For the last two years, annual journeys home for snowbird residents like me, who calls this fairground home since January 2018, and annually returns home on April 1^st for pre-scheduled annual nearby doctor and hospital appointments; lately discovers upon my arrival home; I am a displaced homeless fairground residence; forced to hopefully find temporary homestead spaces at other nearby facilities such as Tower Campground in Sioux Falls near the fairgrounds. Sioux Falls KOA Journey in Sioux Falls; Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park in Brandon S.D. which is expensive; Red Barn RV Park in Tea S.D, which has many permanent residents; Angostura Recreation Area in Hot Springs, SD, or spend additional money to return to New Mexico or Arizona, returning to Sioux Falls in mid-April or May. Results in missed hospital and doctor appointments which were scheduled for next year prior to leaving Sioux Falls on October 4^th.

No one has to convince snowbirds that climate change is a global phenomenon, because as snowbirds and mild summer low-heat seekers; we deal with these conditions on a regular basis finding return home travel conditions extremely dangerous and unpredictable in high-profile vehicles while dodging foul weather (i.e., sandstorms, sleet, high winds, tornadoes, and rainstorms). As well as highway accidents resulting in injuries and deaths of highway travelers nationwide.

All I want is the place I call home to be open to receive me upon my return. At which time, I can back into my space, hookup my motorhome hose to the sewer connection, the water hose to the spicket, my motorhome external electrical cord to the electrical hookup, close my draperies and sleep as long as it takes in my safe place, while recovering from living on the road from place to place for the last six-months. This is all I need upon returning home but feel deprived when the gates to my home are closed, after travelling for days and covering thousands of miles to reach and relax in a familiar place.

All I want is the place I call home to be open to receive me upon my return. At which time, I can back into my space, hookup my motorhome hose to the sewer connection, the water hose to the spicket, my motorhome external electrical cord to the electrical hookup, close my draperies and sleep as long as it takes in my safe place, while recovering from living on the road from place to place for the last six-months. This is all I need upon returning home but feel deprived when the gates to my home are closed, after travelling for days and covering thousands of miles to reach and relax in a familiar place.

July 4^th celebration at the fairgrounds was an interesting event; drawing fairground residents and attendees from nearby communities to see exploding fireworks from three different angles, buying eatables from food trucks, listening to, as well as dancing to music played by a live band. I was fortunate to be a resident at the campground and enjoyed all activities while comfortably sitting in the passenger seat of my motorhome, not having to deal with mosquitoes. Pictures I took were from the passenger seat of my motorhome.

At last, the fairgrounds finally opened its gates for snowbirds, traveling highway workers, and other returning fairground residents to come home on May 1^st, 2024, which is the second time the fairgrounds hasn’t opened on April 1st. It is common knowledge amongst Environmental Scientist, Meteorologist, Ecology, Farmers, Snowbirds and World-Travelers that Climate Change has altered normal routines and traditions practiced by multitudes of people nationwide but is refuted by some. As we continue to watch climate conditions for Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter seasons change resulting in heatwaves, heavy rains, floods, thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, snowfall, snowstorms, blizzards, etc. Also, causing the beforementioned groups to be versatile employing a variety of creative changes and backup plans to facilitate potential outcomes.

Meanwhile, Sioux Falls Fairground Snowbird populations or forced to return home at later dates because of Fairgrounds opening date changes. Further, snowbirds to contact medical care professionals to reschedule annual appointments for later days which is not always possible. For instance, I had a follow-up eye surgery appointment on April 19, 2024. Which was rescheduled for April 23, 2025, because my Ophthalmologist was already booked to March, 2025. Now, whether I have a place to Call home in April 2025 or not, I have to return to Sioux Falls before my April 2025, appointment. These are situations we can’t control if there’s no place to call home upon returning.

For a while, the Camp Host and I were the only people homesteading at this huge plot of land containing two-hundred full-hookup service spaces to accommodate motorhomes, travel trailers and vans, which was a Utopia of quietness and peace until returnees arrived in mid-May with families, children, and dogs. Resulting in noises caused by children playing, dogs barking, busy fairground street noises generated as highway workers and others leave early-morning for work or take children to school and summer programs; wherein retirees like me are awaken by slamming doors, loud talking friends, opening, and slamming vehicle doors, starting/warning up vehicles, then drivers racing up fairground streets to merge with other travelers heading to work or passing through Sioux Falls. A real boomer every morning for retirees. Currently, our pass Utopia looks like this.

TOWER CAMPGROUND, 4609 W. 12TH ST., SIOUX FALLS, SD 57106

As a full-time motorhome dweller and solo snowbird traveler, Tower Campground became my home base as a new resident to Sioux Falls South Dakota in January 2018, and its office staff became my adopted family.

During the last seven years I have noticed office staff and ground crew has changed. But welcoming spirits, smiles, and desires to provide safe havens for short and long-term travelers (Solo or families) by office staff and ground crew remains the same. As a result, this campground has always been home, which is often confirmed every time I return home and need an emergency place to stay with full hookup which occurred recently upon my return to Sioux Falls on April 12, 2024, to April 30, 2024.

Location is everything: I found Tower Campground to be centrally located with easy access to highways, area hospitals, sightseeing, shopping malls, beautifully maintained public parks, local fairground, ballparks, stadiums, concert venues, performing arts theater and sculpture walk. Therefore, as a returnee to this campground and based on its location, I always expect to hear traffic noise produced by ambulance, engines, exhaust, firetrucks, horns, motorcycles, and vehicle tires from nearby highways and 12th street where Tower Campground is located.

As a result, I never complain about traffic noises because it’s not the owner, manager, or property fault; it’s caused by happenings near and/or around the campgrounds location. I take one Benadryl and get good sleep every night.

Amenities: Accessible dumpsters, bathrooms and showers, choice of back-in and pull-through campsites, fire pit/ring at a few camp spaces, full hookup, laundry room, large shade trees in designated areas, small dog park, paved and gravel camp spaces. Reasonable day, weekly and monthly prices. As a result, I will return to Tower Campground as needed in the future. I am aware internet service is available, but I have never used it because I have mobile Wi-Fi service in my motorhome which operates office equipment, conference, and cell phones wherever I homestead. When I am at campgrounds, I use electricity and never have an internet problem.