Detour #160: The Indiana Nürburgring, USA
Ten times longer than The Green Hell and packed full of pit stops for meaty treats thE Schweinefiletring is a delicious drive through the American MidWest.
On a map this 175-mile road route through Indiana looks just like an aerial view of the Nürburgring and was devised by local petrolheads Phil Wehman and Brian Henry of the Tire Squeal charity for their Running of the Pigs event, raising over $40,000 for the region’s foodbanks to date.
The duo named the drive Schweinefiletring after Indiana’s famous pork tenderloin and it takes in a number of restaurants serving up the porky delicacy. Tire Squeal is urging hungry drivers to tackle the route between 25 June and 10 July and is even offering prizes to encourage, driving, eating and giving (click here for details).
So what do motorists and gastronomists have in store?
Well, it’s not a race track of course, so you’ll be dashing from restaurant to restaurant rather than over rumble strips. Beginning at the Brown County Inn, in Nashville, Indiana you can start the day with a breakfast tenderloin for $13 before the Schweinefiletring takes State Road 135 east to Gnaw Bone, passing wineries and flea markets, then following the largely straight 46 through dense woods. A right turn through Harrison Township delivers you due south into more open farmland and to the next meat treat at SGT Rick’s American Grill & BBQ in Freetown.
You’ll keep going south to Brownstown Township before taking a hard right on to Highway 50, also known as Indian’s Historic Pathways North Spur. You’re now back in the woods and following a pleasantly meandering path down to Shoals. The Shoals Overlook is a must-stop, presenting a glorious view over the White River below. Strangely it’s even more beautiful when you can’t actually see the river for the dense mist hovering above it.
Cutting north again and loosely following the river on the 450 the road begins to become more engaging, with more and more bendy bits. At Williams there’s another photo opportunity at the covered bridge which dates to 1884.
By the time you reach the Salt Creek Brewery you’ll probably be peckish again and, should you fancy something other than another tenderloin, then there’s an extensive Mexican menu at the attached La Cala Cocina. Alternatively, if you can hang on another 45 minutes you can get your pork fix at Nick’s English Hut in Bloomington.
The Indiana ‘Ring saves the best until last. Heading up towards the picturesque Bean Blossom overlook and down again to the Brown County Inn the road is at its most narrow and twisty making the final half hour so of this day-long adventure the most entertaining section of the day-long drive. You might even work up an appetite again at the end!
