Sort of wandering...

Tuesday, 7/24 10:30pm - Today was the closest we have come to actually wandering. Originally we had a fun afternoon and overnight at the Badlands planned and reserved but after hearing the forecast decided to head further east. We had successfully dodged getting hail damage during our time in the area and didn't want to risk damage by staying one extra night. Seriously I should have taken a picture of some of the trailers at our campsite. It was pretty severe.

At first we thought about going back to Lake Vermillion which we really enjoyed but decided to head into Iowa so we could add that sticker to our map and also have a shorter travel day tomorrow. It is the first time I have traveled without reservations. I did use Lin's phone to check the number of walk-in sites at a state park right off I-29. It looked promising so we decided to chance it.

It was hard driving past the Badlands. We all were looking forward to our planned adventure there but we'll just have to save it for our next visit. All of us loved the area and would like to return at some point.

Our first stop was at a rest stop in the middle of the South Dakota prairie. Apparently there are plenty of snakes at the rest stop but luckily we didn't encounter any!

Lin really wanted to go to Taco John's. I guess there used to be one in Gainesville and he had fond memories. We had seen signs for them on our travels to the Black Hills so we decided to stop at one for lunch. The billboard advertising for the one we stopped at had the slogan "Easy off, easy on." I don't really know what they were trying to promote with that and it didn't really make me want to stop but I can appreciate fond childhood memories so we gave it a try. I got a taco salad and it wasn't too bad. The boys all seemed happy enough with their meals. It is basically like Taco Bell but maybe a small step up. I forgot to take a picture of our Taco John picnic overlooking the Missouri River.

The time between Taco Johns in Chamberlain, SD and the exit we took to head south to Spirit Mound felt incredibily long and I-90 was super bumpy. Lin and I were a little tired and frustrated but luckily the boys were asleep for that portion so they didn't have to suffer. Even the dogs were asleep.

Next stop was at the Spirit Mound Historic Prairie that I originally wanted to stop at on the way up but we ran out of time. Lewis and Clark walked nine miles out of their way to visit this big mound in the middle of the prairie. The Native Americans believed that there were little evil sprites that would shoot them with arrows if they approached the hill. It was very peaceful and we saw and heard lots of birds and insects. Nobody in our party was shot by any arrows although I have to admit due to time constraints we didn't make it up on top of the mound.

After that we got dinner at a little take out restaurant located in a Ace Hardware in Vermillion, SD. I waited outside with the dogs and Lin questioned whether I was sending him in for food as a joke. A little weird to have restaurants in hardware stores but the food was fairly good.

Aidan was over the drive and over me taking pictures!

One more hour to the place we were hoping to camp. We watched another beautiful sunset while making the final push to Lewis and Clark State Park in Onawa, Iowa.

We were able to snag a site and got set up relatively easily. It is a pretty park on water not far from the Missouri River. Unfortunately due the proximity to water the bugs are plentiful and the geese have pooped everywhere. Fred enjoyed having a little extra dinner tonight! Ironically we ended up in site 13 at this park which is the same number site I had reserved at the Badlands. Still sad about missing out on more time in Badlands NP!

View from our campsite. According to the local news the cloud on the horizon is a thunderstorm forming in South Dakota. Glad to be viewing from a substantial distance.

Well, we won't get carried off by a tornado tonight but we may well be carried off by mosquitoes....  As I'm finishing this Lin and Aaron are doing a good job trying to massacre the influx that flew in when we were shutting the outside door. At least we don't have to go out again until we head out tomorrow. Oh and I was successful at killing most of the house flies we had picked up in SD. They were a little sluggish after their travels in the warm trailer.