Day 31 – Tuesday 6/28/22

Onawa, Iowa to Elk Point, South Dakota – 71.8 Miles

Today was the end of a calendar month on the road. I left for Seattle on May 29 and wanted to do something memorable today to acknowledge that. When I checked the maps last night, reaching South Dakota was a possibility. There’s a tiny piece of South Dakota not too far from Sioux City which looked obtainable. Getting there would be the equivalent of just breaking the plane of the goal line rather than catching a ball deep in the end zone. Still, it was another state to add to the list, if I could make it.

I loaded up the gear and left camp at 7:35. It was a joy to find that the wind was blowing strongly to the north, and that the roads were level.

Signs can inform, direct or warn. Some are just confusing.

The wind was blowing in the direction I wanted to go. That’s good.

The town of Sloan appeared at 20 miles. Everything in town is farm-centered, with the elevators and RR tracks the tip off,

I didn’t stay for long in Sloan, as I wanted to get to the Sergeant Floyd Monument in Sioux City. Sergeant Charles Floyd was the only member of the Lewis and Clark expedition to not make it home. On August 20, 1804, he died of complications from a ruptured appendix, an untreatable medical issue in those days. He was buried by the rest of the group, but flood waters from the Missouri disturbed the original gravesite several times. His fourth burial was his last and he looks down on Interstate 29 today.

I had some trouble navigating out of Sioux City. The ACA map directed me towards a park entrance that was no longer there, due to extensive construction. I had to reroute myself through town and lost half an hour. When I picked up the path again, the Missouri River was in view.

North of Sioux City I was getting evidence that South Dakota was nearby.

Two miles later I crossed the Big Sioux River and into South Dakota.

South Dakota didn’t welcome me. Just got a different state road sign and a new county.

Arriving in Jefferson, one family had a nice-looking house.

Lots of farms and trains on the 10-mile ride to Elk Point.

Elk Point is a small town but has local businesses that keep it prosperous. Population is about 1,960. The Hometowne Inn provided tonight’s room while Ollie’s Drive Inn took care of the food.

Now that I’m in South Dakota, the next push is towards Pierre, a little over 300 miles away. The distances between towns and towns with services is greater in this part of the country, so planning ahead is important to make sure I don’t end up out of options in the wilderness. Thanks for reading!