South Dakota to Indiana

August 28, 2013

Here it is, four weeks after leaving home and we're in Wilmington, Ohio at Thousand Trails.  We're here for three nights and today, our 32nd anniversary, we are kicking back and doing nothing.  We have been either sightseeing or driving ever since leaving home on July 30, with the exception of visiting friends in Sandpoint, Idaho, and Creston, British Columbia for a week.  Our miles traveled so far is just under 3,600 miles.  We have seen some beautiful country, interesting things like The Jolly Green Giant and the Corn Palace, and roads worse than California's!  US-90 in Minnesota was brutal.  We thought if we still had our Southwind motorhome the dash would have fallen off since it didn't do well on rough roads.  From US-90 in Wisconsin we turned south on Hwy. 52 and as we neared the Iowa border we saw our first Amish driving their horse and buggy on the highway.  Somewhere down the road, still in Iowa, our GPS took us to Hwy. 9 near Decorah, it may have been the shortest route but it wasn't the fastest.  After realizing this wasn't the way I had expected to go, I was a bit ticked off (I was driving and sometimes GPS's can get you in a difficult situation, especially when you're as long as we are) and was ready to throw the GPS out the window.  Well, a few miles down the road I settled down and enjoyed the rest of the drive, it was very scenic.  We've crossed the Mississippi River and the Missouri River.  We've seen how motorhomes are made at the Fleetwood Factory in Decatur, Indiana.  I'm finding that although we've seen a lot, there is so much more to see but with our limited amount of time there's no way we can do it all.  Traveling on state highways rather than the interstates (except when necessary) affords one to take in the sights of "small town" America.

Interstate 90, across South Dakota east of Rapid City, is mile after mile of flat terrain, well, maybe some slight hills, grasses, and sunflowers.  It was a pleasant surprise to find the countryside very green; until the last few weeks there had been a lot of rain in this part of the country.  We have been very fortunate not to have been in the storms.

South Dakota, I-90

South Dakota, I-90

Sunflowers, South Dakota, I-90

Missouri River, I-90

Missouri River, I-90

Corn Palace, Mitchell, South Dakota, decorated yearly with
thousands of bushels of corn, grains and native grasses

All the scenes are made from corn-on-the cob cut in half, grains and grasses

Photo of first corn palace, built in 1892

Holy Family Catholic Church, Mitchell, South Dakota

Originally, this was a library in Mitchell, South Dakota

First Methodist Episcopal Church, built in 1881

Even the light posts are decorated with corn!  Mitchell, South Dakota

The Jolly Green Giant, Blue Earth, Minnesota

Still driving east on I-90, now in Minnesota and it's still flat

Hwy. 52, Minnesota, near the Iowa border

The Mississippi River at Effigy Mounds National Monument, Iowa

Effigy Mounds National Monument, Iowa

The Mississippi River at Marquette, Iowa 

Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin

Somewhere in SW Wisconsin

Millpoint Campground, East Peoria, Illinois

Millpoint Campground, East Peoria, Illinois

Sunset at Millpoint Campground, East Peoria, Illinois

Some little town on US-24, Indiana

US-24, Indiana

SR-218, Indiana

Berne, Indiana

Amishville USA Campground, Geneva, Indiana

Ceylon Bridge, built in 1860, near Geneva, Indiana

I never saw a sign like this one; saw another one that said something like "old people" area! Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of it and I haven't seen another one.  Darn!

Berne, Indiana

Barn at Swiss Heritage Village, Berne, Indiana

School house at Swiss Heritage Village, Berne, Indiana

Swiss Heritage Village, Berne, Indiana

Jail at Swiss Heritage Village, Berne, Indiana

Hartman Cheese House, built in 1872, at Swiss Heritage Village, Berne, Indiana

Cabin at Swiss Heritage Village, Berne, Indiana

Hauenstein Cider Press, built in 1864, Swiss Heritage Village, Berne, Indiana

Sunset at Amishville USA Campground, Geneva, Indiana

Next stop:  OHIO

South Dakota, Part 2

I wanted to see Jewel Cave because I think caves are fascinating and beautiful.  Unfortunately, by the time we arrived in the afternoon, the tours were sold out and it was our only day in this part of South Dakota.  I'm thinking another "big" RV trip is in our future!

CUSTER CITY

 Buffalo (bison) are decorated all over town

The old courthouse, which is now a museum

Another museum

A former bank

BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK

The "yellow mounds" and they really are yellow.  By now, the sky was turning blue!

WALL, SOUTH DAKOTA

Wall Drug was bought by the Hustead family in December, 1931. Google "Wall Drug history" and get the whole interesting story of how it came to be a landmark.  It is quite the ''tourist trap''!!!

DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. . .

The weather continued to be threatening but with little or no rain in our travels.

Sunrise at the RV park, Hermosa

 STURGIS, SOUTH DAKOTA

Sturgis, a week after the rally, was almost a ghost town, especially after learning more than 450,000 people attended the rally.  It had to be crazy trying to get around.  A stop at the Motorcycle Museum was a must and it wasn't disappointing.  Among all the motorcycle memorabilia and other reminders of years gone by was a 4-H Record Book!  I had totally forgotten about those books so it brought back a fond memory of my time spent in the Atlanta 4-H Club many years ago.

Where have all the Harleys gone???  One week after the rally.

1949 Indian Papoose, developed for the British Army during WWII

1949 "Sundance" built by a Texan who invented a drill bit for drilling oil in the 1950's.  He did all the engraving on the bike.  In the 1950's this bike was one of the most expensive in the world.

1962 Sears Allstate, could be purchased at your local Sears-Roebuck Store or out of their catalog

1910 Indian Tri-car, a seat was mounted between the two front tires to hold a passenger 

4-H record book, I used one like this around 1960!

FORT MEADE, the Peace Keeper Post

Fort Meade was established in 1878 to protect the miners and settlers who were going to the gold fields in the Lead-Deadwood area.  During the 1930's it was a base for the Civilian Conservation Corps and   since 1944, it has been a Veterans Administration Hospital.  Some of the buildings that were used as living quarters for the early soldiers now are being used by the South Dakota National Guard.

How "The Star Spangled Banner" became our National Anthem

The parade ground 

Former commanding officer's headquarters, originally the second floor was the fort ballroom, now houses a museum - built in 1905

Stone covered residence

Officer's quarters - built in 1906

DEADWOOD

The courthouse 

Adams House museum

Cute houses

Cute car

Another cute car!

Wild Bill Hickok's grave at Mt. Moriah Cemetery
May 27, 1837 - August 2, 1876

Calamity Jane's grave, next to Wild Bill's - her last request was to be buried next to him
May 1, 1852 - August 1, 1903

The "Medicine Man" street show

Lee was hooked! with Bubbles

Saloon No. 10

CHAPEL IN THE HILLS

Chapel in the Hills was built in 1969 in Rapid City, South Dakota.  It is an exact replica of Borgund Stavkirke of Laerdal, Norway which was built around 1150.  The name Stavkirke comes from the use of staves (large pillars) to support the structure.  Instead of using nails, wooden dowels were used.

Log cabin built in 1876 by Edward Nielsen, a Norwegian immigrant,
who came to the Black Hills to prospect for gold.

A stabbur, or grass-roofed house, now the visitor center and gift shop