Prophetstown State Park and Purdue

Five-mile Hike/Bike Trail at Prophetstown State Park

Roger here...  We spent a week at Prophetstown State Park in West Lafayette, Indiana.  We did so many things in (and near) this beautiful state park that we will be reporting in two posts.  

Campsite....

There are many reasons why Prophetstown State Park is one of our very favorite camping spots in the entire country.  The campsites --- spacious, wooded, full-hook-up, and private are one of those reasons.

The shaded campfire area of our site gives an impression of our large and private campsite.

The photo below shows the space between each secluded spot.  We always love it here.

Hiking --- part 1...

There are miles of hiking trails in the park.  Some are through wooded areas.  Some are through tall-grass prairies and ponds.  Some are next to the Tippecanoe and Wabash Rivers.

During the first half of our time here, Dianne, the dogs, and I hiked a couple of times along sections of trail 1 through the woods and the tall-grass prairie.  Hiking in the tall-grass is different than hikes we have taken elsewhere.  The bucolic setting with grass waving in the wind creates a restful walk.  Who needs mountains and forests, anyway? :-).

The stone bridge shown in the pictures above and below was constructed from field rocks gathered in the state park.  

Quiet Time to Comtemplate

Another Family Reunion...

Dianne's first cousins (Charles, Becky, and John) live near Lafayette.  They were an important part of her life when she was young.  They still are.  

Charles's wife, Leslie, organized a dinner on the evening we arrived at Prophetstown.  It is always such fun when we get together --- so much catching up and so many memories.  Charles's and Leslie's daughter, Betsy, joined us for dessert.

Leslie (Charles's wife), Marilyn (John's wife), Rich (Becky's husband), Becky, Charles, John, Me....  I should have taken the photo so that Dianne was in the picture. 

M-m-m-m, fresh Indiana corn on the cob from Leslie's farm garden. -- D.

Purdue University (the great university of the north)...

Before we left dinner, the evening before, Leslie gave Dianne (genealogist enthusiast extraordinaire) two boxes of family photos and albums that Dianne's grandmother had passed on to the family.  We would only have them for two days.  I knew that Dianne would want to absorb them.  So, I visited my alma mater while Dianne went through all the old pictures and took pictures of the significant ones.

I always love "reliving" my days at Purdue.  It was a good part of my life.  On this particular day I was under no time constraints and was able to wander through so many past memories.  The picture below shows my normal route to mostly science and math classes during my freshman year.

Four years later I walked around this fountain....

Hovde Hall (Administration Building)

.... through a hallway in this building.....

The Elliott Hall of Music is a replica of Radio City in NYC.

... and into the Elliot Hall of Music where I graduated as a member of the class of 1972.

Dianne, my parents, and my brother were all there.

The bell tower did not exist when I was a student at Purdue; however, .....

... I did attend several classes in University Hall (the oldest building on campus).









This is Purdue's 150th anniversary, founded as a land-grant college in 1869.  The "giant leaps' reference in the banner below refers, of course, to Purdue graduate, Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon.

In posts from previous years I have talked about Neal Armstrong and another iconic Purdue grad, Amelia Earhart.

On this visit I wanted to regale in some of Purdue's athletic giants.  This statue is of John Wooden.  He was an all-American at Purdue on the national championship basketball team of 1932 (before the NCAA tournament).  He went on to be the iconic coach at UCLA bringing home several national championships.

Drew Brees and his wife provided funds to build the Brees Academic Performance Center.  Drew continues to be involved in the university and an athlete of character --- a role model to be emulated.

The Purdue Boilermaker

I could not leave campus without walking a few blocks to the athletic complex where I developed my loyalty to Purdue's athletic teams.  Lots of memories here.








Macky Arena is the home of Purdue Basketball --- one of the noisiest and most spirited basketball arenas in the country.  Basketball was and is a big deal at Purdue.  I attended every home game when I was a student.  

The arena was closed on the day of my visit, but I was able to take a picture through one of the doors.  My dad and mom maintained season tickets throughout their lives.  My brother and I accompanied them to countless games.  (I did too, after Roger and I were married.  They had awesome seats just up from the opposing team bench.   You could see the spit coming from Bobby Knight's mouth as he yelled at his team when they played against Purdue.   No snow storms kept the Norris family from these games; I remember late night drives all the way home to Pendleton from West Lafayette back in the day.  -- D.)

Ross-Ade Stadium is the home of Purdue football.  This is the field where Drew Brees played.  This the field where Purdue upset Ohio State last year with the help of the late Tyler Trent.  

I also never missed a home football game while I was a student.  

That green turf is real grass.  No artificial turf here.

I know that I have spent too much time talking about Purdue, but my time there was instrumental in shaping my life.  Time to move on to to other things.

I intended to eat lunch at the Student Union before heading back to the campground.  However, it was freshman move-in day.  The campus restaurants were packed.  

So, I walked to the village and found my way to Harry's Chocolate Shop for a burger and a beer.  No chocolate here.  Harry's is the iconic campus pub.

The next day, Dianne and I drove back to Charlie and Leslie's to return the borrowed boxes of family photos.

