Corn to Hay - Iowa to S. Dakota - Day 5

Dinner in Fort Dodge nothing to write home about - tired salads (who makes those cardboard croutons?) Weird flavored butters -strawberry, orange, honey- with Parkerhouse-type rolls, glazed with sugar and hard to pair with a steak – which I’m thinking is the only thing you can eat out here. I will start counting the menus that do NOT have mozzarella sticks as appetizer. And I should let you in on my food prejudices – but that is a tome.

But we’re starting to act like oldsters – ohing and ahing over the sorry, but plentiful processed, ConAgra? breakfast selections - thinking “ it’s almost free!!!! I can have all I want” I think maybe we need to find a local place for breakfast and picnic for dinner. But ( maybe another poll - does everyone in America watch Fox?) TV tuned to CBS morning show . I envision a new segment – “Taking America’s Pulse.”

The Iowa landscape reminded us of mid-Ohio. More cornfields, beautiful farms which became less beautiful as we neared the western and northern borders. South Dakota’s corn shorter, less robust – and soon gave way to pasture and hayfields. We had to see the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD – even if another tourist zoo . And Lewis and Clark were catching up with us as we hit the Missouri river. Their encounters with Native Americans - Omahas, Tetons, Sioux, Lakota - becoming problematic, requiring great diplomacy...and Lewis is very lucky to have made this journey at all. We followed the Missouri River to Pierre, a scenic byway – with somewhat fallow land.

Ate excellent Walleye tonight, the only locally produced alternative to steak – in saloon that was too dark for photos – and listened to Classic country – 70’s-80’s. “Four Walls to hold you…..” etc. And I sprang for a homemade Thousand Island dressing (presented in multiple dish server – like Indian condiments) which was just like my mother used to make.

TAKING AMERICA'S PULSE

Mozz dinner appetizer count – 3 of 3 – but that includes Canada.

Fox news count - 2 Fox – and 1 CBS ….of 3 (so far) - motels and stores included

IMAGES - except for the typical Iowa barn, all are captured South Dakota moments.