Fly Traps in the Prairie

August 20-21, 2019

Camden State Park, Lynd, Minnesota

Day 67-68

Can’t seem to get rid of these flies! Need to pick up some strips later.

Ended up leaving around 10:30am and got to De Smet around 12nn. Stopped into the Laura Ingalls Wilder school house; it's the first house her family lived in before moving to their homestead nearby. (A replica of the homestead is now a museum – we didn’t go to that.)

De Smet's website is really nice. So, good in fact, I was excited to go there, even though I didn’t read the books. Basically, it oversold downtown. Many businesses were vacant and other than a Subway franchise, there was only one other café on the main street. Oh, and a good hardware store that had fly paper. I was really disappointed; it was depressing. They have so much potential to upsell their “Little House on the Prairie” history. I'm not saying they should be like Medora or Virginia City, but they could be like that if they wanted. I guess if I read her books when I was younger, I would have been more interested. I wouldn't stop here again even if I was passing thru.

We get back on the road about 1:30pm and get to our next pit stop about 3pm, just over the border in Minnesota. I love driving back roads and towing the Airstream. It feels so liberating. The drive is easy and very green. Most of the drive is thru small towns with small farms, nothing terribly scenic but pleasant enough. Topography is changing. I see a lot of sunflowers, soybeans and more corn. It's so lush and there's water everywhere. This is the land of 10,000 lakes but due to recent flooding, there's even more water. On the radio they're advertising a huge concert at the Corn Palace this weekend – Dakota Fest – featuring Clint Black, Trae Akins and Blood Sweat and Tears.

We are at a State Park tonight with electric only, but no internet. It’s hot and humid so my air conditioner is a welcomed relief. The park is clean, lush and the rangers are really nice. I set up 2 fly traps before we head off for playtime. One trap is fly paper roll. The other is a bag that you add warm liquid too and hang; the flies go in the top thru holes and they can’t fly out of. It stinks and hoping it works.

This park has a swimming pond with a beach, but dogs are not supposed to go in it. The river beside it runs too fast for people, let alone dogs. Ugh. Fortunately, there are only two families here; I check with them then sneak Sparky in to cool off. The water is so clear and refreshing. We play ball for a bit, but it’s too hot to continue.

Back at the trailer, it looks like the fly traps have not started working yet; however, the trailer is cool. Thank goodness I have two air conditioners (two zones), it really cools down the rig quickly! It’s actually too chilly inside, so I open the windows and shut off the AC. Now it's perfect.

Looking around, there are about 8 other families here. Park feels safe, and I see the ranger making his rounds. I don’t unhitch because this is just a one-nighter on the way to an all Airstream camp in St Cloud, about 1 hour outside Minneapolis - which I am super excited about.

I need to go grocery shopping tomorrow, so I make the most of what limited rations I have left. I toast some tortillas on the burners and smash some avocados and garnish with fleur de sel. Sublime. Finish that off with some chocolate and milk (soy). I am really looking forward to picking up some better groceries tomorrow. I am craving good produce.

Music stations are now more rock (pop and classic) than country. Most country stations are top 20. Haven’t found anything worth listening to and TV has no reception. Oh, well.