Speeding Around Outside of Indianapolis

Let’s just jump in with the most exciting thing that happened to us on this leg of our adventure.

We were birding in Indianapolis and got to chatting with another birder. I jokingly said “Can you tell us where we can find some owls?” And he said, “Actually, there’s a place about an hour away with a pretty reliable Eastern Screech Owl.”

He marked it on a map for us (about 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis). Later, Doug and I asked ourselves, “Are we really going to drive two hours, round-trip, to look for an owl?” Well, duh, of course we were!

Eastern Screech Owl with eye partly open.

When we arrived at the park, we tried to parse the directions we had been given, but we couldn’t find him. We saw tons of Cooper hawks though, so all was not in vain.

Just as we were thinking it was not to be, another birder who was in his car leaving — like literally driving out of the parking lot — rolled down his window and said “Did you see the owl?” When I told him no, he parked his car and walked us to right to the tree about 50 yards away.

OMG! As you can see, he is absolutely magnificent, even more so in the golden hour sunset light! I admit that I almost cried I was so moved by how beautiful he was.

This owl apparently likes to sit in his tree taking in the evening sun, and doesn’t mind – maybe even seems to enjoy – all the people who come stand on the trail gawking at him from just 15 feet away.

We obviously made sure to point him out to anyone walking by (gotta pay it forward), and left absolutely giddy with the experience, and grateful to the two anonymous birders who made it happen for us.

Cooper’s Hawk, one of three that we saw in the park.

The Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site is not the most exciting place we’ve ever visited, but it played an important role in the Underground Railroad, and therefore was worthy of some time.

The small home was constructed in the late 1830s in what is now known as Fountain City (about 70 miles east of Indianapolis). Owners Catharine and Levi Coffin were Quaker abolitionists, and during their time in Indiana it is believed they helped as many as 2,000 enslaved people escape to freedom in Canada

Three escape routes that led north through Kentucky converged at the Coffin’s home. The high number of people they helped earned their home the nickname “Grand Central Station.”

The Coffins ran a supply store, which made it easier for them to provide food, clothing, and other items to people in need without it being obvious to others what they were up to, because of course it was illegal to assist runaway slaves. Because of the illegal nature of their services, the Coffins kept no documentation of who or how many they helped.

The Coffins continued their Underground Railroad work after they moved to Ohio in 1847, helping another estimated 1,300 people make their way to freedom.

The home had many uses and owners after the Coffins left, including serving as a hotel and being converted to apartments. Therefore, none of the furnishings in the house are original to the Coffins, and significant restoration work was needed to return it to its original layout.

That desk has markings on the back showing that it was sold by Levi’s store.

Having the well inside the house helped – no one could see how much water they were using.

Photograph of freedom seekers who settle in Ontario, Canada after traveling north on the Underground Railroad, circa 1890. It’s hard to imagine the courage it took to make the journey and start life anew in a strange (and cold) land.

Levi and Catherine Coffin. Levi earned the nickname “President of the Underground Railroad.” Not sure why Mrs. C didn’t get an honorary title, too.

We’ve been slowly — so slowly — working on visiting the highest points in each state over our two decades together, and I can’t believe that in our 19 months on the road, the Indiana high point is only the second one we’ve nabbed while in the van (the other being Nebraska). This brings our lifetime total to 27.

The high point is named Hoosier Hill, and it’s located in Franklin Township (about 70 miles east of Indianapolis). It was a total slog. We had to park, and then walk like 100 feet. I forgot my water and was parched. With effort, we stretched the experience to ten minutes.

Carmel (a surburb north of Indianapolis) is internationally known for its roundabout network, having built more than 150 of them since the late 1990s. It will surprise no one that that is more than any other city in the United States.

We are both big supporters of roundabouts, which truly are wonders of efficiency when drivers know how to use them. However, a roundabout leading into a roundabout leading into a roundabout was not fun in the van, and I was glad to leave them behind.

Carmel says the number of injury accidents is down 80%, with overall accidents down 40%.

On the other side of the fountain is a Seward Johnson sculpture of a man painting the scene before him, including this roundabout. (See our post on the Johnson sculptures in town.)

The business started as a root beer stand back in 1929, but the root beer itself goes back to 1895. Served in a frosty mug to boot!

One thing I will say is, biscuits and gravy sure do not photograph well. Doug ordered the full portion, and the biscuits were enormous! Only then did he understand why the menu offer half and three-quarter portions.

Biscuits and gravy came up as food to have in Indiana, and Doug is not one to shy away from a challenge like that. He got these at the Triple XXX Family Restaurant in West Lafayette, where we also got their famous root beer. Contrary to what might be your initial thought, the “XXX” name indicates a “high grade” quality rating.