The Bucksnort Trading Post was everything it promised to be. A couple right out of the 60’s owned and operated the shop. Some of the interesting historical tidbits were that Jesse James robbed his first train about 20 miles away from Blackwater. Also, a local resident, Minnie, won a contest with Mars Candy Company by coming up with the winning name for the candy bar Snickers. She won a little Austin car. The tires on the Austin were not very wide and when Minnie would take a corner too sharp, her car would tip over. Minnie would then round up a couple of local men to help her put the car right side up, and then she would be on her way again.
While in the shop, we learned that sections of I-29 were shut down due to the flooding upstream. So we bid our farewell and back to the jeep we went. While Jim was pouring over maps and trying to come up with an alternate route, I decided to explore the tiny town. I met a few people along the way and each one asked me if I was looking for Betty. Finally I decided that yes, I did want to meet Betty, and was directed to the water garden where she was pruning and caring for the garden. Betty is a local “celebrity”, very instrumental in the restoration of the tiny town and preservation of it’s history.
I also met Miss Mary Jo Watson, who retired from Ethan Allen and owned the local antique shop. She said that she opened the antique shop because she wanted to always be surrounded by things that reminded her of Grandmas and Grandpas. She shared more of the colorful local history, including the fact that she lived in an historic 1850 farmhouse out in the country. I thought we were out in the country! Although our trip was cut short due to the change in our travel route, it was a brief stop full of interesting people tucked away in a quaint piece of history.
Finally we decided in true Setzer fashion not to worry about the route and take it as it comes. We did catch some of the rain and it was your classic Midwest frog strangler, but after a white-knuckle drive for about an hour, we came out of it unscathed.
The day did hold for us a major detour through the rolling hills of Iowa as a good portion of I-29 North bound was closed due to flooding. It added about 2 hours to our trip, a minor inconvenience for us but devastating for the local people. A sobering thought – what we traveled today, took Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery from April until August.
We got into Sioux City around 1830 and proceeded to check into our room. During supper, the conversation was about the days events. We both concluded that there are no more great adventures of undiscovered lands to be made. But the connection to the people who did can be our personal discovery. It is a connection that transcends words. So after supper we went to visit the Sgt. Charles Floyd Memorial gravesite. Sgt Floyd, a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, died of what is thought to be a ruptured appendix on August 20th 1804. He was a valued member of their crew and was in fact the only death sustained during the 2 ½ years of the expedition. This is a testament to the leadership of both Lewis and Clark. Sgt. Charles Floyd was laid to rest on a bluff overlooking a peaceful bend in the river. With full military honors, the rest of the Corps of Discovery said farewell to their comrade. From William Clark's journal it reads " Sgt. Floyd died with a great deal of composure". Over time his grave site has been moved due to floods and the ever-changing landscape caused by the Missouri river.
As the sun was setting, we ended the day on the bluff, overlooking the swelling Missouri River. On our ride, I noticed a sign for volunteers to help move families from the flood areas. As we get ready to settle down in the softness of our beds, we pray for those families and give thanks for our many blessings.
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