Over a year ago, before we even turned the big 4-0, four of my college friends and I were planning a weekend trip to celebrate this birthday milestone. After discussing various options, we decided upon French Lick for our girlfriends’ getaway.

We selected the weekend of May 17-18 to travel to this southern Indiana town. Angie J., the youngster of our group because she is 39 until June 13, volunteered to be our chauffeur. She even provided snacks for the journey.

We arrived at the French Lick Springs Hotel midmorning and were impressed with the beauty of the location. Angie J. got so carried away that she forgot how old she really was and joined a youngster as he was rolling down the hill next to the hotel. The rest of us just watched in amazement, and were feeling dizzy just standing there.

We immediately discovered one of the perks of being there. There were free shuttle rides to anywhere in the area so we could park the vehicle and save on gas. Our first venture was lunch at the local country club/golf course.

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, so we posed and took photos throughout our stay. Our favorite was when Sue recalled the introduction to the television show “Friends” when the six stars were standing in a fountain. We took off our shoes and did this same thing after asking a couple walking by to take our photos.

Later, we took a trolley ride and learned about the area’s history. French Lick was originally a French trading post and was founded in the early 1800s. The sulfur springs were commercially exploited for medical benefits starting around the mid-1800s. Pluto Water, a best-selling laxative of the first half of the 20th century, was bottled there.

Several presidents and celebrities have also made stops here, and it is the hometown of basketball star Larry Bird.

In fact, we drove by the house he grew up in and our tour guide pointed out the house he had built for his mother, complete with a basketball court.

We ate our evening meal at the French Lick Winery after sampling all of the sweet wines on the list. Our favorites were rhubarb and cherry, so naturally, several bottles made their way back to Batesville.

Our next stop was the casino, and Sarah couldn’t wait to get there. She was about 10 feet ahead of us as we made our way through the hallways to the entrance.

We had an enjoyable evening playing the slots and losing money. However, in the end, I did come out ahead this time.

The five of us didn’t get too much sleep that night between the talking, snoring in harmony and watching Kevin Costner in “The Bodyguard.”

We were up bright and early for our spa appointments, and, yes, it is possible for five women to get ready with only one bathroom.

Angie S., Sue and I voted for facials and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere and the tranquil music. All five of us got pedicures and had our toes painted in various hues of pinks and reds.

Before we left, Sue was tempted to roll down that hill, but didn’t want to mess up her nails. Now we’re looking forward to our next weekend getaway, which will hopefully be before the next milestone comes around.