Home

Home, home in the burbs with the big and the little cat play…

Our day started way to early, but we are home safe and sound and with out event.  Although we were up at something ridiculous like 3 am, we were on the first plane by 6 am.  Thank you Delta, our gates in Atlanta were in the same wing and we were able to catch an earlier flight into Hartford.  All went uneventufully.

We are exhausted, but cats were happy to see us and thanks to E. all was fine at home.

I’ve uploaded some more pictures to the ‘album’ here.  There are of course tons more, but I think these might be the interesting things from where our upload issues started to be tiresome.

NxNW: Destination Hitchcock

It should also include any of the pictures I've posted earlier, too.

Thank you all for reading!

Almost Home

Well, today is the last real day and I think I speak for both of us when I say we are ready to be home. 

It was a leisurely day.  We toured the local ‘castle’ the Salisbury House – a 47 room monstrosity – most of it not open to the public.  Impressive still.  And we visited the Des Moines Center for the Arts, expecting another small museum.  It actually was much bigger than one would have thought.  A varied collection, but my favorite a Hopper painting.

We then toured the mall, nothing unique there, except perhaps for the fact that it was actually active and full, not dying like most of the East.

It was nice to rest and tomorrow we’ll fly out early, have a loooong layover in Atlanta and then be in Bradley by late afternoon.  (Presuming all goes as planned.)

It’s been a good journey and I’m glad to have seen middle America.  I’ll also be glad to be home.

Matchsticks and Oldies?

Today was a leisurely day as we wind down our travels.  Our desired destination, Matchstick Marvel didn’t open til 1 and it was only an hour drive.  So when we left Cedar Rapids at 11, we had time. 

So we traveled north to Waterloo, IA, another tiny little city, but the Home Of Wonder Bread.  (I have the picture, but you’ll have to wait for me to get home for that.)  Actually we stopped in Waterloo for the Arts Center.  They had a show of Mexican and Haitian folk art and local artists.  It was colorful and a nice stop.  And again, another tiny little museum.

We then traveled through the corn (still no children) to a tiny little town  home of Matchstick Marvels.  http://www.matchstickmarvels.com/matchstickmain.html    They are amazing!  100’s of 1000’s of matchsticks and the man builds exact replicas of everything from Hogwarts to military planes.  They were truly amazing.

We then traveled through more corn finally turning south, to Ames, IA, were we toured the University’s botanical garden.  Okay, the real attraction here was that the garden had display of lego sculptures and a giant gnome.  Unfortunately, it was at this time that it FINALLY started raining here.  This did not deter us and we walked most of the garden in the rain.  But when it started to thunder and lightening we decided that maybe we should head in.

Finally we traveled further south into Des Moines.  We pulled into our hotel at about the same time as the band.  They got to the desk first and it appeared initially as if their rooms were not in order.  Actually, everything was in order, they just had booked the rooms by individuals not as a block.

So were standing there watching half the band members throw a hissy fit and half of them make snide comments and take it all in stride.  (Actually, they were very nice and very apologetic to us.)  But I was thinking,  I should know these guys.  And I was trying to see a name, finally we did and put it all together. 

We checked in behind Three Dog Night.

I married a spider monkey

Yeah, the first day that was not triple digit heat! I believe I mentioned yesterday that there were bikers (bicyclists) in town for a race. The race goes the full length of the state. This morning they left town heading west to the Mississippi, as did we.

But before leaving, they and us went to the Chech Village. They probably did bike things. We drove through downtown. It's small and like so many places we've seen is a bit tired. Worse I swear every street is one way, which is ridiculous for a town this size (IMHO). After quite the adventure we finally found Grant Woods' studio. It is a small brick building off an alley and is rarely open. It's run by the art museum that is also not open much. But it was nice to see and tour the city.

We then parked in Chech Village, where the bikers were going through. It was very festive. But most of them were not actually there for much except riding or drinking, neither things that we were there for, so we didn't get in each other's way too much. We went to the Chech Museum. They are in two locations - one in the neighborhood, tells the story of the Cedar Rapids floods in 2008.

I vaguely remember this as a news story, but it was awesome here. Much of the city was underwater. The museum was completely underwater. Given this, it puts a whole different perspective on the town. Its tiredness no longer seems like it's a sign of downfall, but more like it's just not made it fully upwards yet. There are plans in the works for lots of rebuild, etc. I hope they make it and I think they will.

The museum just opened this July. It's a gorgeous building with great spaces. They had three exhibits up at the moment, all three well done and interesting. The first was textiles that show as much about conversation and disaster recovery as the embroidery and styles.  The second was Alphonse Mucha, and his work (Art Nouveau).  Not a style I am particularly attracted to, but there is something about seeing them first hand vs reproduction that much of it looks more interesting.  But my favorite was the third:  international children’s book illustrations.  Of course, I can’t tell you artist or title at the moment, but there were things one would recognize (if you travel in these circles.)  At any rate, yet again it was another small museum that was worth it. 

With this, we traveled East out of town for a ride in the country side.  I really like the farm land.  I don’t know when I stopped being a cowgirl and became a farmgirl, but perhaps just proof that people do change. 

Our destination today was Le Claire, IA and the home or Antique Archeology, perhaps more familiar to those who are not fans as the store for American Pickers (Hist. Channel show.)  As a fan, since we were in Iowa with time, I really, really wanted to see where they were from.

The website informed us that they were filming Wed and Thurs of this week so the store would be closed and not open again until 2:00 today (Friday).

With the barest directions we headed to the Mississippi (several miles south of the bikers). We saw the Mississippi (again)  very cool to have now seen this same river in so many states.  It’s beautiful here and unlike almost every other river we’ve seen not dry.

We headed into Le Claire and sure enough right behind the gas station convenience store as the shop.  It had the car out front, it had their van in the yard and it had a line a people about 30 long waiting to get in. 

I knew it was not going to be worth it, but I HAD to…

We parked on a side street and first stopped in Danny’s store (if you know the show.)  [Sorry girl, if your google feed pops this up as a reference and you follow your press.]

This story was pretty disappointing.  There were some t-shirts, photography, jewelry.  Some  of it nice enough, but just a little bit pricey for what it was.  Of course it being crowded didn’t help.  The most interesting thing in the store – it’s the first floor of a house – were two pieces a dress and a wall hanging covered with buttons.

From there, we walked half way down the hill to behind the BP to the guy’s store and waited in line to filter through.  It is TINY.  Teeny tiny.  It was cool to see some of the things they’ve picked on TV live and in the store, but as the guys in front of us said: hey, I just watch them buy this last week and I know what they paid for it, I can’t pay their asking price. 

I appreciate too that you need to run a business and that means a mark up.  And I’ve often wondered watching the show how they can possibly make a living.  However, that being said, I was at least hoping the “souvenir”  stuff in the place would be accessible.

It wasn’t.  There was a tin logo sign – a cool item, that looked like “rusty gold”  but it was like 25$ and in a box of easily 200 of them.  There was the pickers journal with the logo, which greatly appealed to my writer sensibility … looked like about a 20 page note book, brown cardboard cover stamped with the logo for $12.  The window/car decal $5.  All of it just that little bit too high for what it was to be comfortable saying, well, I’m at least supporting them.

When we were at the American Gothic house the woman there was commenting that as a paleontologist and museum person there were times the show bothered her because they found things that she didn’t think should be sold.  I must admit I too at times have had trouble watching some one sell something to the guys because “they knew it was going to a good home” and I knew it was going to retail.

It’s hard.  I like them though and to be fair, one of the reasons I’ve stuck with them is the shows where they’ve bought something, discovered there was a much greater value on it, sold the item for tons more than they paid for it and went back and shared the profit with the original buyer.  For that, they still have me.

