29 Counties in Indiana Michigan and Ohio

We've been testing the waters for my road trips and how long I can be gone. In August, I made my first single-night overnight trip. That was a success. Also, we took a family trip to Texas. That also went well. Now, it was time for me a try a two-night overnight trip.

As you may already know, I'm trying to visit every county in the USA. I try to be as efficient as possible and will sometimes use Bill Cook’s “Optimal Tour for Extra Milers." Bill is a professor interested in the Traveling Salesman Problem. This problem is finding the most efficient route to visit a certain set of destinations without visiting the same destination twice. He figured out how to do this for every county seat in the Continental USA.

Map of the United States showing county boundaries color-coded by visit status, with blue, red, and green sections indicating different levels of completion across the country

Photo Credit: Bill Cook (Posted on http://www.math.uwaterloo.ca/tsp/county/index.html)

With a full-time job, family, house, and all the obligations of being an adult, I don't have a ton of time to travel. While I can't do the optimal tour in one trip, I can pick routes on it. So I decided I would visit Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio using one of the routes.

The one thing that sucks about going to Illinois and further east is the sheer amount of tolls. I still have my TxTag from when I lived in Texas. Unfortunately, the TxTag only works in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. So I decided to get an I-Pass from Illinois, so I'd be good for another 16 states.

As you can see, the transponder for the I-Pass is much bigger than my TxTag.

E-ZPass Illinois toll transponder and parking permit placed on a car's dashboard, viewed through the windshield

On the morning of this trip, I did my usual routine. I fed Austin. Then, after Victoria took Austin to daycare, I took Maya for her morning walk.

White and brown dog on a leash walking down a residential sidewalk, casting long shadows in morning or evening light

I then packed the car. Packing was much lighter for this trip than our family trip to Texas.

Open car trunk packed with travel gear including a blue backpack, gray duffel bag, and olive and lime green towels

Car passenger seat with two backpacks and a large water bottle, with red and black seat upholstery visible

I hit the road but first stopped at Kwik Trip to top off the car and get some breakfast. Fish sandwiches were the special of the day.

Kwik Trip gas station and convenience store with green metal roof, brick facade, and fuel pumps in foreground

Six wrapped fish sandwiches with cheese displayed in a convenience store warmer case with a red TODAY'S SPECIAL $1.69 sign

Hand holding two wrapped sandwiches labeled Fish Patty with Cheese On A Hamburger Bun and beef jerky stick inside a car

My windshield has some bugs on it, and the car just needed a wash, so I did that and then started heading to Indiana.

View from inside an automatic car wash with red and black brushes visible and water spraying on the windshield

Rural two-lane highway with large oak tree and Illinois Route 22 road sign, open farmland on both sides

I was soon on the interstate and then in Illinois.

Interstate highway approaching Illinois state border with ILLINOIS welcome sign visible on overpass

I was happy I didn't have to worry about remembering to pay the tolls.

Approach to South Beloit Plaza 1 toll plaza on Illinois tollway with OPEN ROAD TOLLING sign overhead

When I got close to the Indiana line, I ran into a big traffic jam. This is why I hate driving through Chicago. It seems I cannot escape traffic there.

Highway traffic congestion with trucks and cars, overhead signs showing exits for Camp D.R. and Halsted St with Illinois Route 1 marker

Multi-lane highway with Route 394 sign visible, trees lining both sides of the road under partly cloudy sky

After what seemed like forever, I finally made it to some open roads.

Straight rural two-lane road with yellow center line, houses and trees in the distance under overcast sky

The GPS took me down some back route, so the only way I knew I was in Indiana was Google Maps telling me I was in Indiana.

Wide open highway with reduced speed limit sign showing 45 mph, flat agricultural landscape on both sides

Rural highway with blank red billboard signs on both sides of the road, cornfields and utility poles visible

I had another slowdown along the way. There was a lot of construction with very low speed limits.

Bureau County Courthouse, a three-story historic limestone building with arched windows and classical architectural details

Eventually, the construction ended, and I made it to my first courthouse in Indiana, Newton County.

