A Lockdown Virtual Journey (North America) Day 8
Day Eight
I had had a restless night with lots of trips to the loo consequently I had to drag myself out of bed. Swim shorts on and towel in hand I headed to the pool. Pete and Chris were already chatting and swimming lengths. As I eased myself into the water it was both cool and reviving. After several more lengths of the pool we climbed out and made for the Sauna. It was hot, particularly the upper seating almost made me feel like my backside was going to burn.
Pete told us that the hotel had been designed by the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture. How it was designed to complement the surrounding countryside. It was, I suppose, a small hotel by the standards we had so far encountered it having only thirty to forty rooms. I had found the room comfortable despite my restless night. Pete and Chris had apparently slept like babies.
We didn’t linger very long in the sauna and after a cold shower we made our way back to our rooms. Showered, shaved, packed and with suitcase in hand I made my way to the car park and loaded my case into the charger. I met my friends in the breakfast room and having loaded up with fresh fruit and cereals we sat down and talked through the day. We needed to be at the Taliesin Centre at nine. It being 8:35 now we ate too quickly and Pete and Chris made their way to their rooms to collect their cases. I sorted out our departure with the receptionist and within five minutes we were in/on our vehicles and making our way to the centre. A few minutes later we parked up and having shown our printed tickets and visited the loos, we were loaded onto a shuttle bus and starting our two hour house and grounds tour.
The guide talked non-stop. Obviously very knowledgeable but after a while I sort of tuned out and just enjoyed the company, views and the sounds of nature. Pete told me that the Website declares that ‘Taliesin is a rural laboratory for living where architecture, nature and culture converge around the shared question: “How might we live now?”’ I enjoyed the grounds more than the house although it was definitely worth a visit. Pete loved the house and waxed lyrical about it. We were shown the living room, garden room, bedroom and I had to ask Pete what a Loggia was. It’s like a balcony room that opens on one side onto a garden, at least that is what I think he said. I think we all thought the most interesting space was Frank Lloyd Wright’s studio. The studio seemed to hold a sense of his presence but the other rooms reminded me of photos from the interiors of then modern houses of the 1950s. Lots of stone and lots of wood. There seemed, to my untutored eye, a lot of eastern influences. Statues and such like. The house itself looked fortress like, standing on a hill and with commanding views across the lands that his welsh ancestors on his mother’s side had settled. It also looked imperiously across the Wisconsin River. I understand that FLW was and abrupt taskmaster to his students all of whom spoke highly of him. From what I remembered hearing about his private life, he sounded a bit of a philanderer. I did wonder what a psychologist seeing the house and analysing its builder would conclude about FLW.
The tour completed and back at our vehicles we again availed ourselves of the facilities. Satnavs coordinated we set off north across the Wisconsin River. I followed Pete and him, Chris who was following the twenty three and heading for the fourteen. We skirted Spring Green and joined the fourteen and started to head west. We hadn’t gone far when Chris pulled into a ‘Shell’ garage and we all topped up our tanks. We then parked up and headed to the shop to pay and buy a few snacks and drinks for the journey.
Our little convoy was soon underway. The countryside was flat and neat. The crops and buildings all looked pristine. I got the impression that if someone dropped litter they would probably fine themselves! It was pleasing to see that the horizon held the promise of hills. The road turned north at a place named Gotham. We passed several cemetery’s all of which were neat and very well looked after. I got a call from Chris who asked Pete and I to look left. It’s not every day you see a giraffe in a field. Particularly a large metallic one. Very soon after that on our right we saw a whole host of sculptured animals on the grass verge. There was a big sign that read ‘No dogs allowed’. Made me giggle.
We continued to follow the road through country that was becoming pleasantly hilly. There were lots of trees, glimpses of large houses with long drives. Occasionally we would pass a lot of post boxes by the side of the highway. Evidence that folk lived in them there hills. To the south and west of La Crosse we crossed the Mississippi River. The bridge was wide and made on the other carriageway of blue girders making a tunnel of girders. In crossing the bridge we passed from Wisconsin to Minnesota. The road made its way through what looked like swamp and some industrial areas alongside the Mississippi until it we joined once again the I90. We had another four and a half (without breaks) hours to go. Some three hundred miles or so.
We completed about another thirty miles or so of interesting, hilly and wooded countryside. Then it was flat farm land. Again neat countryside with neat farmsteads and occasional towns. We followed Chris off the I90 and again into Gas station. It was a BP petrol station at a place named Speedway. Wide open spaces not just in the town but even the gas station. We all again topped up with fuel and used the facilities. We all needed to walk off a little of the stiffness we were feeling. The consensus of our chat was that it’s better, where possible to do two runs of two hundred than one of four.
We were soon back on the I90 and again heading west. The satnav proclaiming we had two and a half hours of driving to complete. I think satnavs are generally good things, for instance if we are lost they can help us get back on the right track. But they also lie, I can nearly always add on thirty minutes to an hour on the suggested time because I need to drink and consequently I need to use the facilities. Chris’s trike hasn’t got a great range so we need to stop to refuel. Fortunately for me the Harley’s range and my bladders endurance seem to be evenly matched.
The road in the main was straight just occasional deviations from the straight but then not much. Mile after mile was flat farmland with occasion lake or water course. As we were approaching a place named Blue earth we saw signs for ‘The Green Giant’ – don’t need to guess too hard what they grow round here. I looked hard to try and catch a glimpse of the giant but to no avail. Stadium lights and a big golden ‘M’ were it. Then we were heading away from there and on towards the sunset.
We passed through a wooded area, passed a rest area and saw a wind farm. All breaking the monotony of the flat land. The other highlights were the slight inclines and descents as we crossed other motorways. The road made an anti-clockwise arc around a town named ‘Adrian’. The road dropped south westerly toward a town called ‘Beaver Creek’ and no, I didn’t see any beavers there or crossing the creek. There was a lot of water around and from what I remember of ‘Spring Watch’ beavers are mostly nocturnal.
At seventy miles an hour according to the satnav and slightly more according to the speedometer we left Minnesota and entered South Dakota. There were some low hills and my mind reflected that we were entering Indian Territory. Then I recalled that the whole continent had been Indian Territory not that long ago. I do wonder if these present day children of immigrants think of their ancestors as insurgents?!
Following directions from the satnav we left the I90 and headed south under the I90 and soon on the right we turned into the Days Inn hotel. We parked, got off/out of our vehicles, and did the now obligatory stretches. A quick chat as we were retrieving our cases from the Charger confirmed that we were all Ok. Then the familiar question and answer routine in reception. Keys to rooms received and we agreed to meet in an hour. I stood under a shower for about ten minutes or so just to get rid of the aches. (Much more to do with age than seat design.)
I lay on the bed and read a little. Time to eat. We met in the foyer and made our way to ‘Arbys’ where we ordered a sandwich, fries and milkshake each. Mine a smoked brisket and Pete and Chris had the beef gyro. Very tasty and enjoyable.
Then as a treat we strolled along to a Bike shop named ‘Barely Legal Bikes’. Chris was in his element looking at the bikes on display. There weren’t many but Chris enjoyed chatting with the owner about the trike and his big Honda at home in the UK.
After a while we made our way back to the hotel. We agreed to meet for prayer the following morning at seven. I think I could have slept on a plank of wood but thankfully the bed was very comfortable.
Taliesin | Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation
https://www.nps.gov/miss/riverfacts.htm
https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/days-inn/sioux-falls-south-dakota