Chamberlain-Oacoma South Dakota

Hi again, ZigZags We stayed in Oacoma last night, intending to go see Dignity and then head toward Rapid City /Sturgis for tonight. I had wanted to go to Pierre and head north into North Dakota but that is a pretty desolate route and I worry about the availability of motels--as you well know from the pix, some of these places have a grain elevator and call it good enough. I can do that with Bill but don't feel as secure with Barb. So, we'll head to places I know will have lots of options but won't make a reservation so we can stop when we want. Then I'll take us north into North Dakota and pick up the Interstate into Montana. When we awoke this morning, it was thunder, lightening and rain. Not a wonderful situation to see Dignity but I said to Barb, there are other things here, why don't we just stop for a day and relax. If it clears up we'll see her later in the day. She agreed. We got pretty friendly with Rhonda, the daytime manager or desk clerk not sure which. Talked cars and travels and oceans and where we've lived, jewelry. Just a really nice lady. She put our ice packs back in the motel freezer and we took off to the South Dakota Hall of Fame. Kind of interesting--art pictures and a quiz for you Jane. Then we headed to St Joseph's Indian School and the Akta Lakota Museum and Cultural Center. The museum is set in a time line that takes a circular path. It gives a living lesson on the Native American way of life--particularly the Plains Indians. It reflects the four cardinal colors and directions of the Lakota. East ( Yellow ) depicts life prior to the arrival of Euro-Americans. South ( Red ) deals with the arrival of Euro-American explorers, missionaries, traders and settlers in the early 1800's. West ( Black ) Deals with the " deals " made with the US Government with the concomitant loss of traditional lands, treaties and maps out current reservation lands. North ( White ) illustrates Native American adaptation to their new way of life while preserving their traditions and heritage. I particularly love the two pictures of the young Native boys--the one during the Red period and the one in the current White period. Then on the same campus we visited the Church of Our Lady of the Sioux with its paired stained glass windows--one representing traditional rites and activities beside the Catholic presence today. By the time we finished these three museums, the sun had come out and off we went across the wide Missouri to, at least, sit at the foot of Dignity. This was the main reason we had taken such a large Zag from our Northern route. She is magnificent. And Huge. Visible from the Interstate going Eastward and Westward. When coming from the West one has to exit the Interstate at Chamberlain and get back on the road Eastward to the rest area. Leaving the rest area the Interstate is accessible in both directions. We are going back tonight to see her illuminated. It was nice to just take it easy today. I'll even get a chance to redo my nails which have gotten terribly chipped and eat at a normal time and even read a bit. I called Bill, too. All in all, a wise move. Thank you rainfall. Oh, yes, the Sinclair brontosaurus is for Glen!! As is the old car that they've recycled as an interesting museum piece in the Hall of Fame. So, signing off for the day. Tomorrow off we go into the Farther West--mountains soon. Oh, joy! Love looking at them--don't like driving through them. Later, BarbZig and KatZag sS dakp