| Date & Weather | 6/24/02 (Mon), | Check Out | 7:30 AM (CST) |
| Milage & Route | St. Cloud, MN - Mitchell, SD | Check In | 7:00 PM (CST) |
| Motel | Motel 6 | ||
Missouri River and Great Plains - North Dakota & South Dakota Although just driving through a part of North Dakota and South Dakota mainly
along I -29, I could find out these two states have some common natural
resources, history, and heritage. They are "Missouri River and Lewis
& Clark Expedition" and "Great Plains & Native Americans."Missouri River, which runs across these two states, was the river on which Lewis & Clark traveled upstream west. The official travel guides of both states introduce the Lewis & Clark Trails along Missouri River as one of the most recommended sightseeing spots. According to the guide  of North Dakota, Lewis & Clark spent more time in North Dakota than
other states. By the way, as to their expedition, l've had a wrong idea;
I've thought it was good way for them to use boats on river because it
seems easier than to walk or to ride. However, I've never understood that
they went up the river, not down the river. It is unbelievable to go up
the river for a long way. So, I think what a deep emotion they had when
they reached the final goal, Fort Clastop, Washington. Now, I strongly
want to look at that place. Next, I also see boundless grassland along interstate highways today. It is for five days that  I've seen these views. So, here is a part of "Great Plains" including North Dakota, South
Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas. Especially, South Dakota is famous not only "Little Town on the Prairie" but also "Dance with Wolves." To tell the truth I've never read and watched them. Anyway, these regions were the places where Native Americans used to mainly live following Buffalo. As to it, travel guides in both states told me that Dakota itself means "people of Sioux" who are one of main Native Indians' tribes. Although they had freely used these lands, they were expelled from there due to the West Expansion. Since I heard "Dance with Wolves" tells that story I want to watch it as soon as possible after finishing this journey. Now I'm looking at a map. So far the map has just showed me the name of cities and the direction of roads. However, I can strangely find some words, "Clark" and "Sioux," from it. |
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| What I Learned Today - South Dakota is called "the Land of Great Faces and Great Places" | |||