Dakota Daze

[Glen_A]

Just thought I would let everyone know I accepted a job transfer to Sioux Falls, South Dakota and moved here about a month ago. I am still finding my way around but so far I am enjoying it very much. I just felt I was stagnating in Houston and I needed a change in my life. I definately got it. The population of Houston is over 2 million and the population of the whole state of South Dakota is only 750,000. Traffic jams are now a thing of the past. There is so much I want to see and shoot, good thing I have plenty of time here to try and take it all in. Just for a short list of places to shoot are: Mt. Rushmore, the Black Hills, Deadwood, Sturgis(during Rally Week), the minuteman icbm missile site (now decommissioned and open to the public), Laura Ingolls Wilder home at De Smet, BadLands National Park( I did make a quick stop there already), Custer State Park, Wounded Knee etc. Here are a few pictures I have manged to grab this month.

[fivegrand]

Very, very cool.

It's always good when needed changes happen :)

Beautiful country!

[carrbowl]

Wow Glen, you are up for a change alright!! I was born and raised in Sioux City. My parents still live in the area (Dakota Dunes, SD), so we DRIVE there twice a year, and have since the kids were born. You will enjoy the laid back lifestyle there. The weather will be so different you will get so many good shots!! I'm jealous of you getting to photograph them!!! I have heard you are suppose to have a long hard winter though....so it may be a not so welcome to SD!!!

[thelegend1472]

I just stayed in Sioux Falls about a week and a half ago at the Best Western (the one with the waterpark) and thought it was a really neat little town. Best of luck with the move!

[JamesB]

Congrats Glen, I just hope the winters dont snow you in up there

James

[Janice_d]

GREAT Photos and almost make me homesick.. ALMOST.. till I think of Winter.. LOL !!
I enjoyed the people and for the most part the landscape..but I hated the wind!! When you put that with windchill #'s .. its dang cold.. and I dont miss shoveling ..
I have family ALL around that AREA!! My family pioneered in Nebraska and eventually trailed out to SD.. and MN and IL..areas. There are many photo ops for you !! Dont forget the Corn palace.. it should have new corn applied by now..LOL
Wow seeing the prairie dog again brought back all the memories of TRYING to get rid of them critters..LOL!! Glad you are back to posting.. YOU have been missed..

[iCe]

Plug your car in. It's unreal how cold an engine gets in a short amount of time when the wind is howling and it's -40°F outside (not counting windchill). Congrats on the change. I just made one myself although it didn't involve moving.

[pippin]

you coulda moved to colorado ya know :P

[Glen_A]

Thanks yall. I am pretty well aware of what the winters are going to be like, but I haven't experienced them since I spent two winters north of Chicago on Lake Michigan at the Great Lakes Naval Base. That was 25 and 26 years ago. I am looking forward to the weather change. I am sure I will be crying come February though. Today the low was around 48 degrees and the high was like 78. Last week we had a day or two that it never got above the 60's.
Those Houston summers had a lot to do with my move. I really hated them. At least now I no longer have a problem with my camera lens fogging up when I try to use it outside in the morning lol. I really hadn't done any photography for months, I was unmotivated. My interest in photography has been reinvigorated along with my move. Badlands National Park is only 3 and half hours away and the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha (second largest zoo in the world) is only 2 and half hours away.
Yeah I had a chance to go to Denver last year and I still wish I could have managed it but the timing just wasn't right for me. Sioux Falls is a nice town, population about 150,000. It is big enough to have all the conveniences I really want. Next time any of yall are in the area gimme a holler, perhaps we can get together. I have had to work in Sioux City several times already, it is only an hour and 15 minutes away. I love the 75 mph speed limits on the highway( 75 means I do about 80 lol). The only problem is at that speed, when I see something interesting to take a picture of, I have already passed it! I tried to capture a herd of pronghorn antelope but they took off when I came to my screeching stop. All I got was the head of one above the tall prairie grass.
I need to get to the Black hills first week of October to catch the fall foliage I am told. Hopefully I can arrange something.