Day 18: June 10
We’re camped at Chris Camp in Spearfish, SD
Greetings from the Black Hills of South Dakota and THANK YOU to everyone who’s been kind enough to read through the blog and leave a comment. I’d love to respond to each comment but hey people, this is not Facebook where we can have a running conversation, right? I mean, once you’ve seen a post, who wants to go to it AGAIN?! But I read each one and get a warm feeling...or a guffaw!
We were supposed to be in NORTH Dakota now, but I kind of intimated to Dan that I thought it was insane (INSANE) to drive more than 12 hours in one day, just to get to a state we hadn’t been to, JUST SO we could add another sticker to the “states we’ve been to in our RV” map. (AND, Dan seems to think the criterion for a sticker is if you’ve slept overnight in the RoadHouse; my personal criterion is if you’ve eaten a meal in that state, then it should count. Even if you just stop for gas and pull over and go raid the fridge in the RoadHouse.) (I just LOVE being able to eat off my own plates, on my own table, and use my own “facilities” when we stop!) Right now we’re using the Dan Criteria, so no new sticker this stop.
He picked a camp in Spearfish, SD, west of Sturgis and Rapid City. I was whining (I know, hard to imagine me whining about something...haha) about not getting to go to see WALL DRUG when we first put the SD sticker on the map....so today, my dear husband indulged me and we drove over to Wall, SD specifically to go to Wall Drug. What a HOOT. I can die happy now. There is only ONE Wall Drug...for 200 miles east and west of Wall, there are signs on the road, nice signs, extolling the virtues of Wall Drug. Yes, it’s actually a drug store, but it’s also an art gallery in the dining room, fine western art, a book store, a tourist trap, and a place for families to relax and spend time (and money). It began in the 1930s as a drug store with the hook of “free ice water” (it was in the high to mid 90s today with 71% humidity—yuck) on the sign boards to bring in travelers. And Wall Drug put signs in spots internationally as well (so, when travelers from, say, Amsterdam, came to America on a visit, one of the places they wanted to see was the famous “Wall Drug” in Wall, SD. Incredibly, it worked and the stop grew and grew. It’s a crazy place. I’d go back, but as I said, I can die happy now....especially since I was able to do some Christmas shopping—and, I bought my turquoise and inlay “trip earrings”! 💜
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| Frederic Remington sculptures |
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| Second row up from the bottom, rightmost pair. Just saying.... |
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| Western art gallery dining room. I loved that there was a plaque at our table with the names of two of the builders who worked on this room. |
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| Buffalo burger for Dan; buffalo hot dog for me. Homemade cherry and blueberry pie. YUM |
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| Rabbit: we like it BIG |
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| Wall Drug as far as the eye can see.... |
While eating lunch (Dan had a buffalo burger and I had the buffalo hot dog (it was delicious), I mentioned to Dan that we could EASILY go to Badlands NP, less than 10 miles away. (Yes, I feel like white trash because I had prioritized WALL DRUG over the majesty of a NATIONAL PARK....but, I live my truth). We had made plans to hike closer to Spearfish, but he was easily convinced given how very (VERY) hot it was!
Oh. My. It was incredible. I’m SO GLAD we got to see it. And, we got our National Parks Passport so I can collect my stamps when we visit other National Monuments and Parks. Whoot! We were both blown away by the scenery.
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| This loop trail went up 300 feet and then came down through a juniper and pine forest. In the heat of the day, the smell on the path was heavenly. Although we were warned, we saw no rattlesnakes. |
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| BAT in the Badlands |
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| That SKY.... |
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| Grasslands and erosion and fossils |
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| This shot begs for a two-seater convertible |
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| Hello, Friends |
Conversations today: I am really coming out of my shell. 😂
**In one of the lookout parking lots at Badlands NP, I stuck my face in the driver’s side window of an an older couple whose Ohio plate said they bought their car in Brunswick. They’re doing a June Tour of wonderful places. We compared notes. At one point, it came out that I had gone to Mount Union and boy, did he brighten up—his daughter and son-in-law both went there, graduating in the 90s. We high-fived. Go Bucks—and purple Raiders!
**When Dan was filling up the gas tank, just off Main Street in Wall, I saw a stuffed Subaru Forester with California plates and a UC Berkeley Alumnus license plate holder. I stuck my face into the passenger window and said GO BEARS, got the appropriate response, and then we compared notes. This USB ‘19 grad had just completed two years of work in Maryland and was heading to Seattle for grad school....traveling solo. I remember Matt’s two month journey around North America and how much he enjoyed chatting with strangers along the way. It was fun to see this young guy who reminded me of Matt and his journey. Go Bears!
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| They’re everywhere...seen while talking to that nice young man from Berkeley |
Tomorrow: Devil’s Tower. Stay tuned....
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