In this “side trail” episode, we metaphorically take a hike down another path and go birding! My first time birdwatching was a blast, even though my ignorance was on full display. Thankfully, I had experts to guide me! I’m joined by special guests Rob Ripma of Sabrewing Nature Tours (check out his international tours), Whitney Yoerger from Indiana Audubon (becoming a member is affordable and supports Indiana conservation work), and my high school German teacher Judy Birkel who has been birding for years.

I cover so many awesome resources in this episode! Be sure you check out the Indiana Birding Trail, save the date for the Indiana Dunes Birding Festival, and get your city involved in Bird Town Indiana. The apps mentioned here include Merlin Bird ID and eBird. You can also learn about Project Owl-Net on the Indiana Audubon website.

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Indiana’s first state park set the bar for all the rest. In this episode, I get into all the awesome park features like the Canyon Inn, trails, the legend of Wolf Cave, Stone Arch Bridge, and the waterfall. I also share about finding the place where my grandparents took a picture on a date in 1952! (Check out the Instagram page to see me in the same spot.)

But you’ll also hear about the impact of the devastating tornado that hit the park on March 31, 2023. The park is open and so are most of the trails, but the campground was destroyed and the rebuilding will take time. You can read up-to-date status reports here and view drone footage from after the tornado. McCormick’s Creek is a lesson in resilience, strength, and hope. To connect more with the park, you can also join the Friends group. After hiking, be sure to visit Jiffy Treet!

And thanks to the show’s first sponsor, Comfort Option – customizable, rebuildable mattresses from our very own Hoosier state! Use code INtheParks to save 15%.

Any episode mistakes or misinformation is my own.

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Bonus Mini-Episode Alert! In this episode, I dive a little deeper into the M20CW with museum president Christopher Schneider. We get into WWI and pickelhelms, Chris shares about why you might need math in life, about the WWII German Panther tank turret in the museum, and much more. We finish up in the chapel and learn about the ultimate sacrifice of 4 chaplains in 1943. You can learn more about them here. Be sure you follow the museum online and give them a visit when you’re at Fort Harrison!

Any episode mistakes or misinformation is my own.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.