DAY #7 - JUNE 16, 2021 - SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA TO FARGO, NORT DAKOTA - MA, PA AND ROGER - 323-MILES (2,186)

(FARGO, ND) Today marks my 7th day on the road. I know what you are saying, only 7-day, seems longer. For some reason, this day seemed longer than it was. I don’t know if it was the 94-degree heat and the wind blowing non-stop across the prairie or if it was the long stretch of two-lane roads through endless corn and wheat field. But whatever the reason, it was still a good day. I spent the night in Sioux Falls South Dakota and Managed to get on the road about 8:30 a.m. And after a quick stop for coffee, I was off to my first stop of the day. A little over an hour and a half later I pulled into the sleepy little town of De Smet, South Dakota. I know most of us have watch the TV-Series “Little House on the Prairie.” It was here that Charles and Carolina Ingalls along with there daughters, Mary, Laura, Carrie, and Grace settled in 1879. Prior to arriving here in De Smet, the Ingalls had lived in Minnesota, Walnut Grove Minnesota to be exact. Laura didn’t write much about De Smet in her books but several major events in her life occurred her. Charles and Caroline would settle first in a small surveyor’s cottage before building a larger house on the homestead. Charles would help found and build the Frist Congregational Church, and it was here in De Smet that Laura would teach her first class in the Brewster School. She and her Husband Almanzo would first Settle living just a short distance from Charles and Caroline. This would be the final place of Charles and Caroline would live. Charles died here in De Smet in 1902 at the Age of 66, while Caroline would live another 22-year before passing away in 1924. Just a short drive down a dusty dirt road is the De Smet Cemetery where Charles, Caroline, Their Daughters Mary, and Carrie are buried along with the infant child of Amanzo Wilder. I spent longer than I planned walking around this small down looking at all the historic buildings, many of which were built during the time that The Ingalls’s lived here. After getting my daily steps, walking about 2 miles it was time to move on toward North Dakota. Three and a half hours later I pulled into the Holy Cross Cemetery where I paid my respects to a person that I call the Forgotten Yankee. When you think of the New York Yankees the first Names that come to mind are Ruth, Gehrig, Berra, DiMaggio, and Mantle. But a forgotten Yankee who captured the single season home run title with 61 home runs in 1961 is resting here. Yep, being a baseball fan, I had to stop and pay my respects to Roger Maris. His record of 61 home runs in a single season stood until it was broken during the steroid era in 1998. Well week #1 is in the books, and I have traveled just a little over 2,200 miles. Week #2 begins tomorrow as I head due west across the wind-swept North Dakota Prairie. The Adventure Continues.