Lake Vermilion, SD or Where did that dinosaur get the flowers
We left Minnesota to start the trek west. I like to keep the mileage to around 300 miles or less in a day so that we have time for a leisurely dinner. It used to be that I always felt rushed all the time and the vacation did not really start till I got to Wyoming or Montana. Now, I can actually drive less than 10 over the speed limit and still enjoy the time. Dragging a portable house behind me and driving any faster speed drops my gas millage to the point that I lose all of the time I gained when I have to stop for gas. Which brings me to dinosaurs on the northern prairies.
Just outside of Sioux Falls, SD is the Porter Sculpture Park. I first stumbled on this place a few years ago on one of my solitary road trips. Off in the distance to the right of the highway, in the middle of a rather monotonous drive, was an Egyptian bulls head (yes!). My curiosity got the best of me so I got off the highway and discovered that the bull’s head, which is 60 feet tall, was only one piece of sculpture among about 50 odd and beautiful pieces. This Park has been designated as one of Time Magazine’s 50 Best Roadside Attractions and costs $8.00 to enter once you get past the herd of cattle walking across the road. I have wanted the Princess to see this amazing work by Wayne Porter and the poetry which Wayne claims was written by Bambino, his dog. The photos don’t really show the size of the pieces, most of which are much taller than this guy. The hand with the butterfly is over 25 feet. Each fish is about 10 feet long more or less.
The sculptor, Wayne, is on hand every day to talk about his work and life. He has an interesting, sophisticated imagination plus a wicked sense of humor for such an unassuming, quiet man. The pieces are sort of grouped by themes with poems that inspired his work (or the other way around) dotted around the groupings. One piece, the knight with a wooden pony, is remembrance of an event with his older brother. He is poking fun at sibling’s lack of horsemanship by pointing out that the only thing he should try to ride is a stick horse.
One of my favorites pieces is the cracked fish bowl that has allowed to fish to swim free out across the grassland. The bowl is maybe 12 foot tall. The fish are swimming all around the park.
Looking at the boy on the sled, I can only imagine the story behind that one. Is it the young Wayne or his older brother Ron? One of the boys had to have dared the other to try some steep hill.
Another installation that tends to let my imagination wander is the saxophone-playing goat and the dancing girls. This is the Princess’s favorite section since she loves the way the sculpture captured the movement of the girl’s hair and the bright colors of each piece. I would really like to hear the story behind that night in the sculptor’s life.
There are several ferocious monsters and a few dinosaurs; my favorite one is the fellow smelling the flowers. Look closely and you will notice a Kingbird protecting her young nestled in one of the yellow flowers. A few days prior to or visit, the bird attacked a person so violently that a rescue and a ride in the golf cart was required. Fortunately, the Princess only received a strong verbal rebuke and a warning dive around her head. She is a fast learner and admired the piece from a few feet farther back.
The bull’s head is surrounded by ancient warriors. The head, about the size of a president on Mount Rushmore is actually hollow and I entered through an opening in the backside. I was surprised to find an amazing number of smaller pieces clinging in the wall. As soon as I stepped inside I saw a cobra coiled to strike from just above my head. In the deep shadows it looked to real. As my eves adjusted to the darkness, bats clinging to the metal surfaces and a few small dragons were sitting on the internal support braces came into view. At the top was a very gruesome crucifixion scene. As a I said, Wayne has an interesting imagination.
Wayne is in the process of installing his largest piece, a horse that taller than the bull’s head, made out of steel plates the size of a wide brick. He estimates that the horse weighs between 10-20 tons and has taken him over 10 years to complete. It will be magnificent and worth another trip back.
That night we parked the rig at Lake Vermillion Recreation Area. Another well maintained state facility. The site in in the eastern section we were in had a lot of space and trees. Important because it is starting to get hot.
Dennis and Sherrie
