Early in April we decided to head south. Not real south, just as far south in Indiana as one could go without being in Kentucky. We planned the trip as a loop taking us to various antique malls along the way with specific stops in Indianaoplis to catch some jazz at the Jazz Kitchen, in Columbus, Indiana to see the oldest continuously running bar in the state, and in Madison, Indiana as it was a city we visited long ago when we were much younger and much poorer. It happened that we purchased an apothecary chest then that was really far too expensive for our budget at the time but which has become a beloved piece of furniture in our home. The picture above is of a mural on the side of a building across from one of the antique malls we visited. I can't remember the name of the city but it was medium sized, had quite a bit of character, but had several store fronts empty and advertising for sale which was true of many of the cities we went through on this trip.
As you can see, the city was pretty empty. We asked the propietors at the antique mall where would be a good place for breakfast. The couple really wasn't all that helpful but with the mention of fresh baked rolls, they were able to direct us to a local bakery and off we went in search of it.
Believe it or not, this was it! The enclosed side porch is where the baked goods were displayed and purchased. The rest of the building was clearly the home of the owner. On both sides and across the streets were similar homes, none of which also boasted a business. We left with four muffins which we devoured before getting back into the car. They were really good but not what we had really wanted for breakfast.
While the muffins were not the hot, homemade breakfast we had hoped for, we would have been disappointed to miss the delivery truck used by this bakery.
This filling station museum was across from our hotel in Columbus. Unfortunately, it wasn't open but we walked around and peeked into the windows. The coke machine, the gas pumps, the garage itself -- all brought back memories of full service gas stations with $.25 a gallon gas. The garage had two classic antique cars, one of which was a Rolls Royce.
This is the outside of the Kickerbacker Saloon, the oldest continuously running bar in Indiana. We were giddy with anticipation. Loving historic bars as we do, we always search out such bars in any city we visit. We've found some treasures with massive wooden back bars sporting intricate carvings, stain glass windows, brass foot rests, furniture and decor that shout their age with dignity and pride. And we've encountered real dumps. Dirty, unkept, scarred by time but still managing to survive with a loyal clientele. Both have their appeal. This bar had neither.
The town of Columbus, however, did not disappoint. It was clean, the buildings preserved, and functioning. This marquee, once adorning a theater, now adorns a event center.
The Broadway Hotel in Madison housed the historic bar. When we first tried to see it, we found that it was reserved for a wedding reception. We were told to come back around 8:00 pm and so we moved on.
This small cart was located outside a small market on Main Street. There was little traffic, either that of cars or pedestrians. Several of the stores were closed and others were out of business. This changed as the day moved into evening, however. More and more people were to be seen entering restaurants and bars. We actually saw about eight Amish teenagers crossing the street, laughing and carrying on.
Somehow this cat in a shop window sums up Madison. Comfortable, lazy, at ease, unaware of the world passing by.
This small park is located off Main Street in Madison between businesses and churches, a small bit of greenery and peace inviting all to sit for a spell. You can see we succeeded in going far enough south to find spring. Things were green and beginning to burst into bloom. While my pictures indicate we had wonderful sunny weather, rest assured that it rained on us most of our trip. We were just fortunate that the time we were in Madison found the sun shining on us.
As we were walking along Main Street taking in the sights and enjoying the sunshine, I happened to look down and realized that the details are sometimes just as lovely as the big picture.
What you see is the bank of the Ohio River. Well, not actually the bank. It's probably a few feet farther in but the river by this time had swollen over it's banks and ran muddy and swift.
This is one of the images I think fits into what ee cummings had in mind when he wrote "in-Just Spring". So close to blooming but not quite there.
Having exhausted the city, we headed for Shifty Falls State Park, just a hop-skip-and-a-jump from Madison. We figured we would hike even if the trails were muddy. As it turns out, there were board walks and what trails we followed were fairly hard packed with little mud.
What I imagine is usually a quiet flowing creek was a rushing torrent.
And what was probably a gentle falls later in summer was crashing muddy water.
The park was a great stop for us but we wanted to head back to the city to check out the bar at the Broadway Hotel and to see what kind of entertainment this river city offered on a Saturday evening.
We found Madison a very walkable city, even from this, our hotel, perched high on a hill overlooking the Ohio River and Madison. Our room was on this side and had a balcony. The hotel was clean and the personnel, gracious. Anyone staying here can make claim to having stayed in the same hotel Frank Sinatra stayed in while shooting a film I can't remember the name but the plot revolved around GI Frank returning home from the war and having a difficult time returning to the small town culture and its ways.
Our first stop this evening was this bar whose most defining feature was the mural painted on the side of the building. The inside of the bar was your usual small town bar; the clientele, friendly and colorful but the beer selection very limited.
From there we moved to a wine bar which is run by the local vintner and only serves their wine. As you can see, the bar was warm and welcoming. The wine was a bit of a disappointment but the entertainment made it imperative that we stay through the first set. Two young ladies, one playing a guitar; the other, an accordion. Both sang. The songs were all originals. Their voices blended well but one was clearly the better singer. While the songs were pleasant, we wish they had sang a few well known songs, too. We were certain we'd have enjoyed them even more.
Joey G's was our next stop and at first sight looked to be our best. Unfortunately, part of what brings out the best of entertainers was missing. There were only a handful of patrons listening to a gray bearded man sitting on stage with a guitar in his lap, his foot on a control, and pre-recorded background music accompanying his singing and playing. He looked and sounded like a down-trodden Kenny Rogers who's been on the road too long and who's dreams long ago faded. The late hour of the night and the spase crowd made his blues all the bluer.
From Joey G's we headed to the bar at the Broadway Hotel. Here we found a young and lively crowd. After a beer, we headed for H Hinkle Hamburger which stays open into the wee hours of the morning. The food was cheap, hot, and filling.
This was the sight we saw outside our window Sunday morning. The mist began as a thick fog and as morning progressed, it gradually disappeared until all that was left was what you see here -- a mist on the Ohio. The bridge takes you to Kentucky but not us. We headed north for home and cold, wet weather and a landscape that more resembled winter than spring. It would be two more weeks before Ann Arbor would sport green in its trees.
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