Pierre, SD

I'll bet you've never been to Pierre, SD.  We'd never been here, either, but we are now, staying 3 nights at Farm Island Recreation Area, a nice park and campground on the Missouri River.  We stopped here because: a) It's halfway between where we were and where we're going (Gillette/Watertown), b) We needed to get well away from the Sturgis area, which is heavily infested with HOGs,* and c) It's the state capitol and we enjoy visiting capitol buildings.

Pierre has a population of 14K, the smallest state capitol city in the US.  It's on the path less followed, nowhere near a freeway or interstate highway.  I suspect it gets precious few casual visitors like ourselves.

SD state capitol building, vintage 1908.

Looking straight up at the dome from the inside.

Taken from second floor, entrance/lobby below.

Lots of beautiful veined white marble columns.

*HOG = Harley Owners Group.  The annual Sturgis motorcycle rally is in full swing.  It's the 75th anniversary of the rally, which is expected to draw a million plus attendees.

We drove through the area yesterday, thousands of bikers on the freeway even at 8:30 AM, many of whom seemed to have a death wish - passing on the shoulder, zipping right in front of us as we cruised along a 65 MPH.  If they want to kill themselves, it's fine with me.  Natural selection and all that.  I just don't want the idiots to involve me in their demise.  I hate paperwork.