Bonesteel part 1 (Savannah-Sioux Falls)

The following details my trip to and from Bonesteel, South Dakota, a voyage I undertook with the simple mission of finding out why on earth there's a town called Bonesteel in the middle of the Midwest. I called the Chamber of Commerce in the nearby city of Gregory, SD where I was invited to take photos of their Fall Fest, meet the locals, and explore their history during my 3-day stay. Having never traveled to the Midwest before, I figured it was worth writing my impressions. Here is the account.

Day 1 - Savannah to SD
Sitting at the sports bar attached to the hotel after a day of flights, considering the situation so far.

Dropped off at airport by friends gracious enough to accept half a pint of strawberries and a giant bag of Metter pecans as payment for a ride. I'll try to find them something nice during the trip.

Took photos of a couple interesting looking people at the airport after a Bloody Mary lent me the confidence. Still not enough to approach the girl dressed entirely in leopard print (striking), but somebody else admired her enough to stop and take her photo, so at least it was preserved.. vaguely worried about TSA tackling me for in-airport-photography- not sure what the rules are there- and anxious about my camera sustaining any sort of damage. Packed away neatly. Completed the book I brought, now it exists as dead weight for the remainder of my trip.

Interesting people at the SAV airport. I did ask them permission.

Boarding the flight to SD from TX. Professionally dressed man about my age, speaking with urgency to authorities on his phone, oblivious to other passengers. Explaining that his mother was not where she was supposed to be, and he was worried that she might hurt herself. "The rest of the family has left already." Sounded like a nursing home situation. During the flight, his anxiety manifested in restless legs and, upon landing, immediate follow up call to continue efforts in her recapture. I'd have wished him luck, but I didn't feel I should have overheard the situation to begin with. 

Other events during airtime: rollercoaster turbulence for a few minutes (passengers clutched their armrests in rigid terror, the guy sitting next to me giggling), some sort of medical emergency that necessitated three flight attendants nursing some passenger's crisis, impossible to tell from the back of the plane, airplane bathroom where the light didn't go on, leaving me in the cool blue "standby" lights making it appear in the world's smallest nightclub's bathroom, old ladies reading saucy tabloids, their finished plastic soda cups poised in midair waiting for the trash collection to roll through.

Girls with flat plastic carrying cases on the plane- I asked, what's inside? One girl in blue uniform replied, "my cowboy hat." The South Dakota University equestrian team represented- after landing, in that agonizing period waiting for the first class passengers to slowly, confusedly remove their luggage from the overhead compartments, the usual impatience growing in the back of the plane from people who have connections to make. Standing in the aisles, as if that will make the process go faster: a rotund elderly fellow turned and called to the entire plane "how about it, girls?" and called university team cheer unknown to me. Everyone else seemed in on the joke.

Having landed in South Dakota, asked the Alamo rental receptionist where I could grab a bite, given the hour. Not a chain restaurant but something local. He recommended a Mexican restaurant (we're about as far from Mexico as it is possible to be in this country?) I said I'd consider it but forgot its name within seconds. Signs on airport walls proclaiming pheasant hunting season and upcoming rodeos. Cowboy hats, boots worn unironically. The air smells of horses. Welcome to South Dakota.

Driving an unfamiliar car in an unfamiliar city in weather about 20 degrees cooler than my departure point. Dressed inappropriately for the chilly mist, driving carefully through the dark, hoping traffic laws are roughly equivalent from where I departed. Lines on road very difficult to see- not many streetlights.

Huge cow statues loom over the main road on the drive into town. WELCOME TO SIOUX FALLS reads a small, but brilliantly white sign in the grass. Agriculture obviously drives commerce here. Cattle cars parked across the airport. Very few cars on the road. 

After check-in at hotel (half hotel, half convention center/pool? Families still playing in the pool at 10:45pm), freshened up and headed down to the sports bar connected to the building. No sense in seeking local cuisine, too tired. Seats 250, only 4 people in here. The bartender, Liz from El Salvador, told me when the rodeo is in town, it's jam packed.. else there may be 60 customers all day. There are evidently lots of Central Americans living here. After betraying my heritage (medio Uruguayo) she shifted to Spanish and I knowingly nodded to her rapid description of how they came about living here. In all honesty I only caught half of the story. I did understand that the climate is not to her liking. Not really to mine, either.

Two ladies calling drink recommendations across the bar "do a White Russian with root beer!" (Root pronounced "rut") "tastes like a root beer float!" The chicken is dry and broccoli uninspired (I think this is a chain restaurant, but hell, it's the only thing open.) Two baseball teams I don't care about, Yankees and Diamondbacks, duke it out on one of several enormous multi-screen monitors. I'm inclined to root (rut) for the Diamondbacks, not necessarily because I'm on their turf, but because Yankees fans are the worst. This chicken is awfully dry but it's late and I imagine the restaurant crew wants to go home.

Tomorrow I take on the 2.5 hour drive to Gregory, SD through Yankton Reservation (trivia: in the movie Tremors, Fred Ward wears a trucker hat that reads "Yankton, SD"), passing Bonesteel SD- my namesake- to shoot photos of the regional Fall Fest.. itinerary includes, in capital letters, "POLKA BAND!!" further down, "6:45 Winners of the soups and pie will be announced." I hope the earnestness that I perceive from their community is genuine, something that defines this region like "southern hospitality" does the Deep South. At any rate, I'm looking forward to getting some rest and making a go of it tomorrow. Final thoughts: the hot water works shockingly well, despite the dated (20 year old bathroom, 30 year old carpet) amenities. Nearly scalded myself brushing my teeth.