Day 6

Rockford, IL to Sioux Falls, SD

Mileage – I forget. A long way.

SPAM

Our one stop we wanted to make along the way today was the SPAM Museum (I’m not kidding) in Austin, MN. We got there 12 minutes before closing. Even though we arrived right at closing time, we were still warmly welcomed and given a tour. A quick tour, but a tour nonetheless, from smiling guides. I wish we had had more time to spend there. There were interactive exhibits, famous SPAM movie moments, SPAM cooking demonstrations (I did get the recipes), and SPAM nostalgia. No lie, it was one of the best laid out museums I’ve visited in a long time.

South Dakota

Our destination in South Dakota was the Corn Palace in Mitchell, the only Byzantine structure in the world decorated by corn murals. It was already late, we wouldn’t be able to see it until morning. Flipping through our “hotel discount coupon book,” I noticed that the coupons for hotels in Mitchell were good every week of the year, except this one. I called one of the hotels, to see what the rate would be.

Me: Hi, Could you tell me what your rate is for one night, two people?

Clerk: What night, honey?

Me: Tonight.

Clerk: Oh, honey, we don’t have nothing for tonight. The whole town’s sold out.

Me: Is there a conference in town?

Clerk: Honey, it’s the opening day of pheasant hunting season. We got hunters from all over the world here in town. Every place is sold out.

Me: What about Sioux Falls? Do you think they would have rooms available?

Clerk: I don’t know. You may have to go back to Minnesota, or drive out to Rapid City to find a room.

Me: Rapid City? That’s 300 miles away…..

How in the world did we decide to enter South Dakota on the first day of pheasant hunting season?