Heritage Farm Museum and Village

HERITAGE FARM MUSEUM AND VILLAGE — Huntington, WV

We packed up our camper and headed out for the next campground with high hopes for our planned stop on the way there.

The village showcased the arts of the first mountain settlers, their inventions, and progress made since. We viewed an impressive collection of antique cars in the Transportation Museum, all in pristine condition. I had to slurp up the drool as I looked at the 1927 Ford Roadster truck.

In the Progress Museum is where you find Zane’s Park. It’s an old animatronics display created by a school janitor using things available to him. Items such as a wire brush, bucket, jugs from his used cleaning supplies, etc. were all used to make it a reality to entertain the children he served and loved at the school. 

The picture on the left is just one of the many structures. The whole thing was around 10 x 10 feet.  It had a rollercoaster, ferris wheel, along with other wonders. Flashing lights and dancing ballerinas seem to be a big hit with the kids in the building. Progress Museum Superwoman (we will call her PMS, no...let’s call her Superwoman for short), told us that the BEST part is when the kids see the couple in the upstairs window KISS!!!! She gets to stand to the side, turn in on and see the kid’s faces as they witness the wooden man and woman swapping sawdust. 

When we arrived, we had an hour and a half to see it all. They said it wasn’t a problem. It wouldn’t have been if West Virginia people weren’t so friendly. The very first staff person to welcome us asked where we are from and we said West Michigan. She enthusiastically said she loves Traverse City, yada, yada, yada. She was as sweet as honey and I wanted to tell her the next time she comes to Michigan, her and her husband can just stay with us. However, Jim might not like that too much. ;)

This trend continued with more people asking, and everybody talking about their experiences at the Tulip Time Festival, Mackinaw Island, the Upper Peninsula, and many more.

With 16 minutes to closing, the nice smiling late middle aged woman in the Industry Museum asked where we are from. We told her and her face lit up. She told us that her son lives in Grand Rapids with his wife and they are going to have their first grandchild. That’s not that crazy. Everyone here had some connection to Michigan!! However, it was a little more interesting when she said that her son is Jay Plyburn, a news anchor on WZZM 13. They will be visiting them in a month.

She was a VERY proud, as she should be! She said to go over and say something to her husband in the Drug Store. So, of course, we did. He played it all cool. Ha! Guys are so different than girls.

If you get a chance to stop by, it’s worth it. They also have a zip line, ropes course, a petting zoo, and wagon rides. I’m sure we missed something but give yourself enough time and save up your words and you will have a blast!

P.S. To whom it may concern, would like this Six Shooter Arcade game for our basement for Christmas.

 

ARK Encounter - Spring Road Trip 2022

 

ARK ENCOUNTER — Williamstown, KY

Pretty amazing that a man and his family would have built a structure like this without a crane , a battery powered drill like the one I use, or a couple million bucks laying around to kick off the project. I find it even more amazing that the lion didn’t eat the rat in the process.  And why, after all the trouble a snake gave human kind, did that make it on?? ;) That question is making it on my list for Heaven, for sure!

The Ark Encounter was very interesting. There was a sign upon entry letting you know that they took a lot of artistic license with the Arc, and they were not kidding. A lot of the experience were based on guesses due to the fact that we only have the Bible to give us information about the Ark. It doesn’t give us great detail on how they scooped the poop out.

I LOVED the sculptures with stories from the Bible etched. They were gorgeous to put it mildly. Art was showcased in dioramas, cartoon sketches, paintings, and video. There was no shortage of talent used when building this ARK! The grounds/gardens/facilities were perfectly kept, clean and beautiful. 

Jim  and I walked away feeling really thankful for the opportunity to go.  It is  an experience adults and older kids should do, for sure!  Make sure the special kids in your life see the Zorse and the Zonkey! They won’t let you even come close enough to touch them so you don’t have to even worry about that...sigh….

 

Big Bone Lick - Spring Road Trip 2022

 

BIG BONE LICK STATE PARK—Beaver, KY

I made a new friend. Let’s just call him, “Buff”. I would like to protect his identify for his sake and mine due to an incident.

When Jim and I made the half mile easy hike to the small herd of Bison in the State Park, the last group near my new friend was four teenagers (two girls, two guys). We didn’t witness any foul play, but poor Buff was breathing mighty hard.

I walked up slowly but close (note: not past the guard rail set up), and started talking to him. He had his head up to that wire fence you can see in the picture. His breathing started slowing. He was calming down. Teenagers will get you all upset like that, especially a herd of them!!