When we had dinner at their house, Cousin John told us about a local brewery that sold beer at Purdue football games.  Becky told us we had to go there.  We did.

The People's Brewery had a variety of craft beer selections, but I was interested in Boiler Black, and...

... Boiler Gold.

I really like the way the cans look.












Dianne and I shared one of each.

After the brews, we drove a short distance to the campus village.  We wanted to eat at the Triple XXX Family Restaurant.  

The Triple XXX is a West Lafayette fixture that has been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.

There are no tables here.  Everyone eats at the serpentine counters.

The atmosphere is authentic.  The food is delicious.   (This place was around when Roger's dad was a student at Purdue -- it's been there forever -- D.)

 Our fun in West Lafayette continues in the next post with another scenic hike and a visit from fellow camping friends.

Dianne's Teensy Weensy Trailer Tip:

There is little to no hanging space for clothes in the trailer.   That means everything must be rolled or folded.  That means inevitable wrinkles.   I don't like to wear wrinkled clothes, nor do I like to iron.   I found this nifty travel iron/steamer on Amazon.   I have a ironing mat I could use on the dinette, but I have found it much easier to

use the steamer function in the trailer.   I bought another command hook and put it on the back of our bathroom door.  

Now when something is wrinkled, I simply hang it from the hook and steam away.



Pet Picture of the Day....

Poquita always attempts to claim a spot on one of the camp chairs.

I thought this chair was mine.   You mean it's not??

Roger's Best Day Ever --- Purdue (The Great University of the North)

Roger and Neil

Hi all, Dianne here.   Lest you think that Roger never gets a "best day ever," this blog will put that notion to rest.

We are at  Prophetstown State Park outside Lafayette, Indiana for two weeks.   We have been here many times, ever since this park opened in the days before we began full timing.   It is our favorite camping spot in the state of Indiana, but we'll save our day-to-day adventures at the state park for an upcoming blog.   

West Lafayette, Indiana is also home to Purdue University, Roger's alma mater.  He is a loyal Boilermaker fan.   We pay extra to Direct TV just so we can get the Big Ten Network, even though we no longer live in the state, so he can keep up with his beloved basketball and football teams.

   Roger chose the agenda for one of our days at the state park, and guess what?   It involved a short drive to campus.   I'll let him take it from here:

Roger here...  The opening picture shows me 'n Neil Armstrong (Purdue graduate) chillin' in front of the Engineering Building named in his honor.  The picture to the right represents Neil's (first man on the moon) steps on the moon.  It is also a good introduction to the 7.61 miles that we walked on this day:

Dianne's UP bracelet readout 

I did indeed lay out the itinerary for the day:  walk around campus, have a brew at the Chocolate Shop, eat lunch at the XXX Diner, visit the bookstores to buy a new hat.

CAMPUS MEMORIES...  Hail, Hail to Old Purdue...

We started our walk at the Village, heading for the center of campus.  My past memories were of red-brick buildings, sidewalks, and not much landscaping.  It was immediately apparent that some of that has changed.  There are still red-brick buildings, but there are many new ones.  The sidewalks now run parallel to bike paths.  The trees that were "sticks" when I was a student have now matured.  

My graduation ceremony was held in the Elliott Hall of Music.  It is much the same.  This structure that was home to big name entertainers on football weekends, was built as a replica of the Radio City Music Hall in New York  --- one difference, the Hall of Music at Purdue has one more seat.  I saw Cher, The Fifth Dimension, Chicago, Bob Hope, The Temptations, Dionne Warwick, The Supremes and many others here.

The Bell Tower was not there when I was a student;  however, it is certainly a nice addition.  The school song, Hail Purdue,  chimed as we walked past.  Yes, I still remember the lyrics.

There was more new construction than I expected.  Many of the former parking areas are now the sites for new buildings.  We crossed the paths of a multitude of tours.  All the young people were wearing the same backpacks.  Orientation?  Recruitment?  

The fountain in front of the Administration Building has been moved to another location on campus.  I used to wade with friends in that fountain at night when no one was around --- probably weren't supposed to do that.  Oh, the rebellious days :-).  It has been replaced by the walk-through fountain below where wading is encouraged.

Purdue was founded in 1869 as a land-grant University.  University Hall sits on the original quadrangle and is the oldest building on campus.  I had several classes in that old building.

I was fortunate to graduate from a Big Ten University with a storied history.  Amelia Earhart joined Neil Armstrong and others as world renowned graduates.  There were famous athletes from Purdue, as well.  Let's follow the Boilermaker train tracks to Ross-Ade Stadium.  Ross-Ade Stadium has the unofficial name as the Cradle of Quarterbacks.  Just to name a few:  Len Dawson, Bob Griese, Mike Phipps, Gary Danielson, Jim Everett, Kyle Orton, Mark Herrmann, 
and Drew Brees.

The football stadium has undergone quite a few changes since my days at Purdue.  The upper level of the horseshoe now spans the entire curve.  Luxury seats and suites are housed in the new press box.  The upper level of the "ugly" bleachers under the jumbo tron have been removed.  A beer garden for members of the John Purdue Club (and possibly season ticket holders) now occupies that space.  

