Marathon Roadtrip 2024, State #6

For us, South Dakota was a state we had to drive through to get to our destination. However,  I-90 from Sioux Falls to Rapid City did not lack for tempting road side attractions. A Corn Palace, an  original 1880 Pioneer Town, Sioux Museum and Culture Center, a tractor museum, a Safari Reptile Museum, a Dinosaur Park, a sculpture park and, of course, Wall Drug Store to name a few. 

With the exception of a tiny church on the Prairie,

      

Located near a rest area on I-90, the church conducts

services on Sunday Morning.

we opted to stop at a couple that allowed us to park overnight.

Our Harvest Host on Tuesday night was Porter Sculpture Park, just off I-90 and about a mile down a gravel road near Montrose. 

There were over 60 sculptures, as well as poetry distributed throughout the rustic park. Here are a few of our favorites.

    

     

Note Captain, is in the photo

More interesting than the attractions are the people we meet. Sculptor Wayne Porter was a welder by trade and for several years a sheep farmer. He has a degree in political science and history, but never took an art class. As his art around the welding shop drew cars and buses from the highway, he decided to focus his welding on what he loved. He bought farmland near I-90 and moved his sculptures. The park is surrounded by cows. 

Meet Inspector 122. He refuses to stay fenced in, but grazes along the fence.

He told us this was a lot better than sheep farming.

After a peaceful night we woke to a beautiful sunrise.

Spending the morning relaxing, we then moved on down the road.

Our host for Wednesday night was the famous Wall Drug Store. We didn’t know what to expect but were surprised to find it a large, city block size souvenir shop with a restaurant. 

We did not buy the 5-cent coffee but did take advantage of the free overnight parking.

As we continue westward we are looking forward to calmer winds.