We were sad to leave Pierre this morning, particularly when we caught this sight of the Missouri River from the top of the hill just outside River View RV Park.
You'll have to forgive my little phone camera! It was overwhelmed!
Leaving Pierre on US83, we turned north, paralleling Lake Oahe that we saw yesterday. The lake is 231 miles long, extending to Bismarck, North Dakota. This is the northernmost of the four Missouri River lakes, and the largest. It is the fourth-largest reservoir in the United States!
Sorry, Got a little carried away, there. It's such a super lake for so many outdoor water activities.
The highway took us through the middle of South Dakota farm and ranch land. There are a handful of little communities scattered along the way, but for the most part, the terrain is flat and green. As I look at this photo, I realize why I was having such a hard time seeing today! I gotta clean the bugs off!
Sasha and I walked the length of Main Street. A block and a half. Three times. The only buildings that were open were the MC Bar and an agricultural mechanics shop. In the following photo, the dark building on the right has a small concrete step in front of the door that was inscribed "1940" when the concrete was still wet! I suspect that the buildings have been abandoned for some time.
It never hurts to have a prop holding up the building facade!
We soon got to the North Dakota/South Dakota state line. Still flat. Still green. Passed through Strasburg, ND, the birthplace of Lawrence Welk. Sorry, couldn’t stop to see the homestead….
We enjoyed our time in South Dakota. Without exception, the people we met were friendly and helpful, and the sights and sounds of the state, quite simply, made us feel comfortable. If the winters were a bit less exciting, we might consider.....
Just south of Interstate 94, we spotted this abandoned grain elevator.
While we saw many abandoned farmhouses and barns on our travels today, it seems unusual to see the very building that farmers use to ship their corn, beans, or wheat to market not being used. There are hundreds of elevators in the plains. Many of them are the main employer and livelihood of small towns. Wonder what happened to this one...
Eleven miles west after the intersection with Interstate 94, we pulled off into A Prairie Breeze RV Park.
We've stayed here in the past, and it has an air of semi-permanence to it. Most of the "residents" are working in the area, either on pipelines, communications, or highway projects. I'll bet the place is empty in December! While we seem to be the only "transients", we have been welcomed by other residents. The checkin process is strictly on the honor system, with a kiosk at the entrance. Envelopes and directions are posted there, and a metal post serves as a cash register! Thirty five bucks a night, cash, is among the least expensive fees we've paid this year, and that includes 50 amp power, utilities, and wifi!
So after a short 205 mile day, we're settled in for the night. Tomorrow gets us to a destination that we've wanted to visit for years. Stay tuned!
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