But my goodness that store is SMALL.  And when you see it on tv it looks like its in the middle of nowhere – not in a tiny garage right next to residences and the BP station, looking out onto the Mississippi!

I’m glad I went.  And I’m not glad we did not go 2 hours out of our way to see the Field Of Dreams.  We are not far from it – at least by this trip’s standards (today we hit 2500 miles) but the extra ride just to see a baseball field in the corn fields, I just couldn’t do. 

I suppose this means if you build it, they don’t always come?  (All internet sites indicated it was not really worth it – unless you are a true baseball fan… which as all of you know, I am not.

So we left Le Claire and were heading back to Cedar Rapids, when we heard this weird noise in the car.  Hmmmm.  Weird noises are not good.  I was about to get a little nervous when M. announced the problem was the back passenger door had not shut fully.

We pulled over and before I could get the front door open to get out and shut it, M. had reached from the driver’s seat, opened the back passenger door, and slammed it shut.

“How??” I marveled. 

He merely shrugged and told me I married a spider monkey.


PS - I forgot to say yesterday we saw the Romney Bus on the highway.  It too was driving badly.  And the political commercials out here are plentiful and more interesting than things I've seen at home.  I am waiting to get back and see if the one's here are there.

Grant Wood Gothic Gourmet

Greetings from Rapid City IA.  Today has been one of those days that I suspect most of you will say, 'only them...'

Last night we stayed outside of Des Moines - if you recall there was a volley ball event and everything was booked.  So, we stayed in Altoona.  I knew Altoona b/c it is the home of Adventureland amusement park.  I'd not mentioned this to M. because, well, with me, really what' the point.  I cannot bring myself to pay 80$ plus for us to enter parks just so that I can watch the rides because I can't bring myself to ride on them.  I do think about it though.

As it turned out we could see the amusement park from the motel.    Which made me exceedingly happy on multiple fronts.  First - I got to watch the rides for a few minutes and got my fix.  And second because the park is tiny and if we had gone there specifically for it, never mind paid the huge entrance fee for me to stand and watch, I would have been annoyed.

There was a big thunderstorm last night though.  Nature gave us quite the light show in the big sky and the wind shook the windows.  I can only imagine tornadoes.

This morning we headed East on the state highway (vs the interstate).  The country side again went from hilly to flat, but the sky stays big.  The drought here is very prevalent.  It's sad to see the almost dry river beds where clearly there is supposed to be water.  The rain did little to help.

Our path was south east , heading for Eldon.  It happened that the route to Eldon did pass thru Ottomwa.  We took the detour and went through town, because after all, if you didn't know this, it IS Radar (Walter) O'Reiley's home town.  They make no claim to him however, which was kind of disappointing.  On the other hand, it is not a place Radar would want to claim.  It is yet another sadly dying city with much of it's Main St abandoned and that which is not is primary bar, pawn shop, social service...  There was a nicer portion of Main St, but that too was clearly tired and struggling.  The old hotel building looked neat though and you could imagine the town in better days

Further East and a bit South, is Eldon.  A very tiny little town, the size of a postage stamp really, but the home of the American Gothic House.  You know the one.  The stern looking farmer with his pitch fork and (what turned out to be) his sister (I always thought it was wife.)  Well, The House sits in Eldon.  It is TINY.  Like the building probably had one room in it, but it's very cute.  No tours as it is a private residence. (Poor people.)  But there is a visitor's center right out front with very interesting display and coolest of all outfits so you can dress up and take your picture in front of the house.  Yes we did and no I am not posting it here.    Our height difference makes it odd.  Well, not like dressing up and doing this isn't odd already I realize.  But I was thrilled to see the house.  It's the second most recognized picture in the world.  (First is Mona Lisa.)

From there we headed North and were hoping to find something to eat.  We didn't, but we did have some left over goat cheese and fruit in the car, so we stopped in a lovely tiny little town.  Parked in the court yard parking lot under a tree (the weather is better but still HOT) and had lunch.   Very gourmet.  Then on  to Riverside, IA.  Okay guys... do you know why Riverside, IA is significant?

It's the future birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk.  They have a museum.  It's in an old store front.  A fair amount of Star Trek Memorabilia and the site of Shatner's movie about Iowa.  They do a Trekie even every year in June, celebrate the count down to Kirk's b'day, etc.  It was fun and the three old people watching the museum were beyond thrilled that we were from CT and were there.

We went to the birth site too - there's a monument - it's down a little alley (think path) behind the hairdresser on Main St.  Keep in mind Main Street is about 12 store fronts, on one side of the street, and half of them are unoccupied.  I was still tickled pink.

Keeping due North we came to Iowa City.  Iowa City is in  the university of Iowa.  No really.  I believe the whole town is University... or chain stores.  It didn't seem very worth much unless you are a prospective student.

So we headed 30 more minutes north to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a place that looks like it has a little more potential.  But here too there are athletes - bicyclists are apparently riding the length of the state and are here now.  Our luck.  Who would have thought that Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, Iowa would be where we'd have trouble finding a place to stay??

But fortunately we've found a place and in fact have our room plans for the rest of our trip.  Tomorrow we'll drive east some more, but end up back here and then return Saturday to Des Moines to get ready to head out.  We shipped laundry to day so the end is near.

Eastwood VS the Duke

This morning our first stop was Boys Town.  I wanted to see it because of the movie reference - a movie I've actually not seen, but when else was I going to be here?  It was rather disappointing.  It looks exactly like every other private school I've ever seen, and I've seen a few.  So we took the photo opt and moved on.

Our next drive by was Malcolm X's birthplace.  This too was disappointing but for other reasons.  There is a Malcolm X Center, and according the Internet they have some property.  The place however was near the end of a road that seemed like it should be going to the town transfer station or DPW, not a site.  The marker at the site looked official like all places of interest do, however, getting to it one had to traverse what seemed like an abandoned parking lot and the associated 'center'  was closed.   A few blocks away, however, the MKL center was big, robust and doing just fine.  While I was happy to see Omaha having an African American frame of reference, we were a bit annoyed that MLK got the big, nice building and Malcolm X got the abandoned lot off the beaten path - since it was MX's town.

With a bit of resign we headed down town to our next stop, the local arts collective.  It reminded both M and I of his grad student days and the grad student art studios.  This was less aggravating for me than M.  For me it was some what pleasant memories of hanging out in the studio with him among the smell of oil paint.  For M. I think it was more a reminder of all the unpleasantness of grad school.  And the art, well, it just wasn't that interesting.

From there we traveled cross town to the Latino section of town.  Is it good that Omaha has an ethnic population if the town is so segregated that almost by street you could identify one's heritage?  At any rate, we stopped at the Museo de Latino - the first or only,  I am not sure how it billed itself museum of Latino art.  It's small and located in a community center.  But again, far more interesting work inside than most places.  It was very striking here, in that we have spent the recent past looking at Native American art and then seeing Latino art, the differences in personality, style, color choices, etc. etc. was striking. 

I know I've said this before, but M. and I are thoroughly convinced that the smaller museums are better.

At that point, we were both ready to leave Omaha - it's worse than Memphis in terms of it's crazy roads, traffic, bad driving, etc.  In fact, we were completely ready to leave Nebraska.  So, on to the Interstate and Eastward Ho!

Iowa on this return trip is not seeming as flat or as bland, but I have to say I still like it in its own way.  And don't get me wrong - it's still FLAT.  Today was a bit windy and the wind waved over the soybeans, making them shift in color and appear like undulating waves.  It was ocean like and I had to wonder if maybe I could exist out here.  It would be a green and seasonal ocean, but it was very ocean like.

