Fifth Stop(s): Pasties, Prairie Dogs, a Giant, and Corn
The next leg of our trip was planned with Custer, South Dakota as the destination. But driving from the northern tip of Michigan to the Black Hills of South Dakota takes roughly three days if you’re limiting daily driving to no more than 6 hours. And finding interesting spots along the way can prove challenging. But we made the most of it and soaked up all that roadside America had to offer starting with…Pasties!
As we drove into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan at the start of our three-day crossing, we were immediately bombarded with signs beckoning us to stop and purchase pasties. But nowhere on the sign did it explain exactly what is a pasty. The only pasty I was familiar with were the small, round disks worn by strippers in dance shows. Was the Upper Peninsula a mecca for sex shops selling top-of-the-line nipple covers? A quick Google search and text to my Canadian friend solved the mystery.
Meat pies. Pasties are meat pies.
I did another search for best pasties and found a shop on our route that put us there around lunch.
We stopped at
Dobber's Pasties and loaded up on eight of the savory meals. One son went for the pizza pasty and loved it. I took the advice of the guy behind the counter and had the veggie pasty and chicken pasty. And the other two had the beef. It was a good, hearty meal, maybe not the best selection on a long trip but we were glad we stopped. And they ship!
TRAVEL TIP: STOP AND TRY THE LOCAL CUISINE...PASTIES, CHEESE CURDS, YOU NAME IT.After 6 hours of driving, we pulled into the most “interesting” of our campgrounds to date in Coloma, Wisconsin - the Coloma Camperland Campground.
First, the campground includes its very own bar - the Rough Cut Saloon - which also serves as the campground office. When we checked in, Rough Cut Saloon was busy with, who I assumed, were their regulars at the bar. One of the guys told me I was in the wrong place, then he laughed, and I laughed, and the owner checked us in. I’m sure that exchange happens daily.
Most of the sites are rented by the season but a few are left open for people passing through. We pulled into one of those sites and set up shop. Then the boys asked, “which WIFI do I click on, Trump2021 with one exclamation mark or Trump2021 with two?” No comment. The next morning, our camper neighbor walked by wearing a hoodie that read “Drunk Lives Matter.” Welcome to Coloma. After a quick stay for one night, we were off the next morning.
Along the way, we happened upon our first Roadside America attraction. I saw a billboard advertising the Jolly Green Giant statue as we were exiting off the highway in Blue Earth, Minnesota for gas. Say what??? Sure enough, in this town of 3,000 is a 55.5-foot tall statue of the
Jolly Green Giant. The statue was inspired by a local radio host in 1979 who was trying to draw motorists to town. It worked for us! A quick photo between the giant’s legs, a purchase of cheese curds in the gas station to try something new, and we were back on the road headed to Mitchell.
Mitchell, South Dakota is home to the
World Famous Corn Palace (featured in the first season of Road Rules on MTV which is how I learned of its existence). It seemed worth a stop and met our 5-6 hour driving limit.
The Corn Palace sits in downtown Mitchell. The exterior is covered with different-colored corn stalks and is redecorated each year. It’s definitely something to see.
From the outside.
It was closed when we visited that night but I returned by myself the next day to go inside. Disappointment. The corn palace, which is free to walk in, is really just an arena with corn history displays inside and a stalk-covered exterior. So…it’s worth a drive to it for a quick photo outside and to get some unique souvenirs from the gift store across the street but don’t make a special trip to see the inside. You’ll be disappointed.
(We did eat supper at a great bar and grill right down the road from the palace - The Back 40 Taphouse and Grill. We sat outside to eat while a guy performed on guitar. It was probably the best mojito I’ve had - watermelon mojito - and the burgers were amazing.)
Mitchell is a funny little town making the most of their palace with hotels named Corn Palace Inn and Corn Palace Apartments. And my favorite part? Their high school mascot is…can you guess??? The Kernels!!!
Next day, we were headed to Custer with one stop in Wall, South Dakota, home of the world famous
Wall Drug.
If you’ve never heard of Wall Drug, I hadn’t, you’ll feel like you’re old friends by the time you arrive. The billboards advertising this roadside attraction start several hours before and continue until you take the exit. Years ago, the owners of Wall Drug realized a way to draw customers to the store was through billboards. At the height of the store, Wall Drug had more than 3,000 highway signs.
So what is Wall Drug? Ted and Dorothy Hustead started Wall Drug in 1931 in Wall, South Dakota which was known at the time as the “geographical middle of nowhere.” In an effort to draw in customers, the Husteads started offering free ice water for travelers with signs along the highway.
Today, in the town of just 800 people, more than 2 million tourists visit each year. The drug store has evolved into an unusual conglomeration of shops and attractions. It was interesting to see but in the age of Covid, we were uncomfortable walking around the crowded inside. We wish masks were required.
Last stop on our three-day tour?
Roberts Prairie Dog Town just outside of Wall and near the entrance to the Badlands.
Go there. Trust us.
Roberts Prairie Dog Town is simply a barren strip of land about 15 minutes outside of Wall and down a dirt road. But if you look closely, you’ll see hundreds, if not thousands, of prairie dogs poking their heads from their tunneled homes and chirping to alert their fellow furry neighbors. They were adorable! But because prairie dogs can carry the plague (yes, the plague), it’s best not to pet the little critters. Sitting on the ground and watching them run, hide, chirp and eat was perfect. Added bonus...across the dirt road was an incredible view of the Badlands. It's definitely worth the dirt road drive from Wall. Do it!