Jamye and I took the weekend off to do some cleaning, shopping and exploring. We found more great people of South Dakota! After eating a fabulous blueberry pancake breakfast at Great Plains Family Diner, Clarence, the owner, chased us about a half mile down the road in his truck to tell us our rear window was open. He was concerned that something might fall out. That was such an amazing act of kindness! We ran into Clarence again at the grocery store while visiting with some cattle ranchers that we met while roaming the aisles. First, Sam Mortenson stopped to ask me if I was the guy from Tennessee. We got into a very interesting conversation about cattle ranching and Temple Grandin, an autistic woman featured recently in an HBO movie about her special gifts of perception regarding cows. Her slaughter facility designs are used for more than half the cows that are slaughtered today; the dignity and respect for their lives right up until they are killed is considered in her designs. Sam (81)and his wife Anna Belle still work the range. They introduced us to Kevin and Laura Gill, their 'neighbors' about 10 miles down the road. They all attended the same church in Mobridge. As we were leaving the store, Sam and Anna Belle introduced us to Jim Schott and Lauren Russell, two fellow cattle ranchers...all fine people. We stayed and talked for nearly an hour and then Jim Schott took us to see a Lewis and Clark monument in town. Jim shared some wonderful stories with us about his life experiences. All in all, a great weekend of rest topped off by salt of the earth folks. In a discussion about the people we have met, Sam Mortenson and I agreed that the friendliness of the people is likely to be a product of their country environment. I remember from my bike travels in europe in 1975-1976 that I had come to the same conclusion - by getting off the beaten path one finds people more inclined to take care of each other, with greater trust in the other person. We have loved South Dakota and tomorrow will cross into North Dakota.
Sam and Anna Belle Mortenson- cattle ranchers
SKenny and Laura Gill- cattle ranchers
Clarence- owner, Great Plains Family Diner
Jim Schott, Sam Mortenson, Lauren Russell- cattle ranchers
Jim Schott and I at Mobridge monument
I now have a Google account, and can send you a blog comment or two each week. Today is my 49th birthday, or as I prefer to tell it, I met my wife Cheryl 13 years today (in a St. Louis bar called Mississippi Mud!... along the Lewis and Clarke trail no less).
ReplyDeleteGlad you're havin fun!
Happy Birthday, Bromeed! I do recall how you told me you toughed it out for love on the Katy Trail. We're in northern North Dakota this weekend and will be in Montana next week. New postings coming this weekend.
ReplyDeleteAll the best to the three of you!
Larry