Prior to reaching Des Monies we  turned south to Winterset, John Wayne's birthplace and the heart of Madison County - as in the Bridges of.  It was a surprisingly larger town than I would have thought - three horses at least.  Don't get me wrong - it's a small town, and hasn't changed a lot over the years - the Pharmacy still has a soda fountain.  But while there we had a bit to eat at the down town cafe - it was in the movie.  We saw the stool Clint sat on.  (oooohh!)   And we say the Duke's birthplace - a postage size house on a corner.  It looked cute.  Sadly, we did not pay to take the 20 minutes tour - I'm not that much of a fan.  Seeing the house was sufficient for me.  We did go see a couple of the bridges.  Yup they are covered bridges!  They're very nice bridges, but I guess coming from New England, covered bridges just aren't that exciting.  And well, I've never actually seen the movie... or read the book.  Maybe I will now.

Our plan was to spend the night in Des Monies, but upon our arrival we found no room at the inn - any of them, Candlewood Inn, Comfort Inn, Holiday Inn... apparently there is some volley ball ...event happening in town.  Fortunately we were not in any serious need to stay so we headed slightly East of town.  We are planning to continue East to the Mississippi for the next few days and be back in Des Monies Saturday - Sunday will be out last day here - and Monday we travel.  (We did make the reservation in Des Monies for the weekend...just in case.)

No Kool Aid, but canned pasta

Today we toured Lincoln. It’s a small city with an almost rural feel.  We went into their “historic” area - now restaurants and shops.  Roamed gallery space and Independent book store.  It was nice to see the space, but nothing particularly exciting.  It does make me wonder though, why Hartford doesn’t have a similar space?  You would think… but then, Hartford doesn’t do a lot of things you would think.

We then toured the Great Plains Art museum.  A small juried show of local and Native American artists.  Small museums.  I’m telling you they are the worth while ones.  The art was interesting and not the standard dead white men or bucolic trees (or large fields of color.)

But the real highlight of the day was the International Quilt Museum.  Again another fairly small museum, but the quilts were gorgeous.  One of this show’s was signature quilts - not my favorite type, but they made it intriguing.  They had great displays that explain styles - we’ve lots of ideas to try.  Lots of pictures, but too many to post here.  I’m thinking when we’re back with good internet and reliable computers, I’ll upload the pics online.  Meanwhile suffice it to say - the quilts were good: classical styles, contemporary designs, political statements. 

The quilts made Lincoln.  Because quilts aside, we’re not liking NE.  But we moved on to Omaha, thinking perhaps Omaha would be more compelling to us.

When we got to Omaha, we spent an hour driving around in a fairly small circle trying to find a particular motel - set of motels actually.  The AAA book gave directions, and we tried to follow them.  Multiple times.  It was laughable.  A spaghetti of  road among mall and highway. 

We finally decided it was ridiculous and we’d just move on and found another little hotel farm - not in the AAA book.  It was pretty frustrating.  But we picked up a better map at the motel and went into the city for dinner.

Omaha is the largest city in NE - and it clearly is so.  It has all the things you might want and can think of.  It is also clearly a true city and one that is filled with industry - banking, finance, that kind of thing.  The city itself is stereotypical:   One way streets, bad driving, streets that skip numbering.  North and South streets with the same number but don’t match up, bad driving, various good and bad neighborhoods, bad driving….

By the time we got downtown and in the restaurant district, I think we were both frustrated enough to not care what we ate.  Though we did get an unexpected surprise.  In this location (prompted by one of the large corporations) is a bronze statue of Chef Boyardee.  If you touch his hat it’s said to bring you good luck in the kitchen.  We did… though I have more concern that it will jinx me than help.

We had Omaha steak for dinner!  It did taste different, better, than beef back home, but not worth the drive and in this case - the city for it.  I’m sure it will hurt me tonight, but how could I not here?

We’ll look around some more tomorrow, see what interests us and head East.  We are earlier than anticipated at this point, so true adventure begins.

PS - I forgot to mention that at the Hasting Museum - there was a taxidermied squirrel chipmonk animal mentioned earlier.  It IS in fact a "13 stripe ground squirrel sometimes called a gopher."  So, as it turned out the crazy artist wasn't actually so crazy. Hmm? 

We Didn’t Drink the Kool Aid

Even sleeping in, we were still out pretty early.  And it is STILL too hot - highs near 110, lows in the high 70’s.  It’s killing me and M. is sick or allergic, hard to know which.

We left Kearny heading East.  Again, Nebraska is hard state to drive through,  It’s not as flat - though it is flat, there are trees, various buildings, horses and cows and it’s still a hard drive.  It’s dull and dusty, and the highway was lulling me to sleep.

There is a spot here in which each year 100’s of cranes migrate. (We saw crane at Buffalo Bill’s place.  I kind of hoped there might be more,)  Unfortunately they migrate in spring and we are well beyond that.  In fact, the many of the little rivers and creeks given the heat especially are bone dry,  Though they’ve been dry a while, grass is growing in them.  Anyway, we did drive out to the Audubon Center, but given the near 100 degrees at 9 am, we didn’t walk the path.  I thought perhaps cranes might get me back into NE, but M. didn’t think even that was worth it.

Traveling further we roamed a local gallery in Grand Island.  Local artists, okay.  But sadly more interesting to me was the ‘travel stop” / truck stop we stopped at right off the highway.  We stopped for gas and rest rooms.  Travel stops that I’m used to are just that.  Big ones maybe have a little touristy gift shop and McD’s.  This was like a mini mall!  The store had everything from the usual junk to clothing - levi’s - and car parts and office supplies.  There was a food court with 5 options.  Nothing I’d want to eat given a choice, but still - 5?  And a second floor! With a 24 hour hair cutting shop (I was tempted.  You know what long hair is like in this heat?  I’m just sooo happy my hair is no longer black.)  Oh, and an arcade too - a big arcade with life-size statues of aliens in front of it.  But the real culture shock for me, was the announcements for who had signed up for the showers going off every few minutes.

In their lobby they had a piece of the World Trade Center, because the steel for the building was made or came from somewhere near by. 

From here, we headed South to Hastings - home of Kool Aid.  Hastings is the home of the Hastings museum - which is supposed to have a Kool Aid display.  Unfortunately, THAT display was under construction and not available.  Not wanting to have simply wasted the ride and wanting to stretch we went through the museum anyway.  It was a true old school museum - lots of taxidermy.  I have real feelings about that.  I like the little scenes, but the politics of it bothers me.  On the other hand - these critters have been stuffed for two of my lifetimes or close - at least they’re not… going to waste?  That seems the wrong words, but I’ve no better at the moment.

We considered trying to drive through town to see the foot prints of the Kool Aid man that were supposed to be transported here from the Chinese Theater in Hollywood, but that just seemed above and beyond even for us and it was so hot.  We accepted defeat and kept heading East.

We hit Lincoln around 3 and went to our first priority stop:  the Roller Skating Museum.  As we drove, we passed a KFC with the signage that said ‘creamy fried gizzards”.  It made M. a little nervous for dinner.  I commented we’ve not found one place that served Rocky Mt Oysters.  M. wasn’t too upset about that.

Since we had the address of the roller skating museum, we found the street.  We drove the whole length of town, found a building with the right number … it looked like the right kind of building - brick, non residential, non profit looking.  But there was no sign - none.  But it was the right address…

With a little trepidation we went to the door.  It opened.  Right in side was a roller skating display - which was good because if not, I would have been sure we were in the wrong place.  Other than the display, it looked like the entrance to an office.  There was a conference room off in one direction and clearly office cubbies in the other.  The sound of a photocopy machine could  clearly be heard.  But there was also a sign that said Museum - with an arrow.

We followed.  After winding around the offices (some roller skating organization, apparently) we arrived in a big room in the back of the building.  Based on some pictures, the building / signage is currently under construction, but you’d think maybe they’d have put up a temporary sign?

