Kristin's Blog: Indianapolis, IN

We spent Memorial Day Weekend 2019 in Indianapolis, IN to see the 103rd Running of the Indianapolis 500. Until a couple of years ago, I never knew that my mom is a big Indy fan. When I was trying to figure out a Christmas gift for them, we decided on this trip as Indy was also a bucket list item for Dave.

We arrived early Saturday morning (about 2am local time). This was the airport greeting.

Saturday I thought we were sleeping in, but Dave was up early to go get the rental car and he said my parents were down eating breakfast and I was the only one still in bed. I got up and got ready and we made it to the Indy Parade in downtown Indianapolis.

Pippa Mann - the only female driver in the race this year.

Leave It to Beaver (I never watched that show so I don't really know who he is).

I was too late in taking this picture but I do remember Marc Summers from Double Dare.

We didn't know it then, but this is the race winner.

After the parade we went and checked into the Airbnb. Since we arrived so late/early Friday/Saturday we just stayed in a hotel near the airport. Our Airbnb was on the canal walk, so after we checked in Dave and I went to check it out.

Our Airbnb building.

Sunday morning we were up before 5am to get on the road and get to IMS. The gates opened at 6am, with festivities starting about 9am and since this may be a once in a lifetime event for us we wanted to make sure we didn't miss anything. We were one of the first to arrive but we found a great parking spot for pretty cheap and didn't have to walk too far. We had read we may sit in traffic for 2 hours+, but that was not the case either.

Mom having one of the best days of her life! Notice her checkered flag party nail too :)

One of the first people in our seats.

Once we got settled, Dave and I decided to take a walk and see the sights. We walked across the track so were able to see some things a bit closer up. Simon Pagenaud pit.

We walked across Gasoline Alley and saw some of the race cars being taken to the track. We headed back to our seats about an hour before the track closed but by the time we left there were so many people.

Balloons released during the singing of Back Home Again in Indiana.

This was our view for 500 miles of racing. The forecast called for thunderstorms, but it ended up being a perfect overcast day for racing with no rain.

Hard to see the #22 is at the top of the pole.

Simon doing his victory lap around the track.

After the race we went to Bru Burger for dinner and everyone went to bed early.

Monday we stopped at Coat Check for coffee. This was not a coffee shop that I had researched before the trip, but one we just happened to find when we were looking for coffee before the parade. It was so good...my favorite coffee shop in Indy.