The entire stadium is now surrounded by red brick (what else) and an expanded concession area.  When I was a freshman, a year after the Bob Griese Rose Bowl win over USC, Purdue was ranked #1 in the nation until a heartbreaking loss to Ohio State.  I have hated the Buckeyes ever since :-).

The Purdue Boilermaker

Across the street from the stadium and next to the indoor practice field sits the Student Academic Center that was donated by  Purdue icons, Drew and Brittany Brees. 

 Dianne and I were actually at the Ohio State game when Brees threw a last minute touchdown pass that paved a trip to the Rose Bowl.  We joined thousands of others who stormed the field at the conclusion of the game.  Great memory.  A trip to the Rose Bowl with friends ensued.  Needless to say, I am now a Saints fan.

John Wooden Drive leads the way to Mackey Arena, the home of Boilermaker basketball.
Mackey was built when I was in high school.  Purdue lost the first game in the new arena by one point  to #1 ranked UCLA (coached by John Wooden).  The Boilers have not lost many games at Mackey since then.  Most of those losses were two years ago :-).

Mackey Arena has also been surrounded by a red-brick edifice that houses expanded concession areas, cafes, and lounges.



Soft, cushy seats, have been installed for the wealthier season ticket holders.  When I was a freshman, Purdue's men's team played UCLA in the final game of the NCAA Tournament at Freedom Hall in Louisville.  Unfortunately, a Bruin by the name of Lou Alcinder (Kareem Abdul Jabar) ended the dream that year (1969).  I attended every game that I could that year, and have attended countless more games with my Dad since then during the years of Gene Keady and frequent Big Ten Championships.  Dad had season tickets.  Mackey can, and usually is, a magical place.  Looking forward to a really good season this year with Coach Painter and a returning lineup.

Just a couple more pictures from Mackey...  There are certainly plenty of Big Ten Championship Trophies on display.  Far more than those of Arch Rival Indiana.

This is John Wooden's athletic sweater from his days as a player at Purdue.  He was the driving force on the 1932 team that won the national championship (prior to the implementation of the NCAA tournament).  OK.  Enough of all this sports trivia.  I know that Purdue people are probably the only ones who are interested.  On to the Village.

HARRY'S CHOCOLATE SHOP....

Just off campus, Harry's Chocolate Shop is the iconic campus watering hole.  It opened in 1919 and was rumored to be a speakeasy during prohibition with a chocolate shop as the front for the illicit imbibing in other parts of the building.

  All that walking around campus has built up a little bit of a thirst. 

Thousands upon thousands of Purdue faithful have passed through this door. (BTW, that is Dianne's reflection in the glass.)  A long-standing Purdue tradition is centered at Harry's on home football weekends.  Students crowd the bar before the game dressed in costumes, have a few beers for breakfast, then head to Ross-Ade Stadium.  Go Ugly Early (Harry's trademark) refers to this morning tradition.  It was afternoon by the time Dianne and I arrived, so we only felt the need to have one emblematic brew.

They do serve food at Harry's, and it is not bad, but I had something else in mind for lunch.

TRIPLE XXX DINER...

This is not what you think :-).  The XXX refers to Triple X Root Beer.   This greasy spoon in the village was opened as a root beer stand in 1929.  It was here when my Dad went to Purdue, and he ate here frequently.   It has not changed much since then, except maybe for the crowds.  

It is still an old-fashioned diner.  All the patrons sit on stools while the staff takes orders and delivers food behind the counter.  No visible updating here.

It was fun eating in the same building where my Dad used to eat when he was a young man.  

The food was good, too.  

Since we were in Indiana, Dianne and I both ordered an Indiana classic --- the breaded tenderloin.  You can find these delicious sandwiches in other states, but in Indiana they are everywhere.  This pounded and flattened pork loin is breaded and then fried.  The tenderloin MUST be bigger than the bun, or it is not a true breaded tenderloin.

The reputation of the Triple XXX was not harmed by a visit from Guy Fieri from the foodie show, Diners Drive-ins and Dives.  The featured food was the breaded tenderloin that we had, but the restaurant is also known for its chopped steak hamburgers.  Both of us were fully satisfied with our meal, but then we saw something that a girl across the way was eating --- a black and gold sundae.  Uh-Oh.  So much for the calories that we burned walking around campus.

VILLAGE BOOKSTORES .....

Everyone knows that the number one item that you look for in a campus bookstore is not books, but clothes.  My old Purdue baseball cap was discarded last year.  It was in pretty bad shape.  I needed a new Purdue hat.  Since Dianne had told me that this was my day, I felt obligated to find one.  Not all baseball caps look great on me.  It must be the shape of my head.  Who knows?  BUT, due to this problem, I was forced to try on a multitude of hats in three different bookstores.  Much to Dianne's chagrin.  

Should I use this squirt gun on me or Roger?

I never did find the right hat, but did buy a couple of shirts.  Dianne is going to have to take me back.

We did indeed walk 7.61 miles today, if you include the morning walk with the dogs.  Time to relax in the hammock that we brought all the way from Texas for just such an occasion.

Boiler up!