travel

Central Indiana Air Quality Alert

/ Roadtirementvintage / 13 Comments

Smoke from Canadian wildfires have blanketed Central Indiana with enough smoke to prompt an air quality alert for Central Indiana on Tuesday June 27th. This covers our home county. This is part of an email distributed by the Indianapolis National Weather Service:

AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT WEDNESDAY NIGHT…
The officials at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management have declared an Air Action Day, in effect until midnight EDT Wednesday night.
An Air Quality Action Day for PM 2.5 has been issued. Fine particulate levels are expected to be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range. Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma should limit prolonged outdoor exposure.

The smoke is visible when you look outside, and there is even a faint smoke smell detected. It is more obvious in the country as seen in the photo below. Normally the tree line on the horizon is clearly seen with a dark green color.

An obvious smoky haze as you look across the fields

We are hunkered down in the house with the AC and air filter running. I was outside briefly and noticed some immediate congestion, and Sher also has felt the effect of the poor air quality. Hopefully the forecast will be correct, and by Thursday the smoke will start to dissipate.

Ever get so full you bring half your food home?

/ Roadtirementvintage / 24 Comments

That happened to us this afternoon. We went to Bargersville, Indiana to try out a new brewery and restaurant we just recently discovered on our way to another attraction. Here’s what we found:

Outside the entrance and the patio seating

View of the bar, lots of taps here!

 

 

 

 

 

Posing with the Taxman

Three professional tax accountants, while working in Belgium, became enamored with Belgian beer styles. Thus began the story of Taxman Brewing Company located in Bargersville, Indiana.  From the Taxman website “We selected the Town of Bargersville for the home of our brewery because it reminded us of the small brewery towns we visited in Europe.”

A flight of four to sample

Delicious warm pretzels and dipping sauces

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crispy Brussel sprouts with feta, chilis, crushed almonds

Loaded smashburger, with good trimmings and double fried frites

A flight of four ales. Good stuff…

The Bargersville location is a comfortable place with outdoor patio seating and inside dining as well. The restaurant is family friendly, and has a large menu of farm to table choices. And of course you’ll have nearly 50 styles of beer from which to sample or buy. We had so much food that we ended up with 3 containers for our take home. Everything was absolutely scrumptious.  Service is near perfect and you really feel at home and welcome at this fun gastropub.

Current brews on tap and for sale.

A peek at the brewing tanks

 

 

 

 

 

The brewery has a capacity of 6000 barrels each year. Taxman self-distributes its brews across Indiana as well as offering them in the Bargersville’s restaurant and two other restaurants in Indy and Fortville. They brew a wide range of Belgian inspired ales, American farmhouse ales, Midwest saisons and has an extensive cellar program producing wine and spirit aged beers as well as sour, wild and funky ales.

Grain elevator turned restaurant

/ Roadtirementvintage / 7 Comments

The Depot grain elevator building was first built in 1906 adjacent to the Pennsylvania RR tracks about a block south of the National Road. Throughout the decades the site changed hands, sat empty, and was finally bought by a group of Greenfield business men in order to stop impending destruction.

Hand hewed beams used in remodeling

Old conveyor belt bins from the elevator

Bar made from section of old grain bin

The reconstruction of the exterior and interior repurposed as much of the original building as possible. Look around, you will see marvelous examples of early 1900’s architectural details including hand hewed beams, wood planking and material handling conveyors and screens.

Main bar and beverage station

Looking at the basement machinery

1940’s CO-OP sign

Outdoor patio seating

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today The Depot is a full service family restaurant with an adjacent “bar seating” area. The menu is quite extensive, and offers many types of cuisine and drink options. In addition there is a second floor seating area and bar suitable for special events. There is, on the main floor, a glass floor observation deck exposing some original machinery in the basement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sher enjoyed the Vegetarian Flat Bread and I ordered the Philly Cheese Steak with a side of Tater Tots. Both were most delicious with farm fresh ingredients. The iced tea, both sweetened and unsweetened was more tasty than most teas you find. All in all, this was a fun experience. The service was great, all the staff made you feel welcomed. The food and drinks were exceptional. The mantra of Food. Drinks. History. is perfect for the Depot.

Home town café

/ Roadtirementvintage / 10 Comments

You always hear that the local, non-chain eateries are the best. The Chaperral Cafe in Shelbyville, Indiana proves that theory is correct! Located a couple of blocks from the downtown square, this landmark is known for its all day breakfast and “the best breaded tenderloin” around.

Local history in photos

A sincere personal welcome

Bigger than your head!

You barely see the bun peeking out

Cut in half, still too big for the bun!

