16 minute read
Voices
Exploring Hendricks County
By Jackie Horn
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The eastern terminus of the Vandalia Trail in Plainfield.
Easy Rider
Last March when John and I moved to Hendricks County, we knew we’d be living in an apartment for a bit while we searched for a house to buy. The apartment was on the second floor and we weren’t allowed to store bicycles under the stairs or in the hall. We gave our bikes away, planning to replace them once we were settled. “The best-laid plans of mice and men…” After COVID struck, bicycles sold out everywhere. We couldn’t find a bike to buy. This spring we started the search again and finally managed to purchase bikes. I am so ready to explore all the bike trails in Hendricks County!
The first bike path John and I wanted to explore was the Vandalia Trail. We had seen the trail from Dan Jones Road and were curious.
Named after the former railroad corridor on which it’s built, the Vandalia Trail is currently 17 miles in length running from Greencastle in Putnam County through Coatesville at the edge of Hendricks County and terminating in Amo. Restroom facilities, tool stands, and air pumps are available at both Hendricks County locations thanks to the HC Parks and Recreation which maintains the trail segment. This section of the developed trail ends here.
The trail begins again on the western edge of Plainfield near the intersection of CR 500 West and 400 South. (Plans are in the works to complete the path, connecting the western segment with the Plainfield section.) From here the Vandalia Trail runs parallel to Highway 40 (with a few jogs) to the east side of town near Perry Road. It was just announced last month that the town was awarded a grant to build another 2.3 miles extending the eastern terminus to Raceway Road. When completed, Vandalia Trail will run 34 miles joining Greencastle to Indianapolis through Putnam, Hendricks, and Marion Counties.
Since this was our first time on a bike in several months, John and I thought we’d start with a short ride. To begin our journey, we parked at the Friendship Garden in Plainfield and unloaded our bikes. Crossing the White Lick Creek bridge, we rode north, past the athletic fields and Bicentennial Plaza. We ducked under Highway 40 via the underpass and continued winding along passing a pond and enjoying bird songs as we followed the trail through a wooded area. White Lick Trail intersects the Vandalia Trail slightly south of the Rec and Aquatic Center. A left turn would lead us toward the Saratoga housing addition area. Instead, we took a right and headed across the bridge and into Franklin Park.
Up to this point, the trail doesn’t come close to a street and young, inexperienced bike riders would have no worries. For this next section, the path crosses city streets. It continues to be separated from the roadway, but cyclists need to stop for cross traffic and little people need to be closely supervised. Most of the trail is gently winding and flat, but at the end of East Street is a rather sharp zigzag and a WICKED hill (although it could be I’m just a wimp. I was huffing but made it without walking the bike!) The route levels off, continuing through a “tunnel” of trees and bushes which separate the track from neighborhoods and commercial buildings. The trail is very popular and we met several joggers, walkers, and other cyclists along the way. Trail-users must observe stop signs as the path crosses automobile traffic at Avon Avenue, Carr Road, and Dan Jones Road before terminating in the parking lot at Township Line Road and Hunt Street. Round trip, the ride was about 7.5 miles.
With this first ride under our belts, John and I are ready to tackle the other local trails. Hmmm, what to do next? B&O? Washington Township? White Lick? So many choices! Now all we need is more time.
ASK MR. TRAFFIC
By Chet Skwarcan, PE, President/ Founder of Traffic Engineering, Inc. Chet@TrafficEngineering.com
A Double Yellow Line
Is It Always Two Lines?
A double yellow line — you know what I’m talking about. So why do we avoid the topic? It’s come to the point I hesitate to even bring up the subject, especially at parties or family gatherings. And it’s not always simple yellow paint, you know. Many times it’s a product called thermoplastic — a plastic polymer. I know it sounds futuristic but its chemical properties allow it to become soft when heated and hard when cooled. It’s much thicker than paint and lasts a long time. And the best part — it’s expensive.
But what exactly does a double yellow line mean? No one knows, but let me take a stab at it. According to my computer laptop etch-a-sketch thingy, a double yellow line indicates maximum or special restrictions. My traffic engineering instincts suggest if you should happen upon a double yellow line in the wild, turn around and go home.
If, however, you choose to proceed, take note of these specific maximum or special restrictions: a double yellow line (i.e., two solid lines, not dashed) means that particular part of the roadway is for 2-way traffic and crossing the double yellow line for passing is prohibited for traffic traveling in either direction.
And not to overwhelm you with yellow centerline creeds, but there are two more options for two-lane, twoway roadways, 1) a dashed yellow line (where passing with care is permitted), and 2) a double yellow line consisting of one solid line and one dashed line (where passing with care is permitted but only on the side with the dashed line).
Note that a single solid yellow line is not used as a centerline marking on a two-way roadway. And centerline markings on undivided two-way roadways (i.e., with four or more lanes) are always double yellow lines.
