We're on vacation right now. One of those highly memorable family road trips that makes you question your sanity at times for thinking this would be a relaxing and fun idea.
As we drove and drove and drove across South Dakota, I couldn't help but think how bizarre it is that the difference between Town A, which seems to consist of a cross roads with some sort of farming implement store and nothing else, versus Town B, which is bustling with tourists and all the cheesy shops that cater to them... is a person with a seemingly crazy idea that is then heavily promoted on billboard after billboard with one key word: FREE!
No admission charge is needed. Even parking is free. Because they know that once you're there, they'll sucker you in to spend ridiculous amounts of money on all sorts of useless, and often irrelevant souvenirs.
Example #1: Mitchell
I have to think that whoever came up with the idea for the Corn Palace was able to finance it on his/her own, because can you imagine how the sales pitch would have sounded? Let's take the local arena and decorate it with corn husks and call it a Corn Palace. It'll be great! People from all over the world will pull off the interstate to tour it. The gift shop will make millions!
Yeah, right.
And yet, that's what we did. In 100+ degree heat, we wove our way through town in search of this legendary spot. Once inside, I was stunned to realize how little it was. The other female in the family, however, needed only to spot the gift shop that dominates the arena's center court.
"We can get stuff!" Sydney excitedly announced as she headed down the steps to check out the odd collection of souvenirs.
Maybe it's because I've been reading the Bloggess who often writes about her weird obsession with taxidermied animals, but I couldn't help but notice the very eerie stuffed cats available for purchase.
Just what we need to remind us of our visit to the Corn Palace, a replica of our long deceased tabby, Maddie:
And then we got back in the car and drove another hour to the drug store that put the town of Wall on the map.
"Maybe they have a gift shop," Sydney said hopefully as we headed for the entrance.
"It's nothing but a gift shop," I couldn't help but explain.
Somehow, we resisted the urge to buy any t-shirts, jewelry and any of the other cheap
We were just about back to the parking lot,when the lure of souvenirs became simply too strong for Jeff, sucking him (and the rest of us) into one of those old-fashioned photo place.
It was the highlight of the kids' day. AJ got to hold a gun, and that's simply too exciting for words. Sydney, meanwhile, loved playing dress up, though was a little disappointed that she didn't get to keep any of her costume.
If nothing else, the stops provided good opportunties to stretch our legs and break up the monotony of the long trip. They also provided a powerful reminder of how grateful I am to live somewhere other than a small town in the middle of nowhere with nothing to offer beyond a cheesy tourist attraction.
Yep, nothing but tourist traps. Beware of Crazy Horse. The funny part to me is that Wall Drug started with the original tourist trap - FREE WATER! In the prairie, it's a big deal to have fresh, cold, clean water to drink. The other thing I have to point out from crazy SD trivia is that there used to be an ocean where SD is... therefore you can sometimes find shark teeth on the prairie.
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