This is related to my post about the weekend campout, but is more about old cars than campers, so...
Last weekend was the Newport Indiana Hill Climb.
<img src=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/1948rob/hill%20climb%202007/g7.jpg?t=1192038515”>
Each year we use the event as a base camp and "go exploring".
This year some friends and I piled in the roadster, and drove off into the bottomlands in search of a new adventure.
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Sure enough, we found one at the end of a dead end road.
Huge "no trespassing" signs greeted us as we looked for a place to turn around.
A quick look around showed the place to be empty, so we pulled forward enough to get a quick look at the river, and turn around.
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/1948rob/hill%20climb%202007/river1.jpg?t=1192020031">
As we were looking over the scenery, and old fellow with a cane suddenly appeared near one of the cabins up on the bank...uh oh!
We got on our way, as he didn't appear too friendly, he just stood there staring.
On the way out, I honked the horn and waved.
He lifted his arm and did something...couldn't tell if he was shaking his fist, or waving back... and we rolled back out onto the gravel road.
I drove about a hundred feet, and turned to my friends and said; you know, this is silly, that has to be one of the best photo opportunities we'll find this weekend, I think we should go back!
What's the worst thing that can happen? He'll tell us to git...or bring out his shotgun...
So we spun around and drove straight up to the cabin where the old man still stood.
As we approached, the expression on his face became apparrent, he wasn't mad, on the contrary, he was smiling like his best buddy had just come to visit!
Turns out he hadn't come out to run us off, but to get a better look at "that old car".
He explained that the big sign was just to keep out the riff raff, and that regular folks like us were always welcome
He turned out to be mighty friendly, and we spent at least a half hour talking with him, looking over his cabin, and learning about the place where he lived.
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/1948rob/hill%20climb%202007/house.jpg?t=1192020337">
He, and a few other people had constructed cabins at the end of an old road that used to connect to a bridge across the Wabash river.
He explained that since the bridge connected two counties, and neither one wanted to pay for the upkeep, the bridge finally fell into such disrepair, that it crumbled into the water, and was never rebuilt.
His cabin was just to the left of the one built atop the West bridge support...interesting choice for a home site!
Hope they never decide to rebuild the bridge...
Before we left, I got a picture of him along with my friends (he's on the right)
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/1948rob/hill%20climb%202007/river2.jpg?t=1192020663">
He told us to come back any time, and we said we would!
On the way back to town, we got to talking about how nice it would be to share this beautiful secluded spot with our friends who were camped out at the hill climb.
Since the roadster wasn't large enough for all, and my friend had an AA, complete with straw bales, the plan was set!
Here we are later that evening, on our way down the dusty road to the river.
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/1948rob/hill%20climb%202007/g5-1.jpg?t=1192036393>
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/1948rob/hill%20climb%202007/ride2.jpg?t=1192020903">
Here are a couple more…
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<img src=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/1948rob/hill%20climb%202007/ride16.jpg?t=1192036141>
<img src=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/1948rob/hill%20climb%202007/ride14.jpg?t=1192036207>
<img src=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/1948rob/hill%20climb%202007/ride3.jpg?t=1192036277>
Sure was a lot of fun!
Next day, I set off on my own with no particular destination in mind, other than trying to find the most remote areas I could get to, and back from, without getting stuck.
After a little looking, this promising path turned up.
<img src=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/1948rob/hill%20climb%202007/field7.jpg?t=1192036524>
I was driving along the last road, where the river bottoms meet the high bank, when I spotted it.
As you can see, it is good cropland, mostly because it is in the floodplain.
Because it is a floodplain, and man always knows better than nature…levees were built to contain the river, and huge pumping stations were built to put it back into the river when it came over the levees.
The road I found serves as access for the farmers, but is also the road to the pumping stations.
In this section of bottomland, there were 6 stations.
The distance from the main road to the furthest one was about 3 miles, perfect for exploring, as there were no houses, barns, or people anywhere in sight!
After stirring up a flock of wild turkeys, the dirt path narrowed to a cut in the corn.
<img src=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/1948rob/hill%20climb%202007/field3.jpg?t=1192037174>
Looks pretty inviting, huh?
I sure like drives like this!
<img src=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/1948rob/hill%20climb%202007/field6.jpg?t=1192037265>
As I expected, the path led to the river,
<img src=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/1948rob/hill%20climb%202007/field4.jpg?t=1192037325>
The sand concerned me a bit, so I got out and took a walk down the beach.
After enjoying the peace and quiet for a while, I put it in reverse and then turned around.
I’m glad I didn’t try to drive any further, as I fear I might still be there on that deserted beach digging my way out of the loose sand…kind of like the folks that left the big holes (visible in the picture) from when they got stuck...
This is one of the old pumping stations,
<img src=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/1948rob/hill%20climb%202007/pump.jpg?t=1192037933>
Another favorite activity there in Western Indiana, is to take to the back roads in search of the last remaining covered bridges.
The bridges are made of all wood, no steel, and are both pretty to look at, and fun to drive over.
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Some are bigger than others,
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<img src=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/1948rob/hill%20climb%202007/bridge1.jpg?t=1192038235>
Well, as fun as these trips can be, reality calls, and the modern world must once again be joined…so, until next year…
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Rob
Thanks. It looks like you've got a handle on enjoying the simple pleasures of life. 
