CAMPED ON THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE

May 20, 2008. We are in South Dakota which is the Land of Great Faces and Great Places. Minnesota and Iowa from East, North Dakota from North, Wyoming from South West, Montana from North West are boundary states to South Dakota.

When we drive from Sioux Falls to Pierre for 226 miles for 4 hour and fourty minutes, I would say 90% of the land is either farm land or grass land. The only place I saw a small town was at Sioux Falls and by Missouri river. There are a lot of cows grazing grass. I asked myself many times where people are living in this state. You don't even see people driving on the road for a while. We are driving on I-90. So I tried to figure out the population of South Dakota. Guess how many ? It is only 754,844. The area of South Dakota is also 77, 121 sq. miles and ranked the 16 th largest state in US.I wouldn't surprise now.

The United Sates acquire the area part of the Lousiana purchase in 1803. George Armstrong Custer's expedition discovered gold in French Creek in the black hills. The Dakota territory was split and North and South Dakota become states in 1889.

We have been enjoying South Dakota a lot. It is another big day. We spent time on Sioux falls. It is beautiful. The geological formation around the fall looks pink colour. We can imagine how amazing to see the fall, the pink stone and the green landscape surrounding it. The weather was so nice. We spent around one hour and a half by the fall and started driving to Pierre National grass land. We are going to camp there.

We stopped by at Missouri river. It flows from South Dakota to Nebraska. Another US big river. Missouri river used for transportation by American Indians. Lewis and Clark also used it for transportation on expedition to west searching for Pacific Ocean. I saw this movie before we start our journey to get to know a little bit of American West. It is an amazing expedition. Missouri river is now a source for water based recreation as a result of a series of dams called Oahe Dam.What a beautiful river on a little bit mountainous area with amazing landscape. I love it !!!

We are heading to Pierre National Grass Land. We are going to camp over there. It is going to be the second camping night since we started travelling. We are driving west on I-90. The area is all grass land and farm.

It is 9 PM still still driving to west. Avi is driving and Andy is navigating. We are looking for a camping site. I don't even see a small town. It is a huge grass land. No trees. Many cows are grazing on the field. We made right turn to a gravel road.

I asked Avi whether we are on expedition :-) He said no. we are looking for a camping site. We kept on driving and looking for a camping sight. It was hard to find one. We turned left on another gravel road to see if there is a camping site.We found one.

It is grassy area. I scared snakes. So I didn't like that area. That place turned to be not part of a park but some body's property. So we had to drive Pierre National Grass Land area and find another site. The problem was basically to get the entrance.We figured out the boundary of the park and camped there. As usual Avi fixed tea and pasta for dinner. Thanks avi !! Andy and I put up the tent.

I woke up in the morning to see the area. It was one of the most beautiful nature.God Blessed America. Keep on travelling.