June 30 Ev's hometown, Sioux City, Iowa

    Wed.
    We drove down from Sioux Falls this morning - about 80 miles- to settle in at a KOA in No. Siooux City, S.D., just 3 miles from Sioux City.  We found there are only occasionally trains going by, but it is next to the interstate and that traffic never stops.  This is a tiny town, but has become a bedroom community to S.C. because there aren't any income taxes and land and taxes are probably cheaper.  Beautiful homes in new subdivisions now.  New assisted living center, etc.  So many little casinos here.
    We drove around to some places in S.C. that I haven't seen for countless years.  War Eagle was an Indian chief who helped keep the peace between Indians and whites in the area.  One Frenchman married 2 of his daughters eventually.  When I was in 3rd or 4th grade I went on a field trip to see his grave on a cliff above the river, along with visiting Sgt. Floyd's grave.  He was the only person on the
 L & C expedition to die-they think from appendicitis.  You can see 3 states from War Eagle's grave-IA., NB, and S.D.
    We went downtown and I saw all the old bldgs I remember from my childhood - Bekins where a grandpa worked, Robb Ross where my uncle worked on equipment that made peanut butter and other foods, Palmer Candy company, and what little is left of the stockyards that used to be about the 3rd largest in the country when I was a child.  Morrell Company recently laid off 800 workers and the Feds are stepping in with $6.5 million to retrain them. Tom said "to do what?  Be rocket scientists?" 
    My sister, Linda, and her husband flew into Omaha from Phoenix a few minutes before Bess arrived from Denver, and they all rode to S.C.  We didn't see them that night.  Thursday was Linda's 60th so we met them for breakfast, spent the day together and all went to dinner.  My favorite cousin buddy spent a couple of hours with us in the afternoon.  We hadn't see each other in 21 years!
Friday
    Bess, Linda and my cousin came out to see our camper and to go to lunch with me.  We then went to visit a couple in their 80's- he's mom's cousin.  Tom took the truck for our second oil change of the trip and then to a transportation museum by the old Air base (Air Guard base now for many years) with Linda's husband and his 91 year old dad.  Lots of WWII stuff on display.  We spent late afternoon visiting and waiting for Brenda and Bryan to get in at 7.  Ate and had Linda's birthday.  She is the middle sister and has red hair.  I found a bottle of wine in Des Moines with the brand name of The Middle Sister and on the label the middle woman has pinkish red hair.  It was so late by the time she opened gifts that we decided we'll drink it Sat. night so she can take the empty bottle home and fill it with colored water.  Tom said it is so unbelievably fun to hear my 2 sisters and I giggle and have so much fun, even after being around the 3 of us for 46 years.
    Saturday and Sunday are the big days for the cousins reunion we have been planning and will be great fun!  We'll leave here Monday a.m. to spend 3 days crossing Neb. and may not have internet part of that time.  Hope everyone will have a great weekend.