Thursday – August 21, 2014 Sunny & 75 degrees
My Homage to Corn
The day started in Sioux City North, South Dakota which is a stone’s throw from Sioux City, Iowa. I was tired and cranky last night but slept well and felt better this morning after a good night’s sleep. We were on Route 29 heading north by 9:30 AM and looking forward to another day on the road.
Yes, That’s Corn on Both Sides of the Road
The speed limit on the highway was 75 MPH so it’s intense driving especially among very large trucks. But the roads were straight with a grassy area separating the vehicles going in opposite directions. Jeff said he was sorry he didn’t bring a couple of bungee cords to tie the steering wheel in place. “Then with cruise control, the car could drive itself,” he stated.
Street in Front of the Corn Palace
After about an hour, we got onto Interstate 90 West. This was another flat, straight ribbon of highway running between green cornfields reaching out to the horizon. We knew we were getting close to the wild west when we passed a billboard which read: Eat Steak – Wear Fur – Keep Your Guns!
The Mitchell Corn Palace
We decided to take a break and stopped in Mitchell, SD which is home to the famous “Corn Palace.” Neither of us knew what it was which is why we wanted to see it. We followed good signs into town and parked the car. The street in front of the palace was closed to vehicles because of a street fair. There was food at one end, crafts in the middle, and amusement rides at the far end of the street.
Food Truck
Corn Decoration on the Side of the Palace
We walked down the street admiring the decorations made of corn and hay on the exterior of the building. The entrance was around the corner and since the sign on the door said “free,” we went into the palace. We discovered that The Corn Palace was a sports arena and entertainment venue. A crew was setting up the stage for a Chris Young country music performance for tonight. Basketball hoops were pushed to the ceiling, chairs were set up, and corn decorations lined the walls.
Inside The Corn Palace
On the way back to the car, we stopped for a quick lunch at a bar-b-que truck and took more photos. This is NOT what we ate for lunch:
The High Cholesterol Diet
Now I know where all the Twinkies went!
We bought gas for $3.19 a gallon and found I-90 West. This was another day spent in the car admiring the South Dakota scenery. Similar to Iowa, there are vast flat farmlands with miles of cornfields in all directions. The most surprising and amazing discovery was that there were four or five bars and 4G AT&T service on my cell phone in both states. That’s better service than I receive at home!
Interstate 90 Crossing the Missouri River
Diversity in the Landscape
More Hills
Finally, Exit 110 appeared and we got off to spend the night in Wall, SD which is home to the famous Wall Drug Store. It was five o’clock when we checked into one of the motels in town. We had been on the road, with a stop in Mitchell, and stops to change drivers for almost eight hours on 75 MPH Interstates. We were tired!
Wall Drug Store in Wall, South Dakota
Wall Drug Backyard
Wall Drug is a collection of tacky little shops along a Western theme street in the tiny town of Wall, SD (population 843) in the middle of nowhere just off Interstate 90. I remember seeing their bumper stickers on cars in New York in the 1960s & ’70s. Like South of the Border on Rt 95 and The Roscoe Dinner on Rt 17, Wall Drug is a travelers’ institution.
Shops Inside Wall Drug
Moose Drool