Surf was too high here to swim
We made a quick trip to the Coatan Beach south of the main drag next to the boardwalk. The surf was so heavy here that no swimming was allowed, only surfing. Swimming was allowed further north up the shore line.
We also drove up the strip and were surprised at all of the new stores and hotels that have been constructed since we were here last a couple of years ago.
A few surfers enjoying the waves
The origianl Genett Parrot logo still seen on the wall of the remaining brick building
Richmond Indiana is a very history filled town on the Ohio-Indiana border in the central part of the state. Both I-70 and Historic US 40 run through Richmond. One of the historic sites in Richmond is the remains of the old Starr Piano manufacturing plants and the Genett Recording studios.
Starr made high end pianos beginning in the 1870’s. The remaining Starr pianos are highly sought after by collectors and musicins alike. The Gennett recordng Studos were in business from 1920 to 1934. The records were made in a primitive concrete and brick building with little acoustical features.
Legend says that an Oriental rug from the Gennett mansion was used as a wall hanging to deaden the echo sounds during the recording sessions.
Louis Armstrong honored on the sidewalk next to the remains of the old recording studio. There are many musicians so honored.
Many famous musicians of the times got their first recordings made at Gennett. Hoagy Carmicheal’s big band recorded there. Louis Armstrong got his start in the Gennett studio. The studio was known as the first one to record jazz, blues, country and gospel genres. The Great Depression signaled the end of Genett Records as it did many other record companies of the times.
The remaining portion of the brick factory now has a modern steel structure and metal roof system. Ths building is used for concerts and other civic events.
When in Richmond be sure to seek out the old Starr Piano buliding. You just might hear echos of music from the past. Read more at the Starr Gennett Foundation website.
The remaining structure from what used to be a huge manufacturing complex on the White River in Richmond.
The remaining smoke stack from the Starr Piano factory.
A different perspective of the old factory
Photo on the Eagles Nest historic marker showing travel on the National Highway
The Eagles Nest monument on the National Road (US 40) was erected around 1916 after a 29 mile stretch of the then umimproved and often nearly impassable road was replaced with concrete. The stretch of highway ran from Zanesville to Hebron.
The monument is a large granite rock with some interesting inscriptions carved into the surface. The photos show some of the details of the inscriptions, including a Conestoga wagon and mileage to Cumberland, Maryland, the starting point of the road.
The day we stopped here the conditions were very muddy and wet. What a reminder of some of the early muddy conditions that the early travelors faced as they traveled across country.
The Eagles Nest monument
Conestoga wagon etched into the granite
You are 220 miles from the start of the National Road in Cumberland, MD.
Near Pere Marquette State Park north of Grafton, Illinois we saw a magnificent bald eagle in the top of a tree. What a treat to see our National Symbol in the flesh, er….in the feather. Info boards at the park said that in the year 2000 there were 43 active nests of bald eagles in Illinois.
As Sher and I were driving west on the National Road (aka US 40) I about drove off the street when we went through Greencastle, a town west of Indianapolis. There mounted on a large concrete “V” shaped base was one of the infamous WWII German terror weapons: a V1 Buzz Bomb. This flying bomb was the first ‘cruise missle’.
Complete with accurate paint colors is the Buzz Bomb on the town square in Greencastle
I recognized it immediately and I’m sure I startled Sher when I said “What the heck is that doing here?”
It turns out that the Greencastle requested this relic for the monument they erected to honor those from their county (Putnam) who gave their lives in WWII. There is, according to the plaque, only one other V1 in the states and it is at the Smithsonian in DC.
No Sherman tank or artillery piece for Greencastle. No they have one of the rarest of artifacts from WWII as their memorial. Wow.
Another view
From the rear
The story of the Greencastle V1
Mash tank in the brew house. The production areas were not only spotless, but the building interior painted and beautiful.
Just now Sher and I took the free tour of the Anheuser-Busch brewery, home of Budweiser beer. We were able to park in the designated tour parking lot. We had time to visit the welcome center and gift shop before our tour started after a short 20 minute wait.
This tour is just amazing. Two tour guides narrated the tour with mic’s so you could easily hear. It takes about 50 minutes and does require a lot of walking. The first stop is the Budweiser Clydesdale stable. Talk about pampered animals!
The tour will give you a concise history of the company and you see the actual brewing vats and learn the brewing procedures as well. It was striking how big the facility is and how much beer is brewed there each year. Hope you enjoy the pictures below!
Storyboard of the brewing process. We got a sample of Bud Lite at this stop.
Luke, one of the Budweiser Clydesdales in rotation to pull the famous Budweiser wagons
One of four Budweiser wagons in the stable rotundra
Beechwood aging tanks, the last step before final filtering and packaging. Each tank holds 3600 barrels of beer!
Exterior of the Brew House, built in 1891 – 1892.
You see some out of the ordinary things on US 40, the National Road. Casey, Illinois has some of those things. The world’s largest wind chimes broiught us to a halt a we drove through this little town. The “coming soon” foundations for the allegeded largest rocking chair was a hoot. I wondered how long the chair has been “coming soon”.
World’s largest wind chime
And it will arrive when??
This is a section of the very old road! Watch for the signs which will occasionally lead you to a short stretch like this one.
Sher and I are traveling on the National Road, aka US 40. We will be sharing photos of some of the things that we “discovered” along the way. Our first leg was eastbound from Richmond Indiana towards Columbus Ohio. We traced from Columbus east for a while and then returned to Indiana for family business.
The last couple of days we traveled west from Indy towards St. Louis. It is a treat to cruise along at 50 mph and really take in the sights. (Saves gas too!)
In Brownville, Ohio you can see one of the remaining original mileage markers.
On a recent trip to Columbus Ohio to visit family we all ended up downtown looking for a place to eat. Our son recommended a place called Fabian’s Pizza. This place serves real Chicago style deep dish pizza for sure.
Sher’s veggie deluxe
Located on High Street a few blocks north of the convention center, Fabian’s can’t claim fast service, but the pizza is excellent. Served at your table in piping hot deep dish pans, I had the chicken BBQ and Sher had her favorite, the veggie special.
Pepperoni ! !
Our son and his wife and three kids had a large pepperoni and a small supreme. Coupled with a large house salad to start the meal off, we all were more than full when we left. (Sher and I both had leftovers in a take out box!)
Inside Fabian’s
It did take about an hour after we ordered to get our pizzas, but I have to say it was worth the wait. If you like Chicago style deep dish pizza and find yourself in downtown Columbus, be sure to get to Fabian’s. You won’t regret it.
Supreme deep dish
We were visiting family near Columbus Ohio this weekend. We all piled into their van and headed out for the day. We ended up in downtown Columbus and were amazed by the huge crowd at the conention center for the Arnold Schwarzenegger Sports Fitness Festival. According to local media over 180,000 people attended the weekend event. This is a yearly event for Columbus,and is one of a series of events from around the world that carries Schwarzenegger’s name.
One company’s banner with a vintage picture of Arnold
The crowds were huge. We walked through the convention center to see all of the events in the outer hall ways. The actual event required an admission charge which we passed on.
The streets and sidewalks were packed!
The Navy Seals gave folks a chance to prove their strength
Roadtirement 