Indiana Bucket List

On Monday, I told you about our chance to catch a glimpse of the Indiana Bicentennial Torch as it passed through our county. As I researched a bit about the Torch, I stumbled upon the "official" Indiana bucket list, which I'd seen before, but I'd kind of forgotten about it. They put this together as part of the 2016 Bicentennial celebration, so just for funsies, I thought I'd see how many of the things on this list I/we have seen!

COMPLETED

1. The giant Nestle Quik sign near Anderson. I don't have a picture of this one {because I never expected to need one} but I've seen it many times on my way to Indianapolis from Marion. It's right beside the interstate!

2. The League stadium in Huntingburg, where they filmed A League of Their Own. Ryan has actually not seen this one yet, but I went there before we were married. And I actually love that movie, so when we do this county, I'm absolutely taking him here.

3. Eleven statues of America's favorite lasagna-loving fat cat in Jim Davis' hometown in Grant County. {We saw all of them on our Grant County tour!}

4. The lights on Monument Circle at Christmastime. {First anniversary adventures.}

5. Fall foliage on the hills of Brown County. {Day after engagement date. I also went here before we were married, along with my friend Julie, for a fun girls-only weekend...and with my friend Rachel on a week-long writing retreat!}

6. A Fort Wayne Tin Caps Game at Parkview Field. {I went to a Tin Caps game in my pre-Ryan days. Fun fact: it was actually a blind date!}

7. Climb to the top of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in downtown Indy. {First anniversary adventure. I was terrified.}

8. Go to the Indiana State Fair. {We have not gone here together, but my Mom took me once when I was a kid, and Ryan went in his pre-Bekah days. You should ask him about the time he performed there, actually!}

9. Shop at Edinburgh Premium Outlets. {Also part of our day-after-engagement date.}

10. Ice cream or a shake at Ivanhoe's in Upland. {We've had both things multiple times, although we usually spring for a strawberry shortcake if it's in season!}

11. A cinnamon caramel roll from the Rise n Roll bakery just east of Middlebury - known as "Amish Crack." {We won't mention how many of these we have had.}

12. Tailgate before eating at Bonge's Tavern in Perkinsville. {Ryan tried to take me here when we were dating, but the wait was too long, so we went somewhere else instead. But he has been there before and said it is very good food. It's such a tiny place that most people tailgate to keep from starving while they wait to get in!}

13. Ride the Thunderbird and the famous wooden roller coasters at Holiday World and Splashin' Safari. {Not surprising, this was all Ryan. We have been there together since we got married, but we only did the water park side, and only Ryan participated. I photographed.}

14. Go to the Indianapolis 500 at least once. {This was just Ryan. And he said he never wants to go back.}

15. Go to the James Dean Festival. {Also just Ryan. Even though we lived in that county...I've never been.}

16. See a concert at Klipsch Music Center. {That was just Ryan, but it was back when it was called Deer Creek, not Klipsch. Does it still count?}


ALMOST

{The following items are not EXACTLY what the list says, but we've gotten close in some way.}

1. A themed water ski show by the Lake City Skiers in Warsaw. {We've seen the Ski-Bees show many times on Lake Webster. It's really close to Warsaw!}

2. Angel Mounds State Historic Site in Evansville. {How about Mounds State Park in Anderson? Close enough? We've been there twice! Fun fact: That's where Ryan asked me to be his girlfriend!}

3. Indiana's oldest zoo - Potawatomie Zoo. {Haven't been to that one, but we've been to the Indianapolis Zoo! First date!}

4. Zoom down the Toboggan Run at Pokagon State Park. {We visited that state park in the summer, so the Run wasn't running, but we saw it!}

5. Face your fears at Eagles Wings Zipline in Leopold. {We ziplined Dagaz Acres on our first birthday getaway. And it did force me to face my fears, thankyouverymuch.}

6. Ride a segway at White River State Park.  Another suggestion was to ride the gondola. {We rode a paddleboat. First date.}

7. Walk in Abe Lincoln's childhood footsteps in Spencer County; see the landing where he took the flatboat trip that set him on the path to end slavery. {We hiked in Abe Lincoln State Park on our Spencer County date, but we were too hot and hungry to walk in his footsteps by the end of the day!}

8. See the Andy Griffith Show impersonators at the Mayberry in the Midwest Festival in Danville. {We haven't gone to the festival, but we have eaten at the Mayberry Cafe in Danville, and it was fun!}

9. Go skydiving in Michigan City. {Ryan went skydiving before we were married, but he went in Plymouth. And now he's done. Ha!}

10. Compete in the homemade raft race at the Three Rivers Festival in Fort Wayne. {We haven't been part of the race, but we were in the parade a few times. Does that count?}

11. Take your picture with every Santa statue in Santa Claus. {We posed with a couple. I didn't know there were so many that we needed to tour the whole place to find them all!}

12. Go to a Pacers or Fever professional basketball game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. {We've been to a couple of Colts games...does that count?}

13. Go hiking at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis. {We've hiked at many other parks, but haven't made it to that one yet.}

14. See a movie at the drive-in theater in Rockport. {We've been to the one in Wabash instead.}

15. Ride horses at Natural Valley Ranch in Brownsburg. {We had a horseback riding date, but it was in another city.}

16. Ride a sky-high bicycle at Science Central in Fort Wayne. {I went to Science Central with my friend Julie in my pre-Ryan days. Didn't ride the bicycle, but had fun!}

17. Challenge yourself on the Village of Winona Bike Trails. {We rode the Pumpkinvine Bike Trail not terribly far from Winona.}

18. Old fashioned cream pie at the Blue Gate Restaurant and Bakery in Shipshewana. {We didn't have pie, but we did eat here during my extended family vacation!}

19. Cookies from the Abbey Bakery at St. Meinrad Archabbey. {We didn't know we were supposed to get cookies there, but we did go there!!}

20. The world's best gummies at Albanese Candy Factory in Merrillville. {One of Ryan's patients sometimes brings these in to share, but we've not been TO the factory.}

21. Blueberry soft serve ice cream at the Blueberry Festival in Marshall County. {We have had blueberry donuts from there, but we've never had the ice cream, nor have we been to the festival.}



ON THE LIST

{And finally: the things that actually are on our short list, but we just haven't gotten to them. We have plans to complete them in the next few months, though!}

1. A calf being born at Fair Oaks Farms.

2. The Minnetrista Cultural Center in Muncie, with the columns from the original Ball family mansion at the entrance.

3. The giant dome at West Baden, once known as the 8th Wonder of the World.

4. A sunset over Lake Michigan.

5. Ski or snowboard at Paoli Peaks or Perfect North Slopes.

6. Conquer the 3 Dunes Challenge.

7. Burgers and Shakes at Cammack Station in Muncie.

8. A glass of tomato juice at French Lick Resort, where Chef Louis Perrin first created and served it in 1917. {That will be Ryan only. I hate tomato juice.}


Not too shabby, huh???