Several years ago, I spent nine months in San Francisco’s East Bay area in Walnut Creek, California, 22 miles from Livermore Valley. I was working on an intense project, and rather than return home every weekend, staying in the Bay area and exploring worked out better...
Pork Tenderloin Sandwich at Oasis Diner Experience One of Indiana’s Best Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches at Oasis Diner The Indiana Foodways Alliance’s Tenderloin Lovers Trail features over 70 restaurants to try an authentic Hoosier pork tenderloin sandwich. Located in...
Grassroots Art in Lucas, Kansas As I was planning what became my 12 Days of Kansas Road Trip, I mentioned to friends about traveling to the European-inspired towns of Lindsborg, known for its Swedish heritage, and Wilson, the Czech Capital of Kansas. “You have to go...
According to the U.S. Travel Association, in 2019, Americans left 768 million vacation days unused. Wasted. That amounts to $65.6 billion in lost benefits or an individual average of $571 in donated work time. Workers earned nine percent more vacation time in 2019...
In 1869, settlers from the Swedish province of Dalarna founded Lindsborg; with a current population of 3,286, it’s a small town big on small-town American charm. While Lindsborg celebrates its Swedish heritage through festivals, food, and folk art, its middle...
Typically when I think of Ludington, Michigan, images of sandy beaches, sunsets, and lighthouses come to mind. It’s my quintessential summer happy place. My favorite season is fall, so I thought I’d get out and explore my happy place during my favorite season and see...
Stained-Glass Window at Clarkston Union Bar and Kitchen Today, the pews that once sat congregants now seat families and friends around their dining tables. The original stained-glass windows add interest. While they maintained many of the former church’s...
1. Centrally Located in Lansing, Michigan Lansing is centrally located and within 90 minutes of 90% of the state’s population, so Lansing is not only a great place to explore on its own, but it’s also a fantastic base for day trips throughout the southern half of the...
To avoid repetition in the song, I have waited until the end to summarize all the gifts Kansas gave me. To help offset the costs of running FollowThePiper.com, you’ll find affiliate links throughout the site. If you choose to purchase through one of these...
In 1867, Abilene became the western end of the Kansas Pacific Railroad, where it met The Chisholm Trail. The town was the wild west in the truest sense, as cowboys herded cattle from Texas to Abilene and boarded them into railroad cars to ship them throughout the...
Thank you to Visit Gulf Shores & Orange Beach for hosting some of these gourmand experiences. A is for Avenue Pub. Located on Terry Cove, Avenue Pub has a stunning view across the cove. Add a taste that far exceeds typical pub food, and you’ll be glad you visited....
From Hobby to Business For the Burgdorfs, it all started 30-some years ago as home winemakers, in the Haslett, Michigan countryside east of Lansing, with a bumper crop of wild black raspberries. Dave laughed, “You can only make so many jellies, cobblers, and pies. We...