I had a wonderful lunch Friday. I met one of my sons there, and as a bonus he had my 2 year old grandson with him. A special treat for this PaPaw! I had wanted to visit the Chaperral for quite sometime as their breaded tenderloin has become legendary. (Breaded tenderloins are a Hoosier favorite!) Well, this sandwich absolutely exceeded my expectations. The tenderloin was just the right thickness, the breading was not overpowering and the “crunch” was perfect! I cut mine in half, ate part in the bun, the other with knife and fork. Gonna have to go back and try biscuits and gravy sometime soon!

Los Reyes Mexican restaurant

/ Roadtirementvintage / 6 Comments

On a day trip recently we stopped in Martinsville, Indiana for a bite to eat. We spotted Los Reyes Mexican Restaurant right on the downtown square. We lucked out and got a parking space right across from the restaurant. We appreciate it when we don’t have to walk very far! We enjoy Mexican cuisine, so we thought we’d give this place a try.

Entrance w/Court House across the street

Fancy sun dial

Colorful furnishings

 

 

 

 

 

Wall to wall decor

 

 

 

 

 

After the host escorted us to our table, it became apparent that this was going to be a treat for the eyes as well as the palate! We have been to a lot of Mexican restaurants, but this one had every square inch of the walls, tables, chairs and support columns completely covered with those colorful 3D raised decoration/pictures.

Good chips/salsa

Margarita!

Both our meals pictured

Sher ordered a vegetarian plate with enchilada, quesadilla and tostada served with frijoles. She also had a margarita. As I was driving, I had water with my beef chimichanga served up with frijoles and rice. We enjoyed the meal, served hot and of course we also enjoyed the chips and salsa. Seems as most Mexican restaurants have pretty much the same fare, but it still makes for a decent meal.

Lavender farm near Mooresville

/ Roadtirementvintage / 12 Comments

Lavender field in bloom

Rows of Lavender

 

 

 

 

 

Recently we had a delightful day trip suitable for not only seniors like us but people of any age.  The Willowfield Lavender Farm  is south of Mooresville, Indiana southwest of Indianapolis.

Enjoying the sweet Lavender Mint iced tea

Healthy Lavender plant we now have

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had a glass of their fresh Lavender-Mint tea. It was so good that Sher had to have one too. The gift shop was fun to see, and the staff was very friendly and informative. We even bought a live Lavender plant and some lavender soap.

Comfortable seating under shade

Go to the Willowfield Lavender Farm website for hours, directions and special event calendars.

Honey farm in Martinsville

/ Roadtirementvintage / 12 Comments

Martinsville, Indiana is a quaint little town south of Indianapolis in the beginnings of southern Indiana’s hill country. West of town is a family owned, fourth generation of beekeeper’s honey farm producing a multitude of products from bees.

Store signage

Honey for sale!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hunter’s Honey Farm has 65 beautiful acres providing homes for bees, timber and Christmas trees. The family has been producing honey and honey related products in Indiana for over 100 years.

More honey products

Round table is full of samples!

 

 

 

 

 

The store on site is filled with anything and everything honey! Available for sale is honey, honey comb, honey mustard, honey candy, honey products, raw honey, honey sticks, and a variety of honey based soaps and lotions.

Live bees at work in an award winning display

Of course we bought some honey!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The farm also offers tours of the grounds, including trips out to the timber and Christmas Tree areas as well as bee hives and beekeeping demonstrations. Go to Hunter’s Honey Farm website for details concerning farm tours and upcoming special events. This is a great day trip destination.

Chewbacca and Zorro

/ Roadtirementvintage / 12 Comments

These are our grand dogs living with our Columbus Ohio family.

Zorro looks dapper with his bowtie

Chewy loves laying on your feet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chewy really looks like Chewbacca of Star Wars fame when his hair is grown out each winter. Zorro is a real sweetie and is convinced he’s a lapdog. “Hey, if Chewy can sit on your lap why can’t I?”

Brewdog started in Scotland, now in Ohio

/ Roadtirementvintage / 18 Comments

We had a really fun time this past weekend when we visited our son’s family to celebrate our granddaughter’s High School graduation. Friday night we found our way to a large establishment called Brewdog. This place was a full sized brewery, restaurant-bar, games, merchandise and the Doghouse Columbus Hotel, rooms of which have beer taps in each room. The original home is in Aberdeen, Scotland. Now there are several in Ohio.

Sher heading into the Brewery

Looking towards the outdoor seating area

The beer barrel wall, restaurant beyond

Bar and indoor seating, outdoor seating patio beyond

This is a trailer, note the girl just released her axe…

The facility has a huge building that houses not only the restaurant/bar/game rooms but the actual brewery with its large vats. Once you pass the merchandise area and go through the beer barrel wall, you’re in the restaurant bar seating area. The menu was filled with great bar food.

Smothered wings & fries, nachos and corn dip

Custom made pizza

You have to try a flight!

With our son and daughter-in-law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The firepits were nice, heck, the whole place was nice. We’ll go back on another trip to visit our Columbus Ohio family.