Editor’s note: This is an account of the SAFE BASE trip last week to several national parks and monuments. Jennifer Tidd will be a sophomore at Iola High School and went on the trip as a student staff member. She is the younger sister of Register intern Jason Tidd.
June 14, 2016
We began the trip at 9:30 last night. Everybody started out being hyper and thinking they would stay awake for the entire ride. We were doubled up in every seat, so everyone always had someone to talk to.
The first break was at 11:30 p.m. and lots of people had managed to stay awake thus far. After a half hour, we were back on the road.
This time, most of the people fell asleep.
We took another break from 2:30 to 4 a.m. to refuel the busses, eat apple-cinnamon muffins, drink juice and use the restroom. The muffins were made previously by students in SAFE BASE.
We made a couple other stops, and then at 8:30 a.m., we stopped at a Walmart along the way for us all to brush our teeth. Then we went to a park to work off some energy and eat breakfast — cinnamon cream cheese miniature bagels, string cheese, fruit and milk.
As we ate, we watched people playing in a nearby park. There was a mother and child on the play set and a teenage boy doing tricks on a skateboard.
THE CORN PALACE, in Mitchell, S.D., was the first place we visited.
As we approached the building in the mid-morning sun, we saw a giant statue of an ear of corn that you could take your picture with.
The outside of the building was different from any building we had seen before. Around the building were pictures made of varying shades of corn on the cob. The trim on the sides consisted of wood and grasses.
Each year, people change the designs. This year the designs were based on rock and roll.
Inside, you could read about the Corn Palace’s history, take your picture with a group of friends and look like a bunch of corn people, as well as explore an expansive gift shop and theater. Different popcorn varieties — including birthday cake and toffee — were sampled.
We only stayed there for about 15 minutes because we were behind on schedule.
