Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

    Not far from Badlands National Park is Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. We went to check it out mainly to escape the heat of the afternoon and it was a fun, quick way to earn some Junior Ranger badges.
 

    Throughout the prairies of South Dakota and surrounding states there are still over one thousand nuclear missiles ready to be launched. This site is decommissioned and lets you explore the history of how the men that worked in the launch silos lived on a day-to-day schedule.

It was a quick visit and a definite change from the Native American and pioneer history we had been absorbing for the past week. Its so strange to think that we can drive through this area without knowing whats hidden below. Very interesting.

Badlands National Park

    We visited the Badlands last time we drove out west, but the weather wasn't the best so we were all looking forward to returning and exploring the park more. The campground was the breeding ground for all mosquitoes in the Great Plains so we didn't spend much time there. The plus side was that we were forced to explore most of the time.

    After seeing a billion signs for the famous Wall Drug Store we decided we had to give it a look. We had some pretty bad food there and wandered around the tourist trap for a little while before agreeing that it wasn't for us. We drove back to our campground through the park and enjoyed the sunset hitting the walls of the Badlands.

    The next morning we got an early start to beat the heat and the crowds. We did a fun little hike to a great viewpoint that had the side benefit of being very birdy. Our next hike was more challenging as he had to ascend a very steep trail to get to flat prairie above the buttes. It was fun seeing the rocks change color as we went up though; it was like we were traveling through geologic time. At the top, we wandered down a trail through a pretty meadow, but our legs started to itch from brushing against all of the grasses.

    The way down was even trickier, but somehow we all managed to keep our butts clean. We took it easy after that and found a ranger giving a talk about the fossils found in the park. The kids then took their booklets to the visitor center to earn their Junior Ranger badges.

    Our visit ended with a long drive through the park's scenic drive. We were searching for Bison and managed to find two. Tons of prairie dogs, a herd of bighorn sheep, and a few burrowing owls kept us entertained the rest of the time. It was a great trip to such a unique place.

Laura Ingalls Wilder Homestead

    Leaving Minnesota, we crossed into South Dakota with the goal of reaching De Smet. Not far from this town is where Laura Ingalls Wilder's father moved his family to set up a farm after receiving land from the Homestead Act. The girls have read most of the "Little House" books so everyone was excited about the visit.

    It was a beautiful day so the kids had a great time running around and learning how to pump water from wells, clean laundry with a washboard, and make rope. We all took a wagon ride to the nearby one-room schoolhouse and were led through a lesson that would have been given to a room full of first graders through eighth graders. And I’m proud to say the girls came in first and second during a spelling bee. They even beat out a couple of high schoolers!

    The highlight for the kids had to be the barn full of kittens. All of the chickens and the calf were ignored for the little cats. We pulled them away and I still maintain that the sod house smelled better than the barn. It was a great visit and after having lunch we hit the road for Badlands National Park. 

Pipestone National Monument

    Before we left Iowa, we had to make a quick stop to get the camper looked at. Our hot water heater stopped working again so we found a repair shop along the way to Minnesota. The staff there was the greatest and found our problem in no time. Turns out Camping World never actually fixed the issue so we fried the heater again as soon as we tried to make hot water. So now we feel a lot better about the situation and don't foresee any problems with it for the rest of the trip.

    After lunch and a few hours in the truck, we arrived at Pipestone National Monument. This site preserves several quarries that Native Americans from all over the midwest would travel to for the soft, red rock that could be carved into ceremonial pipes. The most interesting thing I learned was that even though the pipestone is a sedimentary rock formed below an ancient sea, there are no fossils to be found in it because of its age. The stone layer is older than any known life on Earth so nothing was around to get fossilized.

    After we watched the informational video and the kids earned their Junior Ranger badges, we went outside and the kids immediately found a couple of birds' nests with very active parents. I'm raising them so well! Then we went for a walk through the surrounding prairie to see a couple of the quarries. The trail from the visitor center is a loop, but it was partially closed because of flooding so we decided to start on the north side and head toward a waterfall.

    The creek that the path followed was raging so it made for a fun sight. Once we made it to the waterfall we could see why the trail was closed going forward. The bridge over the creek was getting lapped by waves coming downstream. Definitely not a place you would want to slip. The kids got to climb up a rocky staircase and see the falls from above before we returned the way we came. Another great little park in the books!

Effigy Mounds National Monument

    We had a really long day of driving after our stay in Ohio. Our next campground was at Pikes Peak State Park in Iowa. Its located on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River so we had to drive through Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin to get there. It took about eleven hours, but we did it.

    After a good night's rest we visited Effigy Mounds National Monument. This area preserves a series of earthen mounds constructed by Native Americans over a thousand years ago. The mounds are mostly conical or linear, but the namesake mounds are effigies of bears and birds. We enjoyed a three-mile hike while accompanied by more red-headed woodpeckers than I've ever seen. Once we reached an overlook of the Mississippi River and Wisconsin on its far side we returned to the visitor center so the kids could ask the rangers some of the questions they came up with during the hike.

    The kids also earned the first of many Junior Ranger badges on this trip. We made sure to bring along their Junior Ranger vests so they can keep adding to their collection while on the road. After resting for a while during the afternoon we let the kids ride their bikes around the campground and enjoyed a beautiful evening rainbow over the river to end the night.

And We're Off!

    After a mad rush to get the camper all set up once we got it back from the repair shop, we were ready to hit the road. Our first day's goal was to make it to Geneva state Park in Ohio. The truck was hooked up to the camper and soon after we pulled away from our house. The goats will be in charge of the place while we're gone so I hope they take good care of the property.

    One of the perks of towing a camper for this trip is the ability to stop and run into it for food or the bathroom. Every couple of hours we would take a break and stretch our legs this way. I have to admit that its pretty nice.

    Once we arrived at our campground I had to put my limited backing-up skills to the test. We managed to get the camper into our spot and I quickly hooked up the electricity and water lines while Adrienne got the kids ready for a bike ride. The state park had a nice bike path that followed the shore of Lake Erie and finished at a public beach.

    We let the kids take their shoes off and play in the sand for a bit before heading back. The night ended with a hot dinner and comfortable beds for everyone. Day one was a success!

Jefferson National Expansion Memorial