Straight rural road through agricultural fields with Route 55 North sign and power lines along the roadside

Ornate Richardsonian Romanesque courthouse with prominent clock tower, stone facade, turrets, and arched entrance

It was open roads and cornfields on my way to Jasper County.

The harvest is in full swing, and I saw lots of farm equipment on the way to Pulaski County.

Rural highway with large green farm tractor traveling on the shoulder, open agricultural fields on both sides under partly cloudy sky

Historic Romanesque courthouse with pale limestone facade, featuring arched windows, multiple turrets with peaked roofs, and ornate architectural detailing

I encountered another tractor on the way to Fulton County.

Following red farm tractor on rural two-lane road with mature cornfields flanking both sides

Romanesque Revival courthouse with cream-colored stone exterior, cylindrical corner turret with red conical roof, prominent arched entrance, and American flag flying

Besides the harvest, the trees were starting to show signs of fall in Marshall County.

Red brick courthouse with white classical columns at entrance, ornate dome cupola with clock tower, photographed during golden hour with sun visible in sky

Large deciduous tree canopy showing early autumn colors with patches of orange and yellow foliage mixed among green leaves

On the way to St. Joseph County, I stopped for gas and, hopefully, to use the restroom (to no avail).

Marathon gas station with fuel pumps and white vehicle, small USPS post office building visible in background across parking lot

Glass entrance door with prominent NOTICE NO RESTROOM sign, surrounded by various advertisements and payment option stickers

Neoclassical public building with triangular pediment, three large arched windows on facade, symmetrical design, and grand staircase with handrails

As part of the optimal route I talked about before, I was going to zig-zag between states. I was soon in Michigan.

Small town street view approaching blue Welcome to PURE MICHIGAN sign, with residential homes and utility poles lining the road

I swear the terrain seemed to change at the state line. It went from flat and open fields in Indiana to forest in Michigan.

Tree-canopied two-lane highway with dappled sunlight creating shadows across the pavement, yellow center line visible

After a little driving through the forest, I made it to Cass County.

Victorian-era limestone courthouse with red tile roofing, prominent square clock tower with red accents, Romanesque architectural features, and solar panels visible on adjacent structure

I got in the car and was soon in Berrien County.

Large brutalist-style county center building with tan facade, repetitive vertical window columns, and minimal ornamentation

Being close to Lake Michigan, I had to wait for a drawbridge before making it to Van Buren County.

Bridge traffic with pickup truck towing mesh utility trailer, other vehicles ahead, water body and industrial water tower visible on right

Neoclassical courthouse with central clock tower topped by green patina copper dome, symmetrical columns flanking entrance, photographed at dusk with exterior lighting

It was getting dark, and I was starting to think about places I'd try to sleep for the night. I noticed there were a lot of lakes, so I thought I'd find a good boat launch to sleep at.

Motion-blurred view of lake or river from moving vehicle during twilight, tree line and shoreline visible through roadside vegetation

I made it to Allegan County. This would be my last courthouse for the night.

Modern single-story institutional building illuminated at dusk with exterior wall lights, expansive empty parking lot in foreground

I was hungry and was looking for something I could eat along the way. So I stopped at a gas station called Village Express.

Village Express Market gas station canopy brightly lit against deep blue evening sky, multiple vehicles refueling at pumps

This was another gas station weird about their bathrooms. You needed to key to go into it, despite it being inside.

Wall-mounted sign reading VILLAGE EXPRESS MARKET CUSTOMERS ASK FOR KEY TO USE RESTROOM with key and lock icon

I was surprised to see their selection of beef sticks. I was even more surprised seeing stuff from Wenzel's Farm, which is from my hometown of Marshfield, Wisconsin.

Refrigerated convenience store display case with multiple shelves of pre-packaged sandwiches, deli items, and prepared foods with green price tags

Convenience store interior with refrigerated beverage coolers on left, Wenzel's Farm branded snack display stand in center, and shelving with chips and snacks on right

I picked up some local beef sticks, Wenzel's jerky, and a gallon of water.

Car seat with road trip snacks including Wenzel's Farm Original beef jerky package, beef stick, and gallon water jug

I started driving towards my next county. I'll typically drive in the dark and then find a place to sleep near the next courthouse. This allows me to get going right away in the morning.

