Leaving the beautiful Spirit Lake and charming Okoboji Inn will be bittersweet as riders ready themselves to cross into South Dakota for this day, which brings us one day closer to a day off. In the morning we will cross the Big Sioux River which serves as the stateline between Iowa and South Dakota. The Big Sioux is a tributary to the Missouri River where Lewis and Clark launched their expedition.

On May 4, 1804 Merriwether Lewis, William Clark and 40 men known as the Corps of Discovery set out to map the geography of the river as well as study the animals and plant life in order to find a “direct and practicable water communication across this continent.” It was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific coast undertaken by the United States. During the expedition the Corps recorded 178 species of plants, 122 different animals, and 50 Indian tribes, many of whom had never seen a white man. By September 23, 1806 the team arrived home after traveling 8,000 miles.

The farmlands of northern Iowa will give way to the ranch lands of South Dakota as we make our way to the evening stop in Murdo, South Dakota, which will be the first city on this tour to sponsor the Motorcycle Cannonball.

After a day covering 326-miles, we will arrive to a hosted dinner at the Pioneer Auto Museum. The city of Murdo’s Chamber of Commerce will join with the museum to sponsor our dinner. Established in 1954, the family owned Pioneer Auto Museum is a remarkable display of over 250 classic cars, trucks and motorcycles as well as some wacky (the hot rod manure spreader comes to mind) and extraordinary items to catch the eye. Our overnight stay will also be in the city of Murdo, South Dakota.