Sioux Falls To Pierre SD

I woke up in the Planet Fitness parking lot to find myself in good company—about a dozen campervans and two tractor-trailers were tucked in nearby, despite the “No Overnight Parking” signs posted on the light poles. I had parked at the far end to get away from a truck running a generator. I can sleep through a lot, but once a generator fires up, I’m wide awake.

I wasn’t especially hungry after the massive Mexican meal the night before, so I headed to the Starbucks just a few hundred feet away in the same plaza. I grabbed a grandé latté, found a large table, and spread out my MacBook to catch up on writing while the morning fog lifted. Most customers were using the drive-through or ordering ahead on the app, so I had the place mostly to myself. The plan for the day was a four-hour drive to Pierre, South Dakota’s capital, and I wanted clearer skies before hitting the road.

By late morning I was back in the van. The wind had picked up, and by noon I was fully committed to making the drive west. Gusts were so strong I struggled to keep the van between the lines. I realized I hadn’t reset the suspension for highway and heavy wind conditions, so I pulled over by an abandoned building to grab a quick photo and make the adjustment. The van handled better afterward, but the wind still kept me on high alert. Later I learned that three tractor-trailers had flipped on the interstate that same day—the gusts were topping 50 miles per hour.

The drive along Route 14 was fascinating, mostly for the way the landscape kept changing. The wind shifted between south and west, kicking up a steady haze of dust. When I was driving directly into it, I noticed the van actually handled better. Tall grasses along the roadside bent in long, rippling waves that showed me where the gusts were coming from. On the horizon, massive wind turbines spun steadily, their blades humming. I thought about how fast those tips must be moving—easily three or four hundred miles per hour. The prairie gave way to rolling hills with little more than tractors at work in the fields and small herds of cattle huddled low to the ground to escape the gusts. The towns along the way—Arlington, Hugo, Highmore—were little more than a scattering of buildings around a grain elevator, reminders of how sparse and spread out life is in this part of the state. Traffic was almost nonexistent, which suited me just fine. This is exactly why I stick to highways like Route 14 and avoid the Interstates whenever I can.

Coming into Pierre, the road dropped steeply along a wide waterway with a railroad track running beside it. By the time I reached the state capitol, I was exhausted. The building was closed, the parking lot nearly empty, so I pulled in and took a quick nap.

Rejuvenated, I walked the capitol grounds with my camera, planning to stay through golden hour when the light would be at its best. The grounds were surprisingly expansive, maybe the largest I’ve seen at a state capitol, with thick, deep-green grass that seemed perfectly suited to the cool fall weather.

Scattered throughout the property was the “Trail of Governors,” more than 30 bronze statues of former South Dakota governors, each one carefully placed among the trees and flowers. I was happy to find their Liberty bell near the war memorial building. A small lake added to the peaceful setting, and neighborhood residents strolled the paths as if this were their regular evening routine.

Later I drove around Pierre to get a feel for the town. With a population of just over 14,000, it’s the second-smallest state capital in the country. The downtown core spans maybe three blocks, with a handful of restaurants, bars, and small businesses. It has a relaxed, everyday vibe rather than the polished bustle of a big-city capital.

A little after 7 p.m., right on cue, the sun began to work its magic. The capitol dome glowed as the building’s lights flicked on, and I headed back to walk the grounds again in that soft, golden light.

By 9 p.m. I was ready to call it a night. I drove a couple of miles up the hill to Walmart, where several travel apps said overnight parking was tolerated. A few signs posted otherwise, but I tucked in by the garden center where others had parked. I stocked up on groceries, made dinner, and collapsed into bed after a long, wind-whipped day.