Day 8, October 16, 2008

Hello!!! After a good night sleep in Murdo, S.D. Kent barbequed a muffin in the microwave and filled the whole motel loby full of smoke. Everyone there scrambled to open windows and doors to get the smoke out of the motel. He even fried the plate! The motel manager said that was the most unusual event of the year. We left the windy plains of South Dakota, and headed east towards the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D. on Hwy 90. It was a very interesting thing to see. It was first created in the 1800's. Once a year, they have to peel all the corn and other grains off the palace and reapply new ones. The purpose for the grain palace was to show off South Dakota's fertile ground for farming. It costs $130,000 a year to re-grain it. Many of the towns games, meetings, staged shows etc. are hosted there. It even had a gym for the basketball games. The town had many shops relating to the corn palace. We then headed south on Hwy 37 towards Nebraska. Saw field after field of corn and soybeans irrigated only by the Lord's rainfall. It was beautiful. It is ringnecked pheasant season, so there were hunters everywhere. We crossed the Missouri River twice!! It is so big. We stopped at a Lewis and Clark station place that let you look more at the river and read some more on Lewis and Clark. There was a replica of a keel boat. Its a boat that Lewis and Clark used on their journey. It had the supplies etc. that they used on their trip. It was neat to see. We continued south from Hwy 37 to14 towards Hwy 275 east to Norfolk. There is were we stayed. There were so many, as far as we can see, farms, farms, farms. We talked with a farmer at a gas station. He parked his tractor there to get some food. It was fun to see a running tractor. We are continually thankful for the Lord's protection and seeing the beauty of His creation.

Miles: 281