A drive in the country.

Photo by: Tim Bindner

Last Monday, I spent a few hours traveling the back roads of southern Indiana. I shot almost 50 pictures and had a great time exploring.

My friend Amanda had taken us the previous week to see her late grandmother’s house, that was built in 1905. The house was falling apart and would be soon torn down. Amanda wanted me to document via photographs what I could to preserve the memories. Besides forests/woods, trees and clouds, old barns and houses are my favorite things to shoot. The older and more ‘distressed’ the better. I was honored to do this for her.

Upon shooting the house and walking around the inside, she then took us down a back road, returning to her place, where I captured a few more shots before returning home. She asked later if “I would like to explore the area some more”? Of course, I did.

Fast forward to Monday and we met her at her house at 10am. She offered to drive. Marcie was in the back like ‘Driving Ms. Daisy’ and I rode shotgun. It was 2.5 hours of driving around and exploring. Well, at least for me and Marcie. Amanda grew up in the area, so she was familiar with these places we visited. Thus, making the perfect tour guide.

We began in Curdy, then drove through Carefree, Leavenworth, Beechwood, Sulphur, Riddle, Magnolia, Alton, Fredonia, and Cape Sandy. All locations in Indiana. We drove on gravel roads, newly paved roads, roads that were once paved but had been neglected for some time, dirt roads and even places that were not roads. “I got a 4-wheel drive. We can go anywhere.”

We crossed a few one-lane bridges, meandered up and down twisty and winding roads, up over hills and down in hollers, all the while listening to Amanda talk about “the Peacock house.” or “Mr. Miller used to live here. I don’t know who owns it now.” She pointed out where relatives lived, where she grew up and streets she walked “with her fishing pole and tackle box.” She reminisced about old classmates and friends she had that “used to live there.”

We learned about the new “bridge to the boat” (a local casino) and saw the old bridge it replaced. Amanda pointed out what used to be a fishery “back in the day”, saw open fields, horses, cows, pleasant homes, trashy homes, trailers and even were shown where some “meth dealers” were living. The trip might have lasted longer, but the rain started in around 12:30pm.

Each road we traversed; my eyes scanned both sides of the road. I was given instructions “to tell me when to stop”? Sometimes we would careen off the road onto a pull off, other times the Ford Explorer would come to a dead stop, smack dab in the middle of the road. I sometimes shot from the car seat, but mostly would climb out, walk in front of behind her car and line up my shot. Often able to shoot from the road, but a few instances had me walking in fields or through the woods to nail my intended shot.

Amanda would point things out, and sometimes, at least at the beginning, I would say “oh look”, followed by Amanda’s “do you want me to stop?” and Marcie’s quick interjection of “yes”. Keep in mind Marcie never left the warmth of the car the entire 2.5 hours.

There was much we didn’t see, and we have already tentatively set up another trip on the 28^th of this month, where Amanda’s friend or relative wants to tag along and “learn how I shoot”.

As we returned to Amanda’s place, the heavens opened, and the rain poured. We gave hugs, said thanks, and headed back towards home. We stopped and got a bite to eat, and I again thanked her via text for driving us and showing us the area. She commented “that she was glad we enjoyed it. That many people would find it boring or dis interesting.”

Some of my best times have been riding around with Mark doing the same thing. I love the country and what is shows. For me, that “boring” comes in large cities and concrete jungles. Buildings are cool and I have shot many, but I would take old, dilapidated houses any day of the week to shoot.

With lungs full of fresh air, a bit of a history lesson and places I might not have ever seen otherwise, my head, heart and spirit were recharged. It is now something I want to do more often. It is something I can do in those hot summer months when I cannot hit the trails.

Until next time,

Tim