left the office & had a Weinermobile spotting!
Discovered a clever artist in Indy (@itghostwithoutsaying on Instagram).
The Cobb Salad at Bru Burger, it’s a work of art.
Red Bird in the front tree, trying out the new iPhone 12 Pro.
Hoagies & Hops was selling Taylor Ham (pork roll) and I could not pass up making a classic sandwich (pork roll, egg, & cheese on a Kaiser roll).
December 2020
I think I found the Cookie of the year
2020 even caused Trader Joe’s to shut down
I decided it was time to make some chicken stock for some upcoming soups and stews.
Even though most agree Die Hard isn’t a Christmas Movie I thought this was funny.
And last but not least, The Oatmeal figured out how to properly end the year.
Well if you made it this far THANK YOU for sticking with me. After realizing I was neglecting the blog I felt it was time for a super post to get caught up. As I said above my goal is to post a weekly summary with all of the things I found relevant throughout the week. We’ll see if I can actually pull it off.
It will be interesting to see what reverts back and what stays the same. I think working from home, for some, is going to be the new norm. I can’t help to think masks will be part of our way of life for years to come, especially during flu season. I’m glad we all made it through 2020 and I’m looking forward to, hopefully, getting back to the way things used to be.
See you next week!
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