An Adventure of Sorts, Part 1 and 2

Part 1

This morning I left with Mary for a drive to CYO Camp Rancho Framasa in Brown County. We had received an email from the camp notifying us that a bridge on the road that takes us to camp was under construction and we would have to follow an alternative route. A map was attached and it it looked simple enough. When driving toward Nashville from Columbus, all we had to do was take Salt Creek Road instead of Clay Lick Road. The Salt Creek Road turn off and following it to come into camp from the opposite direction was clearly marked on the map you see here.



Looks simple huh? Well I turned off of State Road 46 onto Salt Creek Road and I drove and I drove and I drove. Not only did I drive, but I sure didn't drive in the way the dashed line indicates. I kept heading further north and further back east and I knew I was driving away from the camp, not toward it. By now we were a half hour or so late. I turned around. On the way back we didn't see the intersection of Salt Creek Road with Gatesville Road either.

I next pulled into the Shell Station (called Circle K on the map). The gal behind the counter told me she had no clue why they were sending campers "that away." She told me to get back out on S.R. 46 and keep going west toward Nashville. I'd turn right at Seasons (an inn), follow that road up a hill past the fairgrounds until I come to a T (I'm already getting worried). That T would be Greasy Creek Road...take a right onto Greasy Creek Road (really? Greasy Creek Road? See Part 2) until you come to a Y (first a T and now a Y), and veer to the right. That road should take me to camp (coming in from behind on the correct road, Clay Lick Road).

I asked her to repeat the directions to me again, and then I got a pen and paper and wrote them down (after she repeated them a third time). The directions actually worked and I didn't spend nearly as much time trying to get there via Greasy Creek Road as I did on Salt Creek Road. Now that I'm back, I wanted to show you what Salt Creek Road was really like; but first, scroll back up and look at that nice straight Salt Creek Road. Now check out my approximation of Salt Creek Road below.

Salt Creek Road (the one they told me to take) looks more like the road I've marked with dashes here. It winds and winds and winds. I felt like I was on the coast of Maine. Look along SR 46 to the west and you'll see my actual route (marked with circles).

When I got to camp (now more than an hour late) of course no one was around (except Angie the director) because it seemed I was the only idiot who couldn't find my way there. I apologized and left asap because of course, Mary was embarassed and I think wanted me out of there fast. I decided I was going to go BACK the way they told me to come IN and find this intersection of Salt Creek Road and Gatesville Road. I found it...no problem. If you'll look at the place I starred on the map....yep...uh huh...that's about the time I turned around and went all the way back to SR 46. I watched the odometer. It's about 6 miles from SR46 to Gatesville Road following Salt Creek Road. Yeah..yep...uh huh...I was about 5.5 or 5.75 miles north on Salt Creek Road. Sure 'nuff...if I had held out just another quarter of a mile or so, I would have come to the T.

After I took a second look at the map, I realized I should have known all along because whoever drew it, also shows Clay Lick Road (the normal route to camp) as a straight shot...NOT! Oh, by the way, when I finally did pull into camp from the north, the bridge that is right in the middle of camp is the one they are repairing, yes, but there was plenty of room on the other side to pull off and let Mary out. I could have taken the regular route anyway.

The story doesn't end here. Once I got back to SR 46 to head back east to Columbus, I got stuck in a long line of traffic...a complete stand still. I couldn't see far enough ahead to see what the hold up was, so I turned around and headed back toward Nashville and yep.....I WENT SHOPPING!!!! I got home around 6 p.m. this evening.

Part 2

To amuse myself through all of this, I just started being observant in and around Nashville and on my way home. I like to people watch, listen to conversations, and notice whatever I can for my writer's notebook. I just got to thinking about some of the names of things in southern Indiana. They really don't fit with the beauty of the surroundings. Between Columbus and Nashville you go through a place (which is a town I guess) called Gnaw Bone. Really...Gnaw Bone? What would it feel like saying on Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune..."Yes, Alex (or Pat), I'm from Gnaw Bone, Indiana." There are also a lot of flea markets along the way, one of which is called Western 'Ho'.....no kidding, that's what it's called...Western 'Ho'....I don't even want to know.