Night driving view of illuminated highway with headlights lighting the road ahead, dark blue sky and vehicle approaching in distance

With a stroke of luck, there was actually a rest stop along the way. Rest stops are my preferred place to overnight in my car since they have decent amenities.

Small brick visitor center or rest stop building illuminated at night with accessible parking sign, surrounded by lawn and sidewalk

I set up my dehumidifier and fan and then fell asleep.

Portable battery-powered fan clipped to car dashboard near steering wheel and instrument panel

When I woke up in the morning, I saw many other people had the same idea.

Nighttime parking lot view with street lights illuminating empty spaces and a few parked vehicles, commercial area visible in background

I was only about 8 miles from Kalamazoo. McDonald's is one of my old reliable places for breakfast. They usually have good WIFI, and the food is cheap. I first went to a McDonald's by the courthouse. Unfortunately, it appeared closed, and I couldn't go inside. It also didn't have WiFi in the parking lot either.

McDonald's restaurant exterior at dusk with illuminated golden arches against dramatic dark storm clouds

To make matters worse, there were a few either mentally ill and/or drugged-out individuals walking around. One guy was screaming and talking to himself. I knew I needed to get away from the area. So I went to another McDonald's at 7 am. Despite the sign on the door saying their lobby was open at 5, the door was locked.

McDonald's window decal displaying dining room hours for each day of week, with Apple Pay and Google Pay acceptance logos

I at least saw WiFi in the parking lot, and the drive-thru appeared to be open. So I ordered breakfast and ate in my car.

McDonald's breakfast items on car center console tray including wrapped breakfast burrito, Egg McMuffin in yellow wrapper, and hash brown in red sleeve

I started to charge my devices and then went downtown to the Kalamazoo County Courthouse.

Jackery portable power station on car seat with multiple devices plugged in via coiled cables, including portable fan

Downtown street at dawn showing mix of historic low-rise buildings, modern high-rise tower, and white church with tall steeple under pastel sky

Large Art Deco county government building with tan limestone facade, vertical window columns, and modern glass entrance addition

There must have been some car shows around the area because I saw a lot of classic vehicles driving around while I made my way to St. Joseph County.

Motion-blurred bright blue vintage 1940s pickup truck driving through intersection with traffic light and trees in background

Romanesque Revival courthouse with red brick facade, limestone base, prominent square clock tower, and arched entrance

Now it was time for me to get back to Indiana. Shortly after crossing the state line, I encountered an Amish buggy.

Blue Indiana state welcome sign reading Crossroads of America with text about Benjamin Harrison being America's Hoosier President

Black Amish horse-drawn buggy with orange safety triangle traveling on highway, viewed from behind following vehicle

I then made it to the Elkhart County Courthouse.

Victorian-era red brick courthouse with limestone trim, green copper dome cupola, and classical architectural details surrounded by mature trees

Besides seeing classic cars on the roads, I noticed a lot of towns had festivals going on. That seemed to work well for me since there were porta potties out, which made it easier to go to the bathroom.

Four portable toilets on sidewalk against brick building wall, one blue unit and three red units, with decorative street lamp visible

I eventually made it to Kosciusko County, which appeared to have a farmer's market happening.

Grand Beaux-Arts courthouse with white limestone exterior, prominent central dome, symmetrical facade, wide entrance stairs with flower beds

Downtown farmers market or street fair with vendor tents, parked cars along street, and historic commercial buildings under dramatic cloudy sky

Whitley County also had some sort of farmer's market going on.

Ornate Beaux-Arts courthouse with white limestone facade, elaborate corner turrets, prominent central dome with clock tower, and symmetrical design

Town square with historic two-story commercial buildings in brick and gray, vendor tents set up on green lawn with evergreen tree in foreground

I was back to flat nothingness on my way to Huntington County.

Straight rural two-lane highway with Route 9 sign, agricultural fields on both sides, utility poles along roadway

Neoclassical courthouse with gray limestone facade, symmetrical design, triangular pediment with clock, and Ionic columns at entrance

My next courthouse was Wells County.

