Mariah

Away out west they've got a name,
for wind and rain and fire,
The rain is Tess, the fire is Jo and they call the wind Mariah...

That song ran through my mind lots and lots today as I crossed the
great plains. I began the day in MN in one of their state parks. It
was a very nice campground but was pricey for a tent space ($20). I
learned to put the tent under trees as the flatter spot was out in the
open but the dew came down like rain in the night so everything was
very wet when I awoke.
I did a fast stop at Spirit Lake, IA and then made it to Pipestone
National Monument in MN. Pipestone is sacred ground for a type of
Sioux Indian. The site is named for a type of stone that was used to
make peace pipes.
From there, I went to Niobraba State Park to get a stamp for the
National Wild and Scenic River (Missouri River). I then came back up
to SD and got on I90 for a short run before nightfall.
The comment about the wind was just because of how windy the plains
are. All day long, the wind was coming hard from the south. It was
challenging to keep a line on the interstate and was even harder when
trucks passed.
While I wasn't on the interstate, I saw how the wind affected the
plants and animals of the area. Cattle herd together in lower areas
so the wind goes over the top of them. Birds fly low to avoid the
wind that increases higher and they also are in lower areas more.
Trees have they branches lengthened in the direction the wind blows.
Tomorrow, I'm hoping to make it to the Badlands and perhaps into WY.

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Todd Ryan; Hudson, MA
Westborough HS Science Teacher
MSF RiderCoach