Brent planned the routes to head southwest and spend the night near Sioux Falls SD and loop back the next day. Adventure. The car has GPS mapping so that proved helpful on rural roads and finding parks etc.
We hit State Parks along the way for Noah to get stamps in his State Park passport too.
We stopped in Walnut Grove MN to see where Laura Ingalls Wilder grew up for a few years and wrote about in her books. There is a cute museum and shop and welcome center. We spent some time there checking the memorabilia etc then after a late lunch went to the site of the dugout home on the banks of Plum Creek. It is someone's farm now, but they have a gravel road back to the creek and have marker signs for points of interest in the book and a little picnic area . Cute! The home had caved In years ago but you can see where it was and where the kids would have played etc. I read the books as a kid and loved the show, do fun to see the area. Noah got the Farmer Boy book to start.
We continued on to Sioux Falls to see Falls Park. Beautiful park at the edge of Downtown. Totally a local treasure.
Because we didn't plan ahead we had to stay out of town a bit to get a hotel (some big event in town had all the rooms filled up. It was fine. Clean and safe. In the way we saw this cool lightning storm in the clouds. No thunder or rain, just tons of lightning in the clouds.
Then to Pipestone. Lovely park and beautiful sunny day to hike the trail.
Lots of farmland and windfarms on the way back. It really is a pretty State we live in. Stopped at Albertville Outlets on way back too. Got a fun new purse and wallet since mine needs to be retired. Nice treat from my honey.
Then back home sweet home. A big week ahead..
Additional pics will be uploaded to our Shutterfly photo site eventually.