Romanesque Revival courthouse with golden-tan rusticated limestone blocks, prominent square clock tower, arched entrance, and colorful flower beds

I took a historical route on my way to Adams County.

Rural highway with Indiana Business Route 27 shield sign, open farmland and scattered trees on both sides

Second Empire Victorian courthouse with red brick exterior, mansard roof with dormers, tall ornate clock tower with multiple tiers, and limestone base

Allen County felt like a big city, and its courthouse was more like a state capitol building.

Tree-lined downtown street with modern glass office towers, elevated pedestrian walkway connecting buildings, and street-level retail

Neoclassical courthouse with white limestone facade, prominent central dome, symmetrical wings, arched entrance, expansive front lawn with flower beds, and modern office tower visible behind

I hit the freeway to get to DeKalb County.

Interstate highway with sound barrier wall on right, overhead signs showing junction with US Route 80 East and US Route 24 East

Beaux-Arts courthouse with light gray limestone facade, symmetrical three-story design, triangular pediment with clock, tall vertical window arrangement, and benches flanking entrance walkway

Then the two lanes took me to Noble County.

Rural two-lane highway with Route 8 sign visible, open fields bordered by tree lines under blue sky with puffy white clouds

Romanesque Revival courthouse with elaborate red brick exterior, multiple levels of arched windows, ornate corner tower with clock and decorative stonework

One thing I noticed is the gas stations where I had traveled weren't as robust. I'm used to Kwik Trips or Casey's that have full hot cases and a bunch of other food. However, I did find Circle K seemed to be alright.

Three Circle K hot snacks sandwich boxes stacked on car seat with Twizzlers strawberry candy package and Crystal Fresh milk jug

I made it to LaGrange County. It appeared there was a car show on the courthouse square.

Small town brick commercial district with historical mural painted on building wall, parked police car, and orange and white road construction barriers blocking street

Second Empire Victorian courthouse with red brick exterior, white painted mansard roof, central clock tower, arched windows, white columned entrance portico, and iron fence surrounding lawn

US-20 on the way to Steuben County had a very idyllic Midwestern feel to it.

Divided rural highway passing farm with red barn and silver silo visible on right, Route 20 East sign, pickup truck ahead on road

Octagonal Victorian brick courthouse with tall arched windows, elaborate bracketed cornice, central octagonal cupola with clock, balcony over entrance, and iron perimeter fencing

I hit the interstate and made it back to Michigan.

Multi-lane highway approaching Interstate 69 junction with overhead route sign, rural landscape with scattered trees under partly cloudy sky

Highway entering Michigan with blue Welcome to PURE MICHIGAN sign on stone foundation, tree-lined roadway under partly cloudy sky

Before you know it, I was at Branch County.

Modern brutalist government building with vertical gray and white striped facade, American flag at half-mast, colorful flower beds with red, yellow, and pink plantings lining entrance walkway

More driving through the forests got me to Hillsdale County.

Tree-canopied two-lane rural road with dappled sunlight filtering through dense overhead foliage, vehicle visible ahead in distance

Neoclassical courthouse with tan limestone facade, triangular pediment, green dome cupola, extensive metal scaffolding covering both wings for renovation work

The terrain was a bit more open on the way to Lenawee County.

Straight rural highway stretching to horizon with agricultural fields on both sides, scattered white clouds in blue sky, utility poles along roadway

Romanesque Revival courthouse with red brick and cream limestone horizontal banding, prominent square clock tower, American flag flying from top

I ended up taking a bunch of back roads to Fulton County. The only reason I knew I was in Ohio was the road sign changed and indicated a new road.

Rural two-lane highway with Route 12 sign visible on right, flat agricultural landscape with distant farm buildings under partly cloudy sky

Victorian Italianate clock tower courthouse photographed at dusk with red brick construction, tall square tower with white clock face and balustrade, Civil War monument visible in foreground

It was open roads on my way to Henry County.

Rural highway at early evening with Route 108 South sign, tall cornfield on left, church steeple silhouetted against sky in distance

Ornate Second Empire Victorian courthouse with red brick and cream stone detailing, black mansard roofs with dormers, elaborate central clock tower, classical columned entrance portico

The sun was starting to set on my way to Williams County.

