During the two-plus hour bus ride from Evansville to Shepherdsville, Ky., tour guide Pam Reimann delighted us passengers with a few interesting — arguably useless, but incredibly entertaining — facts about shoes. The day ahead was soon to be filled with shoe shopping and wine tasting, and as the Zappos Shoe Outlet was our first stop, Reimann made sure we knew our shoe trivia. “Forty-three percent of women admit they’ve been injured by wearing high heels,” “The average American woman owns 19 pairs of shoes,” and “The first modern stiletto — a 3-inch heel made out of alligator skin — was made by Italian shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo for Marilyn Monroe in the 1950s.”
Upon arriving in town, we made our way to Zappos — the world’s largest online shoe retailer — where we spent nearly two hours rummaging through racks of discounted, name-brand footwear.
From there, miles of trees and gravel roads made a pleasant backdrop along our back-country route, setting the tone for the even more pleasant Wight-Meyer Vineyard & Winery. Six or seven or 12 wine samples later, the complimentary lunch arrived — just in time — and our 20-plus group was mingling like we were at a family cookout.
The Scoop
Reimann has visited all seven continents and 57 countries throughout a career as a professional tour guide. “After 10 years of guiding tours all over the world and being away for around 200 days per year,” the Poseyville, Ind., native says, “I decided I wanted to stay closer to home but still use my expertise to share travel experiences with others.”
Last July, Reimann put her skills to use when she started the Passport to Adventure Travel Club, a social gathering where traveling enthusiasts could share their experiences. A few months later, her club became a business, Passport to Adventure and More. Although she still hosts travel club meetings every month, Reimann’s main item of business are her Wine-Oh! Tours. “Wineries are a very fast growing industry and we are fortunate to have several great wine regions within two to three hours of Evansville,” she says. “I have some amount of wine knowledge and thought it would be fun to run tours to the different regional wine trails and share these hidden gems.”
After the first wine tour proved a hit back in October, Reimann knew she was on to something, and continues to offer monthly day-trip wine tours. She also offers private tours for custom groups such as family reunions, work outings, and bachelorette parties.
The Verdict
Although it should go without saying, I’ll say it anyway: Sign me up for next month.
Need To Know
This summer, Reimann is teaching a non-credit course, Travel Sense, at the University of Southern Indiana. The class, July 12 and 19, is open to the public and provides tips and tricks for making traveling easier and mishap-free. Also, Reimann’s next Wine Oh! Tour is a day-trip to wineries in Southern Illinois on July 14. (Check out these wineries in our story “Welcome to Illinois Wine Country,” September/October 2010 Evansville Living.) For more information or to book this trip, call 812-453-1771 or visit www.pamspassport.com.
