Trans Hoosier Overland Trail

Overland Omnivore

Overland Omnivore

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I have been researching creating an overland route from Buzzard Roost Recreational Area In Hoosier National Forest along the Ohio river to Indiana Dunes State Park on the shores of Lake Michigan. I want to stick to as many gravel/ unimproved roads as I can. Anyone willing to help in this challenge?
 
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Hey not a bad idea. Iam in northeast Indiana (Ft Wayne). I thought about something from this area to Buzzard before. Gave up kind of quick. With the square grid this state s known for. Yes I know it can be done. And would be a much more enjoyable and scenic route along the western side of the state. I think the largest Challenge would be going in and out of your route to find a place to camp.
 
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I'd definitely would be interested. But like Glenn mentioned. The biggest issue would probably be finding places to camp. Then the simple fact of a lot of back-roads in the past 20-25 years have now been paved. I grew up in Washington county and that's something I noticed a few years back when I went to visit family.

I did come across this website yesterday, google search Gravel Map. (can't post links yet apparently)
Just not a lot of information logged for Indiana. But I'm sure it could be done somehow.
 
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We've been looking at doing something like this as well. I wanted to maybe try and do two routes, as Indiana is the "Crossroads of America" I thought about trying to do a North to South route and an East to West route to crisscross the state. A Trans Indiana Trail System if you will. So much of Indiana is paved now but theres still LOTS of good back roads to use.
 
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That gravelmap program is pretty cool, you just have to watch out as some of the routes people have put on there are for bike races and they are not all gravel, but this may just be a problem in the Zionsville/Indy Metro area. I added 34 miles of gravel in my county (Boone) the night I was told about it by the OP, but on a FB thread.
I would love to help develop this route, but I think it some coordination between participants would be nice to keep redundancy at a minimum, i.e., if someone in Fountian County already knows a route through it, why should I go randomly driving around to discover it? I know some of that is half the fun, but it could get pretty tedious as well.
I'm totally down to try and help!
 
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I found this thread on google and joined the forum so I could join in. I don't live along the west side of the state but I'm always down to explore new places. Count me in.
 
My wife is from indiana so we drive up to indanapolis and back every year for Christmas. I lived there for 8 years and In my opinion the brown county area is the best area in indy to overland second place goes to the dunes but im not sure if your still allowed up there, the rest of indy is flat and really boring. Another fun area i could reccomend is taking a trip to the land between the lakes rec area.
 
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Boostpowered said:
My wife is from indiana so we drive up to indanapolis and back every year for Christmas. I lived there for 8 years and In my opinion the brown county area is the best area in indy to overland second place goes to the dunes but im not sure if your still allowed up there, the rest of indy is flat and really boring. Another fun area i could reccomend is taking a trip to the land between the lakes rec area.
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I would beg to differ on Indiana being flat and boring...I just got back from scouting the next leg of the THOR and it was like driving across Baja at some points...the roads are rutted dirty and full of washboards and suspension sucking potholes. We were at points driving in 4wd at 45mph. It was eye opening. If all you do is drive the interstates it’s easy to assume that Indiana is all flat and boring. Come join us this June for and eye opening experience.
 
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I invite you to come down to texas,oklahoma, arkanas and i can show you alot more fun trails. I drove all over indiana when i lived there and compared to other places ive lived indiana is really flat i mean it was plowed over by glaciers back in the last ice age. Ive ran the dunes up north, ive mudded in knightstown, ran the woods and what little hills yall have in the southern portion, worked in speedway and i lived in wannamaker. Ill admit most of my time up there was spent in race shops and at the drag stip so i may have missed some stuff but my general impression was a very flat boring state and there was alot of drama there amongst the people. We go up there for a week every christmas with my wifes family in greenwood the only thing that ive noticed change in is the crime rate has skyrocketed.
 
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Boostpowered said:
I invite you to come down to texas,oklahoma, arkanas and i can show you alot more fun trails. I drove all over indiana when i lived there and compared to other places ive lived indiana is really flat i mean it was plowed over by glaciers back in the last ice age. Ive ran the dunes up north, ive mudded in knightstown, ran the woods and what little hills yall have in the southern portion, worked in speedway and i lived in wannamaker. Ill admit most of my time up there was spent in race shops and at the drag stip so i may have missed some stuff but my general impression was a very flat boring state and there was alot of drama there amongst the people. We go up there for a week every christmas with my wifes family in greenwood the only thing that ive noticed change in is the crime rate has skyrocketed.
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Come along on the THOR...I hope I can change your impressions. I'd love to come to Texas. My wife has been wanting to make it back down. Never spent time in Oklahoma....I always assumed it was flat. Arkansas sounds fun. I've been there once for backpacking but not for wheeling....
 
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Ohio Valley Overland said:
I have been researching creating an overland route from Buzzard Roost Recreational Area In Hoosier National Forest along the Ohio river to Indiana Dunes State Park on the shores of Lake Michigan. I want to stick to as many gravel/ unimproved roads as I can. Anyone willing to help in this challenge?
Click to expand...
Jason
Nice meeting you. Thank you for stopping to say hi and give us some info on your trip
I will look at the schedule and see if we can squeeze it in.
Thanks
Tony. (Black ZR2) on Veterans pkwy
 
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I would love to do this at some point and time. I am from Central Indiana. I might have to go on another trip as the trip in June I will be gone to D.C. for work. So I'm looking forward to checking out everyone's hard work for going out and mapping this route!
 
The trip is getting closer and closer every day. I can't hardly contain my enthusiasm for it....BUT....There is a dark cloud hanging over the trip. My mother is in very bad health and is nearing death. With her passing emanate it is very possible that I will not be able to attend my own event. After 2 years of planning and many delays since the beginning of this year it is disheartening that I may not be able to be there. I WANT THIS TRIP TO GO ON EVEN IF I CAN'T ATTEND! So I will be publishing the route soon with both gpx files and turn by turn directions. The only thing that will keep me away from this trip is her passing. I still plan on leading it but I need a plan B. So here is what I need. If you live in the metro Louisville Area I would like to meet with you before the trip to give you all the details of the trip. If you live in Indy I plan on being at the 5.11 event this weekend and so I can meet with you there. This has been a testing year for me and my family and this trip has been the one thing I have been looking forward to doing. I want this trip to be something very special for all that attend. Please do not cancel your plans! Go and enjoy the route I have put together for this community...it is for you not me. My mother would say that the show must go on and I agree.
 
So sorry to hear this!
While I can’t go (the corns not planted yet) I have been following along and would love to do it sometime. This is a totally cool thing that you have had the vision for, you have built, and you have followed through on and hopefully things will work out so you can go. So sorry for your loss that you know is coming. I hope you can have some good final days with your mom, I know I did with my dad and that is a good memory.
As an aside, I would offer support in terms of a shop and/or camping if an emergency arises, I am between Sheridan and Lebanon.
Your in my thoughts and prayers.
 
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