Rural highway at sunset with dramatic golden and gray clouds, Route 6 West sign, cornfield on right, farmstead buildings silhouetted on left horizon

Romanesque Revival courthouse with red brick exterior, cream limestone trim, multiple rounded corner turrets with red conical roofs, prominent square central clock tower

I tried to figure out if I could make another county before dark. But, unfortunately, it appeared I wouldn't be able to. I then thought of how many counties I could do the next day before going home. Since I was shooting to be home by noon to 2 pm, I found out I'd be able to do maybe 1-2 counties in the morning. I'd then have to head back right away for a 6-hour drive.

I decided to head home instead. I gassed up the car and bought some more water.

Marathon gas station at dusk with brightly illuminated canopy, silver minivan refueling, convenience store with neon signage in windows

Hand holding one-gallon Ice Mountain distilled water jug inside car, manual transmission shifter and dashboard controls visible in background

Since that gas station didn't have anything in the hot case (this seemed normal for gas stations around the area), I stopped at McDonald's.

McDonald's meal tray on outdoor patio table with four wrapped breakfast sandwiches and large red beverage cup filled with ice and red drink

I then hit I-90 to head back.

Night highway driving with motion-blurred streaks from vehicle lights, tree-lined roadway sides creating dark borders, deep blue twilight sky

I was thinking about stopping at an Indiana travel plaza. Then I remembered how bad traffic was in Chicago. I figured I could drive through Chicago late at night and avoid traffic. I was wrong.

Chicago expressway night traffic with Willis Tower and downtown skyline illuminated in background, multiple lanes of vehicles with red brake lights, dramatic dark storm clouds overhead

I grabbed a midnight snack at an Illinois travel plaza and then made it to the Wisconsin Welcome Center.

Open red Jack Link's beef jerky bag (original flavor) sitting in a car interior with visible beef jerky inside

Car dashboard display showing 70°F temperature, You're All Talk album by Cheap Trick playing on BT Audio Track 116 at 11:57

Night photo of a recycling area with trash and recycling bins in front of an illuminated rest area building with parking lot

I grabbed my sleeping bag from the trunk and got ready to sleep. I set up my fan and started to doze off.

Black clip-on fan attached to a car's steering wheel for air circulation while driving

I heard a knock on my window. I've only had this happen one other time, like a decade ago, so I was a bit startled. I must have been in a daze, and either accidentally left my trunk open or bumped the trunk open button with my knee.

The guy knocking on the window let me know this. So I closed the trunk and thanked him. It did get a little sketchy when he started begging for gas money, but he did me a major favor, so I happily gave him some.

Later that night, I realized he did me an even bigger favor as a tiny little storm popped up, and it poured.

Car interior view through bug and rain-spattered windshield at night with steering wheel fan visible

I only had an hour to drive to get home. So I hit the road and started driving.

Highway view from driver's perspective showing open multi-lane interstate with white semi truck ahead under clear blue skies

Once I got off the interstate, I stopped at a Kwik Trip for breakfast. This Kwik Trip didn't have working pumps, yet there were a bunch of cars in the parking lot. This goes to show you the quality of gas stations near home and their food that I have become accustomed to.

Silver Ford Focus sedan parked at Kwik Trip gas station with convenience store visible in background

Road trip snacks laid out on car seat: Lorissa's Kitchen beef jerky stick, two packages of BelGioioso provolone cheese and salami snacking rolls, ham and cheese croissant sandwich, and cheeseburger on white bun sandwich

The weather was nice, so I opened up all my windows to freshen up the car.

View from car of residential street with well-maintained lawn and white house visible through windshield

Before you know it, I was back in Belleville and at a Kwik Trip with working pumps.

Green population sign for Belleville (Population 2401) on rural highway with trees and open field in background

Kwik Trip gas pump showing multiple fuel grade buttons with convenience store building in background and silver car at adjacent pump

I would say this trip was another success. It sounds like the first night, Austin slept well. The second night, he didn't sleep as well but still slept well enough. It was great to have made it as far as Ohio. The last time I was in Ohio was over a decade ago.

-e

29 Counties in Indiana Michigan and Ohio

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