October 11, 2025 (Sat.) – Ride the Heritage Trail.

With Saturday upon us, we decided to take a scenic ride through the area. Our Shipshewana magazine had highlighted something called The Heritage Trail, a route winding through nearby towns with various points of interest.

We didn’t get rolling until around 11:30 AM. The morning was brisk—temperatures in the 40s—so we waited for it to warm up. That gave us time to knock out a few chores and for Lynn to work on the blog. Our departure was further delayed thanks to some friendly chatter with our campsite neighbors—John, Steve, and Steve’s wife—who shared a handful of ride suggestions. Ironically, most of their recommendations were routes we’d already explored, like Michigan’s Tunnel of Trees and M-22. They were locals, yet none of them had heard of the Heritage Trail—even though we had the map in hand! That didn’t exactly boost our confidence, but we decided to give it a go anyway.

By noon, we hit the road. Kirk navigated through a mix of backroads leading to lakes, parks, and farmland. Despite the map’s promise, there were no signs marking the Heritage Trail, so we picked a few towns as waypoints and did our best to follow the paper guide. We looped back through Shipshewana to hunt down a few hay bale art pieces Lynn had her eye on—especially Snoopy—and spotted several others scattered around town. Along the way, we stopped for gas, grabbed cash from an ATM, and Kirk made a quick call to his brother.

The ride itself was beautiful. We cruised past pristine farms, winding roads, and under perfect skies. Every home seemed to have at least five horses, and we saw cows, goats, sheep, deer, chickens, and more along the way.

Eventually, the trail led us toward Elkhart, Indiana—home to an Indian Motorcycle dealership and several RV manufacturers, including our own, Grand Design. Hunger struck around 1:30 PM, so we pulled into a cozy spot called Red Bird Tavern in Bristol. The menu was classic American fare, but their smashburgers were the real standout—absolutely delicious. While we ate, a man named Chris struck up a conversation with Kirk about the bike, our travels, and RV life. Turns out, he was an RV salesman and full of questions. He even joined us at the table and shared ride recommendations—most of which, again, were in Michigan. Like others we’d met, he hadn’t heard of the Heritage Trail either! We didn’t leave until 3 PM, after Chris tried on Kirk’s helmet, admired the bike, and sent us off with an invitation to his house for tequila! We declined but it was a nice offer!

With the afternoon slipping away, we headed to the Indian dealership in Elkhart. It made sense to go then since they’re closed Sundays and Mondays, and we had plans Tuesday before leaving Wednesday. We arrived around 3:15 PM and, as expected, got caught up in more conversations with fellow riders curious about Kirk’s bike. We browsed the shop, picked up some free stickers and magnets (free being a rare treat!), and by 4 PM, we were back on the road heading home. The weather had turned chilly and gray, so we cut the trail short. Of course, just as we were headed home, we found one roadside sign with the “Heritage Trail” logo!

Even though we didn’t complete the full Heritage Trail, the day was filled with great roads, friendly faces, and memorable moments. 

Weather – High 67*, Low 49*. Wind 6-17 mph. No rain, no humidity.

Traffic – None.

Food – Red Bird Tavern smashburgers – delicious.

Notable – Beautiful day for a ride. Chit chatting with various people.