Karla's Kronicles #23

The Karla Kronicles #23 The Big Trip - Part 4
Greetings Kronicle Readers! (Note: Larger and More Detailed Photos are in the Photo Albums Located HERE.)
It's, Thursday and Day #24 of our travels; and we are making our way up to Minnesota....
We didn't have any reservations, but needed a one-night stop on our way to South Dakota. We were pleasantly surprised to discover this very nice place off I-380, Exit 41, in Urbana, Iowa. "Lazy Acres RV Park" is very new and the sites were so long and wide that setting up was a snap. We didn't have to unhitch the jeep which is really great when we are "one-night site hopping". The photos below shows just how long those sites were and some of the characteristics of this park. I normally don't "Kronicalize" a 1-night stopover, but we want to remember this place for future travels...

After that lovely advertisement...The remainder of this Kronicle's will cover our time at Hidden Bluffs Resort in the Southeast corner of Minnesota and our short visit to the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D.
Days 25 - 30. We are way down in the very Southeast tip of Minnesota which is called "Bluff Country". Hidden Bluffs Resort is part of the R.O.D. (Resorts of Distinction) Camping Club that is an "extra" you can join with 1000 Trails. This was a quiet spot for us until a Girl Scout Troop moved in next door and across from us for the weekend!! This Resort is definitely a "locals campground" as it filled up nearly completely over the weekend but was pretty near vacant the other days of the week. Actually, the Troop and their leaders were very nice neighbors. The nearby towns of Spring Grove, Caledonia and Mabel provide a few supplies, but there are no "big cities" close by. However, there is a lot of history here, especially in regards to Author Laura Ingalls-Wilder, who's last home has been turned into a Museum in nearby Burr Oak, Iowa. Took us back to those "Little House on the Prairie" books that I read in 3rd grade (not the TV show based on her books).
	We hiked all the hikes on the property, saw our first Muskrat in the wild and pretty much just relaxed around the park. There were some Maple Syrup collection tubs here and there as we walked the property trails and an Overlook of the Campground and surrounding area.

Hidden Bluffs was a relaxing stopover; but after a few days, it was definitely time to be on the road again! So on Day 31, we packed up and headed towards South Dakota.
	As we headed out on Hwy 52 we saw iconic signs with a horse and buggy; then a sign said we were on the "Amish Byway". There is a wide shoulder on each side of the 2-lane highway, and we did passed a few horse-drawn buggies. There was a Farm Equipment auction in the next small town and that is where everyone seemed to be heading.
18-years ago, we passed through Mitchell, S.D. and got an outside glimpse of the"a-maize-ing" Corn Palace. Having only a 2-week vacation then, we did not take the time to stop and go inside. This trip, we made a special effort and stayed over 1-night near Mitchell to visit the Corn Palace. Of course, it doesn't look as it did 18-years ago, or even 1-year ago. Each year, the huge corn and grain Murals on the external walls of the building are re-designed with scenes depicting life in South Dakota. Past photos of the Corn Palace can be viewed inside, along with many other Murals. All of these Murals are made entirely of native grains; which is a difficult "corncept" if you don't see it in person. The Murals require thousands of bushels of corn, grasses, straw, milo and sourdock to create each year. There are 5-colors of corn grown in the nearby area to supply the decorated Corn Palace. The first Corn Palace was constructed in 1892 by early settlers who wanted to display their crops on the building's exterior to show the fertility of the region's soil and entice more settlers to the area. At that time, Mitchell's population was 14,500. Now, more than 500,000 visitors come to the Corn Palace annually.
	The "story" in these Murals to the left depict the lifestyles of two different cultures joining together: to the left, the Settler with his Church, Cattle, and Bible and to the right, the Native American Indian's Ti-Pi, Buffalo, and Spiritual symbol.
If you look closely, a gift shop covers the floor of a Basketball Court. This building is used for many activities and special events. In the winter, it is used for Basketball....And the name of the Basketball team? Yep, that would be The Mitchell Kernels, of course! Wearing bright yellow jerseys! They say in the literature that in Central South Dakota, farming and agriculture hold their attention for 3 seasons a year---but Basketball is "king" once harvest is over..
	Just a closer view of one of the inside Murals above the gift shop area.
Yes, it's a tourist "trap" and a bit "corny" if you think about it; but seeing the workmanship of this building and knowing the history behind it's construction was well worth the stopover. I'm glad we took the time to visit South Dakota's A'maizing Corn Palace!!!
Looking back at these travel days, I can't believe where the time has gone and how much I have forgotten by not keeping up with the Kronicle's writings. I am relying on my memory and Larry's and some quick notes in a daily journal, brochures gathered along the way and such. But there is much more to come. Our activities in South Dakota will fill the next several Kronicle's; we spent quite a few days there and still didn't see everything, but we had a great time. So keep reading, Kronicle's #24 and #25 are coming along shortly...10 years from now I'm really going to be glad I wrote all this down.
How are all of my Reader's doing out there? We love getting emails from you all too! More later...Karla and Larry

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