We left East Hartford, Connecticut, for our dream trip to South Dakota on Aug. 9. And for the first few days while traveling through several states, we experienced a change of scenery and weather.
It wasn’t until the end of the second day that we saw and experienced a big change. Yes, it was that obvious.
(Courtesy of Marty Rubenstein)
At this time we saw many cornfields, wheat fields, flatlands, fog, windmills, drones to check out corn production, a utility worker repairing a high voltage transmission line about 100 feet off the ground while suspended by a helicopter, and more.
On Aug. 11, we left Austin, Minnesota, for a leisurely three-hour drive to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where we visited a five-story observation tower. We took an elevator to the top and saw the most fantastic scenery. It was so relaxing just looking.
Upon entering Sioux Falls Park, there were falls on your right and several buildings on your left. From here we went to view the Corn Palace that is located in Mitchell, South Dakota. Here we saw a short film on the history of the Corn Palace and then had a short guided tour before we went on our own.
There has been a Corn Palace since 1892. The building is decorated with corn showing life in the American West. As the Corn Palace grew, new ones were built while the others were demolished. Each year a new decorating theme is chosen, and the outside of the Corn Palace is stripped and redecorated with new corn and grains.
Another stop on this day was at the Ingalls Homestead. Do you remember “Little House on the Prairie”? We started off with a short film about the Ingalls family and homestead. We then took a walking tour through “Laura’s Living Prairie.” We saw the house where she grew up, in addition to a visit to the schoolhouse, the livestock barn, the church and so much more. It definitely brought back memories.
On Aug. 12, we went to the Minuteman Missile National Park Service, where we saw a short historic video about the possible launching of a nuclear missile during the Cold War era. This site was started in 1999 to illustrate the history and significance of the Cold War, the arms race, and the dedication of U.S. Air Force personnel. Upon leaving this site, we saw a Delta Flight Peacekeeper vehicle that was used by the security personnel to patrol surface facilities.
On to Badlands National Park. This drive was just fabulous. We saw the most spectacular and breathtaking scenery ever. We experienced the quiet and serene surroundings while viewing some of the outlooks.
The Badlands was established as a national monument in 1939. There are 244,000 acres in this park, and there are visitors from all over the world. There are peaks, gullies and wide prairies in the Badlands, and words cannot describe it.
We then went to Ben Reifel Visitor Center and saw a video plus many exhibits.
One more stop for the day and that is to Wall Drug store that has been in operation since 1931. It is known for its free ice water. Believe it or not, this is what made it so famous today.
Wall Drug survived the depression by offering free ice water to thirsty travelers and by building its reputation on friendly service. There are many gift shops, attractions, paintings and more, but no drugstore.
On Aug. 13, after a leisurely breakfast, we saw the South Dakota Air and Space Museum. There were so many exhibits we got to see, including the B-15 bomber, 28 vintage aircraft missiles, and helicopters.
Now on to Rapid City to view the Call of the Wild Museum. This was a wildlife exhibit complete with deer, zebra, goats, giraffes, lions and more. It was a remarkable visit.
Did you ever want to see how pottery was made? This next visit gave us the opportunity as we went to a factory store where you took a self-guided tour. Each piece of Sioux pottery is handcrafted by a Lakota artist, decorated with designs and symbols important to their culture, and signed by the artist who created it.
Our next stop was Bear Country U.S.A., which is a unique three-mile drive through the wildlife park. The park is nestled on 250 acres of Black Hills beauty.
We saw black and grizzly bears in addition to mountain lions, wolves, elk, bobcats, buffalo and more, where they roam free and we are in a cage — our car. We then took a walk through a small animal zoo. This is where the younger animals frolic and play. It was lots of fun.
Then we went to Dinosaur Park, which offered a great opportunity to experience the size and appearance of dinosaurs that roamed Western South Dakota during the time that they existed.
By Helene Rubenstein
Published September 17, 2014
