We spent yesterday exploring Sioux Falls and preparing for the next couple of days in DeSmet. We don't know anything about the campground in DeSmet, so we are preparing for the possibility that it won't have any hook ups at all. Maybe we'll be pleasantly surprised when we arrive, and find out they at least have electricity and water, wouldn't that be nice! Regardless, we are going to have a great time in De Smet! Here is a website that tells you a little bit about the town and the great stuff there is to see...Kindra and I both love reading about live on the prairie 100+ years ago. She has been reading the Little House series recently, and I have been reading a series about a group of homesteaders from Norway who settled in North Dakota in the 1880s...so the trials of the homesteaders in this area of the country are fresh in our minds, even if it is the fictionalized trials! To actually see the town, the land, the houses, the prairie they speak of in those books will be an amazing experience.
Yesterday morning weslept in and then relaxed here at the camper for a few hours. At 1145, a taxi came and took Pavan to the airport to pick up a rental car (minivan to be exact). When he got back, we loaded up and headed into Sioux Falls. First stop, Falls Park. It was terribly hot and humid outside, but there was a stiff breeze that helped us along. We spent about 45 minutes in Falls Park and then hopped on the trolley (free! very nice). Our intention was to get off the trolley at some point and walk around Main St. but once we got on we realized what a perfect tourist tool the trolley really is. As you drive through downtown, there is a narrative playing overhead, telling you all about the historic buildings in the city. So, we rode the entire trolley route all the way back to Falls Park, then drove around some of the historic housing districts on our own.
After a trip to Wal-Mart, We spent yesterday afternoon/early evening catching up on some things around the camper. We already had three loads of laundry that needed washed, so I took advantage of a few hours free time to get that done. Pavan made a run to the RV dealer next door to pick up a few tabs to hold a glass door panel in place and a few other things we've realized we could use, and spent some time making a few minor repairs to the camper. The kids just watched TV and played. After living in Rhinelander for the last few years, the heat just zapped everyone. Of course I made the mistake of looking at the weather in Rhinelander this week...it was only 79 there yesterday. Will be in the 60s and 70s all week, with lows all the way down to the lower 40s!!!
We left the camper around 7PM to get some dinner and then head over to Falls Park for the laser lights show. Pavan was craving BBQ, so we went to Famous Daves. None of us had ever been there, but we will definitely be going back! My stomach is growling just writing about it...everyone was tearing up the BBQ, especially the ribs. Even Noah ate 2 ribs....NOAH!!! They have 6 or 7 different sauces on the table, so we tried every single one. Ordered a sampler meal that was enough to feed an army...all of it absolutely delicious! Yummy!
All afternoon we'd been keeping an eye on the weather. Just as we were leaving the restaurant, it started to rain and the sky was so dark. We almost headed back to the camper, but decided to drive by Falls Park to see if the show was still going to happen. When we got there, it wasn't raining. We spent about 20 minutes climbing on the rocks and looking at the falls (such a cool place!), and then spread out some blankets on the grass to watch the show. It was such a beautiful night, nice and cool with a wonderful breeze blowing. The show was so neat, and every once in awhile a plane would fly overhead on it's way to or from the airport, which the kids loved. The light show on the falls was beautiful, as was the lazar lights show. The main part of theshow was the history of Sioux Falls played overhead and shown in light pictures on the side of a building. I took some video during the show, I'll get it on YouTube eventually! Noah fell asleep during the last 15 minutes of the show, but afterward the rest of us climbed down some more rocks and took some video clips of the falls. It was too nice out to go home! (Kindra stayed behind on the grass with Noah, she was talking with a friend on the phone anyway!)
Ok I'd better go. Lots to do before we head out today. After I drop the car off at the airport, we are going to make a quick stop at Falls Park so I can get some pictures of the kids climbing on the rocks down to the Falls, so you can see what I"m talking about. It was just too dark last night to get any good pictures. Also, pick up a few souvenirs at the visitor center there.
Remember, we are headed to De Smet this afternoon. Not sure if we'll have electricity or water, let alone internet access. Might be a few days before we are online for more updates.
Oh, almost forgot to mention something very important. We have made a change to our itinerary for later this week. When we leave De Smet, we are going to check out the Corn Palace in Mitchell and then stay overnight at the Badlands/White River KOA in Interior, SD. That will be Thursday night. That will allow us to take a drive through part of the badlands, stop in Wall at Wall Drug, and then continue on to the Hill City/Mt.Rushmore KOA on Friday.
More later,
Rebecca
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