about us brian (country mouse) is from new hampshire. karel (city girl) is from the new york metro area. in summer 2008 they are driving across the US and moving to portland, oregon. here are their adventures, photos, and observations.
Pardon the brevity of this post, but today was so jam-packed with excitement in contrast with the first three days of our trip that we could hardly drag ourselves into our motel room. Motel? Yes that is right. Our camping plans were thwarted due to thunderstorms and pouring rain here in southwestern South Dakota.
I am going to have to summarize our day as such:
8:00am. We awake and leave Sioux Falls. During the first few hundred miles of our drive, we see countless billboards for a drugstore called 'Wall Drug.' Brian is convinced that it is fake and just a huge prank that the farmers of South Dakota collectively play on tourists. We fall for the bait and take pictures of every single one we can see. One day I'll make a collage of them but seeing as there are probably close to 100, I'll have to tease you with just one:
Later we follow the billboards to an enormous tourist strip that features the one and only, and 100% real, Wall Drug. It's real, folks. Who knew?
2:00pm. We reach the Badlands!! I buy Brian a strip of buffalo jerky and he tries at least three times to get me to try some but I refuse. Something about a gag reflex. Ack. Anyway... here's what we see:
4:30pm. It is pouring and hailing and yet the little pickup and U-Haul trailer that could makes it up to Mount Rushmore so we can each snap one photo...
6:00pm. RODEO TIME!! We make it to Deadwood, SD in time for the Days of '76 Twilight Rodeo. I am relieved to see other Asian faces in the crowd, although one of them is quite uncouth and spits on the wooden planks next to her bleacher seat. Oh well. It's a rodeo, what can I expect?
I'll tell you what I can expect...
11:55pm. I am tired and am going to bed. Tomorrow brings more driving and Yellowstone and hopefully, some camping for real. :)
posted by karel at 10:22 PM
5 Comments:
Anonymous said...
Good morning! Sorry you didn't get to camp but seeing where you had such a busy day it was probably nice to fall into a bed and not have to set up camp. Glad you are having fun. Rain has finally passed with a lot of distruction in the center of the state but thankfully all we got was a lot of rain. Looking forward to a sunny day today and more sun on the weekend. Have a great day. Love Aunt Pauline
That photo of Mt Rushmore doesn't look real...looks like someone pasted the images of the faces on a photo of the Mt...can't wait to see your other photos!! Glad you stayed dry last night. Have a ball in Yellowstone...don't feed the bears!! Mom
5 Comments:
Good morning! Sorry you didn't get to camp but seeing where you had such a busy day it was probably nice to fall into a bed and not have to set up camp. Glad you are having fun. Rain has finally passed with a lot of distruction in the center of the state but thankfully all we got was a lot of rain. Looking forward to a sunny day today and more sun on the weekend. Have a great day. Love Aunt Pauline
You did not have to go all the way to South Dakota to find a bunch of horses asses. They are everwhere!
Wall Drug is the midwest equivalent of South Carolina's 'South of the Border'. Check out www.pedroland.com
Brain, did you see any Road Runners out there?
That photo of Mt Rushmore doesn't look real...looks like someone pasted the images of the faces on a photo of the Mt...can't wait to see your other photos!! Glad you stayed dry last night. Have a ball in Yellowstone...don't feed the bears!!
Mom
Don't mind me, I'm checking out how to do this without always checking "anonymous"
oooh, those badlands look awesome!! hope you made it camping after the bout of rain!
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