At any rate, the museum was fun.  It had everything from old skates, posters, competition outfits and movie memorabilia.  It was better than the truck stop.

In the end, it’s still God awful hot, dinner turned out okay.  We’ll see what we want in Lincoln tomorrow and move on to Omaha most likely.  The ‘pute is acting up - so if we go quiet - it’s probably just technical difficulties - no need to worry.

Not just a Springsteen Album

Well, first - yesterday's promised pictures:

 Actually today:

So our illustrative night at the Rainbow Motel went fine, but we were awake and not particularly comfortable in the wee hours.  I don’t think we have ever actually adjusted to MT time.  At 4:30 am we decided we’d had enough and we might as well just hit the road. 

We were driving South by 5:30 before sun up.  Which was nice, I got to see some stars.  (It doesn’t get dark here till much later and I haven’t been able to stay awake long enough.)  We drove and drove as the sun rose following the “scenic highway” vertically through the state to meet up with the interstate.

NE has a very different landscape than the other places we’ve been.  It started off kind of range like, then got more mound like, leveled off into wide expanse of flat nothing and by the time we hit the interstate it has become flat, big sky, farms, and trees.  We’ve seen lots of water pump windmills and lots of cows.

What’s weird is that NE has a much more to see out the window.  There are some houses, there are small, no horse, maybe a chicken? towns, barns, cows, trees, fences - not many roads, lots of railroad, and yet some how it manages to be duller, less interesting, and more monotonous than any place else I’ve ever seen. 

I don’t want to imagine what it would have been like on the Oregon trail - weeks of  ‘hey look, grass!’    And big sky and a few lakes, or not - there is little here I’d want to see again.  That being said, the people here have been super nice.  Much nicer than SD.

In SD they’d hear CT and get a little stand offish.  Here, they here CT and they want to know all about our travels.

Around 7:30 this am, we stopped in a little road side convenience store/diner.  The outside was a little questionable, but the food was great.  A few hours later, we came to Buffalo Bill Cody’s home.  We stopped and saw his house.  I’d love it on the coast of Maine.

I can’t warm up to Buffalo Bill.  I admit I’ve had many the childhood fantasy of joining his show as Annie Oakley, but it was a very … Hollywood fantasy. (“Anything you can do, I can do better … I can shoot a sparrow, with a bow and arrow…”)  But BB just seems like a jerk.  I mean, he killed lots of buffalo, he scouted Native Americans for the government, he didn’t portray them very well in his show…  I just don’t like him.

But his house was nice.  After his house we stopped at the major tourist trap store, but it had a miniature of his complete show (including the side show I might add - another thing for the above list.) I love miniatures though.  I’m sure it has something to do with having  things smaller than I am.

A ways down the road we stopped at Pony Express stop.  That turned out to be very educational.  Did you know that they wanted and hired kid’s under 18 and most around age 11?  And they stopped every 10 miles to change horses - drivers changed every 100 miles.  Drivers had two minutes to change horses and the mail was carried on the horse not in bags  by the driver.  My last bit of this knowledge was that although there were lots of stops (every 10 miles from Missouri to the West Coast)  mail was only picked up at the first stop and for the time it was very expensive!

Clearly, liked the pony express.  From there we went on to Kearney where we are currently.  We’ve toured the local art museum, which I liked more than M.   It was NE artists, mostly contemporary work, and much of it photorealism, which I like. 

My greatest thrill of the day though (aside from giving in to the week of 100+ temperatures and buying a hat) was realizing that every highway access ramp has gates to close the highway.  Gates.  Can you imagine how bad it must be and how frequently it must be that bad in winter to have GATES that close the highway?

I don’t think I could survive here in winter.  Because of our early start, we are trying to call it an early night.  I think we’ll be in Lincoln tomorrow.

Where the Buffalo Roam

And again, today was one of those days that I look back on and think: only us.

We left Hill City SD around 6:30 am and headed South into Custer State Park to drive the wild life loop.  With it so early we were hoping to see wild life and we did.  Before entering the loop proper we saw deer, a buffalo in the wooded area on the side of the road, rabbits, turkey vultures and turkeys.  In truth, I expected that was going to be the only roaming buffalo we’d see and I thought we were lucky at that.

But, I was wrong.  We entered the loop and saw antelope.  Stopping because there was this big open field with mounds of dirt we went to investigate.  Examining the medium size hole the ground we thought: prairie dogs!  And suddenly we realized, there were a lot more mounds than we’d realized and things were popping up out of them and that chirping?  That was not birds.  Prairie dog town!  I didn’t realize it at first since they were a lot smaller than what you see in the zoo. 

It was very cool though and it pretty much made my day.  Not bad for 8 am.  But we kept driving and in the search for buffalo took one of the side dirt roads.  Suddenly we had a traffic jam.

A dozen wild donkeys were hanging out in the road.  People were out of their cars petting them,  People were IN their cars petting them.  Several came over and stuck their head into our car.  We petted them.  When they got bored … or realized we had nothing to offer, we all moved on.

Down the road we saw a half dozen buffalo cross the road and wander beside us.  A little further, more buffalo, bigger buffalo, a lot of baby buffalo.  And still a little further hundreds of buffalo…  at one point many of them were blocking the road and crazy drivers were trying to weave around them.  Some of these critters were huge.  And when I say huge I mean baby elephant big, and just as massive but they look a whole lot meaner.  And they have serious horns and an even more serious growl.  As we wove our way thru those blocking the road I tried to get the picture of the buffalo that seemed to me at that moment about 2 feet away and bigger than the car, but it growled on our way by and I got a wonderful picture of the dashboard instead.

When we were out of the park M. asked which was scarier - the Needles “highway” with the switch backs and the drops or driving thru herds of buffalo.  It was a very difficult decision.  Ultimately I decided the buffalo, since clearly there was some kind of thought behind there eyes and it resembled an angry, 3000 lb., teenage boy’s.

We headed South stopping briefly in Hot Springs.  Hot Springs is s delightful cowboy town - it’s about ¾ of a horse.  The major fire in the area was to our west.   Since we couldn’t see smoke today I had hoped it meant they had got the fire out, but eavesdropping over lunch indicated they had not.  Before leaving SD we stopped at the Mammoth archeological dig.  We opted not to actually tour the dig site, but did look at the giant mammoth skeleton.  I could picture them wandering the area.

By early afternoon we’d hit the Nebraska line.  We drove for a long time and have seen nothing but range.  No home, home on the range, just range.  We did see antelope and cows.  But the cows look like those black cut out silhouettes in the fields.  The range is awesome.  In the first town we came to, with some trepidation we stopped at the National Fur Trading Museum.  After some of our recent stops we were both hesitant, but we were there so we went in. 

It actually was a really, really good museum.  I’m starting to be convinced - small museums are the best.  It had a wonderful collection of all kinds of things - guns, Native American artifacts, clothing, etc.  It was definitely worth it - though it is in the middle of nowhere.

We then traveled through the Nebraska National Forest.  I think what made it a forest was that it had some trees.  Not many though and it only took about  5 minutes.  There are more trees in our back yard than the Nebraska National Forest.

After driving another hour or more we came to the second town in Nebraska.  This is the home of “Carhenge.”  We had to try to find it.  We hunted - couldn’t find it and it was late enough that it was too early to stop and too late enough to want to try to go on.  So we decided it would be smarter to stop - and we started to look for a motel….

Long story short, one had no vacancy,  The only place listed in AAA was outrageously expensive and we hoped to do better in the middle of nowhere.  So on the basis that the Rainbow Motel had orange doors,  I decided to try it and M. figured it was all probably a wash.  The first room we were given turned out to already be occupied.  The second room is okay.  I wouldn‘t recommend it, but… I‘ve been in worse and it beats the car and the price was, well,  we are getting what we paid for.  We have agreed that after some sleep - even if it‘s 3 am, we‘re okay to leave.

