Iowa Trip Sat., June 27

Easter South Dakota is what you may call a drive-by state. You know they don’t have a lot to show when the highway construction signs say; Construction Zone Ahead, Fines Double, Slow Down to 70.

It was a very nice drive all the way to Minnesota. Perhaps the most interesting stop was a place called, ‘Eat at Bill’s Place.’ Sandi remembered a cartoon on TV where there was a sign in the background that said, ‘Eat at Bill’s Place,’ so we did. Have you ever had deep-fat fried macaroni? That was one of their hallmark dishes.

Eastern South Dakota was beautiful in a empty, old, flat, green, rolling, going on to forever, blue ‘Simpsons’ sky, sort of way.

When we got into Minnesota we started seeing wind turbines, big ones, perhaps 200’ tall with slow moving 3-bladed wheels spinning at about 22-1/2 RPM. They were quiet and evidently working as we saw probably 200 along the road. I don’t know how many KW they are producing but it sure seems like it has potential.

With the popularity of the wind turbines Minnesota may have to change the logo on its license plates. At present it is ‘Land of 10,000 Lakes.’ BTW, have you ever noticed what is below the logo? If you look really close, in small letters it says, ‘Breeding grounds of the state bird.’

We found a KOA in Albert Lea (?) but they didn’t have any camping cabins left. We kind of wanted one there too because they were expecting bad weather later on that evening. When we made the reservations they told us in a disparaging way to be prepared for some raucous blues music late into the evening by a Blues Festival next door. Wow, how lucky could we get? Anyway, after the tents were set up we walked down a side road to the festival and found a hole in a fence and made ourselves to home. The lightening was flashing in the distance, the guitarists were ripping the strings off their guitars, and the drums were thundering on the stage. It was a good evening to listen to some Blues, and they were good. It went on until about 1:30 in the morning, but we were in bed by then.