Sioux Falls South Dakota 6-13-09

Last Saturday on June 13, 2009 we took a ride to the Falls for which the city was named. It is a charming setting on the Big Sioux River. From an observation tower you can catch a view of the city and the rock formations surrounding the falls.

An old hydr-electric plant was converted into a coffee shop overlooking the falls. The view behind the falls is of the big John Morrell packing plant.

A free trolley takes visitors around the town for about a half an hour. There are many interesting older buildings. My friend from work who grew up in Sioux Falls told me that she went to high school in what is now the Art / Science Center; a pretty 3 story building of dark gray granite. My friend said some forty years ago, girls wore dresses to school and the boys enjoyed looking up the staircases as the girls came down to go to their next classes.

The city is clean and inviting. We stopped back the next day at the Arts / Science Center to lift the car on a platform using the principle of leverage. The car was suspended from one end of a beam using mechanical advantage of the lever. Using leverage one person can pull on the rope at the end of the lever and lift up the car. I tried it. It wasn't even heavy.

There are sculptures all around the town. People can vote on their favorites. The city buys the people's choice from the artist and it becomes part of the city.

We stopped downtown one morning before the dance at a cafe on main street and enjoyed eggs benedict as we watched a few people walking around the downtown. It is such a peaceful place.

Stan describing the Sioux Falls park.


Pow Wow
We learned at a rest stop on the drive to Sioux Falls that in addition to the Polka Fest at the fairgrounds there was an Indian Pow Wow. While making a waffle for breakfast at our hotel a Native American invited us to come to the Pow Wow, which was open to the public, to honor all Vetrans. He suggsted we try an Indian Taco while there.

We took a break from Polka dancing and walked to the outdoor stadium to the PowWow. A man was announcing the songs that were being played. Groups of mostly men sitting in a circle round a big drum took turns in a fast paced sequence playing, chanting and pounding out a beat. I didn't even know their songs were different. That must be what they think when they hear Polka music. That is all sounds so strange and alike.

We tried the Indian Taco. It was tender fried bread layered with seasoned ground beef, lettuce, cheese and tomato. It was delicious. I tried it another day at a restaurant, but it didn't compare to the freshness at the PowWow.

Road home through Valentine Nebraska with a stop off at Brian Bridge