Pipestone National Monument

    After several days of really punishing heat and humidity we got the camper packed and hit the road.  It was an unusual day for our first leg of driving because we were headed for a sightseeing destination rather than just trying to get a bunch of miles behind us.
   We drove Hwy 169 south towards Mankato.  This drive was so familiar to us after our years of attending Mankato State University.  The drive has changed a little, but there is still a big statue of the Jolly Green Giant as we headed into the Le Sueur valley.  We drove through St. Peter which was hit so hard by a tornado a few years ago.  It is good to see all the flourishing new trees which were planted to replace the hundreds that blew over.
   We drove cross country out of St. Peter through small towns with huge grain elevators.  The corn is high and green.  I read that the huge, green corn crop is part of the reason we have had such terrible humidity.  All the rivers, lakes and potholes are full to almost flooding.  We should send some of this water to Texas.
    Our campground is just outside the Pipestone National Monument.  We plugged into the electricity, turned on the air conditioning and drove a mile to the Visitor Center.  The soft red stone which is found in the Pipestone Quarries has been used by native Americans for over a thousand years.  Smoking tobacco through pipes which are carved out of the stone is a major part of tribal and spiritual ceremonies for many Plains tribes.
    The Dakota Sioux controlled the Pipestone quarries in the 1700's.  As the United States expanded west into the quarry areas a treaty was signed to give access to the Native Americans.  In 1937 Congress established Pipestone National Monument to protect the quarries and provide quarrying for certified Native Americans.
   The monument area is small.  A 3/4 mile walking trail follows a stream which flows through the quarry area.  Part of the trail was closed due to flooding, but we took our water bottles and walked out to a small falls hidden among the rocks.  It was a beautiful setting and we enjoyed the walk despite the high humidity and temperatures.

   Tonight we are feeling the wind shift to the north, the humidity drop along with the temperatures.  I am hoping for the predicted overnight temp of 62 so we can leave the windows open in this quiet campground.  A beautiful night..