Originally planned as a late-season camping trip, things had to be replanned when the weather forecast suggested we do something else. We booked a two-night stay at a Quality Inn in Huntington, IN, and decided to explore three county seats along the Wabash River and US 24: Peru, Wabash and Huntington itself. I had briefly visited these towns in the summer of 2008, driving west from Detroit to Colorado Springs, using US 24 as my main highway. I had driven alone that year, and have been wanting to get Deb to some of these places since then.
We left Sunday morning, driving south to Toledo and catching on to US 24 from just west of there. The highway follows the Maumee River, passing through little towns like Waterville, Grand Rapids, Napolean, and Defiance before crossing the border into Indiana just east of Fort Wayne. We have visited the Ohio portion of the trip many times, and planned on making a few stops today before reaching Fort Wayne, which was our dinner destination.
Cruising along old 24 between Waterville and Grand Rapids, we passed a sign that said "Road Closed 9 Miles Ahead: Local Traffic Only." With the river on one side and farm fields on the other, I figured there must be another solution to this problem, so continued driving. Soon we were in the land of traffic hell. Grand Rapids, a small, scenic little town along the Maumee, has a highway bridge, a railway bridge, a restored part of the old canal, a dam, many parks, and yes, even some rapids. As we turned a corner, we were suddenly confronted with vehicle and pedestrian gridlock. It was the town's Apple Butter Festival. To someone trying to get past the place, it was pure hell. It only took about 25 minutes, moving inch by inch, trying to negotiate streets clogged with cars and people, but it seemed as if most of the day was spent trying to escape the nightmare. Throngs and throngs of people milled about, with about fifty to sixty troopers, deputies and cadets trying to direct traffic, and residents renting out their lawns for a ten dollar parking space, all taking place on very narrow streets. This is one reason I never carry a gun--I'd be opening the car windows and shooting left and right! Small town apple butter festivals in which no one can properly move, drive, park or enjoy are not my cup of beer.
In short, the highway was closed and we were forced into the small intestine of traffic flow through Grand Rapids. Next time I am going to obey those detour signs! We finally made it to Napoleon, and I needed refreshment. Napoleon is also on the Maumee River, and boasts one of the finest courthouse exteriors I have ever seen.
Directly across the street from this amazing building are two bar/restaurants. One was closed, but happily Rics was open. The closed place had incredible craft beer selections. Rics had a few bottles of interest, but nothing interesting on their taps. I tried a bottle of local brew, called Mitternacht, from nearby Flatrock Brewery. It had lots of flavour, being a lighter German-style dark beer, and I would have it again, preferably on draft (** 1/2 stars). Deb and I split a veggie burger, walked the quiet streets of downtown, then headed on our way to Defiance.
The new US 24 is four lanes all the way to I 469 in Fort Wayne, a great way to get somewhere fast (such as Indianapolis, for instance). However, the old highway still meanders along the Maumee River, and is one of the more scenic roads in all of the Midwest. In Defiance we stopped for coffee. Cabin Fever was closed downtown, so we headed uptown a bit to Bigbee. Their Pumpkin Spice coffee was delicious. It was going to be a pumpkin-spicey kind of holiday, as will be soon noted by the steadfast and perceptive reader.
This is my only photo today of the muddy Maumee River, taken on our short but lovely woodland hike at Blue Cast Springs, Indiana. Located just inside the State line along US 24, it's easy to miss. A small parking area amidst a cornfield, with a small sign, is all there is to show. If you are speeding or daydreaming, you will miss it. It's at the corner of Blue Cast Road and Old 24 (Ohio calls the old road County Road 424; Indiana refers to it as Old 24, which I like better)). There is a hiking trail nearby that leads to overlooks of the river. A nice little loop can be managed. The springs are located in a large ravine (currently marked "Trail Closed") in the form of two concrete wells. Back near the parking area, a second trail goes to the site of a former sanatorium, where the foundations can still be marked out. This was a fun stopover, and a chance one at that, thanks to my keen-eyed navigator.
It was 5:30 pm when we pulled into Mad Anthony Brewing Company in Fort Wayne, IN. This was our second visit and I was as excited as a kid entering a favourite candy shop! I soon had a pint of Punkenhead in front of me, and it was very, very special (**** stars).
We ordered an appetizer, some hummous and veggies, and got settled in for an autumn evening at the pub. We had brought games with us to play, but we leafed through some local free papers, including the newest edition of Great Lakes Brewing News, instead. The place had a nice dinner time buzz to it. One large family group was in the special room, the bar stools were filled, and many tables had customers. This is a great pub (*** stars overall), and I'm glad I had the opportunity to return. We first came here in July, after arriving in town from Detroit on a steam train excursion. We took a taxi that day and came here for lunch, before returning to our train.
I eventually ordered a second pint of the delicious pumpkin and spiced brew, and then we ordered dinner. Deb drove the short journey along US 24 to our Quality Inn in Huntington (due to medication she is on, she is unable to drink; however, she can sample a wee dram). The hotel was exceedingly quiet tonight, with maybe six other cars in the parking lot. I had left Fort Wayne with a six-pack of Mad Anthony IPA, the first of four packs I was to acquire on this trip. I was also on the lookout for a good bottle of single malt Scotch. The trip was off to a fun start. However, rain was predicted for tomorrow. We had some hiking and downtown exploring on the menu. We would have to see what was in store for us when we awoke. (To Be Continued)
Mapman
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