August 18, 2023

 Hi All,

We are in Badlands National Park!  I have to say - we have already had a great trip and Mackinac Island was a wonderful major stop, but, for me, it all starts here. I have been so excited about this I actually get a little teary eyed yesterday while driving here on I90. True story And it wasn’t because of the death grip I had on the steering wheel to keep from getting blown off the road. It was a hard ride. But it was a beautiful ride.

Friday August 18

I had to stop writing yesterday because we had no electricity and I was running out of battery.

Let me back up. We left Big Soyuz recreation area at 7:15 AM. That’s a record for us. Unfortunately, we lost an hour when we got lost because we had to go back to the campground because I was reading about trails in the badlands and left my phone in the restroom.  I KNOW! I KNOW. Trust me, it was mentioned. More than once I think.

Anyways, we left there and went to Sioux Falls park a beautiful park in Sioux Falls South Dakota and we did a little Thrifting and went on our way. We also stopped at the famous Corn Palace. Let me just say, don’t. Just don’t I have to say that Annie would disagree. One of the Youtubers I watch, Traveling Robert, went there last year. He wasn’t impressed either. Then we got the badlands, got all set up, and went to Wall Drug. I have to admit, I thought that was going to be another waste of time, but I don’t think so. Don’t get me wrong, I was done way before Annie was. But they had a lot of great.(great might be a stretch), western art. And it was just a tourist trap that I didn’t mind walking around in for a little while. It’s actually a great rags to riches story. Signs that said free ice water kept them from going bankrupt in the 1930s?  Now there are signs everywhere for wall drug. We saw our first one about 3/4 of the way through Missouri.

The badlands national park is one of those places that you can get stupid with the camera. I mean the place is so beautiful and remarkable that you look up and think you need to take a picture-  five minutes later taking another picture. It gets to be too much. I remember last year when Ed and Sue Annie and I were in the Tetons, I did a solo hike. It was an out and back. On the way back I turned around and saw this beautiful scene. I picked up my camera, and said to myself, “ you already took this exact picture.”

That being said, the badlands is a spot. We did a couple of short 1 mile out and backs  - three I guess. They were great walks loved every second, although Annie’s knee is not doing well. it’s not a major thing. It’s just going to change a couple plans. 

I forgot to mention the wind farms in Missouri. We passed a few of them. We went through one on I90 that was so big it was awesome. I want to say they were hundreds of wind mills. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.

Today we drove to the Black Hills. Big Pines campground. One of the few times we are at a pirate campground on the trip. On the way here today we stopped at wind Cave national Park. I was hooking up the trailer this morning, and a woman pass by and said, “ I don’t know which way you’re going, but if you’re going west don’t take 40” That’s the way my directions read so we took 90. We ended up on a gravel road for about 18 miles. It was more interesting than anything else. We are in the mountains. When we got to wind Cave national Park, and we were told that all the tours had been canceled due to elevator repair. I said to the Ranger at the desk that I was aware of some gray trailers at the park. Three rangers immediately looked at me with concern on their face and said, “ it’s hot!”  so we came to the campground. I not sure what we’re doing tonight, but it’s going to be great.

Hope all is well. God bless.

I forgot about the prairie Homestead. We stopped at a Homestead that was successfully homesteaded as part of the homestead act of 18 whatever. That’s where all the prairie dogs were.

I also forgot to mention the sunflower farms. Acres and acres of sunflowers.