South Dakota's a LOONNGGG Drive

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Day 3 - June 29, 2016

Spearfish, SD to Wall, SD to the Badlands National Park to Chamberlain, SD to Mitchell, SD to Sioux Falls, SD

Another early start this morning gave us time to drive the Scenic Byway through the Badlands National Park. (Only $15!) Real live prairie dogs greeted us at the entrance. Remember my last blog and I said, "God's the Best Artist!" Well His beauty shines through South Dakota! The Painted Hills are majestic and had me singing "America the Beautiful" and "My Country 'Tis of Thee" and "How Great Thou Art". I have failed my children though - they don't know many of our great country's songs from old. No better time to learn them! Luckies!! They owe me anyway - they put the cabash on my Classic Books on "tape". So now we can sing across America.

We've driven around western Montana enough in our married life to know - it's BIG. That's why Geoff and I planned two days for the kids and me to drive through it. What I didn't know is how long South Dakota is - what a stretch! The Badlands were incredible but within 2 hours we were back on I-90 heading East. I tried to make it interesting, "Look kids - COWS! and CORN, HAY and WHEAT!" After awhile Mary let me know she was good and didn't need to see another cow. I drove us through Oacoma to Chamberlain - across the Missouri River. Then we had lunch at the South Dakota Hall of Fame for our Military. It was a HOT afternoon!

Jaedon drove us to Mitchell to see the Corn Maze - we thought. Turns out Mitchell has the Corn "Palace" not a maze. Apparently the corn mazes won't be available until August (after harvest 😊. Well the "Palace" is more like a small museum about Corn. Needless to say it was a bust. Although I did get a great quote from one of their exhibits. "Corn, Cows, Contentment." That might just sum up South Dakota. Mitchell was kind of a bust for us entirely. If you have a revved up truck with too big of tires and the muffler's extra noisy you will love it here! If you own a Harley Davidson motorcycle I guess you go to Sturgis. If you own a terribly loud truck then Mitchell is where you want to be.

Another hour of cows, corn, hay, and...well, you get the picture and we were in Sioux Falls! Kai was my co-pilot and we were making such good time we didn't even notice we passed the city. I guess it sits south of I-90 and you don't see much from the freeway. So we drove straight to Jellystone Campground where Yogi Bear and his friends were eager to greet us. An evening of swimming and playing was much needed after a hot day of driving. It felt good knowing the big 3 days of driving are done! Thank you, Lord Jesus!

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