Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Day 15
What a glorious night of sleeping! Then the continental breakfast! Wow, camping can really help one appreciate the little things!
Interestingly, I got my first dose of diversity (it had been absent for almost 2 weeks). A Muslim family was at breakfast! Ahhh...the east coast is in reach! I actually felt sorry for the woman---and wondered if she was getting some stares from the breakfast crowd because she was wearing a hijab. So, I struck up a conversation with her on the make-your-own waffle line. She and her family were from Chicago and were traveling around the Midwest visiting different cities.
After we checked out of the hotel, we made our way to the Battleship South Dakota, aka Battleship X. Yes, there is a battleship in landlocked South Dakota. Actually, pieces of the battleship...but the main pieces! 16 inch guns, an anchor, and other great stuff. The battleship is set up to-scale in a park. So, one could walk the battleship from end to end...despite the deck being grass! Great museum as well, both Nazi and Japanese naval flags on display. Definitely worth the trip!
We then drove through Sioux Falls, saw the falls--as well as some defunct stockyards.
Then, we headed into Minnesota. What a surprise! Southern Minnesota is so fertile! I never saw this many corn fields....vast corn fields. Unbelievable! One horizon to the other....and nothing but corn in between. Corn everywhere!
Also, Minnesota had a sizable windfarm. Makes sense! Lots and lots of wind turbines. I caught the name of the company who owns them, Prairie Star. They are really quite impressive to watch! While we did see many in OK and TX, there were a lot more in Minnesota.
Once we got off the Interstate, we drove along a country road toward Decorah, Iowa. On the way, we came across an Amish community. I had no idea that the Amish were in Minnesota. We even passed a horse and buggy. Rolling hills, farms, hex signs...it was like I was in Pennsylvania.
Pulled into our hotel in Decorah...a college town, home of Luther College---a Lutheran college. Decorah is also known for its sizable Norwegian population. Almost 35% of the town claims Norwegian heritage. The town also has a Norwegian language newspaper. Every store in town has trolls...and some stores sell Norwegian goods. Cute main street and old, beautiful homes. One of the nicest college towns we've been to.
Had pizza for dinner at Mabe's Pizza. Lots of locals, many of whom were professors, students, or farmers. Good pizza, too. Except that it was cut strangely. Rather than 8 slices, it was cut across the pie in 3s. So, we wound up with slices that were squares and triangles. Good pie, despite the unconventional slices!
We walked along the main street after dinner, and then hit a park for a few. The kids really needed to let off some steam.
On to Illinois the next day!
Day 14
Thanks to the senior citizen bikers, we woke up pretty early. Around 6
am, or so. They were laughing and hollering. Their cigarette damaged
voices echoing throughout the campground. Then they turned on the
bikes...and the revving commenced.
am, or so. They were laughing and hollering. Their cigarette damaged
voices echoing throughout the campground. Then they turned on the
bikes...and the revving commenced.
It was our last morning in the campground. I relished my last shower
in the public bathroom. ;-). I was definitely ready for a hotel or
motel and some privacy.
Got a good start on the road. Left by 9 am. Drove through Keystone, SD
for the last time. Not too many bikers around. As we descended from
the Black Hills, the temperature began to rise. We all welcomed the
warmth and sun!
Jumped on I 90 and headed toward Wall Drug for last minute souvenir
shopping. Boy, did we all love that place! So kitschy! We wound up
spending more than 2 hours there. The 5 cent coffee and homemade
donuts certainly were a lure!
Once we left Wall, it was just straight driving to Sioux Falls, SD.
Nothing too epic about the ride except for watching the hundreds of
motorcycles heading west towards Sturgis. Also, we had to conted with
miles and miles of stressful road construction. Honestly there has
been so much construction onour whole trip... Courtesy of the Economic
Recovery and Reinvestment Act. We noticed all the logos on all the
signs we saw around the road projects.
Good to see my money at work, but not fun driving through it all.
As we made our way through SD the landscape again began to change.
Less ranching and more wheat. Then more corn and smaller plants that I
assumed were soybeans.
Arrived in Sioux Falls. We had an efficiency at a Homewood Suites. The
best accomodations yet! Two rooms, kitchen two tvs, indoor
pool...Nirvana.
We made a quick pasta dinner and actually ate it at a table..and
relaxed.
Civilization is nice!
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Sunday, August 2, 2009
Day 13
Got a later start today. Had some pancakes at the KOA breakfast tent,
took showers, and planned on spending the day in the Black Hills. Mt.
Rushmore and some of the twisty roads were on the agenda.
took showers, and planned on spending the day in the Black Hills. Mt.
Rushmore and some of the twisty roads were on the agenda.
This was also the first day that the camping finally got to me. This
KOA can accomodate hundreds of campers, and was not as touchy-feely as
the others we've stayed at. Plus, the walk to the bathroom required a
long walk uphill on the return trip. And the weather was quite
chilly! Temps dropped into the 40s at night and didn't go above 65 or
so.
Despite my irritability we had a great afternoon at Mt. Rushmore.
Awesome to see in the sunlight. Lots of tourists from all over...it
was so nice to taste some diversity again!
After the Mt. we drove around the area and had some ice cream in the
town of Keystone. The town was loaded with bikers. We also took a
drive on one of the area's famous roads...Iron Mountain Road and
experienced it's carved tunnels and pigtail bridges. Wow! I could
only imagine how exhilarating it must be to ride this twisty road on a
motorcycle without a helmet!
(Go to YouTube and search Iron Mountain Road)
Upon returning to our campsite we were greeted with new neighbors...4
senior citizen bikers. What an interesting bunch of people. And boy
do they love their Harleys!
What's so amusing about them is that I initially thought that they
would be up late drinking and hollering. Nope. They went to bed by 10
pm. But, they were up at 6 am making a racket! Senior citizens!!!
It was a good final day of camping.
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Saturday, August 1, 2009
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