Day 4

Today we continued our drive west and G3 started a new book, The Martian by Andy Weir. I’m so glad he enjoys reading enough that he can fill the long hours with it. Yesterday, he finished the six Warrior Cat book. I am one book behind him and he is very excited that Kati started the first book in the series. Last night, before bed, she said she was going to start it and he did the most adorable dance at the campsite because he was so happy.

Our first stop today was Pipestone National Monument. The pipestone is sacred to the Native Americans. They carve pipes out of the stone. Some tribes believe the buffalo first led them to the quarry. The quarry was used for hundreds of years by Native American tribes all over the country. It was a place of peace so even warring tribes would lay down their weapons in the quarry. It is still an active quarry today for tribes that are recognized by the Federal Government. While there, we saw a demonstration by an artist who carves pipes. We also took a walk around the quarry.

A short drive brought us into South Dakota. It is the twenty second State G3 has been to which means he averages two states per year. Not bad for an 11 year old. When we crossed the boarder we had to remind G3 that any discussion of politics is forbidden:

Me: We are in the heart of Republican territory. They all love Trump. Do NOT say anything bad about him.

Kati: And they all have guns, so you really have to be careful about what you say.

When I was getting my MFA in writing, my professor asked everyone in my class which writer influenced us most. Who did we read that made us say, “I want to be a writer.” My classmates all answered with names that proved they were far more sophisticated than I. When it was my turn, I answered, “Laura Ingalls Wilder.” My professor didn’t respond. She didn’t have to. Her face said it all. I wanted to be a writer and Laura was my inspiration. I don’t think she had much hope for me.

Needless to say, a trip to her home was mandatory. I wanted to visit her home in Minnesota and South Dakota, but G3 wanted to see Pipestone and seeing both houses and Pipestone would have meant a longer detour than we wanted. So I agreed to only visit De Smet. Perhaps, I can visit Walnut Grove some other time.

I admit, I was giddy when we pulled up to the visitor’s center. I’ve wanted to visit her home for years, ever since I was younger than G3 and obsessed with the TV show. As you know, I didn’t much like to read as a kid. In second grade, Dad bought me three of her books from the scholastic magazine. He told me when I finished reading them he’d buy me the rest. Well, they sat in my room until college when I finally learned to love reading. But apparently there was a statute of limitations on his promise. He thought at twenty I was too old to be reading them. I bought them myself anyway and then read the first two to G3 when he was little. But I digress.

The tour of the historic houses was enjoyable…always a way to connect with the dead. What I enjoyed most was seeing the little one room school house that Laura attended. And best of all, I learned she was 65 when her fist book was published. I guess there is still hope for me.

For dinner, we stopped at a truck stop off the interstate in the middle of nowhere. We ate in the car and watched a storm move in. The wind was so fierce it nearly blew me away when I walked across the parking lot.

Please forgive my typos. There may be more than usual but I tapped this out on my phone and I have fat fingers.