Well, Doug and I went to Winchester, IN yesterday. It was a long ride but it was a very scenic ride. We got to Decatur, IN and I started to look on the right side of the road and kept seeing this dark pile of something...finally, I said Doug is that what I think it is and he started to laugh and said yeap. So, we kept going and he would pick out the houses that were the Amish houses and man I saw some really big houses and windmills like crazy. Then we had to make a pit stop at McDonalds and I saw this carriage sign on a wall in back and never thought anything about it and finally I asked Doug...hey that can't be where they hitch up the horse and carriages and once again he said "yeap." I thought what the heck if they don't believe in electricity then how and the heck can they believe in McDonalds...again Doug laughed at me...I thought it was a good statement but anyways we finally went by what we believe was a church...holy bolognie there were tons of black horses and lots of carriages hitched up...I was disappointed that I didn't get to see any of them out for a ride. Well, I got my wish...after the races we did get to see a carriage with a family of 4. See, you can tell I'm a city gal....thought it was pretty cool. No hitched up horses at McDonald's though...must be they had already eaten dinner.

Now, what about the race. Well, lets see if I can remember: Had about 18 Sprints but only 11 started the Feature and 5 finished. Had #26 hit the wall pretty hard during qualifying and then the others started to drop like flies ...ok...Sportsman was a very good race...Car #66; $38 and #28 were really fast cars. The #28 car won the feature and they had I think about 12 - almost all of them finished the race too. Now, we also had what they call their Pony Stocks "Compact Cars." Oh my word...that was actually the best race all day. They had 18 and 17 started the Feature. They had a black car that was hot lapping earlier and came around turn 2 and spun and hit the ambulance...couldn't believe my eyes...but he did...not too much damage to either vehicles. I think those guys have built there cars to with stand anything...I saw at least 3 cars hit the wall during the Feature and kept on going...they were so cool to watch...the lead was changed a few times and action all the way to the last two cars. Passing this way and that way and most of the race was NOT following the leader. Then we had the "Roadsters" they were ok...just needed more cars to make it more of a race is all. But, anyways it was a very fun day and had some good racing as well. The only thing with the Compact they don't qualify at all they draw for the heat race and then where they end up is where they put them in the Feature. Also, the other divisions qualified; had their times up on the scoreboard; raced 15 laps in the heat and 40 laps for the Sprints (Feature) and 30 laps for the Sportsman. Now, the compact class like I said no qualifying at all; no times on the scoreboard; heat race was only 10 laps and the Feature was 20 laps.

It was fun though...

Ok, I think I'm done posting for at least an hour

Caroline

Queen Bee,

Come over to my house just West of Charlotte 4 miles and on some Sunday mornings we see 30-40 horse and buggy's fly by.

You can tell when the yung-uns are tryin to impress the lady's as they are racin the buggy's for all they are worth.

20 plus years ago, approx 40 Amish family's were buying land @ 1000.00 per acre and we have them all around us.

Gov

To back up Dan's story, a horse and buggy went past my shop this morning right here in town, in Charlotte. It's nothing unusual at all around here. There are hitching posts downtown.

-Maurice

Well, see I am a "city girl"...Doug keeps me sheltered too much LOL

We used to have a few young Amish show up when I was working New Paris...no...not with the buggy...although...if we would have had two of them back then...we would have raced them!

(ok..they may have been Mennonites...hard to tell)

years ago before when the pits used to be in the infield at butler, the amish would ride up to the fence in turn 1 and watch the races.

steve "pops" pastorino

Now living near Grand Rapids I miss the Amish buggies going by in our neighborhood Gov. The best though was at Wayne County Speedway while on an Ohio Speedweek adventure and saw the Amish pull up and come into the race track for a great night of sprint car action before hitching up the buggy to go home.

we stopped in portland ind after winchester last year at the taco bell, and here come two amish buggies.

they parked out back and came in and ordered and all i can say is they like mexican food.

the best place to eat is arnalds in decatur cool place

I'll second that. Arnold's drive in and restaurant has the coolest local atmosphere anywhere and great food. The best part is all the items on the walls are from the local towns, not just some generic Applebee's type effect.

When I was in the industrial wood working business a few years ago, we went to a huge show in Atlanta and I seen thousands of Amish dudes. Most of them were looking to purchase CNC routers. Now these machines had FIVE spindles on them and cost in the neighborhood of $250,000.00. These machines require 480 volts and a PC to run them. Form that moment on I vowed that I would NEVER spend my dollars on that overpriced furniture that they "hand" make. LOL
One memory I have about going to watch the modifieds at Winchester: when the cars first came on the track to hot lap, I was looking at the roofs and not the doors while they were going thru the corners and I thought that was too cool.

When we were sitting up in the grandstand we were at the top level...at first I covered my eyes because when they would go around the 4th turn I could see that they were soooo close to the wall I was sure they were going to whip out...then I finally got brave enough to watch the cars. What a track man

Caroline

I second Dan and Maurice about the amish.
We have amish stores all around us too.
When they have a big event like a wedding or something they come by my house by the van load.
I know they travel more then I do
They all have skid loaders and phones and a lot of other stuff people don't think they have.
I joke to people we are Shipshewana of the North. Sorry to highjack your thread Caroline.

The street cam out in front of my shop in Charlotte caught this image this morning:



This particular horse is working a little harder having to not only pull the buggy, but it's also pulling a little trailer attached to the buggy. Must be they had to transport something today that wouldn't go into the buggy.

-Maurice