Delphi, Indiana

Anyone who has enjoyed the experience of working on his or her own GM automobile has run across the name Delphi over the years.  This GM division originally had responsibility for many of the electronic components used in cars and trucks and eventually expanded to have a number of manufacturing plants world-wide. During the "restructuring" of the last few years, the infrastructure of the division became fragmented and was separated from GM.  The name continues as a stand-alone supplier of parts to the automobile, truck, and commercial markets.

So what, you say?  Good question, and I don't have any idea what the connection is, other than it's a cool, if ancient, name.  We find ourselves in Delphi, Indiana this evening, the home of the Wabash and Erie Canal.  The canal is one of many built in pre-steam railroad days to transport goods and people across the eastern and midwestern US. There is only a short section of this particular canal left, and it's here in Delphi, maintained by a dedicated staff of volunteers.  They provide canal boat rides in an accurate historical setting that gives visitors a taste of life on the canals in the 1830's, and keep a museum and interpretive center open that explains the harsh world of the tow-men, the canal construction crews, and the animals that actually pulled the boats.  The center also tells of the tremendous amounts of money made by the entrepreneurial souls who risked their fortunes to build the waterways. Most canal systems have been filled in over the years, so it's interesting to see an actual canal in its original state.

We pulled into Delphi about mid-afternoon, found our site at Canal Park (one of 3 full hookup sites provided by the park), and settled in to wait out the rain that had been chasing us all day.  The rain didn't set any records like yesterday in South Bend, but it was steady all day.  The rv site is adjacent to the interpretive center, and is paved with limestone, a common rock in this area, so we were somewhat protected from the wind and soggy ground.  We are lucky to have a bit of shade (if the weather ever clears), and still have a full view of the southern sky (gotta have the satellite tv, ya know).

We'll cruise the park tomorrow and some of the extensive walking/biking trails around the area and report back.  Happy Days!