John Carpenter

A railroad bridge outside Muncie, Indiana, is now part of a converted bicycle path, where cyclists enjoy a ride. on Sept. 14, 2022.

Rails to trails: How converted railroad paths became great escapes for cyclists, from the Great American to The 606

April 19, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.

I guess I shouldn't have been surprised by the responses I got when I told people I'd just completed a three-day bike ride across a large chunk of northern Indiana....

Mountain sheep roam the roads along the Slieve League Cliffs, part of the stunning Wild Atlantic Way.

Ireland’s ‘Wild’ side: Exploring a quieter corner of the rugged West Coast

March 11, 2020 at 2:56 p.m.

I bounced the rental car slowly up the narrow, one-lane road and pulled up near the only other car in the unpaved parking area. My family and I tumbled out...

Mother and daughter follow a trail down to the beach to dip their toes in the Pacific Ocean.

The college search can be a great excuse for a family vacation — and a 57-hour train ride

July 25, 2019 at 7:55 p.m.

When my daughter put two California colleges on her list, I casually wondered whether it would be cool to take the train there from Chicago and maybe drive down the...

March Madness isn't just about basketball; the NCAA men's tournament is a great reason to get away and do some bonding with your buddies.

8 cities worth a guys trip for March Madness

August 23, 2019 at 9:03 p.m.

When it comes to excuses for a guys weekend, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is as good as it gets. We can safely squeeze our heart-to-heart chats into the gaps...

There's no shortage of corn mazes in the Midwest, and kids — as well as adults — get a kick out of finding their way through them.

5 Midwest golf courses made even better by fall

June 23, 2019 at 6:09 p.m.

It's a summer game, of course. But golf was really made for the fall. Gone are the muddy fairways of April and the withering heat of August. It's the time...

Michigan golf courses worth the drive, especially with fall colors in play

June 23, 2019 at 7:46 p.m.

Few golfing moments are more rewarding than standing on an elevated tee box in a long-sleeves breeze, filling your chest with crisp Northern Michigan air, and looking out over an...

The writer, John Carpenter, right, and his son, Patrick, at an Asheville Tourists game.

Bonding over baseball, breakfast on father-son college road trip

August 23, 2019 at 8:09 p.m.

When my teenage son showed me a list of potential colleges that included Duke and Vanderbilt, my first thought should have been to log on to one of the many...

[Roger W. Wheeler State Beach near Galilee is a popular spot to sunbathe and play in the water.

Slipping into an ‘Ocean State’ of mind in southern Rhode Island

August 23, 2019 at 8:07 p.m.

I tasted the ocean in the air as I sat on the outdoor deck at Matunuck Oyster Bar, the ebbing tide draining a few feet from our table into the...

Walking the deck is one of the best ways to pass the time while crossing Lake Michigan on the SS Badger.

Lake Michigan ferry turns humdrum travel into unforgettable experience

August 23, 2019 at 8:02 p.m.

My first trip on a Lake Michigan ferry was 25 years ago, and it didn't go as planned. I was working a Saturday shift at the Chicago Sun-Times, facing a...

Local guitar builders share passion for handmade music

December 18, 2018 at 12:39 a.m.

Bruce Roper leaned over the dusty workbench and carefully placed two slender, hand-hewn lengths of spruce into the shape of an "X" on the flat, unfinished cutout of a guitar...

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