June Trip-part 1

Day 1 - Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa

Great things never come easy and our recent trip was no exception. Jim, Melody and Kathy were supposed to pick me up at my place in Seymour about 9 AM on Friday morning, June 1st, but due to a semi truck overturned on I-64 westbound, they didn't make it here until about 11 AM.

Of course the result of that was arriving at our destination for the day over 2 hours late, but we were still able to see the attraction scheduled as a result of some quick thinking by Jim. He contacted the owner of the establishment (a friend of a friend) and arranged free passes to the concert (David Allan Coe) being held there that evening so we could get inside to take pictures and view the museum. 

Most of the reason we stopped in Clear Lake, Iowa was to see the tribute to Buddy Holly and Richie Valens, as well as J.P.(The Big Bopper) Richardson, who all died in an early morning plane crash following their performance at the Surf Ballroom on February 2, 1959. 

The other reason we stopped here was because it just happened to be about the right time and distance for our trip plan, which was driving 8-10 hours a day before stopping to get a hotel room for the night. So we didn't actually stay for the concert but opted instead to find a hotel room and get some rest. Having been on the road much longer than I was, I know my traveling companions were ready for a good nights rest.

Day 2 - Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota

True to my word, I set my phone alarm for 6 AM and once everyone was up and ready, we continued our journey north towards Minnesota. Shortly after arriving there we turned due west and set our sites on South Dakota. But before we left Clear Lake, we drove to the crash site to see the fan tribute placed there in a lonely cornfield about a mile off the nearest road. Besides the street sign which identifies the location, the spot is marked by a large pair of Buddy Holly styled glasses, mounted on a platform. 

I hadn't anticipated such a long walk when I started back to the location of the actual crash, but I was determined to make the trek so a few pictures could be secured. I was a bit surprised at how well the site has been preserved being as it happened well over 50 years ago, but it was a sad site indeed, to think these promising young musicians had been cut down in their youth by a simple quirk of fate. I was only 8 at the time this happened, so I don't really remember all the details first hand, but I remember my sister Judy talking about it and how sad it all seemed. 

Once we had completed the short stretch through Minnesota, we made an unscheduled stop at Mitchell, South Dakota, to see the famous Corn Palace, where a lot of the exhibits are made from corn and other grains. This unique building also plays host to some local college basketball games as well as being visited annually by half a million people. I suppose it was well worth the stop, but at the time I didn't really think it was, so I stayed in the car. This picture is from the web.

We were soon on our way once again, where besides our normal gas and restroom stops, we made another small side trip to Wall Drug, which is on the way near Rapid City, South Dakota. For those who have traveled I-90 westbound through this state, you can't miss the many signs which point the way and explain all of the reasons why you need to stop there. It's mostly your typical tourist trap, but I did manage to buy a pair of needed shoe laces at least.

Our last site to see on day 2 was Mount Rushmore. We went ahead and made the short trip down from Rapid City to the location before we chose a hotel for the night. We decided pictures from the road leading up to the monument would be sufficient rather than paying the $11 parking fee. Being as I had already visited the park on a previous trip, I saw no reason to object. Below you can see my traveling companions at the left and a shot of the monument from the road at the right.

Once back in Rapid City, we located a suitable hotel and had dinner at Texas Roadhouse. I had a beer with my Roadkill meal so I could relax better. Worked like a charm. So much for day 2!