Thunderbird Lodge Mitchell

... about food, don't I...
sorry, part of the culture here! (Besides what else am I going to blog about – the scenery?? Not today, it's prairie country!)

Arrived at the 'Corn Palace' in Mitchell, South Dakota about 4pm – a lot of shops and other
businesses and even Rest Area's are closed for the season – I think this time of year normally has a lot of snow around. We went inside the Corn Palace and watched some ...

... Palace and has been around since 1892. The murals change every year along with the theme and are made of corn and other native grains.

Once again last night we had our rain shower. We have had them every night since we have been on the road. Of course it is better to have them then than while Terry is driving or we are out sightseeing.

Next stop will be for a few days in Custer State Park between the Badlands and Black Hills.

Went back home for a month this summer before we left for Saigon. Had a nice visit with everyone fielding questions and acting all brave. That really is rural America at its best. Local fairs, rodeo's, small shopping mart, lots of pick-up trucks and hard work. Great place to raise a family. Fields of crops, small industry, feed lots, grain bins, auction barns, and the local tourist shops, "The Corn Palace".

... first built in the late 1890's when Mitchell was competing with Pierre to be named the state's capital and to celebrate the abundent corn harvest. In August of each year, freshly harvested corn is attached to the building to form murals and a celebration is held. Local artists design the murals which change each year. Some of the famous people who have appeared at the Corn Palace are John Phillip Sousa, Lawrence Welk , Bob ...

... strenuous, rugged walk to the rim of “The Wall” to look at the view of the valley. With its ladder and cliff edges, it is not for wimps. We survived it with only slight injury. That trail will find a place in our list of greatest memories, along with Angel’s Landing in Zion, Navaho Trail in Bryce, and Fiery Furnace in Arches. Travel these trails when you are younger than us! The ...

Despite my 15 year old's objections, I had to see the world's only corn palace. Unfortunately, it was neither as corny nor as palatial as I had hoped. Also, we got lost in town, which, as my son pointed out, was a hard thing to do. We had a nice room though (although, IMO, a bit pricey for a rural spot).

... first point of interest came 688 miles into our trek - at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, southeast corner of the state. Thoroughly enjoyed an fascinating 3 hours at the extremely interesting and educational, but vastly underknown National Music Museum. It contains over 13,500 instruments dating back many centuries. Some extremely rare, many unheard of - with a well done audio program that let's you listen to ...

Today we got to Mitchell, South Dakota where we saw the Corn Palace :-P It was a big building not really made out of corn but it had corn on the outside which they change every year. Inside they sold popcorn and had a little gift shop. It was corny :-P

... t identify anyone that worked there, so we headed to the campground for a cookout and our own drive-in movie theatre, thanks to my computer on the picnic table and our camping chairs. The kids turned on their glow sticks and sat in our laps as we watched "Over the Hedge." I still get a kick out of the way the raccoon describes humans, "They all drive around in these things called SUVs because they are slowly losing their ability to walk." And yes, I do own a SUV! Speaking of ...

Welcome to the World's Only Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota. Sort of a Taj Mahal looking place, and the entire outside of the building is completely covered in fancy mural scenes made entirely of corn. And there has been a Corn Palace in Mitchell since 1892. We had our pictures taken with Zeke and Zack. It's free, and it's certainly something weird & different, it's worth the pit stop just to say you've been to the world's one and only corn palace! Then ...