AL'S OASIS-CORN PALACE-SIOUX FALLS

SATURDAY, AUGUST, 29, 2009
No Hurry to get up....Plan to leave around 10 AM. I got up and started to work on Blog....uploading photos....It takes about one hour just to sort through photos I want to use to express what I want to show for a given day. Wilma is up...Had breakfast..Getting ready to leave. Check out time is 10 AM....Was watching TV......as we were getting our stuff together....and...then all the power went out.....lights....tv.....everything....THOUGHT, Well that's a good way to make sure every one checks out by 10:am. Laughed.......never had that happen before.

Went to get gas next store....no power for pumps.....Told to go 2 miles down the road....did so.....no power in region...OH...OH....I need gas.....was close to running out......Told to go to next town.....about 10 miles down the road.....In this part of the country.....it seems that there is nothing but flat.....flat....flat...fields......But there it was.....a gas station that had power......and gas.....THANK YOU LORD!

GREAT PLAINS-AL'S OASIS
THE NAVIGATOR looked at the map and said, Let's go see this NATIONAL GRASSLAND .........IT'S ONLY 20 MINUTES UP off the road...if we don't see it in 20 minutes we can turn around. UH.....UH.....THE DRIVER ..already in debt to THE NAVIGATOR for gallons of STARBUCKS COFFEE....OBEDIENTLY agreed without one word of questioning........17 miles into finding this GRASSLAND...THE NAVIGATOR decided to turn back ....there is nothing here......so once again THE DRIVER obediently turned around and headed back to to I-90 and on the way to AL'S OASIS.

AL'S OASIS-CORN PALACE
I was also advised by my expert Connoisseur of Doughnuts to make sure I stop at AL'S OASIS and try their BUFFALO BURGERS.......(I wonder how PETA would feel about this or other CONSERVATIONISTS think about this?) But my strong sense of "SAVE THE ANIMALS" was finally overcome when I saw that AL'S OASIS advertised .05 cents coffee....So we pulled into AL'S OASIS with high expectations..After all our expert connoisseur had highly recommended that we make this stop. We ordered coffee......soup.....and ONE BUFFALO BURGER...... I looked around to see if there were any PETA people around, and then THE NAVIGATOR picked up the "BUFFALO BURGER" .....bit into it.....and quickly set it down.....looked around....and then unobtrusively (good word--not sure it fits...but sounds good) began to chew.

Took a sip of coffee......ugh.....ugh.......now I know why they sell the coffee for .05....In all fairness to Al's Oasis....the Bean soup was good.......Sorry......EXPERT CONNOISSEUR......Burger was dry.....dry....dry......Coffee tasted like chlorine. What can I say......my...conscience....demands that I express and objective honest opinion......

We left AL'S OASIS thankful that it was a good rest stop......where I took 20 minutes to sleep and THE NAVIGATOR.SHOPPED.

CORN PALACE was our next stop. We arrived while they were having their annual festival. Fortunately we were able to park behind the CORN PALACE. They were going to have a concert in the Corn Palace so we were not allowed to see the stage. However, one of the ushers agreed to take pictures of the auditorium for us...Good to see the PALACE AGAIN after 54 years.

OLD PHOTO OF CORN PALACE AND NEW AND STAGE
What a big difference. Corn Palace was built in 1892. Two men, a Louis Beck & L.O. Gale thought of the idea to promote the corn crops that were raised in the area. It also was a means of attracting immigrant farmers to the area. What is unique, (and I just found it out) each year a new decorating theme is chosen and the outside of The Corn Palace is stripped and redecorated with new corn and grain. (I BET YOU DIDN'T KNOT THAT) Over the summer, 3000 bushels of Milo, rye, oat heads, and sour dock are tied in bundles and attached. The corn murals have to wait until late summer when the corn crop is ready. Over a half million ears of corn are sawed in half and nailed to the building following patters created by local artist. What you see.....well take a look.

CORN PALACE-ME-FESTIVAL
Time to get to Sioux Falls.....where we are staying with Ardis, (sister-in-law). Finally arrived there after supper....Good to see Ardis......Then Debbie (THE EXPERT CONNOISSEUR OF DOUGHNUTS) and her daughter Nina (terrific award winning golfer who is in her second yr. of College) drove up from Colman to see us....Nina goes back to College in the AM (Sunday) Good to see them both. Will see Debbie (THE EXPERT CONNOISSEUR OF DOUGHNUTS) on Sunday and her son MAX. (a smart running back and starter on his High School Football team...and an observant young man, too)

FESTIVAL-SIOUX FALLS-NINA & ARDIS
Time is late....we lost an hour in the time change.....Good to be here...two day of rest....catch up on blog.....