Trip Description: Today, we explored around the capital area (Pierre). We awoke around 9 and had a pancake breakfast. Our first stop was the LaVerendrye Monument. The picture below describes the importance of the spot. The lead tablet is in the Heritage Museum in Pierre. We saw it Tuesday.
After that, Laura and I did some housekeeping chores. We rfilled our water tank and washed our laundry. In the heat of the day, we had the bright idea to take a hike. The temperature was in the upper 90's today, but the wind was strong. We hiked on LaFramboise Island. It is a rather large island in the Missouri River
between Pierre and Ft. Pierre. The terrain is flat, but the heat slowed us down. We rested for awhile at the pavilion before meeting cousin Dave and family for dinner. We ate at Mesa Diner, where Dave's daughter Sheena is employed. The food was good. After dinner, Dave drove us around the area and pointed out various attractions. We drove to Oahe Dam, a huge earthen dam across the Missouri just upstream of Pierre. There are some campgrounds in that area. We also stopped at the state capital. There is a flaming fountain near the war memorials. The fountain is an artesian well that produces water and methane gas. It became more impressive as the sun set behind the hills. It is now after eleven in the evening. We're both tired from a day of sightseing in the heat. Tomorow, we plan to reach the Black Hills.
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