Month: June 2021
Sioux Falls & Pipestone

Sioux Falls & Pipestone

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Hey Guys!!

After we finished our Tennessee loop, we headed back to Missouri for a couple of weeks while we prepped to head north to South Dakota. We were trying to time our South Dakota visit so that we not only missed the massive summer crowds but also avoided the summer hail storms. We found out from another traveling family that South Dakota has some hellacious hail storms during the summer…and not just the small pea sized hail…no, they said it was golf ball sized hail and that they experienced a storm every afternoon while they’d been in South Dakota. Thanks but no. I think we’ll pass on that weather.

One of the projects we did while we were back in Missouri was install a shelf on the side of our kitchen counter for extra space. Guys, I don’t know why we didn’t do this six years ago when we first started this whole nomad/tiny kitchen life. We found an untreated board at a local hardware store and sanded/stained it then had Nicholas (our youngest) draw our logo on it. I think he did a great job! We love the finished product! And Y’all…we totally use this extra space daily. It’s been so nice to have.

Our first stop on our South Dakota loop was Sioux Falls. That was too far to drive in one day so we stopped in the Omaha, NE area for a quick visit to some friends (waves to Omaha friends…you know who you are) before heading on the next day. One of the best things about living in a home-on-wheels is having the ability to visit family and friends who live all over the country.

The entire reason we stayed in Sioux Falls was to visit Pipestone National Monument. I feel like these small parks are usually overlooked, but Guys, they’re worth the trip. Especially this one.

Pipestone National Monument was brought into the protection of the National Park Service in 1937 to preserve the site where, for many generations, various American Indian tribes have come to quarry the red pipestone used to make the pipe bowls for their ceremonial pipes.

“When you pray with this pipe, you pray for and with everything.” ~Black Elk~ (not pictured)

The various tribes have differing beliefs, but many believe that when you pray with a ceremonial pipe, your prayers are carried to the Great Spirit with the smoke from the pipe.

Archeologist have found evidence that the area of Pipestone National Monument has been used for over 3,000 years. This area is still considered sacred to twenty-three different Tribal Nations & Indigenous peoples from all across the country. These tribes keep their traditional quarrying practices alive as they come back to Pipestone NM time and again to quarry for the pipestone. This park remains an active quarry site and is considered sacred ground to these Tribal Nationals and Indigenous peoples so if you go, please respect that and go with a humble heart and an open mind to learn about their beliefs, culture, and traditions.

There’s a short hike you can take through the tallgrass prairie to get up-close to some of the red pipestone. The day we went it was cold (no one bothered to take jackets because we weren’t expecting it to be that cold) and rainy, but we still made the short hike. It was totally worth it and we highly recommend it.

There are some rock formations that have names. I always appreciate it when a park puts up signs that help you figure out which rock they’re talking about. It’s always helpful!

If the amazing red rocks don’t impress you (and they totally should) then the Winnewissa waterfall will. The whole park really is beautiful and has a peaceful vibe. We encourage everyone to make a trip to Pipestone National Monument to learn and appreciate the history, culture and traditions this park protects and preserves.

On our last night in Sioux Falls we found Falls Park where you can see the falls that the city is named for and what remains of the Queen Bee Mill. It’s a great place to get some fresh air and walk around…right in the middle of the city.

The most exciting thing we did while in Sioux Falls was celebrate Alex’s (our middle kiddo) graduation from high school! We’re so very proud of the young man he’s becoming and I know that our travels are a big part of that.

Shall we talk foodies?! We found some great burgers from a few different places, but what stood out the most…and was new for us was the

South Dakota foodie known as chislic! Chislic is deep fried or flash grilled pieces of meat. We had steak chislic, but it can also come in lamb or venison. I’ll admit…I was a skeptic, but it was really good! What we got was an appetizer served with fries and ranch and honestly, it could have been a meal on it’s own.

We only spent a week in the Sioux Falls area, but we could have easily spent two or three weeks. There are several things to go see and do. Hopefully, one day we’ll make it back and finish up our “to see” list!

See y’all down the road!