With the room taken care of we decided to try to find food.  Not an easy task.  DQ was in the lead.  But it happens that today is Heritage Day in town and they are having their festival.  This means that Main St is blocked off with carnival rides. (I asked M. if he wanted to ride, but he said no.  Go figure?)  But on the other side of Main St there was a big tent and smoke. 

Granted I may have chosen a not so great motel on the basis of orange doors, but I do know big tents and smoke usual mean food - and in this case I was hoping for a civic group’s bbq chicken or something.

I think because M. was more scared of the DQ than the tent, we parked and went to investigate,  We were standing before the roped off parking lot, me trying to sniff to see if I could smell food and M. trying to figure out what the deal was.

Clearly they were selling tickets but it wasn’t clear if it was tickets to get in or tickets to eat or…  When two nice old ladies came up to us and asked if we had tickets.  We said um, er, ah, no, we were trying to figure out what this was… and the nice lady told us her kids were down but they had to leave, so she had two extra tickets.  She handed them to us explaining there was free hot dog, hamburger, brat’s, the best corn ever and free pop.

Can’t beat that.  So in we went.  The brat was okay, but I do think it was the best corn ever.  We ate under the tent, listening to the local karaoke concert.  I’m pretty sure we had the best meal in town.

After we found Carhenge.  It was, in fact, a bunch of  dead cars stuck in the ground and place on top of one another.  Maybe I’m just tired, but I didn’t find it all that intriguing - even liking such things.

Now we are back in our cheap motel room.  As I type this in Word - I’m not sure if I’ll be able to post it tonight or tomorrow night - as I think ‘no bars’ is an understatement.    If we do have some kind of internet - there will be no pictures today as it will take forever.  I’ll post pictures tomorrow if we have service.

Big

Our day started early and we arrived at Mt Rushmore before 8.  While the place is humungous, I actually found it smaller seeming that ‘what you see on TV”.    However, while in Time Square, the more time I spent the smaller it got, Mt Rushmore actually got bigger.  It was a very impressive project.  I’m really glad to have seen it.  I don’t have to return.

From there we traveled directly to Crazy Horse Mountain.  En route a mountain goat came out of the woods with her baby.  This was a highlight - not seeing a goat out  in a field.  No, a goat that if I didn’t know better, I could have opened my window and fed.  I was very excited.

Crazy Horse too was humungous.  Apparently what we saw today is radically different from even a few years ago.  In terms of the statue, basically the face is done and not much else, but there is a large complex - museum, shop, snack bar,, etc.  It too was interesting and is a massively impressive project.  All of Rushmore fits into a section behind the head.  The size and scope of it is unfathomable even standing less then a mile from the work site.  Again, I found myself really glad to see it, but not sure I’d ever have to return.

I know I am far from nature girl.  But I think some of this feeling comes from how unnatural both of these tributes are in this natural setting.  We have driven for days seeing mostly nature and very little man made.  When we arrive here in this region - even the “cities” are some what sparse and isolated.  It is truly a beautiful wilderness.  Wild animals are roaming free, there’s miles of majestic mountains.  So when one then sees Rushmore or Crazy Horse -  their size and project are truly striking, but they also - at least for me, scream of man’s intrusion on nature.

I respect the Crazy Horse project as it’s politics I share, and it is being completed with no governmental “help”.  At the same time, because it is in the process of being created, this intrusion into nature becomes even more noticeable.  (Of course, this did not stop me from taking the souvenir rocks that are offered.  And I shall refrain from the multitude of jokes about being dumber than a box of rocks in that we will carry or ship rocks home.  In my defense - they are very small rocks….)  

Not far from Crazy Horse there is a forest fire.  It’s been going all day.  We can see the smoke for miles.  Lots and lots of smoke - it fills the sky like clouds.  I can’t imagine how big this fire is.  It is not near enough to us for concern, but it will figure into choosing our route South tomorrow.

After our statues and a bit of lunch and stroll, we headed to the “National Wood Carving Museum.”   And you thought Zombie Lincoln was scary?  Wait until you see this one.  Here too a series of vignettes with talking wood carvings that told you about the past.  But this time the statues were all wood carved. 

I had (foolishly) thought with a name like National… Museum that it would contain lots of samples, examples, variation?  Nope.  There was one guy - albeit a famous guy for wood carving 75 years ago - and it was all his work.  Most of it caricatures of cowboys, old west or bums.   

The only thing that made it worth it, was the scary picture below and that they had a miniature merry-go-round (carved by a different group of carvers), one of the animals looking exactly like the giant sea monster carved by M’s father that sits in our dining room.  (When we get home, I’ll post the two pictures for those following along.)

And worse - this animated wood carving was behind the "men

's room" door.

This one is 8 inches or so - ours is about 3 feet

I have to say our hometown wood carvers, my father-in-law’s work and M’s work are all a bazillion times better (in my humble opinion).

Leaving the “museum” we were a bit tired and thought we’d take a nice little ride on the way back to the motel.  We’d drive through Custer State Park and ride Needle Highway - it is supposed to be breathtaking.

It is.   For both it’s beauty and sheer terror.  Before we left, J and I were talking about the trip and at one point she said something like ‘oh the switchbacks …and you don’t like Mountains…’  She got a little quiet for a second, and I thought it was just no, I don’t like mountains.  I didn’t think that it was oh, she’s going to be terrified I better not mention anything more.

Let me back track to say it was beautiful.  It was amazing. Anyone in the region should take the drive.  And if you’ve not done it - spoiler alert - do not read the next paragraph or you might not go.

Imagine being so high up you are at the tree line.  There are jagged pointy needle like rocks jutting up next to you.  And on the other side of you in a drop - no guard rail, no shoulder, not much of anything for you hair pin travel - just a small two lane road.  It closes in winter. (Good thing.)  Oh and as you’re traveling up and down these hair pins, between these big rocks and deadly drops, there are tunnels.  Tunnels that fit only one car’s width and if you open the windows (which we didn’t because it’s still 106 here) you can touch the walls.

I was a brave dinosaur - I offered to drive, but M. said since he was nervous, I’d be petrified. I figured it didn’t matter I already was - being on the side of the car that was closest to the drop.   So I took pictures and tried not to think about it.

We were pretty tired after that trip, so we’ve headed in early and plan for an early start tomorrow.  Tomorrow we head South and probably turn East into Nebraska.

Mountains, bears and trains, oh my

For us, it was a fairly leisurely day.  I had a long night so we took it easy today, heading south from Rapid City to Hill City.  Hill City is really a misnomer.  It is another beach town with no beach.  A one and half block Main St, houses, lots of tourist shops, a couple of restaurants, and a “museum”  that is really a rock store.

On the way here, we did some shopping in Rapid City - I do like that town.  And then went on to Bear Country USA - a drive thru park.  We had a little hesitation about taking a rental thru one of those animals roam free places, but only a little and ultimately decided Alamo would cope.  After all - it wasn’t like it was a rag top or anything.

So we drove and saw elk and dear and sheep, but the bears were really the coolest.  I’ve never been so close to live bears - grizzlies, black bears, brown bears, bears of all races, colors, and creeds.  I have to say, I don’t plan to ever be so close to live bears again.  And I certainly do NOT want to meet any on some hiking trail.  Yet another reason why things like camping are out of the question.  The bears did, however, remind me greatly of my father.

En route we stopped for lunch and samples at a local winery.  Okay, truth be told, Red Ass Rhubarb wine was too curious to pass up.  Lunch was good.  The wine okay (very sweet.) The winery, eh when they learned we were from CT and they couldn't ship their wine there.  Rather disappointing.

