After a week at Ellsworth, we were rested up and ready to go on to the next adventure. A few days ago we made some reservations through the weekend, headed to Sioux Falls. We picked Sioux Falls because it was close to Nebraska and Iowa. We’ve not been to those states, so we are planning a road trip with SF as our home base.
Because we only like to drive 3-4 hours a day, and Sioux Falls was closer to 5 and we wanted to stop one place along the way, we decided to cut the trip in half. This worked out well, because it was another hot day! After packing up the camper we headed out east on I90 toward Oasis Campground in Oacoma. We arrived about 1:30 pm and decided to leave the camper attached and just try to relax. With the drive the camper was pretty hot, and in the heat of the day it is hard for our one AC unit to cool the boiling camper. Not minding the heat too much, I sat outside with Daisy. If Daisy is outside on the runner by herself, I like to keep the door open in case something happens (she decides to chase squirrels/bunnies/other dogs). But, if we kept the door open. The inside would never cool. After about 10 minutes, even Daisy wanted to go inside (she loved the heat). It was a little cooler in the camper, but still not cool enough.
I asked Curt if he wanted to go to the pool that was just across the street from our campsite and there was no one in it. He said, it was too hot??? OK, then I decided it was time to have some slushies. Curt went to get some ice and I pulled out the frozen berries and strawberries out of the freezer and started to make some slushies. Curt then pulled out the tequila, I said slushies, not margaritas. Guess who won? Me, I found the rum and we had daiquiris.
Later in the afternoon, we ventured out to the pool and chased a few kids out and had the pool to ourselves. Didn’t chase them, but they left right after we got there. They had two small kids and one teenager and the teenager looked like he hated the world and had his earphones in and eyes glued to his phone. Nothing against kids (especially my own), but I don’t envy people that have to travel across the country with a teenager. We’ve done our time and our kids were VERY GOOD, compared to what we have seen some kids do on this trip. I only have 2 kids on this trip, Daisy and Curt and they have been very well behaved! By the way the pool was wonderful. Just cool enough to be refreshing, and warm enough that it only took me 2 minutes to get completely wet. I’m not the jump in the water person, I have to get used to it before my head gets wet, so that was good for me. Curt on the other hand is a cannonball entrance person. Good thing those little kids got out, he may have scared them!
As we ate our dinner, BBQ country ribs cooked on the George Foreman Grill and some potato salad I made yesterday for the trip, we watched the people across the way unhook and set up. People watching is fun! We like to see how our set up compares to others. We decided we were much more efficient that these folks. But not saying we can’t learn from folks. When we were at Ellsworth, our next door neighbor, an Army vet and purple heart recipient recently retired and his wife had a system. They left San Antonio June 16th and had been on the road for the past month and this was their 13th stop. She got out of the cab and called him on the phone and she guided him in and we didn’t hear any screaming or arms waving (I’m not saying that is what I do…). So when we got here, we tried it as Curt backed into our spot here. Boy it worked out very nice—one back up and no waving arms or screaming to “turn the wheel”…”turn the wheel the other way”!!! Another couple we watched came in with a Big Rig Cab pulling a 40 foot 5th wheel –huge with 5 slides—for 3 people. While they set up they got the young girl’s bike (she was about 10) off the back of the truck and let her go ride her bike while they set up. That would have never happened with our kids, they always had to help Curt set up the camper. They each had jobs (put down the jacks, take the hoses out, unhitch the truck), no playing until the chores were done. I think they actually liked helping out. They would argue who got to use the drill to put down the jacks—they used to be the crank kind so the upgrade to the drill worked for them (another trick we used from watching someone else set up).
After dinner, we took Daisy for a walk around the campground and relaxed watching TV and playing phone games (Curt ) and reading a book (Meg). I called it an early night after being a sleepy from daiquiris and swimming, and the camper was cooled down.
The next day we headed out to Sioux Falls, but we knew we were planning a stop at the Corn Palace. Several years ago, my brother and sister-in-law moved from Seattle to Philadelphia and I remember getting a post card from them for this place. I texted Lisa and asked her if it was worth stopping. She told me it was free and was worth the trip just to say you have been there. That is what we did. About an hour into the ride we see the signs for the Corn Palace.
The town of Mitchell built the original Palace to prove to the world that South Dakota had a healthy agriculture climate. It was established in 1892, and more than 500,000 people visit the Palace each year. The Palace is redecorated each year with naturally colored corn, grains and grasses (reminded me of the rose parade floats that have to use flowers). A different theme is used every year and the walls of the palace are the canvas for the murals to reflect the theme. We arrived just in time, as in August they start stripping the corn as they get ready for the next year’s mural. We walked around the inside, which is a basketball court, but that was set up as a gift store today. We liked it as well because it was pet friendly. That’s right Daisy didn’t have to wait outside, she got to go in the nice cool building and walk around. She was very well behaved.
The theme this year was Rock of Ages with murals of Willie Nelson, Elvis, John Travolta and others we couldn’t figure out.
Check it out:
