Day two of visiting Thelma, with a side trip to the Bridges of Madison County. And the kids discover a photograph of amusing historical significance
But the kids opt to spend the day at Des Moines’ Adventureland.
Today we travel from Des Moines, Iowa state capital, to 1.5 hour distant tiny Lamoni, directly south on the Missouri border, where Thelma lives in her retirement community’s assisted living center. This, on the occasion of Thelma’s 89th birthday — July 17.
We also meet Roy, Thelma’s irrepressible and highly musical 96-year-old paramour. And we visit Graceland University in Lamoni, where Lawrence spent a couple of educational years.
Sioux Falls SD to Des Moines IA
Arising early, we break camp just outside of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. For breakfast, we visit Falls Park in mid-city Sioux Falls, a wonderful small city. Then we drive on into Iowa to Sioux City for lunch, then south along extreme western Iowa to Onawa and beyond.
Via Onawa (birthplace; population 2700), Turin (junior high), and Castana (elementary and freshman high). We meet Paul Benjamin, Onawa street person; Brett Spaulding, Onawa tractor-truck-car dealer and Internet entrepreneur; and a boomer biker couple from Omaha returning from their Sturgis SD (site of the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally every August) test run with a new bike. Visits to the site of the grand-paternal farm in Turin which was acquired by the State as a wildlife and habitat preserve and Loess Hill geologic site. We check out the Onawa Public Library, Lawrence’s favorite haunt as a child on Saturday shopping days to read material not available at home.
Finally, Nik drives us into Des Moines.
Photos are available but captions and narrative will have to wait; too much to do, too little time. Will probably transfer all to Flikr or Picasa, as it is getting out of control with 1,047 photos so far.
Spearfish, SD to Sioux Falls, SD
Early morning departure from Spearfish. Climb into the mountains … er … Black Hills. On to Mount Rushmore for a few hours. Bypassed Sturgis, but saw motorcycles everywhere. Finally a long drive across the prairie to our lodging destination at Sioux Falls, on the opposite side (East) of the state of South Dakota.
Hardin to Spearfish
Mostly Montana/Wyoming: Highlight was Little Big Horn Battlefield (read: Custer’s Last Stand). Much driving in the afternoon to reach Spearfish, South Dakota – gateway to the Black Hills. In search of Rocky Raccoon.
Missoula to Hardin
A big introduction to KOA campground culture. Lots of friendly people, lots of bikers.
Lewiston ID to Missoula MT
La Grande to Lewiston ID
After a harrowing drive through the switchbacks in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, we finally emerge at Lewiston. Not documented, unfortunately, as I was driving … we received a police escort to the motel after we got lost; Kim asked one of Lewiston’s finest, who was apparently on a donut run, for directions and he said “follow me”. Prowling for restaurants, we met some local hot rodders with an incredible 1929 Essex-based street rod. Returning to our motel after seeking respite from the 97-degree heat by dining in El Sombero, we find that Mr. and Mrs. Parker brought their old Ford pickup here so that they, too, could enjoy Inn America’s wi-fi …
As usual, everybody but me knows about this. Anyway …