My Sunday Escape Written by Jared Shaughnessy Photos by Brian Grissom Rogueartphotography.com Life is full of responsibilities, but the moment I turn the key on my motorcycle, the cares and pressures of everyday life begin to slowly subside. At the end of a 70 hour week, the open road irresistibly calls out with the promise of freedom and excitement. I have been fortunate enough to find a group of enthusiasts that share my passion for winding roads. As we set out, we had a front row view of the receding clouds that had been threatening rain. The glorious sunlight poked through to reveal a sunny, 75 degree day. As we headed west, away from the mundane straight roads of Indianapolis, we made our way to Parke County, Indiana. The lush sea of budding cornfields typical of late June, blanket the rural landscape. We eagerly traded the four lane Highway 36 for a country byway, IN 75, to inject some curve into our ride. My 2006 Triumph Speed Triple along with a 1979 Honda CB 750 Limited, a 1980 Honda CB 900 Custom, a 2003 Honda Shadow Spirit, a 2004 Honda Shadow Aero, and a 2007 Harley Davidson Sportster add the soundtrack to the scenery. The engines of such a diverse group meld into a symphony that I would never want to drown out with a radio. We turn onto East IN 240 which eventually leads us to Greencastle, IN home of the DePauw University Tigers. We arrived in town around 12:30 pm, so we stop at the Jacksons Family Restaurant. This old drive-in wasnt much to look at but we were feeling adventurous. What a delight! We all ordered the Manhattan on the high praise from a fellow diner. The meal was the best spent $6.50 in quite some time. Feeling refreshed, we departed and continued west on East IN 240 as it turns into West 125 S. Escaping the urban sprawl, the road again began to bend. As we entered into a small valley, I caught glimpses of picturesque farmhouses and barns which exemplify the agricultural society of Indiana just off the road. People waved as we passed by and I was enveloped in this simpler way of life. While West 125 South was not freshly paved, it was smooth enough and we had fun weaving from side to side. The fun lasted for twenty minutes until we met again at the highway. After a brief blast down Highway 59, we turned off onto 900 South to find our way to our destination. This pathetic excuse for a road was not fun. The previous winter had been hard and the surface looked as if it had been used as a target area for artillery. Each curve had to be taken with the utmost caution so as not to lose the rear end in the gravel or potholes. A nerve-racking half hour later we arrived in Bridgeton. As we crested the hill and looked down, a majestic covered bridge spanned a beautiful waterfall. I was awestruck by its mammoth 267 foot span. A working grist mill accompanied the bridge so we stopped in. It turned out that this particular bridge had burned down in 2005 at the hands of an arsonist. Through private donations, it was rebuilt in 2006 and stands as a testament to the hard work and dedication of the preservation society. The mill was the oldest continually working mill in the Indiana, having been in operation for the past 180 years. Owner, Mike Roe, ground out some fresh flour which filled the air with the promise of homemade bread. The mill is open April thru November, Thursday thru Monday, 10AM - "til- tired" and is a definite must-see. We relaxed here for a few minutes, and then headed toward Rockville, the county seat and geographic center of Parke County. The town reminded me of Mayberry with its large town square and old time facade. A converted house acted as the local tourist center and I picked up an adventurers guide of the local area. This map highlighted four different routes that wind around all the covered bridges in approximately a twenty five mile radius. We selected one and departed passing by a local pub with about 25 bikes sitting in a row. With these roads, I could not understand why anyone would waste a beautiful day sitting in a bar. It soon became apparent that the map was not necessary once we left Rockville because the roads had been thoughtfully marked with red, blue, black, or yellow ribbons on the road signs and in the trees. Once again we found ourselves on winding roads passing farms and sleepy little communities on this gorgeous, sunny day. After stopping at a few of the covered bridges, we made our way north to meet up with Highway 36 to head home. With thirty-one covered bridges, we could have spent several days seeing all the sights. When time allows, we will definitely return. While the road back was considerably less thrilling, I enjoyed relaxing into the calmer pace. Passing the small towns and communities, I noticed that the closer we came to Indianapolis, the more developed the land became. Those small town folk seem to live a simpler existence but at the same time seem so content. At last, with the road home in sight, I waved to my friends and turned in. A sense of fulfillment and relaxation overtook me and I was thankful for the opportunity to explore Indiana on a motorcycle. Extensive research and planning make finding the road less traveled easier; however, I find it even more important to be open to changing those plans once away.
I originally wrote this for a contest that the RoadRunner magazine was running. Don't know yet if it will be used or not but I had a great time writing it. Thanks for the positive feedback!
Thanks for the write up & photos, Jared. Not every ride has to be epic, just satisfying to the participants. You had a diverse bunch of bikes (my favorite being the Triple). I like Road Runner and wish you the best of luck getting published. Chuck
I am going to be published. I won the competition and received the authors agreement and so forth. I am so psyched! It is going to be in the May/June edition of the RoadRunner Magazine. Apparently, they are going to have a 3-4 page spread on it.
