Shipshewana, Indiana

Sept 6,  Left the campground around 9 am, drove about 20 miles before stopping for fuel.  Stayed on interstate 80 and then 90 joined us and then it turned into the turnpike.  Got off at  exit 107 and headed toward Michigan, there is an Bontrager’s Surplus retail store that sells everything, so we decided to check it out, bought a few items, after being there for about 3 hours.  Pulled into Twin Mills Camping Resort in Howe, Indiana for 2 nights, we had stayed at a different campground on the way through before, but they aren’t listed as Passport America anymore, this one is, but only Sunday through Thursday, and of course it’s Friday, so no discount.  Got parked and just sat around the rest of the evening.

Sept. 7,  Got up a little late this morning, ate and out the door again.  We had driven into Howe to a CVS pharmacy to get some drugs filled, waited for 20 minutes and off we went again.  We had headed south of Howe to Lehman’s Variety Store, drove on some dirt roads, weren’t too bad or too rough.  When we got there, two horses with buggies and a van where parked outside, walked inside saw about 20 different chime clocks, Amish men’s hats and women’s bonnets, clothes for the Amish, pressure cookers, ice cream makers, all sorts of things that Amish people would use and of course shoes.  We then went into Shipshewana to E&S Sales, this is a bulk food store, they had everything from produce to frozen food, mild cheeses and all kinds of box foods, we had bought a few items.  We then walked across the parking lot to Ben’s Soft Pretzels, a long line had formed and we waited, just bought two pretzels and sweet mustard for dipping, good but not as good as Annie Ann’s.  We then went to Yoder’s Shipshewana Hardware, this place has everything that you would ever need, I really enjoyed walking through the store and seeing everything they had to sell, didn’t buy anything this time.  Then off to Middlebury, stopped at Dutch Country Market, they also had bulk items, bought a few more items, the guy also told us about the Quilt Gardens, which he had one outside, it’s gardens that are laid out like quilts, very pretty,  and then out the door and up the road stopped at Heritage Ridge Creamery, where they sell different kind of cheeses, butter, bologna, didn’t buy anything there.  We then went to B&L Woodcrafts, where they make gliders, Adirondack chairs, tables, rocking chairs, stools, everything made out of eco-friendly poly.  We then went back to Shipshewana, drove and went to a car wash and then up to Michigan, which is just a few miles north, to get some fuel, which is cheaper than in Indiana.  Returned back to camp, talked to our neighbor guy, made dinner and then just rested until dark before going inside for the evening.