Now you may notice some roadways do not even have marked centerlines. The decision to mark a centerline is based on roadway width and the average number of daily vehicles using the roadway. And there are other scenarios where centerline markings are appropriate, but to make those determinations you need something affectionately referred to as, a traffic engineering study, and good luck getting one of those…
A Note From Bee
The wheels on the Beemobile went round and round.
What was the Beemobile you may ask? It was a red 1986 Chevy station wagon. It was transportation for my daycare kids from 1981-1986 The kids and I loved the Beemobile. It took us to all kinds of fun places. The parents of my daycare kids did not mind that we were on the road several times a week. There were so many things to do at the Children’s museum especially at Christmas time. We could go to the State Museum, ride the Ayres train and talk to Santa.. The zoo was one of our favorite stops. We would play at the park and take hikes. The library had story times. The kids heard a story and did a craft.
It was a sad, sad day when the Beemobile died.
Our Readers Write
Leah woke up yesterday morning early. She was so excited because she was getting a new kid in her class!
How nice to live in the world of a 7-year-old where you welcome everyone in with open arms. Where you are excited for the “new people” sight unseen. Where you don’t care what kind of shoes they are wearing, the color of their skin or the story that brought them to your classroom!
How nice to be so gentle and open to the change that is coming in your day without knowing if this new neighbor is going to be the valedictorian or the class clown.
How wonderful to not care about whether the new kid will pick up their pencils and keep their desk clean or if they will be sloppy and leave their desk next to yours a mess.
How wonderful to only care about the potential of a new friend for you to play with, live next to and to share your stories with.
How wonderful to be able to have the open mind and heart of a 7 year old!
Deelynna Oliphant
A Squirrel About Town
By Archy
“Seems you have an abundance of cons in the community,” Archy observed. “I’m talking about the people who are against it. And the people who for it expend their time and energy being against the people who are against it. A cacophony of cons, you might call it.”
Archy has a fondness for alliteration and paused to give it full effect. “Against what?,” I asked. “Everything, anything,” It seems you folks are fond of the negative,” he observed.
I admitted it was a problem among humans. Hanging onto the past and while looking to the future can make the present difficult. I asked Archy if he had any advice.
“The time for advice was 25 years ago,” he said. “Now is the time to deal with what you have. It’s like Jerome K. Jerome said, “Life is not a game of chess, the victory to the most knowing; it is a game of cards, one’s hand by skill to be made the best of.”
Archy has a knack for quoting some of my favorite authors.
“Yes, old Jerome was quite the humorist,” the squirrel said. The pineapple tin scene in “Three Men and a Boat” always gives me a chuckle.”
Growing Asparagus in Your Garden
By Colletta Kosiba Hendricks CountyMaster Gardener
O, my first taste of fresh asparagus - I was in heaven. Nothing beats that flavor, I was hooked.
Where to plant:
Place the asparagus bed toward the edge of your garden, or by a fence where it will not be disturbed. Choose a site that gets full sun. well drained. Soil should be loosened to 12 to 15 inches in depth, to allow the asparagus crowns to root properly.
Asparagus is usually grown from 1-year-old plants called “crowns.” You buy crowns (roots).
How to plant:
• Dig a trench of about 12 to 18 inches wide and 6 to 8 inches deep - space the trenches at least 3 feet apart.
• Soak the crowns in lukewarm water before planting.
• Next make a 2-inch-high ridge of soil along the center of the trench and place the asparagus crowns on top of the mound, spreading their roots out evenly.
• Space asparagus crowns 12 to 18 inches apart (measured from root tip to root tip)
Traditional “little-by-little” method:
• Cover the crowns with compost and topsoil, burying the crowns 2 inches deep. Water in.
• When spears grow to be 2 to 3 inches tall, add 2 more inches of soil to the trench, do not bury the spears completely.
• Once the spears appear - As long as the soil is fairly loose, the spears won’t have a problem pushing through to the surface again through that layer of soil. Then add another 2-inch more layer of soil. Repeat until the trench is full. Mound soil lightly above spears to keep water from pooling around them while emerging.
All-at-Once” Method: -simply put crowns in as above but fill in the trench with soil and compost all at once. If the soil is fairly loose, the spears can push through to the surface.
Some folks think that the traditional method results in stronger plants, But gardeners don’t have any issues with results from the “all-at-once method.
What to Plant:
Zones 4 to 6 varieties: ‘Jersey Giant’, ‘Jersey King’, and ‘Jersey Knight’.
HARVEST ASPARAGUS
• Do not harvest during the first couple seasons Plant needs to make strong roots
• 3rd year plants ready for harvest for 2 to 3 weeks (established plants produce longer—up to 8 weeks.)
• Check your plants every other day. Spears grow rapidly
• Harvest spears 6 to 8 inches in height
• Cut the spears with a sharp knife or scissors at ground level.
