We're Getting There

We took off from Iowa about 8:30 this morning. Have I said that Iowa is a wide state?

The Interstate System is truly a wonderful national resource! On Friday we traveled about 630 miles. Had we been in one of those covered wagons, it would have taken a couple of months to get that far. Love the Interstates! On the other hand, using the Interstate is like racing through the back alleyways of the area. On the blue roads, you see more of the human aspect . You get to see the homes and small towns, and sometimes even the people. Today we did a little of both.

We passed through an area where wind turbines were being installed. You know they are large, but you can hardly believe how large until you see them in pieces on the ground. Then we saw a Semi hauling ONE of the blades. His cargo area was about twice as long as the normal Semi. We're glad to see a Utility deciding to use wind power, and it makes great sense on the windy plains.

You never know what you'll see on these smaller roads. Imagine our surprise to see 4 life size gorillas along the fence line! Their presence was soon explained when we saw the Garden Statuary store. It was for sale, and we needed no explanation for that! Anyone want a life size concrete gorilla? A bit further down the road, a huge "bust" of a steer showed up. He really looked more like a shrine than a mere character in what was billed as a sculpture garden. He cast a brooding glare over the hillside and one could almost imagine people bearing offerings to lay at the base.

But the prize for weirdness goes to a particular RV! The engine of the affair was a full sized Peterbilt truck cab. It's chassis had been extended at least as long as a normal semi trailer, and the cab opened in the full RV built on the back. Don called it a "split level", and he was right. The front was one story, the back at least a story and a half. But the sight didn't stop there. Any self-respecting RV driver trailers a vehicle behind, and our boy was no exception. He was pulling a full size Hummer. But there's more. On a rack on the back of the hummer, rode 4 bicycles. What a caravan they were! I could only think that the only thing they left at home was the swimming pool.

We began seeing more animal life. Once we paused on the road for a family of wild turkeys to cross over: two adults and 4 or 5 turkey chicks. Turkeys in the wild are totally different than on the table! The hens were rather aggressive looking as they led the brood across the road. By the time we got into South Dakota, there was more and more pasture land. We began to see horses in the paddocks and more cattle in the fields. In one place was a big herd of "domesticated" buffalo.

The fields are changing. Still lots of corn. (I understand "amber waves of grain" in a whole new way!) Fewer soybean fields, but soy is still a big deal here. We passed a huge nitrogen distillery for the processing of soybean plans. There were several trucks turning into the driveway.

In the afternoon we saw our first field of Sunflowers. How beautiful they were, bright faces turned to the sun. As we passed, we could even smell their slightly acrid fragrance. Sunflowers are another big crop here in S. Dakota.

We entered a hilly region that leads to the Badlands. In one place there was a homestead preserved (not rebuilt). There we saw the fabled sod hut—not a house I want to live in. This particular family had later added onto it, with the back built into the hill, but with a wooden front. It was interesting, as was the prairie dog village that had grown up around it.

Finally, we made it to the Badlands. They are spectacular. We have pictures. The erosion has created beautiful peaks and cliffs and valleys (reminiscent of the wadis that Elizabeth Peters describes in her books.

And from the sublime to the silly, we ate dinner in the famous "Wall Drug", a sight not to be missed around here. Then on to Rapid City and Bed! We were really tired, and ours eyes filled with new sights!