Day 3 - (8-22-12) - Sioux Falls Park

Sioux Falls Park

Judy Here
Good News our toilet didn't leak last night!

Had a wonderful day today. Went to the Park at Sioux Falls. We spent a couple of hours scrambling around on the rocks around the falls.

The Sioux Falls

Mike and Jim

Sioux Falls Park is located on the big Sioux River in the heart of the city of Sioux Falls. The falls now cover 123 acres. Every second an average of 7,400 gallons of water drop 100 feet over the course of the falls except for this year.  We were very surprised at the small amount of water coming over the falls. We can really tell the Midwest has been in a drought looking at first the corn crops and then the waterfalls.

The highlight of our day was spending time with Charlie and Kay Clever, Dorothy K and her cute little dog, Darby.

Dorothy K

Darling Darby

Had a delicious lunch (prepared by Chef Charles himself) on their deck overlooking Campbell Lake and talked about Punta Gorda and Gulfview all afternoon.

Dorothy, Charles, Kay

Enjoyed all their beautiful flowers and gardens.

Gorgeous Flower Garden

        Hugged them good bye an ended our day with a stimulating visit to the Mitchell Corn Palace.

"The Famous Mitchell Corn Palace"

We were so fortunate to arrive in Mitchell just in time for the world famous Mitchell Corn Festival. Now how much better can it get.

We've Been Framed at the Falls!

Judy and Mike

Mary and Jim

And so ends another wonderful day traveling with wonderful people.  Thank you again Kay and Charles for the most enjoyable luncheon and spending time with the two of you.  We are off to see the Badlands tomorrow and will be staying in Wall, SD

Information on the Mitchell Corn Palace

A different theme is used each year and for the year 2012 it is saluting 'Youth Activities.' The new murals started to go up in June 2011 and continued to be created until about September 2011. The process takes most of the summer because they have to wait for four different crops to be ready to harvest: milo, sourdock, rye and of course12 different colors of field corn! 

As expected another title the Corn Palace holds is and are you ready for this - The World's Largest Bird Feeder. No brainer there.

They offered free guided tours with guides who are full of a-maize-ing facts (like how many nails and staples are used in the decoration process).

Of course the locals take great pride in the Palace's "corn-septual art" and "ear-chitecture." Mitchell isn't called the Corn Capital of the World for nothing.

We did hear that because of the dryness and loss of the corn crop this year they most likely will not change the theme this year.