Day 5 and the Strange Beauty that is Sioux Falls

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Walmart Cashier: Welcome to Walmart! Did you find everything you were looking for?

Thelma: Yes, thank you. We don’t need a bag for the Venus Flytrap.

Cashier: (Scanning eclectic mixture of consumer goods.) That is sure a lot of Band-Aids and Neosporin you’ve got there.

Thelma: Four-square accident. And I’m still healing from sticking my tongue out at Louise through the metal grate on the prison van.

Cashier: I guess that can happen. I’m going to need to get a price check on this vanilla vodka, though.

Thelma: It’s not for the Four-square victim, I assure you. We’re making Sangria to choke down some cheap wine and a whole lot of Paducah peaches. Long story.

Cashier: I bet. I don’t really think I need to hear it. (Pauses.) Do you have a coupon for this industrial size box of Lucky Charms and 6 dozen donuts?

Thelma: No. We are willing to pay full price to just throw a bunch of sugar and a baby wipe in the back of the RV and hope for the best at this point.

Cashier: I hope the cereal doesn’t get caught in the case of fly paper you’ve got.

Thelma: Needed probably in no small part to the new breakfast strategy when we are on the road.

Cashier: Oh, do you not live here?

Thelma: No, we live in Nashville.

Cashier: (Stops. Stares blankly. Even a little menacingly.) Then why are you here?

Thelma: (Gulps.) Visiting. Just passing through on our way to Yellowstone….

And that has been the odd reaction of everyone we’ve met here in Sioux Falls. They seem to be in annoyed disbelief even before we get to the part about the 9 kids in an RV thing. They are not impressed or even slightly interested in tourists here; which is surprising because Sioux Falls is absolutely beautiful. Falls Park is this amazing gem that you never heard of, and I suppose residents want to keep it a secret. The downtown is bustling with cool shops and restaurants, and there is art everywhere. I’d love an extra day here to do more exploring but I don’t think they’re wild about the 19 flip flops on the welcome mat.

So today was a refuel, restock and recharge day–not just at Walmart, but we saw a movie, ate lunch out and did all the laundry because tomorrow we pull up stakes early and head west to the Corn Palace, the Badlands, and the spousal units who fly in to Rapid City to join up with this crew of merrymakers.

So ignore the minor cuts and bruises and that hot mess that is your daughters’ hair, Darling Husbands. We’re having peach sangria for four around the campfire tonight.

*Louise posted awesome pictures on Facebook, and one of our teenaged passengers has started an Instagram just for the trip. #Mtfischmore_Henrystone