WE'RE OFF, BUT NOT VERY FAR

Because we have planned our first nights stop just 75 miles over the border in Grand Forks. we got off to a late start today.  We heard of this relatively new RV Park just across the Red River in East Grand Forks, Minnesota, that we want to check out.  But, this is a town that is so close to home that we have always been reluctant to stop because we have just gotten started, or on the way home we are so close to home we are always anxious to get home and unpack. 

 

Apparently after their devastating flood of 1997 an area of flooded homes along the Red River flood plain, were deemed not viable to rebuild as they would always be subject to flooding.  The town expropriated them and tore them down, leaving all the mature trees and plantings, the infrastructure of streets and lighting, etc.  etc. and turned the area into an RV park.  We have certainly always wanted to check this out.  

After all these years of talking about it we are taking the time to do this and stay over night and see the rebuild of the devastated Downtown of Grand Forks that we saw being so decimated on TV as it was happening. So this was our opportunity to do this.  We finally found it, low on gas and glad to be off the road for the day. 

Well, as Robert Burns said, (and I paraphrase) "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry."  We arrived at that park and it turned out that it "Closed for the Season", the day before we arrived.  ggrrr.  

It was a very nice looking park, and I would certainly recommend it it everyone.  And the lady park ranger we dealt with went out of her way to call a privately run campground and told them to hold a spot and gave us directions. 

 

So Dan added gas and off we went to a crappy  private ownership campground that charged us $33.00 for the night. 

 

 Next stop Sioux Falls.  According to the map there is a State Park symbol with the tent symbol right in Sioux Falls, we'll head for that one.   

 

 

There's the Falls, where's the campground?  Well it turned out that this State Park has no campground.  Just great scenery. 

 

 

We asked around and someone gave us directions to a KOA, "Back the way we came." So, off we went to the KOA, only to find that it too, was "Closed for the season." 

 

We expect this kind of thing when we don't travel south until November or December, but here we are in 70 degree weatheer and we are running into "Closed for the Season".  As we sat in the parking lot debating what to do, a fellow pulled in and gave us directions to a nearby "Yogi Bear, Jellystone Park, just 3 or 4 miles up the road."  So, here we go again. 

  

 

This one turned out to be, not only open, but very nice as well.   With lovely campsites and beautiful views.  Much better than that dump we stayed in last night. 

 

 

Well, we are settled in and relaxing, and lets face it how many of us have been to Sioux Falls and never even seen the falls?  Well now we can say "We have", but I wouldn't recommend hauling a trailer down those winding roads, to get there. 

 

 

Tomorrow we are off to Clinton State Park near Lawrence Kansas.  If we ever do find that elusive State Park that is open, we will stay an extra day.




 

WELL, AT LEAST WE ARE ON OUR WAY