Spearfish is almost exactly in the middle
June 19, 2007 at 3:53 pm gvblog 2 comments
I know it’s hard to believe, but right now I’m just miles away from the geographic center of the United States. That means, dear readers, that I have a ways to go. Yesterday was rough – I hit the much discussed headwinds and found myself grinding up hills more than I expected to be. The funniest thing, to me, is how on the uphills all i can think about is how nice it would be to get a ride, how this isn’t any fun, but as SOON as I hit the downhill my outlook immediately improves, and I start thinking ‘hey, this isn’t so bad after all!’
South Dakota has been fascinating, and I’m still working on percolating my thoughts about the layers of complex political machinations that I’ve encountered. Like anywhere else, there is much that lies unseen beneath the surface. Yesterday I went to the Aberdeen Area Tribal Chairman’s Health Board, which is an organization that works within the 18 Sioux tribes in the Midwest to improve health outcomes from dental hygiene to fetal alcohol syndrome. I had the chance to sit in on their staff meeting and hear what they’re working on, which was impressive in its scope and diversity. A few things stood out – they work closely with lots of government agencies, and their reserach and experiences guide how programs are implemented and money is distributed. Because they are of the tribes, they are able to truly represent the interests of the tribes and their research is vitally important to raising awareness around health issues on the reservation.
I stopped for lunch with Jane Murphy, who is one of those women who I instinctively trust and like – she is a no-bullshit, self-reliant kind of woman who is able to forge connections and make things happen. She found me places to stay and people to talk to all over western South Dakota, so I didn’t want to leave without meeting her. We didn’t have long to talk, but over homemade tuna sald at her log cabin in the hills we talked about how the nascent progressive movement is growing in South Dakota and about problems of strategy. It seems like the same story plays itself out with different variations over and over – is it better to play it safe and take more conservative stances in order to assure small victories, or is it better to sacrafice short term victories in order to achieve long term results? South Dakota defeated the abortion ban by talking about the lack of a rape and incest exception in the ban. There was very little conversation about personal freedom or a woman’s right to choose what happens with her pregnancy. So what happens next time when there is a rape and incest exception?
Questions, questions. Today I’m headed into Wyoming, so I will have lots of time to ponder. Keep your fingers crossed for no headwinds!!
Entry filed under: On the Road. Tags: .
1.
Dad | June 19, 2007 at 9:38 pm
Nora,
That geographic center includes Alaska and Hawaii. You’re way more that 1/2 way.
2.
Mom | June 23, 2007 at 5:11 pm
The plains are the prairies, Nora, and important ecosystems in their own right. If the native vegetation hadn’t been plowed under by early farmers, it would be different. Here’s a short description:
Prairies are open fields and meadows carpeted by deep-rooted grasses. There are three types of prairie—tallgrass, mixed, and shortgrass. Grass height depends on the yearly rainfall; the more rain, the higher the grasses. On the eastern side of the prairie, before wheat and corn farmers plowed the fields to plant crops, you could ride a horse through the tall grass and no one would be able to see you!
In its natural state, a prairie is sustained by two things. The first is wildfires, which periodically destroy dry grass and encourage reseeding and new growth. The second is large herds of animals such as bison and pronghorn antelope, which disperse grass seeds in their waste.
But not much natural prairie remains in the U.S. When settlers discovered that prairie soil was perfect for growing corn and wheat, grasslands became farmlands. Later, towns and cities moved in. Natural fires were kept in check, and many animals were pushed out of their prairie homes.
Love,
Mom