 When we got to Hill City, we had an hour or so to kill before our big event:  the 1880’s train.  We walked the town and that killed a half hour or so.

The train was very cool.  It rambles for an hour between Hill City and Keystone (where Mt Rushmore is).  Along the way I was surprised to see houses.  The train basically runs through a few people’s back yards.  But there were also deer (fully grown white tail - one climbed under a fence - really - and two  spotted fawns cavorting in a mountain meadow - really - and  a gopher, and even a lizard that was the biggest I’ve ever seen.

We were going to go to the “nice” restaurant in town, until we were told it was an hour wait.  We thought not and ended up at the other end of the block where everything was just as good and I suspect the food more local.  M. had buffalo steak and b/c I have been pushing at my system a little hard, I had walleye.  We’re happy to have thus far, been very culinarily lucky, b/c I think the bad options are really, really bad.

The big stone carvings are tomorrow.

God’s Sandbox

Note: pictures added to yesterday.
   must see: zombie Lincoln!

Our day started early.  We wanted to go see 1880’s town and decided since the average temperature for the past few days has been over a 100, and 1880’s town was all out doors - early was a good idea.

The plan was to leave around 6:30 (they claim to open at dawn.  We didn’t make it - mostly fighting with the hotel’s wifi, but that’s a different issue.

We got to 1880’s town around 7:30 - but that was mostly because we crossed into Mountain time vs. Central time and gained an hour.  At any rate, 1880 town was a lot like Cowboy Town, but a little wealthier.  There were more buildings, the mannequins were less scary, but they didn’t talk.  I am sorry to say my romantic view of the Old West is pretty much gone.  There was a time when I would have found the lifestyle intriguing - saloons, horses, general store…  I’m not sure when the glamour wore off.

But 1880 town held a couple of claims to fame - it was the home of Kevin Costner’s horse in Dances With Wolves and apparently much of the film was shot there or in the area.  That was kind of neat… but I didn’t like the film.  And the horse died in that film….  However, for me all was not lost, we saw a cotton tail rabbit, a baby grass snake and really big pine cones.  There were also tons of kittens.  Sooo very cute and they had their own house in the back:  Miss Kitty’s - no dogs allowed and mice welcome for the noon time buffet.

There was also a sign indicating we were exactly 1/2 way between NY and San Francisco.

The landscape at this point was flat, yellow and never ending.  No wind farms like Iowa,  No roads like the start of the state - dirt or otherwise.  No little houses or barns 8 - 10 miles apart.  Here was burnt grass, occasional herd of black angus and that was it. I liked it though.  Big sky - flat ground… if it only had an ocean or even a lake.  (Later in the day we drove past a “Lake Resort” just outside of Rapid City in the Black Hills.  I would have called it a pond.  Since M. calls CT lakes ponds, for him it was a puddle.)

A few miles down the road from 1880’s  I convinced M. to stop at the Petrified Garden (est in 1930’s).  This was a field of petrified wood stumps.  I liked it.  M. was not sure it was worth the $10 entrance fee.  It wasn’t, but it was still interesting as anything gathered in mass tends to be interesting.

It also prompted an interesting conversation about the region’s snakes.  Have I ever mentioned that while I love snakes and run at them, M. hates snakes and would prefer to run from them?  I was pretty sure that the region had rattlesnakes, after all, I’ve read enough little cards at zoo’s etc. to have picked up a few things.  He wasn’t sure…until we stopped at the rest area.

Immediately driving in were big signs - watch out for poisonous snakes.  I might have suggested we take a careful walk, but the place was covered with grasshoppers and cicada.  Every where.  Inside the building.  Inside the restroom.  Inside the stalls in the rest room…  And they’re lethargic critters:  poke em, prod em, pet em, they just stare at you.  You could hardly walk without stepping on one.  Very creepy really.  I kept thinking about the news article a few year back about frying them up and eating them.

I didn’t consider this.  But I did imagine would it would have been like to be a farmer swarmed by them.  There’s a horror movie.  And I did stop and get inches from one that was chirping just to watch him.  Her?

From this scary stop we went to the next scary stop - the Minute Man Historical Park - missile silo.  You have to register for the tour at a ranger station that’s a ways a way from the silo.  We arrived there at 10 am, the first free tour was at 1:30 - this was for the manned silo where they actually had the button that could destroy the world.  Or, you could travel down the road to just visit an unmanned silo, where there was no button and no man, just the missile.

We couldn’t see back tracking or waiting hours to view something we found rather politically horrific, so we didn’t sign up for the “tour”.    I was also reeling a bit at that point having just learned - from their displays there were 150! Silos in this region.   And 500 still in the "Northern Planes".  It was more chilling than Kent State, and that was pretty bad.

So, rather than hang around to see the actual control room - we headed into the Badlands.

What can I say about this?  WOW.  You’re driving along - like you have been for days - 5,6,700’s of miles - literally - and you go from flat to flatter to nothingness.   You see a rise and a some bluffs, but… pretty much they are isolated.

And you enter into the Badlands - at least coming at it from the East and suddenly you’re on the top of this canyon like area.  The ground looks sandy and huge points come up…  You know those sand art things kids can make where you drip sand into large stalagmites?  Picture yourself as an ant in one of those and you are in the Badlands.    It’s awesome.  It’s odd.  The ground looks like it will crumble into dust with a strong wind and yet people are climbing all over the place.

You go up and down and around these sand castle towers.  I can’t imagine how people got through them on horses and wagons.  How discouraging it must have been to travel over flat fields with no shade or tree or water and where do you end up?  There - in a sand box.

As we wound our way through, we did see a deer and I got really excited when I realized there was actual cactus growing in the wild.  By the end you could see colors in the sand - stripes of gold, red and purple.  It is truly the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.  And then you’re out of it and it’s flat again.  Though there are mountains in the distance.

We left the park and visited the missile silo Delta 09 - not the manned station with the button - but the missile.  No man.  No button.  Nothing around but a big whole in the ground and a sliding concrete lid.  The lid slides open and there’s a missile.  This was one of the most disturbing things I’ve seen on our adventures.  Kent State, Selma, AL and Delta 09 missile silo.

Moving on, we decided that after all this we needed lunch and  Wall SD was the nearest and virtually only place to stop.  Wall SD is home to Wall Drug.  Something the highway does not let you forget.

In the East - when you drive south - when you hit the North Carolina border you start seeing signs for South of the Border.  They appear every mile or so with some obnoxious saying as you travel the length of the state.  Just into South Carolina you reach the destination - an over grown fireworks stand that has managed to purchase every plastic alligator East of the Mississippi.  Wall drug seems in kind. A beach town - without a beach.

We saw so many signs we were resentful of the place before we even arrived and some how after all we’d seen this trip - the lure of a large fiberglass rabbit, etc. we just couldn’t do.  So we parked in front of the town library (and you think SBL is small?) and went to the only ~other~ restaurant in town.   It was edible.

More interesting, we were driving along and everything was flat and then I blinked and suddenly there were hills.  Not rolling hills like NE where you drive over and around - but like big bumps suddenly popped up.  And then the bumps got bigger and bigger and we are definitely in the Black “hills”.  The hills are going to become mountains - that writing is clearly on the wall for me.

We’d already decided to stay in Rapid City and we arrived mid afternoon.  After checking in we did some exploring.  We like Rapid City - oddly enough.  Most likely because of the tourist industry  (we are approx 20 miles North of Mt. Rushmore) the area feels more contemporary and is clearly more diverse.

We visited a Sioux pottery location, toured the city, went to a delightful little art museum down town that featured local artists.  I am becoming completely convinced that smaller museums are better than larger ones.  They very consistently don’t charge and have much more interesting shows.