It’s at that moment that the incident happened. I couldn’t help myself. We had a strong connection. Like when an animal knows that you are there to do good, not harm, even though they could rip your head off with one swipe, or throw you up in the air 10 feet so you land on your head and not think twice. I reached my hand, out and touched the hair sticking out of that wire fence above his big heaving nostrils. Buff didn’t flinch, his breathing didn’t change, but Jim’s did. Quite a bit, actually.

Jim says, “That is illegal!” I explained that it was fine and I had calmed his breathing. I told Jim that if he was bothered, he would have moved, yada, yada, yada. To which, Jim said, “That is a wild animal!” I thought to myself, “not hardly, with all these humans coming around touching them.”

There it is, my first big sin on my trip.

So, this is where I admit I was wrong. I should not have touched his hair. It was not good for the buffalo. I could have given it a disease. I don’t think I harmed it emotionally, and I do think we had a connection. I will believe that to the grave! If it was a different time, he would have been like my horse. Just like “Guy on a Buffalo”. If you haven’t seen that, look it up on YouTube. It is worth it.

Big Bone Lick State Park is also known for their  Salt Springs. This was a big deal before Meijer and Walmart came along. It kept their bison meat fresh much longer (don’t tell Buff I enjoy a good bison burger).

 

 

Indy 500 - Spring Road Trip 2022

 

We spend an hour in traffic from the time we get off the highway to the time we get to the $50 per space parking across from Indianapolis Speedway.  We hear the Street Preachers yelling how the sinners are going to hell, we see all kind of people making their way to the greatest racing spectacle, and smell the marijuana wafting through the air. It is the same every year. Young girls dressed in ridiculous outfits looking for the wrong kind of attention in line next to the elderly couple that has been in the same seats for 20 years dressed to the hilt in preppy race wear.

Jim makes a comment on how the street preachers make all the Christians look bad and how that truck next to us is so cool! Yup. Nothing you can do.

Pre race festivities had a cannonball shoot off and the Airforce Thunderbirds make a fly-by. They are always so good about thanking and honoring the military. We stand and sing the National Anthem. My left hand goes over my heart and Jim’s right hand goes over his heart. I make a mental note to look that up. Which one of us is right?? Have I been doing that wrong all my life? Jim was an officer in the Navy! I bet I’m wrong. I didn’t get a good pic of the Thunderbirds. They wouldn’t slow down for me! 😉

The longer pic is turn 2 and the square pic is coming out of turn 2. The pit lane ends right there at the end of turn 2. These pic are taken from our seats. Four out of five crashes this year happened at the end of turn 2. It is a risky corner with the pit lane there and the corner is a bit sharp – making for great seats even though it is full sun the WHOLE time!

By the end of the race, I get used to the occasional smell of marijuana, no outfit surprised me, and was so thankful for the kind and helpful race veteran that offers me a hand down the bleachers while he says, “see you next year” as we leave.

After I have showered all the sweat off and the hot water has relaxed the kinks out of my neck from watching the cars zip from left to right, I’m ready to do it all again next year!

Now we are traveling to…wait for it…Big Bone Lick State Park in Kentucky.

They have bison, trails to hike, and more. I’ll let you know what the “more” is in the next email. We are planning on seeing the Ark tomorrow. I’ll email again soon.

"These are my people" - Spring Road Trip 2022

 

"These are my people.”

The statement I said to Jim as we walked up to this at the campground an hour outside of Indianapolis. The sound of County music, laughter, kids playing, and the Indiana SUPER friendly hospitable people gathered together made me feel good. Of course the beer/wine/liquor flowing always helps the joy be more joyful…also an Indiana farming town norm that my super righteous perfect Hoosier extended family members would be disgusted by. They all need Jesus just like me.

I was born in Indiana. My parents met at Grace Bible College. I was born in Warsaw, Indiana. My Grandparents still live in Winamac about a half hour or so from where we were and my Aunt and cousin live close by. Next time, we need to meet up with them. 

I think about the possibility that my joyful outgoing “give you almost anything” personality might have something to do with my Indiana roots. Every time we camp in Indiana, the Hoosiers are so kind and helpful it throws Jim off a bit (don’t tell him I said that). I LOVE it! It does take a moment to adjust, of course. They help us back our camper up, they offer extra hose, extension cords, whatever we need. The rougher the people look, the kinder they are. I love West Michigan but it is a different breed in Indiana. I fit in well but with better teeth. HA!!!!

Look close, the DJ has some pretty impressive tech. He has two large screens. The one guy is wearing overalls and has a cigarette hanging out of his mouth (I do not promote smoking mostly due to it’s cause of lung cancer and yucky smell). He has a style of his own. I appreciate it and the high tech involved in his craft.

On Sunday we go to Indy 500. Can't wait to write about it!