I’d never been to either of the Dakotas, so we decided to dip into the eastern portion of the states on our way north, then maybe go up to Canada for a few days before we met our friends in Minneapolis.
Corn Palace
Corn Palace.
Kate had driven the kids through the Dakotas years ago. They had stopped to visit the Corn Palace and had found it a fun distraction from a long road trip. And it’s free! So we decided to drive west to see it. Unfortunately, it was under reconstruction and was a bit of a letdown after all the hype. (Billboards sing its praises for many miles.) There were giant murals made of corn on the outside, but the turrets that give the place its palace status had been removed. Kate remembered more inside the palace, but mostly it was a giant gift shop, a more corn murals. Kate did get a hug from Cornie, a walking ear of corn. But I did not think this little Mid-American attraction was worth driving two hours out of our way.
We stayed the night at Lake Mitchell, a county campground just north of the Corn Palace. It was a bit spendy for our budget ($30), but it was pleasant and quiet. We got a large site with a view of the lake and lots of green grass to spread out on. We could relax outside and do some laundry and figure out where to go next.
Laura Ingall Wilder’s Homestead
Pony cart rides.
Laura Ingall Wilder was my favorite author when I was growing up. She wrote the “Little House” pioneer girl series, and I think I’ve still got my childhood copy of “Little House in the Big Woods.” It turns out her family’s homestead near De Smet is only an hour from the Corn Palace, and on our way back to I-29. It’s a hands-on museum now, and this was an attraction worth driving to.
Replica of Wilder house.
We got there about 11:00, and we stayed there several hours. None of the original structures are still there, but they have reconstructed several houses and barns to present what it was like then, including a replica of the original house the Ingalls lived in there. This is a sweet place, run by a local family, who hires local kids and retirees. It’s a wonderful place for kids to explore, offering wagon rides to the schoolhouse, hands-on demos, pony cart rides. It’s a completely enjoyable place for adults, too. I wish we’d known we could have camped here for the same price we paid at Lake Mitchell. This was completely worth the time to drive here and the $12 entrance fee.
Working Detour
As we were driving through North Dakota, heading to Canada, I got a call about work. I was asked to write a user guide for a new MiFi router, and to get a review draft done in a week. That was a tall order, and I probably should have said no to that one. It ended up being even bigger than I’d anticipated. But I said yes, which meant no Canada, since the MiFi router doesn’t work there. So we made a sudden route change and veered into Minnesota.
Our First Walmart Stay
I’m not a fan of Walmart, but it’s well known that many Walmarts are open to RV’ers and truckers overnighting in their parking lots. We’ve always said we would take advantage of that in a pinch. When we pulled into Fergus Falls, Minnesota, the sky was finally darkening at 10:00, and we were beat. We were happy to find a Walmart with a large oversized lot filled with semis and one other RV. We could put out the slides, close the curtains, and feel safe and cozy in our own home. Not bad for free!