We also had the best meal since last year’s visit to Cleveland.  A tapas place where M. actually didn’t mind anchovies (one of my fav’s) and I thought the gazpacho (one of his fav’s) was the best thing ever.  Not what we would have expected in Rapid City SD.

With happy tummies, we took a little ride on Skyline Drive and my mountain convictions were confirmed.  As it’s name implies the drive going along a ridge - the views were spectacular.  The hairpin turns and nice drops kept my attention a little more.  I have a feeling I’m going to be nervous for a few days.

But the end of skyline drive is dinosaur park.  Also est in the 1930’s several concrete dinosaurs sit on the side of the hill looking over the city.  We didn’t get out to stroll among them.

Instead we headed to the other side of town to a Norwegian Chapel - The Chapel in the Hills.  It’s an exact replica of a chapel in Norway - and is still used.  It’s truly beautiful.

For the next couple of days we plan to be in the Black Hills so I’m sure it will be interesting. 

Cowboys, Statues, Corn and the world goes from Green to Gold

NOTE: Blogger keeps eating my pictures - sorry- photo's will come tomorrow!

During my sporadic sleeping last night, I learned a bit more about Sioux Falls.  (I like watching local cable access.)  So in the wee hours I learned that SF is trying to develop it’s water front much like San Antonio has.  The waterfront walk is almost all completed with  spots where stairs go down to the water so visitors can touch the water.

Having spent the day in SD I understand why this could be an attraction, but the Northerner in me screams liability.  We saw the walk way in our travels thru town, but I hadn’t actually got close enough to realize the stairs went down to the water.  I was also distracted.  As the river walk is done, but the other projects (large hotels, shops, major arena space) are not.  As a result, if you view the project from one side of the river it looks pretty neat,  But if you stand on the walk way and look at the opposite bank - you see empty lots, abandoned buildings, etc.

I was pleased to know all of this is in progress and according to the mayor they have money, etc,  I wish them well and I hope it works for them.  They are a town that is truly trying - sponsoring various festivals, they have a town funded band, all the sculpture down town.  Who knows, maybe SF is the next hot spot?

Still, I was not sorry to leave them this morning.  Today was one of our more usual days.  The kind filled with adventure and weirdness that you all have come to expect from us.  After getting coffee at a local place - Coffeea - we headed West and about 5 miles out of town stopped at Cowboy Town.

Cowboy Town was one of those places I found online listing the very odd places one should stop.  It’s claim to fame being an old west town with animatronics - I.e. manikins that tell stories,  You know, I could not resist that.

Upon arrival, I did have some hesitation.  It didn’t really look like the place you wanted to walk into,  On the other hand it was listed online - this did not assure me it was worth anything, but it did make me think at least we’d walk out of it.  Because, after all, other people must have in order to post in their ramblings about it.

Still… it looked a little…scary.  So we went in.  When you enter there is a little general store-with-lots-of-fireworks-type-place that looks a little tired.  A nice older gentlemen said hello and we asked for tickets to cowboy town ($7 a head, but it looked like they could use the funding,)  I felt better when I saw a poster up by the cash register - that represented a political position that I share, but am hesitant to write here.

The gentlemen explained that the tour started in the gift shop, where two of the displays required quarters.  There were the only coin op ones, so he took quarters and escorted us.  The first was shabby but amusing.

The man was very nice and explained that there is a sweat lodge also on property (he pointed it out) where he ’allows’ the local Native Americans to come practice and walk the “Red Road“ - noting after all it was there land first,  I noted the taxidermy jack-a-lope in the gift area.  

Before we saw the next animated scene - a bar scene where a wooden legged man ‘dances’ as others play poker until a bad guy shoots the lights out - our elderly guide told us that given the expense and the number of mannequins in the town, they’d never be able to afford it now.  They got a deal a long time ago.  And it was pretty clear the mannequins were not recent.

We left the building to walk up the path to cowboy town,  Funny we were the only people there - the entire time.  Town consisted of some old tombstones (allegedly real ones from Ripley’s).  A lot about Lincoln - who at least for Cowboy Town is a local hero for things such as Land grants, and of course the ‘normal’ cowboy town things: a saloon, a doctor’s office, gold mine, opera house, stable, sheriff’s office.  Each of these consisted of a very tired wooden building, where three steps in you could press a button and watch a very scary mannequin’s mouth move while you heard the tale.  Lincoln was the scariest - this Lincoln was NOT a vampire slayer - clearly he was a zombie.

About half way thru the smell of old dust and the frightening mannequins became a little overwhelming.,  But I’m still glad we went.  On the way out we had the obligatory - where ya from conversation and long story a little shorter, turned out the older gentlemen has relatives in Plattsburgh, NY.  Small world.

Heading further West, our next destination was Porter’s Sculptures.   We didn’t realize we were seeing it  when suddenly a large bull’s head appeared on the horizon.  We HAD to investigate that - but it turned out it and our next destination were one and the same.

The Sculpture garden.  I’m posting the pictures - after all they are worth 1000 words right? 


The sculpture man was a character, perhaps I don’t need to mention that?  While there one of those great little chipmunks came up to drink from the dog’s water dish.  We asked him about the little guys, he told us that they were “13 striped spotted ground hog squirrels”.   But he was a very nice man, even if he was a little crazy.  And he knew about the other crazy sculpture guy (who’s name I can’t remember right now) whom we saw in Wis. I found it both wonderful and a frightening that he nade this obscure reference and we had been there… and here we were in another field of sculpture… How utterly cool AND  extremely weird.

As we continued on our path west the landscape started to shift.  Sometimes less flat, with interesting lumpy hills.  The corn isn’t as high here, and the fields of it far less green.  At this point it started to be a real mix of corn, hay and cows.  Black Angus - not the good ol’ NE Holstein.  I’ve not seen one Holstein out here and at this point, we’ve seen a fair amount of cows. (And baby buffalo at Cowboy Town.)

Still heading West our next stop was the Corn Palace, where we ate a corn dog and corn on the cob for lunch!  M’s first corn dog ever.  I’ve suggested it should also be his last as it was the lightest, fluffiest corn dog I’ve ever had/seen and I’m sure he won’t like the others that are, shall we say, more traditional?

The corn palace is pretty cool though = in a weird sort of way,  They take the out side the town’s auditorium and on large sheets of plywood make a mural out of  corn and husks.  They been doing it for over a 100 years and they’re pretty impressive.


Driving another hour down the road we went into a town called Chamberlin.  The landscape growing more hilly, this town was on the Missouri river and is the first place here I thought, I could actually be here - landscape wise.

I’m really loving the big sky. The view in all directions of farm or ranch land is impressive.  It is humbling.  I thought today - there are different kinds of nothing.  We’ve seen several on this trip.  This thought also prompted the realization that if one can say there are different kinds of nothing, then it’s not nothing, it’s something else.  Nature I suppose is the obvious answer, but somehow it’s more than that.

In Chamberlin we stopped at a delightful quilt shop and had a nice conversation with one of the owners.  We then went up the road hoping to visit the Lakota museum, but they are under construction and had no power - hence they were closed.  That was unfortunate, but it was nice to see them expanding and prosperous. 

We then decided to take the long way back to the highway and headed north along the Missouri and into the Crow Reservation.  Clearly here was more hilly and much more ranch than farm - not so much corn but hay. 

I expected a sign - entering Reservation or something, but there was nothing.  There was poverty though.  Not quite as striking as you imagine when you hear stories, but then this is also a small reservation not far from the highway and other “non rural” areas such as it is out here.  Still, this is not to imply it was in anyway … upscale?  At our major intersection in town - there was the convenience store / gas station, a couple of metal buildings housing some social services and a grocery store, and a casino. 

The Missouri is gorgeous though.