#NationalParkTour
Tour of Tennessee

Tour of Tennessee

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Hey Guys!!

I’m going to smash the rest of our time in Tennessee into one post. We were able to visit two more battlefields and a cave…and while they’re all really interesting and important places in our history…none of them are really big enough for their own post. I mean, I could go into detail about each battle, but Guys…I’m not here to give y’all an in-depth history lesson. I’m hear to entice you to go visit these places for yourself!

Lets get started!

In September of 1889, close to ten-thousand Union and Confederate Veterans went back to the Chickamauga Battlefield…this time as united countrymen under one flag. This meeting (the Blue & Grey BBQ) led to the creation of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park in 1890…the nation’s very first official Military Park. Originally, the park was managed by the War Department but was turned over to the National Park Service in 1933.

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park is the oldest and largest National Military Park. We spent hours going through the various museums that can be found on park property.

Chattanooga, the gateway to the Deep South, was considered vital to both the Union and Confederate armies. Very little went as planned for either side and thousands of soldiers lost their lives. In the end, the battle at Chickamauga was the last major Confederate victory of the Civil War.

The park service was tasked with preserving the history and telling the stories of the battles that took place during the Chickamauga/Chattanooga battles by giving equal attention to both the Confederate and Union. We’ve always felt like the NPS has done an extraordinary job of staying neutral. They give you the facts that they know from every angle and let you make up your own mind.

While we drove the tour route through the park, we kept seeing acorns on many of the monuments. Being the curious nerds that we are…we learned that the acorn represents General George Henry Thomas’s 14th Army Corps because they stood “like an oak tree” on Snodgrass Hill during the conclusion of the battle. Most corps at this time didn’t have an individual identifying symbol but some did. Later, when Thomas was traveling with General Daniel Butterfield, Thomas asked Butterfield if he would suggest an emblem to represent the 14th Army Corps. Butterfield said, “If I had command of the Fourteenth Corps, which stood firm as an oak at Chickamauga, I would give it the acorn for a badge in honor of its bravery.” As the Union and Confederate Veterans started placing monument within the park, the acorn started to appear.

Russell Cave National Monument preserves an archeological site that represents over 10,000 years of use starting with prehistoric cultures around 6500 BCE and running through 1650 CE. There’s a small museum that has artifacts and reproductions of things found within the cave that show the life and tools used by the people who’ve called the cave home over the years. We really enjoyed the short walk to the mouth of the cave. There are some signs that talk about the different layers of time the archeologist have uncovered. The cave has 7.1 miles of mapped cave system and is considered the 3rd longest mapped cave in Alabama. And…if you go…watch for danger noodles. There were signs everywhere warning about venomous snakes.

The last National Park Unit we explored while we were in Tennessee was the Stones River National Battlefield. Stones River is the site of one of the most bloodiest battles of the Civil War with nearly 24,000 casualties. The battle lasted from December 31, 1862 to January 2, 1863 and is considered a strategic Union victory that bolstered support for the Emancipation Proclamation.

The park preserves only a fifth of the nearly 3,000 acres of the original battlefield and includes a National Cemetery. You’ll also find the Hazen Brigade Monument (1863), the oldest surviving American Civil War monument still standing in its original location. The monument was built by surviving members of William Babcock Hazen’s Brigade to commemorate the battle.

One of the coolest things we found while we were park hopping in Tennessee is the Junior Civil War Historian patch. We’d never heard of it before, but one of the Ranger’s in the visitor center told us about it after he saw Alex in his vest with all of his badges. Usually, you have to ask about any special patches or badges…so it was really nice that this Ranger told us about this hard to get/not made anymore patch. The boys were super excited to add this special patch to their collection.

We didn’t just visit NPS units…we had a lovely Easter and played some new games as well as…

eat ourselves silly. I admit it…we stayed in a couple places purely to eat. What can I say? Foodies are a huge part of our travels. #willtravelforfood

Well, I think that’s it for our tour of Tennessee. We’ll actually be back in Tennessee for a month later this year and we’re excited to get back! We really enjoy the area.

See Y’all down the road!

#NationalParkTour