Cross Country from New York to Arizona – Ohio to Illinois

One picture I forgot to share yesterday … Snow Bird Road … we saw this road sign in West Virginia off Route 50 and it reminded us of all of our winter family at Majestic Oaks and around Florida! That swoop in from the north for the colder months and then dart out and head back, just like little birds do! We are thinking about all of our family and friends while we are on this two lane adventure!

We departed the Shady Trails Family Campground, near the shores of Rocky Fork Lake. The Rocky Fork Lake was impounded on Rocky Fork Creek in 1951. Prior to impoundment, the present lake bottom was mainly agricultural fields.  Many tree stumps were left standing in the upper end of the lake during construction.  Steep rocky shorelines are present in some sections of the lower half of the lake.  The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks and Recreation, constructed this 1,992-acre lake for public recreation.  It has an average depth of about 15 feet, with a maximum depth of about 40 feet.  It is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. The unlimited horsepower boating allows for excellent skiing on the lake. The anglers are able to catch bass, muskellunge and walleye.

Traveling on Route 50, you pass the northern border of the Indian Creek Wildlife Area. The wildlife area consists of 1,800 acres of mostly flat terrain except where it is traversed by the beautiful Indian Creek which flows west to east through the entire property and eventually into the East Fork of the Little Miami. The wildlife area is used for hunting in the fall and early winter, and bird watching all the other times of the year. There are no amenities here, just a great place to watch the birds and there seems to be many, many species that nest there!

We decided to get onto Interstate 275 South to avoid the downtown Cincinnati traffic we would hit going along Route 50 at 9 am on a work day. The benefit to traveling on 275 South, is we got to go through another state. We crossed over into Kentucky over the Ohio River. 

As quickly as we arrived in Kentucky, we crossed from Kentucky into Indiana, we got back on Route 50. Route 50 is one of the main components of Indiana’s Historic Pathways. These pathways were first tread by the hoofs of the great bison. Indiana's Historic Pathways have become a route for pioneer exploration, stagecoach travel, and finally, modern highways. Drive along the Pathways, you'll be treated to rural countryside, rolling hills, memorable historic districts, peaceful forests, and a fuller understanding of Indiana's past. Indiana’s Historic Pathways was designated a National Scenic Byway on October 16, 2009. We followed it from Lawrenceville all the way across the state of Indiana to Vincennes.

Located on Route 50 at the Crane Cemetery is a historical marker for the Indian Treaty Corner. It reminds us of the historical importance of the Treaty of Grouseland. It was an agreement negotiated by Governor William Henry Harrison of the Indiana Territory on behalf of the US government with Native American leaders, including Little Turtle and Buckongahelas, for lands in Southern Indiana, northeast Indiana, and northwestern Ohio. The treaty was negotiated and signed on Aug 21, 1805, at Harrison's home in Vincennes, Indiana, called Grouseland.

On our way into Shoals Indiana, we passed a large US Gypsum plant and large piles, of what we assume was gypsum. Shoals is famous for the gypsum and their “Jug Rock.” It is a nearly 50-foot tall natural sand stone formation, the largest east of the Mississippi River. The rock gets its name from looking like an old-fashioned milk jug with a flat stopper on top. The school’s mascot and sports teams are named "Jug Rox."

We continued on Route 50 into Illinois and traveled to Red Hills State Park, where we will spend the night. 

Red Hills is a carefully preserved and maintained almost 1,000 acres of high wooded hills, deep ravines, captivating meadows and year-round springs. It's the perfect setting for relaxation. Since it is a Thursday night, we were able to get a site with a view of the sparkling 40-acre lake. Yo can even take in the view from atop Red Hills--the highest point of land between St. Louis and Cincinnati.