Day 5 & 6: West Baden Springs / French Lick, IN

We choose the West Baden Springs hotel in the French Lick Resort based on the recommendation of a friend plus just seeing photos of the place. So we pegged this as a stop on the trip, staying 3 nights. It was a good choice. Below are some shots from around the complex. We had good meals there, we hiked, saw some little shows, etc.

This hotel is an incredible building with a very rich history going back to about 1902. From that time it was the largest free span dome made of steel and glass until the Astrodome opened in 1965. There is also a second hotel that is part of the resort one mile away and connected via shuttles. French Lick is also the home of basketball star Larry Bird, but you didn’t hear his name much.

West Baden Springs Hotel

R&R

The hotel had “Jazz in the Library” in the evening. Sort of a lounge singer type deal, like the ones Bill Murray used to mock in SNL skits years ago. We went, and it wasn’t too bad. Next to me was a young kid with what looked like his luggage. The woman who was the singer and the lead asked him what he had there. He said a sax. She asked him it he want to play with them. And he did and he was really good. As he was unloading the sax he told me he was in college and a music student, and I think from south of Chicago. He was very introverted. She asked him if he ever played with a band before, and he answered “yes”, but with the body language and the look he gave was really a very strong “HELL YA, move over!” But after one song she said thanks and he was gone. His name is Jacob Green.

Day 6 was July 4th and the resort put on a good fireworks show. This included a local live band that played great rock covers. It has been hot everywhere on this journey but was certainly bearable on this night.