Badlands and good eats

We were on the road early this morning; too early, but I'll get to that later.  We gassed up and pulled out of Murdo about 8:20 AM.  The wind was less insistent today than it was yesterday, which made the driving a bit easier, but we also are getting closer to the Rocky Mountains, and the terrain is getting a bit more hilly.  It all comes out a wash in the end.

The reason we wanted an early start today was so that we could do some sight-seeing along the way. Our first detour was to Badlands National Park. We exited I90 at SD240, which traverses the park. I stopped at the park entrance and flashed my VIP pass (well actually it is a senior pass that anyone over 62 can purchase for $10 and have a lifetime discount, usually free, entrance to National Parks and Monuments), and we were in.

The drive was spectacular.  For one thing, the speed limit is between 25 and 45 mph throughout the park, so you have to slow down and smell the roses, so to speak. For another, the scenery is breath-taking. We stopped at the first pull-out that was big enough to comfortably accommodate our truck and trailer.

As we walked toward the path to the scenic overlook, a couple commented on our "old" trailer. I explained that it is brand new, but made to look like trailers from the '50s or '60s.  Jim said that he had seen the exact same trailer in his home area about a week and a half ago. I asked where he lives, and he said Upper Michigan.  I told him the dates we had gone through his area, and he said he is sure he saw our very trailer! He works for the Canadian railroad and lives in Gladstone, MI. He had seen us from his train.

We had a lovely chat with Jim and his wife Debby.  She is a special ed assistant, so she and Jill had a great deal to talk about concerning teaching. They too are just traveling around enjoying whatever the road brings their way.

Jim asked me an interesting question: "What is the most beautiful thing you have seen on your trip?"  I had to think about that for a moment. The best I could do was to say that everywhere we have gone has its own special kind of beauty and charm. I added that where man-made things are concerned, every state has its car museum, its history museum and some prominent person or family, but the spectacular stuff is what God has made: Carlsbad Caverns, the Great Lakes, the amazing natural landscapes that we have seen from deserts to mountains to lush green prairies. And best of all is the people we have met along the way. I don't think there are any crabby people on the route we have taken. Everyone has been friendly and helpful and ready to share a story or lend a hand.

Here are Jim and Debby, a couple of friendly Michiganders.

Everywhere you look in the Badlands, there is amazing beauty.

To me the most unfortunate thing about all this beauty is that you have to see it in person. There is just no way to capture the grandeur on film (or CCD, or whatever it is I captured these pictures on). 

We continued our drive along SD240 until we came back to I90, which put us smack dab in the middle of Wall, SD, home of the famous Wall Drug.  The story of Wall Drug is very interesting and inspiring, and although Wall Drug has become a kind of tourist trap, the story of the family that built this empire is the quintessential American success story, and the people who work there are friendly and helpful and very charming.

Here is the exterior of Wall Drug.

This old biddy hangs out in the hallways.

Along with Annie Oakley.

We had lunch in the Ice Water Cafe. Our choice was a 1/3 pound buffalo burger with fried onion rings. It was quite good. We were good, though, and shared one meal.  That was only so we could be bad and have a pecan roll. Oh, my! Pecan rolls are apparently a tradition in southern South Dakota, according to the folks at the next table who 1) grew up in SD, 2) were eating a pecan roll and 3) were very nice to chat with. 

We strolled through the shops after lunch, not expecting to buy anything...until Jill spotted the very jacket I had wanted to buy in Mackinac Island but couldn't find one to fit.  Well, this one says South Dakota on the front, instead of Mackinac Island, but the jacket is the same.  I bought one. 

We got back on the highway and had a short jaunt to Rushmore Shadows RV Resort.  Yesterday, when I called for reservations, the woman I spoke with made it very clear that check in time is 2 PM. In spite of our lollygagging along the way, we arrived at 1 PM.  So, we went down the way and found a place to park. We walked the dogs and listened to an old radio mystery on podcast. Then we showed up. Jill mentioned that we had been biding our time so as not to arrive early.  The lady at the desk said, "Oh, tell me you didn't do that. You could have been sitting in the shade at your campsite." Oh, well! 

This place is very nice. It is a membership park, which is to say it is part of a chain of parks which offer perks, like deep discounts on camping fees, to those who choose to buy a membership, very much like time share condos. We opted not to take the 90 minute sales pitch for a discount on our stay, even though the camping fee is quite high. 

As we neared Rapid City, we began to see more red clay in the hills.

So, we are now less than 10 miles from the Mt. Rushmore National Memorial.  We plan to see it tomorrow.  On Tuesday, we hope to see the black hills. So, please return for further adventures.