Thursday, July 10, 2025

50 Before 50 List...Part 1

 


Welcome to the beginning of my list of dreams I’d love to tackle before I turn 50! I failed to say in yesterday’s post that while I dearly love to mark things off a list, I don’t wish for this particular list to bring stress to my life. These things are fringe parts of my life, and if God shows that other pursuits should become more of a priority, of course I will honor that. But I know that some of the fun things we’ve enjoyed in our marriage have come about because of dream lists, so I just want to create a space to encourage intentionality!

                Today I want to share with you the travel dreams I’ve created. Some are short in time and miles and others are longer. Some may surprise you and others are probably wildly predictable.

1.    Take a scenic/fun train ride. I’ve ridden a train before, so this isn’t a new thing for me, but my goal is to take a train ride for scenic/fun purposes. (My parents took me on the train from Indianapolis to Chicago when I was in junior high, and Ryan and I took the train from the Chicago suburbs into the city on our 2nd anniversary trip. This is a little different from those adventures.) But Indiana has some train rides (like these or these or THESE ice cream rides!) that take just a few hours on a weekend afternoon, and I think it would be fun to enjoy a leisurely, scenic ride for a change!

2.   Take a one-day mystery road trip. A few times throughout our marriage, Ryan has planned a mystery date for me. (Our first date was a full-day mystery date. Another one he planned was horseback riding, and he also planned a fun scavenger hunt in Indianapolis.) But I think it would be fun to have a very trusted friend plan a full day mystery date for us both. I say very trusted because I’m looking for a low-key trip, not something that will require signing a waiver of any kind. Ha!

3.   Visit both Gene Stratton Porter Homes – Gene Stratton Porter was an author who lived and wrote in the late 1800s/early 1900s. She was born in Indiana (in Wabash, actually) and spent the first part of her adult life in our very own county! Her home in Geneva has been turned into a state historic site, and even though I live close to it, I’ve never been there. When she moved away from Geneva, she settled in Rome City, and that’s not terribly far from here. The writer in me wants to visit both homes and appreciate more of what she did as a writer!

4.   Go Glamping. If you haven’t heard of it before, glamping is glamorous camping. It gives the illusion of roughing it…with heat and air and indoor plumbing. Glamping sites can involve a super cute vintage camper or a yurt or a regular tent with a real bed inside – and a bathroom somewhere nearby. I don’t have my heart set on any one kind of location, but I’d love to say I’ve been glamping overnight.

5.   Stay in a treehouse. When we were in Hocking Hills last month, we saw some Airbnb treehouses, and they were so cute. To be clear, I’m talking about a real house built up high in the trees, not throwing an air mattress in a kid’s backyard treehouse.

6.  Visit the 6 New England states we haven’t seen yet. That whole corner of our travel map taunts me. I think it would be a marvelous birthday trip next year or the year after that, and I would love to be able to go!

7.  Visit Prince Edward Island. Wouldn’t this make the PERFECT 50th birthday trip? Turning 50 with Anne of Green Gables?? It would be a splurge trip for us, for sure, but I am putting it on the list, because I think it would be so grand.

So there you have it! The travel portion of my 50 Before 50 list. If you have glamping or treehouse recommendations, send them my way!

5 comments:

Katie Schrempp said...

Bekah, when you owned Abby you were glamping. You had an indoor bed, kitchen and bathroom. Heck, I am glamping right now in my motorhome!!!!

Tracy Gayer said...

My parents and I once took the train to Metamora, Indiana. I noticed one that you linked is the one that goes there, and you get two hours to go shopping, see the historical sites, etc. I should venture there sometime. :)

Anonymous said...

We took the ice cream train out of Angola a couple years ago. Also have been to both Gene Stratton Porter homes. And to Prince Edward Island. Given your fascination with Green Gables, I say you definitely should go for your 50th birthday. :) Janice

Anonymous said...

Katie - Good point! Campers are glampers! :) We'll see what we can come up with to return to that world before we get back to it in the retirement years!

Tracy - We stopped in Metamora (by car) a few years back and I saw that they were a stop for the train! I have heard that route is beautiful in the fall! Metamora is cute!

Janice - Some people from our church just did the ice cream train, and their pictures were so fun! Ryan cruised for his 40th, so I think Green Gables for my 50th would be a good balance, right? ;)

Tamar SB said...

I know of a few creators who recently went cross country on Amtrak and the views looked amazing!! Of course I say "come on over to NY!"