• Stop harvesting 3-year plants in 2-3 weeks; established beds in 8 weeks
• Now ferns (tops) grow and mature, replenishing nutrients for next year’s production
• Best to leave at least two or three spears on the plant through the growing season.
AFTER the foliage has died back and turned brown or yellow, cut back to ground. Fertilize the bed with a 1-inch layer of rich, compost or manure topped with 3 inches of straw.
Patience: Asparagus takes 3 years to established the plants, then you can begin to harvest each spring for 20-30 years! After harvest, the ferny foliage graces your garden. It is so pretty, I even add some of the foliage to my bouquets.
I bought 10 asparagus at the store but when I got home I realized I had 11. It was just a spare, I guess.
5 Things Dogs Need to be Happy
Megan Bonifacius Certified Canine Training Specialist APDT Member Owner of Ruff Lyfe
Good Health
There are so many dog products and opportunities out there. How do you decide what your dog actually needs to be happy? There are five things: good health, physical exercise, mental stimulation, a regular routine, and clear communication.
How do you maintain good health for your dog? You need to see your vet a minimum of once a year for a physical exam, vaccines, a fecal test to check for parasites - many do not cause obvious side effects - and a heartworm test, which is required to receive your dog’s heartworm prevention for the year.
You need to keep up with your dog’s dental health, too! Many dogs end up needing expensive dental work done at the vet office. You can prevent that by using teeth cleaning products recommended by your vet or local pet store employee.
Proper grooming is a very important part of your dog’s health, too. Overgrown nails cause your dog pain! If your dog hates nail trims, a dog trainer can help you with that! If your dog has hair like poodles and others, regular grooming appointments are a must! In between grooms it is necessary to brush your dogs to prevent painful mats and to control shedding. Ask any groomer, many dogs are not getting proper grooming from new owners, especially since doodle breeds have become so popular.
Feeding a quality diet and keeping your dogs at a healthy weight can affect your dog’s lifespan! You should do your own research, speak to your vet, speak to pet store workers, and make a decision for yourself on what the best food is for your dog. Dogs are like people, what they eat really matters. Remember, if your dog does not feel physically well it will affect his/her behavior and happiness.
Gardening for ALL Ages Saturday, April 24 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Hendricks County Fairgrounds, 1900 E. Main, in Danville, in the Equine Pavilion, which is at the northern end of the Fairgrounds - Site changed this year due to Vaccine Clinic being held at fairgrounds. You all come, too! Thanks!
Colletta Kosiba
William Allen White
A Bark From the Past: Henry
[Editor’s Note: The Republican’s first four-footed correspondent was Henry. A mixed breed rescue dog, Henry would make observations about being a dog in a small town. The articles, which ran in 2006 - 2010, have been languishing in the computer’s memory and we thought a new audience might enjoy some canine commentary.]
We had so much fun this week! My female human got a chance to visit with a friend of hers who is from Chicago, and she’s fun to be with! They both love animals, and that meant more belly rubs and biscuits for me, too! Anyway, this friend said that in Chicago, all pet cats and dogs have to be spayed or neutered. That’s the law! Isn’t that a great idea? (She said that there is a special license for people who don’t want to get their pets fixed, like breeders.)
Anyway, hearing about that spay-neuter law gave me a wonderful idea. That’s going to be the next thing that the Animal Action Agenda Committee can work on. I’ve been talking to my pals in the neighborhood, and they all think it a super idea and a good cause! There are some humans who just don’t know that they should neuter their pet for its own good. Or maybe they don’t know or care that there are so many of us out there. I wish every human would go to an animal shelter or humane society and look at all the wonderful cats and dogs that are there. Many of them will never find forever homes. If more humans neutered their pets, there would be a lot fewer unwanted animals.
My female human’s friend said that, because of the spay-neuter laws, lots of the animal shelters in that area are almost no-kill shelters. There isn’t such a huge number of animals being turned in. That’s great! Just think what a difference that could make around here!
I’m going to call a meeting of the AAAC. We need to figure out some way to tell our humans that we need a spay-neuter law here. Humans just can’t understand canine or feline, so we can’t tell your alphas to make a law like that, but other humans can!
I was talking to Cookie about this, and she said there ought to be some spay-neuter laws for humans, too. I don’t know if that would work. By the time you know for sure which humans shouldn’t reproduce, it’s too late.
Anyway, that’s the next mission for the AAAC. Make it a law in Danville that all animal pets have to be spayed or neutered. All in favor, raise your right paw! Neat!
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Thought for the Day: Even if spay-neuter laws are enacted, voluntary compliance will still be needed for them to be of any effect. It in no way diminishes the pet, and it can have long-term benefit for the animal’s health. Please spay or neuter all your pets. It may be a cliché, but it is true. If you aren’t part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
William Allen White