At this point the green is almost gone, the land is gold.  There are miles of fields with hay bales scattered like we have trees.  There are few trees here, isolated ones or a little clump standing about like school girls.  Mostly there’s fields, gold, the remnants of cut hay.

We had a great meal tonight at a 1960’s diner - no, not 50’s the kind they recreate for nostalgia.  This was the real deal - nothing changed since the 60’s but it was good.  My buffalo burger tasted like the hamburgers of my youth and the pie was real - as was the lemon aid.  Tomorrow we’ll continue West!  Badlands here we come.

During my sporadic sleeping last night, I learned a bit more about Sioux Falls.  (I like watching local cable access.)  So in the wee hours I learned that SF is trying to develop it’s water front much like San Antonio has.  The waterfront walk is almost all completed with  spots where stairs go down to the water so visitors can touch the water.

Having spent the day in SD I understand why this could be an attraction, but the Northerner in me screams liability.  We saw the walk way in our travels thru town, but I hadn’t actually got close enough to realize the stairs went down to the water.  I was also distracted.  As the river walk is done, but the other projects (large hotels, shops, major arena space) are not.  As a result, if you view the project from one side of the river it looks pretty neat,  But if you stand on the walk way and look at the opposite bank - you see empty lots, abandoned buildings, etc.

I was pleased to know all of this is in progress and according to the mayor they have money, etc,  I wish them well and I hope it works for them.  They are a town that is truly trying - sponsoring various festivals, they have a town funded band, all the sculpture down town.  Who knows, maybe SF is the next hot spot?

Still, I was not sorry to leave them this morning.  Today was one of our more usual days.  The kind filled with adventure and weirdness that you all have come to expect from us.  After getting coffee at a local place - Coffeea - we headed West and about 5 miles out of town stopped at Cowboy Town.

Cowboy Town was one of those places I found online listing the very odd places one should stop.  It’s claim to fame being an old west town with animatronics - I.e. manikins that tell stories,  You know, I could not resist that.

Upon arrival, I did have some hesitation.  It didn’t really look like the place you wanted to walk into,  On the other hand it was listed online - this did not assure me it was worth anything, but it did make me think at least we’d walk out of it.  Because, after all, other people must have in order to post in their ramblings about it.

Still… it looked a little…scary.  So we went in.  When you enter there is a little general store-with-lots-of-fireworks-type-place that looks a little tired.  A nice older gentlemen said hello and we asked for tickets to cowboy town ($7 a head, but it looked like they could use the funding,)  I felt better when I saw a poster up by the cash register - that represented a political position that I share, but am hesitant to write here.

The gentlemen explained that the tour started in the gift shop, where two of the displays required quarters.  There were the only coin op ones, so he took quarters and escorted us.  The first was shabby but amusing.

The man was very nice and explained that there is a sweat lodge also on property (he pointed it out) where he ’allows’ the local Native Americans to come practice and walk the “Red Road“ - noting after all it was there land first,  I noted the taxidermy jack-a-lope in the gift area.  

Before we saw the next animated scene - a bar scene where a wooden legged man ‘dances’ as others play poker until a bad guy shoots the lights out - our elderly guide told us that given the expense and the number of mannequins in the town, they’d never be able to afford it now.  They got a deal a long time ago.  And it was pretty clear the mannequins were not recent.

We left the building to walk up the path to cowboy town,  Funny we were the only people there - the entire time.  Town consisted of some old tombstones (allegedly real ones from Ripley’s).  A lot about Lincoln - who at least for Cowboy Town is a local hero for things such as Land grants, and of course the ‘normal’ cowboy town things: a saloon, a doctor’s office, gold mine, opera house, stable, sheriff’s office.  Each of these consisted of a very tired wooden building, where three steps in you could press a button and watch a very scary mannequin’s mouth move while you heard the tale.  Lincoln was the scariest - this Lincoln was NOT a vampire slayer - clearly he was a zombie.

About half way thru the smell of old dust and the frightening mannequins became a little overwhelming.,  But I’m still glad we went.  On the way out we had the obligatory - where ya from conversation and long story a little shorter, turned out the older gentlemen has relatives in Plattsburgh, NY.  Small world.

Heading further West, our next destination was Porter’s Sculptures.   We didn’t realize we were seeing it  when suddenly a large bull’s head appeared on the horizon.  We HAD to investigate that - but it turned out it and our next destination were one and the same.

The Sculpture garden.  I’m posting the pictures - after all they are worth 1000 words right? 


The sculpture man was a character, perhaps I don’t need to mention that?  While there one of those great little chipmunks came up to drink from the dog’s water dish.  We asked him about the little guys, he told us that they were “13 striped spotted ground hog squirrels”.   But he was a very nice man, even if he was a little crazy.  And he knew about the other crazy sculpture guy (who’s name I can’t remember right now) whom we saw in Wis. I found it both wonderful and a frightening that he nade this obscure reference and we had been there… and here we were in another field of sculpture… How utterly cool AND  extremely weird.

As we continued on our path west the landscape started to shift.  Sometimes less flat, with interesting lumpy hills.  The corn isn’t as high here, and the fields of it far less green.  At this point it started to be a real mix of corn, hay and cows.  Black Angus - not the good ol’ NE Holstein.  I’ve not seen one Holstein out here and at this point, we’ve seen a fair amount of cows. (And baby buffalo at Cowboy Town.)

Still heading West our next stop was the Corn Palace, where we ate a corn dog and corn on the cob for lunch!  M’s first corn dog ever.  I’ve suggested it should also be his last as it was the lightest, fluffiest corn dog I’ve ever had/seen and I’m sure he won’t like the others that are, shall we say, more traditional?

The corn palace is pretty cool though = in a weird sort of way,  They take the out side the town’s auditorium and on large sheets of plywood make a mural out of  corn and husks.  They been doing it for over a 100 years and they’re pretty impressive.


Driving another hour down the road we went into a town called Chamberlin.  The landscape growing more hilly, this town was on the Missouri river and is the first place here I thought, I could actually be here - landscape wise.

I’m really loving the big sky. The view in all directions of farm or ranch land is impressive.  It is humbling.  I thought today - there are different kinds of nothing.  We’ve seen several on this trip.  This thought also prompted the realization that if one can say there are different kinds of nothing, then it’s not nothing, it’s something else.  Nature I suppose is the obvious answer, but somehow it’s more than that.

In Chamberlin we stopped at a delightful quilt shop and had a nice conversation with one of the owners.  We then went up the road hoping to visit the Lakota museum, but they are under construction and had no power - hence they were closed.  That was unfortunate, but it was nice to see them expanding and prosperous. 

We then decided to take the long way back to the highway and headed north along the Missouri and into the Crow Reservation.  Clearly here was more hilly and much more ranch than farm - not so much corn but hay. 

I expected a sign - entering Reservation or something, but there was nothing.  There was poverty though.  Not quite as striking as you imagine when you hear stories, but then this is also a small reservation not far from the highway and other “non rural” areas such as it is out here.  Still, this is not to imply it was in anyway … upscale?  At our major intersection in town - there was the convenience store / gas station, a couple of metal buildings housing some social services and a grocery store, and a casino. 

The Missouri is gorgeous though.

At this point the green is almost gone, the land is gold.  There are miles of fields with hay bales scattered like we have trees.  There are few trees here, isolated ones or a little clump standing about like school girls.  Mostly there’s fields, gold, the remnants of cut hay.

We had a great meal tonight at a 1960’s diner - no, not 50’s the kind they recreate for nostalgia.  This was the real deal - nothing changed since the 60’s but it was good.  My buffalo burger tasted like the hamburgers of my youth and the pie was real - as was the lemon aid.  Tomorrow we’ll continue West!  Badlands here we come.

PS - pictures