Day #27 - July 10, 2010

Austin, MN to Sturgis, SD
602 Miles

I started my day early because I planned to drive a long distance today through South Dakota.

AUSTIN, MN

After breakfast I visited downtown Austin. The Hormel Foods Corporate Offices are headquartered here and there is evidence everywhere of the influence the family has on Austin. George A. Hormel started the company here in 1891.

Here is a photo of his home. It is now available for tours and parties.


And, my friends, there is a SPAM Museum right next to the company headquarters. I arrived there about 8:15 a.m. The museum opens at 10:00 a.m., so I did not get to see it. However, the brochure says the museum features 16,500 square feet of SPAM artifacts, history, and fun. Imagine.

Across the street is Johnny's Restaurant with a SPAMarama menu. While I had vowed to taste regional cuisine in all the places I visit on this vacation, I elected to skip the SPAM breakfast and get on the road early.

I left Austin about 9:00 a.m. and drove west on Route 90. There are long stretches of highway with very little in the way of towns or attractions.

MITCHELL, SD

For many miles before I reached Mitchell, there are billboards proclaiming the Corn Palace as a "must see" attraction. I was reluctant to stop, but a few friends of mine had said that I should. While the building is impressive, the myriad of souvenir shops surrounding it is not. However, I guess the money helps with the upkeep of the building.

Here are a few photos I took. I did not stay for the movie or the tour.

The brochure says "Each year a new decorating theme is chosen and the outside of the Corn Palace is stripped and redecorated with new corn and grains. In early summer the process begins with removal of the old grasses and grains. Over the summer, 3,000 bushels of milo, rye, oat heads, and sour dock are tied in bundles and attached. In late summer over a half million ears of corn are sawed in half and nailed to the building following patterns created by a local artist."

I then continued west on Route 90. There was surprisingly little traffic, so I was able to make good time and travel farther than I had originally anticipated.

There were 3 short but pretty intense rain storms during the drive and these photos show the warning signs of the impending storms. It was actually quite exciting and scary at the same time.

I drove all the way to Sturgis, SD at the edge of the Black Hills National Forest, only a few miles from the Wyoming border, and checked into my hotel.

Long drive today; I'm tired.