Day 2 - Big Drive to South Dakota!

Today we covered just over 500 miles. We left the hotel in Madison and took a short drive through downtown, took a quick look at the capitol building and got Eve some Starbucks. Madison looks like a great city that we'd like to visit again and spend some time there. But we had an agenda and putzing around Madison was not on it. We drove up past the Dells and made a quick stop at Lake Delton to see the worlds largest pink flamingo at the Flamingo Motel. Oh what a sight to behold! Eve and the kids also did a little souvenir shopping for some post cards and whatnot. Right at the Wisconsin-Minnesota border was a nice rest stop on the Mississippi River and we stopped there and had some lunch. From there we scooted on across Minnesota making just one more stop in Blue Earth Minnesota to view the 53 foot tall Green Giant statue. Was it more impressive than the Flamingo? Well, I guess that just might be a matter of personal preference. From there it was just over 200 miles to Mitchell, SD and we drove it straight through arriving in Mitchell just after 6pm. We checked in to the hotel and then drove a mile or so into the downtown area to view the a-maize-ing Corn Palace. It really has to be seen to be believed. We were sorry to discover that the Enchanted Doll museum was still not operating on their post Memorial Day schedule and had closed at 6pm. So we returned to the Holiday Inn for what was, without a doubt, the worst dinner of the trip. I just cannot recommend the Dakota Roadhouse restaurant. Gentle reader, I'll spare you the details and you can thank me later! The kids and I hit the pool and hot tub for our daily swim & soak and we are gonna call it a night. Tomorrow should be pretty cool. Only 350 miles to cover and we will visit our first National Park, the Badlands of South Dakota and then cruise on into the Black Hills to see Mt Rushmore and whatever else the hills have to offer.