Day 14 - ending at Fair Oaks, IN - Northern Indiana on the Open Road

September 12, 2011

Day 14 - ending at Fair Oaks, IN

Posted via email Tue Sep 13 06:49:01 2011 PDT

Awake at 6:03am. Walked to the beach by-way-of Trail #4 (goes by Mt. Tom). This was quite a hike up and back down. Took lots of pictures. It was a quiet morning. Returned to campground using the Beach Trail, arriving at 7:45am.

Ate ginger snaps for breakfast, packed, and left at 10:06am.

I was heading for Valparaiso, and the Google Map directions Kris provided for today worked as well as yesterday (great). I made it into town at 12:05pm. At 12:25pm I stopped at Ogden Gardens Park for a break.

Next I headed to see the buildings that are left where my dad and I both went to school - Valparaiso Technical Institute. The main building is gone (the school went out of business), but Dodge Hall is still there.

Next I proceeded to Round The Clock Restaurant for lunch (breakfast food). It filled me up.

Left at 2:20pm headed to the Valparaiso University campus. Got a picture of their chapel.

Leaving from the east end of Route 130, I headed to country roads south of Valparaiso. I used to ride these roads on an old 24-inch Schwinn cruiser. The roads have more houses and traffic than back in the mid-70's, but they also now have "Bike Route" signs.

I stopped for a break and called my friend Jim. All good news to report to him, except that I was behind schedule today.

The roads south of the Kankakee River were great for making up time. It still got dark on me before I got off the road. My goal was Oak Lake Family Campground, Fair Oaks, Indiana. I got on Route 10 to get over Interstate I-65. Once across, I saw an ice cream place - Sycamore Drive In. It wasn't going to get any darker on me, so I stopped for a medium lemon shake. After that I got a free glass of ice water.

Another mile and a half and I was at the campground (at 8:45pm). Got the tent set up (at site #35) using the bike's headlight to see. Took shower.

It's another beautiful, moon-lit evening after a beautiful riding day.

Spent: $14.00 + $3 (lunch), $4.07 (milk shake), and $29.96 (campsite fee).

Went: 54 miles.

Jeff

Day 14 -Chesterton, IN to Fair Oaks, IN

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+ plus signs indicate pictures added after returning home from the trip +

+ Trail #4 at Indiana Dunes State Park - Chesterton, IN +

+ Mount Tom: the highest spot at Indiana Dunes State Park - Chesterton, IN +

+ Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes State Park - Chesterton, IN +

+ sharing the beach with three others enjoying the sunrise +

+ beach pavilion at Indiana Dunes State Park - Chesterton, IN +

+ information sign about Lake Michigan storm hazards +

+ looking out the window from the upper level of the beach pavilion +

+ along the Beach Trail at Indiana Dunes State Park - Chesterton, IN +

+ what used to be Valparaiso Technical Institute's Dodge Hall - Valparaiso, IN +

+ Valparaiso Technical Institute's Memorial Hall (dormitory) is now a multi-office building - Valparaiso, IN +

+ main entrance of office building - Valparaiso, IN +

+ former WNWI-AM 1080-kHz radio antenna tower - Valparaiso, IN +

+ garden area in front of entrance to Round The Clock Restaurant - Valparaiso, IN +

+ an entrance to Valparaiso University's Chapel of the Resurrection - Valparaiso, IN +

+ On my way out of town, I stopped at Graceland Cemetery to visit the gravesites of dear friends of mine who 'adopted' me - inviting me over for Sunday dinners during the time I attended Valpo Tech. +

+ entrance to Graceland Cemetery - Valparaiso, IN +

+ along CR-S100E looking southeast toward Salt Creek - Porter County, IN +

+ Along this road (CR-S75E) I was stopped - concentrating on picture-taking - when I sensed a gentle pressure against the side of my leg. It was a dog who would have had me, but just wanted petting. +

+ looking southwest from CR-S75E - Porter County, IN +

Today's ride: 54 miles (87 km)
Total: 593 miles (954 km)

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