Week 2

June 22, 2008

We left South Dakota and headed into Wyoming today driving a l-o-n-g 254 miles. Shortly after entering Wyoming we saw this beautiful mountain range off in the distance, the Big Horn Range.


	What we didn’t realize is that we would be driving up and crossing them. We climbed for miles at 30 to 35 mph and even slower. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous.


	Going down the other side we were in a low gear but our brakes got hot anyway. We rested a while and then went down in second and first gear at 15 to 20 mph.






	By the time we had climbed the mountains and crawled down the other side, Bart had had it. He told Bill and Kay, “At the next wide spot in the road, we are pulling over and spending the night”. But we made it into the next town, Ten Sleep, and found a nice park. It was called Ten Sleep because it was halfway between the Indians’ winter and summer ranges. The Indians measured distances by “sleeps” or nights and each range was ten sleeps away. Gas of course was higher, at $4.299 but we had to put 43 gallons in.

June 21, 2008

What an incredible day! We toured Custer State Park. First we saw feral burros in a group of about 8 or 10 right by the road. One came up to the car and stuck his head in the window. Kay petted him. Then he used the side mirror to scratch his back.




		Then we saw antelope. In one spot we saw a buck, 2 does and a fawn. They eventually crossed the road about 20 yards behind our car.


	After checking the visitor’s booth, we drove about two miles down this dirt road and found ourselves in the center of a heard of 300 to 400 buffalo. We had buffalo on either side of the car, in back of the car and in front of the car. Bulls, cows and calves were everywhere.



							Note the red blood spot where this bull had been gored by a horn.



	Kay and Bart walked down the road just in front of the car taking pictures. One big old bull would stop every so often and glare back at them and they would freeze. As soon as he started walking again, they would start too. This went on for fifteen minutes or so until he started snorting. Then they got back in the car.

June 20, 2008

Went back to Keystone, a little tourist trap town close to Mt Rushmore. Elaine and Kay spent about twelve hours shopping in a discount store (they claim it was only a half hour). Then we had lunch at the Balcony Grille. Bart had a buffalo burger and a BBQ’ed hog wing. Everybody else had normal food. There was a steam train to Hill City but we did not take it.

After lunch, Kay, Bill and Elaine went to the Beautiful Rushmore Cave where they climbed sideways slanted stairways while hunched over and performed various other calisthenics.

Meanwhile, Bart drove around to get more pictures of Mt Rushmore.


	Little did we know that the storm Bart saw in the distance was dropping marble size hail on the campground. Upon our return, we found Bill’s car dimpled, the sewer hoses cracked, and our slide out awnings peppered with small pin holes. Kay’s picnic table cloth was riddled with holes.

June 19, 2008

Arrived in Rapid City, SD (actually Piedmont) after only 64 miles today. Went to see Mt Rushmore under the lights at night. They did a presentation and film in an outdoor amphitheater about its construction and the four presidents represented. Very impressive but hard to get pictures at night.

June 18, 2008

We are in Wall, SD tonight (209 miles today). Wall is the home of the famous Wall Drug Store. In the 1930’s the owners watched the cars speed by on the dusty highway but none stopped. They put out a sign saying “Free Ice Water” and soon were doing more business than they could handle. They still give out free ice water and coffee for 5 cents. The store now comprises almost a whole city block and has a 350 seat restaurant plus about a dozen little shops plus a small water park for kids (free) and lots of attractions to look at.

New


	Before that we toured the Dakota Bad Lands. Words can’t describe it. All of a sudden rising out of the prairie grasses are these rock formations cut by years of wind and rain erosion that go on for miles, interspersed with grassy plains and deep valleys. We took the 30 mile loop road through it.


	Along the way we saw flowering cactus, several different species of birds, prairie dog towns, an antelope, two mule deer and mountain goats, a Billy, a Nanny and 2 or 3 kids. Most were at a good distance and the pictures are small.




				Antelope



		Mule Deer Doe




			Prairie Dog Town



				Mountain Goats

June 17, 2008

We are in Mitchell, SD tonight (280 miles today). We are now just about half way to Dawson Creek, 1,356 miles from home. Just before we crossed from Minnesota to South Dakota we got really excited . . . we saw gas for ONLY $3.899. Guess it shows how quickly we adjust from too high prices. Last year at this time we paid $2.939 for gas for the coach and thought that was high. Anyway we put in 45 gallons.




		They cut different colored corn in half lengthwise and create murals from them. It is really pretty neat to see. They change the designs every year at a cost of $130,000.


	After we ate supper, we went to the Corn Palace www.cornpalace.org. It is like a convention center but all the exterior walls, and many of the interior walls are decorated with corn art.



				Then we went to a big Cabela’s store. They had all the North American game animals mounted and on display.



				This was on a T-shirt for $16.95. This picture was free.


	Tomorrow we are off to Rapid City where we will stay a few days and sight see. There is Mount Rushmore, the Dakota Bad Lands and much more.

June 16, 2008

We are in Prior Lake, MN tonight (242 miles). We are now 1,076 miles from home. We put 51 gallons of gas in at $3.999.


	The campground we are in, Dakota Meadows, is the best so far. It is next to Mystic Casino but we are so tired we are not even going to the casino. Boy, that is tired!!




	We stopped at the Mall of America on the way but were not impressed. The Lego center was great with some incredible figures. The best was a working man-clock that had over 800,000 blocks in it. Eight people worked in round the clock shifts for 2 1/2 months to build it.


	The amusement park in the center of the mall was neat to see and probably fun for kids. We did not go to the aquarium as it was $18.95 per person.


	Other than that, it was just a big Eastview or Carousal Mall with some different stores but many of the same.

June 15, 2008

We had a super breakfast at the Log Cabin Restaurant in Baraboo WI this morning. Then we went to the Circus Museum.


	It was filled with posters and other circus memorabilia, circus wagons, photographs and calliopes. Several of them played, including a Gavioli Band Organ on a parade wagon. It was a treat to listen to.


	They also put on a mini circus that was pretty good. It brought back many fond memories for Kay and Bill. Elaine and Bart were really sorry they never got to see a real circus as kids.


	But that did not stop Elaine from riding a unicycle (fixed) and Bart from walking a “tightrope”. And yes he made it from to end (about 6 feet in length) and it was almost 2 feet off the ground.




	Elaine and Bart rattle their cage.


	Last updated June 21, 2008