Road Trip Above the Ohio River

[JunkShopFiddler]

The wifey and me went for a trip to Indiana Caverns, a cool cave just opened for public tours not long ago. Some really big rooms and an underground boat ride. Stopped on the flip trip and ate at the Overlook Restaurant, a very old Indiana landmark overlooking a scenic bend in the Ohio river. It had been a rainy day but the clouds passed while we were still at the restaurant. Here is the pic of an underground waterfall, and three pics of the view from the Overlook as the sun popped out and then went down over the river bend.

 

[Meadow]

Nice pics! I've always been fascinated by the Ohio River, no idea why, really.

 

[JunkShopFiddler]

Thanks! The Ohio was one of the first highways of westward migration in the US. Pittsburgh, then Cincinnati, Louisville and Evansville. Something about the Ohio River that has always fascinated me is what happened when the westward migration got to Illinois. Folks thought the movement would naturally continue along to the confluence of the Ohio And the Mississippi and that point would become a great commercial center. So the town there was laid out and named Cairo because it was thought it would rival Cairo on the Nile as the greatest river city in history. Other towns along the Ohio in Illinois were also expected to become big cities and were given names like Metropolis, Future City, and America Illinois. But then Gold was discovered in California and the westward migration skipped over the area and Illinois and Missouri became the jumping of points for the Oregon trail. Today the small towns along the river in Illinois are great places to explore and road trip, but Cairo is struggling and has a lot of abandoned buildings. Also the Shawnee National Forest is beautiful, especially in the fall, but it is not a well known spot either...cheers.

 

[tamrock]

Now that's the way to do a road trip. I love those big Midwestern rivers. Be nice to settle on the banks of the lovely O-hi-O

 

[curious kat]

...oh no more water....you & tamrock are torturing me, it's been bone dry here. Real pretty pictures though!

 

[vpnavy]

Nice photographs! Thanks for sharing...

 

[JunkShopFiddler]

...oh no more water....you & tamrock are torturing me, it's been bone dry here. Real pretty pictures though!

thanks, the grass is always greener!...Along with the river comes mosquitoes, gnats, no-see-ums, and gold fish bowl humidity in the summer. Not to mention allergies...uuuuugh! Right now I would trade you some "land of bugs and pollen" for some "Land of Enchantment"...happy hunting.