Travel days in Wisconsin and Minnesota

Now we are really traveling. We had a brief rapprochment to Holiday Hour for one night to have a few technical difficulties taken care of. The Flanagan family and their employees have been great to us, but it was finally time to say goodbye and strike out on our own.

We drove from Cortland, IL to Lacrosse, WI, then camped two nights at Pettibone Island RV Resort. It's an island in the middle of the Mississippi, which spreads out and flows around many little islands at that location. The first night it was crazy crowded with bikers and others, but most cleared out on Sunday and we had a quiet, beautiful day. Did laundry in a gourmet coffee shop/laundromat, took a long bike ride along the Great River Trail and had our first long lingering sunset on the banks of the Mississippi.

Today we drove across Minnesota and landed in Sioux Falls.  Sioux Falls is named after, yes, the falls, which are now surrounded by a lovely, very accessible city park. 

Had dinner at a great little local place downtown called the Phillips Avenue Diner. Everything you'd hope a diner to be and more. Delicious food and an imaginative menu as well.

The historic downtown is about 10 x 3 blocks and there is a fine sculpture collection lining the two main streets.  We walked around and then headed home. There is a tornado and severe thunder storm warning now as I write, so we've loaded a few back packs with basic survival supplies in case we have to go sit in the storm shelter later. Oh boy.

Tomorrow we cross South Dakota and will spend the night in the Badlands. We are moving quickly, passing by so many interesting things, but are eager to get to Spearfish, SD where we will spend a month and have the chance to really give our surroundings the attention we want to.  But even now, we are having so may new experiences, and enjoying ourselves tremendously.