[mobilene]

I was noodling around tonight and found these two photos from my spring break trip with my sons.

This photo is of State Road 135 in Bean Blossom, pretty much due south of Indianapolis. The morning mist was lifting, and had reached treetop height, as the road bottomed out in a hollow.



This photo is of State Road 62, by far my favorite road in Indiana for all its curves. This is the kind of road where you need to turn off the radio and tell the kids to be quiet so you can focus on it. Much of this road was cut out of the rock, without which there would not have been a surface suitable for a road. Its best portion runs from Corydon to about Dana in southern Indiana, not too far from the Ohio River.



If you click on the photos, you'll go to my Flickr page where you can see them larger.

jim

[DennyG]

What experience I've had with IN-62 certainly supports your pick as a favorite. On the way home from our Wigwam Village trip in April, I had a great drive on IN-62 from Corydon to Louisville. Even though it's usually several miles from the river, this section is signed as Ohio River Scenic Byway. I've not been on the road west of Corydon but intend to be someday. Car & Driver lists the section between Corydon & Dale (which I suspect is what you meant when you typed Dana) as one of the "Best Driving Roads in America". In their description, they call Corydon an "Interstatitis healing pill". Good phrase, that.

[mobilene]

D'oh! Yes, I meant Dale, childhood home of Florence Henderson.

I am delighted that Car and Driver named this stretch a best driving road!

This stretch of highway was instrumental in my love of the road. A college buddy grew up near Leavenworth, and one long weekend he took me down there to see that part of the state. He had enough experience with that road's curves and hills to expertly drive it at high speed even in his creaky old Pontiac Grand Am. I alternated between "wa-hoo!" and white-knuckling the dashboard and the door grip.

If you ever make this drive, I recommend eating at The Overlook restaurant just west of Leavenworth. Food's only okay, but the views of the river are really satisfying. You can also drive down a hill and see Old Town Leavenworth, with a few old buildings left from the town's first location before flooding in the 30s caused residents to move uphill. I have seen maps that indicate that SR 62 used to run through Old Town and then right next to the river, but I haven't been able to find that yet.

Here's a late summer shot of the same spot along 62.



This and other SR 62 photos are here.

This post has been edited by mobilene: 13 October 2007 - 08:27 AM

[roadmaven]

GREAT shots, Jim! I'd have to check some of my older maps, but I believe 62 in those parts was the old US 460. Again, I need to verify that, as part of me thinks it might've been parts of IN-66, or possibly a combination of both routes.

I've got a route for you to try some Saturday or Sunday. Jump on IN-58 from the Ogilville exit at I-65 and take it west to Bedford. Once you get to Bedford, hook up with IN-450 and take it to Shoals. Be sure to stop off at the Williams Dam in Williams, and just west of there is a covered bridge, off of 450, that crosses the White River. Once you get to Shoals, take US 150 back east, and celebrate the trip with some wine tasting at the French Lick Winery in West Baden. Great wine and food there.

Hmmmm......me thinks this might make a nice little AR Forum cruise. Jim? Denny? Bliss? Road Dog? Bucfan? Anyone?

[Keep the Show on the Road!]

Jim,

First, thanks for the photos.!! Great shots.

But bringing up Spring is no fair. We are having the worst Fall in memory in the Northwest and Spring seems so far away. It has been overcast and raining since the middle of September. All the Fall color is wasted, and the leaves are knocked off by the rain and wind. Yuck!! And I see by the weather charts that the mid west is warm and sunny.

SR 62 looks lovely. It reminds me of the road along the Columbia River a bit. I intended to do a trip along it this Fall, but the weather has held me back. Actually, we are promised some sunshine today...oh, joy. Maybe I will get on the road!

Keep the Show on the Road!

[mobilene]

I'm 99% sure my SR 62 photo is on the US 460 route. I'd go look it up on my old maps, but I do have a to-do list as long as my arm.

I'd love to make that trip, Roadmaven. I've done 150 from Loogootee to Paoli before (it's part of the trip from the late-summer 62 photo) and would love to do that again. I've never done 450 before... looks wicked.

Peace,
jim