Greetings from Shipshewana, Indiana
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Visited the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD on the way to Rapid City. Built as an exhibition center in the late 19th century, it’s now used mostly as a basketball arena. The last one a number of crop palaces that were built all over the Midwest over the years.
Cool that the murals on the outside are constructed of corn and cornstalks. They change them every year.
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Also stopped at Wall Drug - an icon of the Midwest. Billboards advertising it start showing up some 200 miles before you get there.
90,000 square feet of “stuff”.
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I remember the Corn Palace. It was impressive. Only in America kind of place.
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@Mik Shipshewanna. I think it’s about craft stores or antiquing or something blue haired old ladies do.
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I see so many women with blue, pink, and purple hair, and so many men and women with tattoos and piercings here now.
You were told in no uncertain terms nobody would hire you if you got tattoos and piercings when I was graduating from HS.
People didn't mention women putting blue, pink, and purple stripes in their hair. I don't think they could imagine it.
You can get a city, county, state, or federal job with all of that and nobody thinks twice now.
I never wanted a tattoo or a piercing.
Men wore limited jewelry then. Sometimes a chain. Rarely a bracelet. A wedding band (although tradesmen let them at home to save themselves from losing a finger in a saw). And a watch.
Sorry for the thread tangent.
Back to the road trip!
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I see so many women with blue, pink, and purple hair, and so many men and women with tattoos and piercings here now.
You were told in no uncertain terms nobody would hire you if you got tattoos and piercings when I was graduating from HS.
People didn't mention women putting blue, pink, and purple stripes in their hair. I don't think they could imagine it.
You can get a city, county, state, or federal job with all of that and nobody thinks twice now.
I never wanted a tattoo or a piercing.
Men wore limited jewelry then. Sometimes a chain. Rarely a bracelet. A wedding band (although tradesmen let them at home to save themselves from losing a finger in a saw). And a watch.
Sorry for the thread tangent.
Back to the road trip!
@Daniel that’s a very different kind of blue hair!
I used to walk my baby around the living room, narrating things that we could “see” and I remember mentioning all the blue haired ladies. Women used to use bluing in their white hair to make it look whiter. That was a generation ago!
My baby is 38 now…
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Greetings from Pukwana, SD! We’re staying at a working cattle ranch where the owner has added electric hookups to attract travelers like ourselves. It’s a very nice place, quiet, grass, friendly fellow travelers, but cell service is so weak I can’t post pictures.
Last two nights were in Hermosa, SD, Rapid City adjacent. My. Rushmore. Nice commercial campground, laundry, full hookups. Took long showers and washed out a few dainties. Vacuumed the trailer and scrubbed the floors.
Mt. Rushmore. Various people have told me it’s over hyped and not to bother. I’m here to tell you that those people are full of sh!t. It’s one of the most spectacular places I have ever visited! The setting alone is spectacular - mountains with thick forests of Ponderosa Pine. Narrow winding roads, spectacular vistas and rock formations.
And the mountain is breathtaking! The story of how it was created is even better and the Park Service knocked it out of the park when they built the visitor center. Not sure how they are able to keep it all up with their reduced budget (Musk needs more money - gotta respect that) but it’s a wonderful presentation. If you ever have a chance to see it I suggest you do so without delay - who knows how long it will remain open.
Minneapolis tomorrow - a 450 mile drive. Not sure what idiot planned that leg of the trip but future reservations depend on it.
I’ll post pics when I get a WiFi connection.
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@Daniel that’s a very different kind of blue hair!
I used to walk my baby around the living room, narrating things that we could “see” and I remember mentioning all the blue haired ladies. Women used to use bluing in their white hair to make it look whiter. That was a generation ago!
My baby is 38 now…
@Daniel that’s a very different kind of blue hair!
I used to walk my baby around the living room, narrating things that we could “see” and I remember mentioning all the blue haired ladies. Women used to use bluing in their white hair to make it look whiter. That was a generation ago!
My baby is 38 now…
@adagiom Indeed!
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@steve-miller
I'm loving your tour, its all fascinatingly different to anything I've ever seen I dont know what else to say.
Even your caravan, the way it fits over your pickup! -
A note before we head for Minneapolis to see the house where I was born.
One thing that’s made this trip interesting is the Internet. If we see something we can immediately find out more about it and we’ve been doing that a lot.
What is that crop? (Sorghum)
What do you do with sorghum? (Animal feed)
Why did Studebaker go out of business? (Couldn’t compete against Ford/GM)
Population of Pukwana, SD? (About
300)Top 10 industries in Iowa
Top 10 brands of RV in the US
Best grease for trailer hitches (sticky red)
History of the Interstate Highway act
Biography of General Custer
Typical voltage of long distance power lines
Why isn’t buffalo meat more popular
Does Bobs Red Mill sell Amaranth flour
Number of national Parks in the US
Difference between National Parks and National Monuments
Did Allied Radio ever have brick and mortar stores
How much $ would each Sioux Indian get if they divided up their billion dollar settlement?
Cost today to build Mt. RushmoreAnd on and on. Makes the miles just slide by!
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@steve-miller do you have a National Parks Pass?
Love your list of questions.
Bob’s Red Mill is based here in Portland (Milwaukie), OR. My brother works for them.
Enjoying your travelogue! I haven’t seen Mt. Rushmore yet. Mr. AM has, but he’s not a big picture taker.
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Also stopped at Wall Drug - an icon of the Midwest. Billboards advertising it start showing up some 200 miles before you get there.
90,000 square feet of “stuff”.
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@steve-miller do you have a National Parks Pass?
Love your list of questions.
Bob’s Red Mill is based here in Portland (Milwaukie), OR. My brother works for them.
Enjoying your travelogue! I haven’t seen Mt. Rushmore yet. Mr. AM has, but he’s not a big picture taker.
@steve-miller do you have a National Parks Pass?
Love your list of questions.
Bob’s Red Mill is based here in Portland (Milwaukie), OR. My brother works for them.
Enjoying your travelogue! I haven’t seen Mt. Rushmore yet. Mr. AM has, but he’s not a big picture taker.
I got mine for $10 before it changed. if you use the parks, $80 is still a great deal for a lifetime pass.
Love Bob's products. Did not know they were based there.
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@steve-miller I missed it if you mentioned the ultimate destination on your road trip.
How wonderful for you.
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@steve-miller - been super busy so haven't had time to read this thread and to post another comment till now....great thread, pics, and stories of your adventures. You and Ron are lucky to have each other to share this great road trip.
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Yes, both Ron and I have passes, but Mt. Rushmore is a national monument and the passes don’t work. No matter, there is no admission fee and parking only $10.
Ultimately destination was Mt. Rushmore, mostly to give us a direction to travel. Glad we saw it!
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