We are here at our goal -- the Crazy Horse and Mt. Rushmore area...in Custer in the Black Hills/Badlands. Impressive. This really is beautiful country.
We got up this morning in Sioux Falls and began our trek across this state on I-90. Stopped in Mitchell (home of the Corn Palace and the late Senator McGovern) to see a prehistoric Indian site that is under excavation by a group from Exeter, England. This site dates to the Early Middle Missouri Cultural Complex in A. D. 1000. Interesting. My traveling companion being a Native American is reading every piece of info on the Indians as we go along -- and there are many in this area -- so it takes a little time to move her along. :-)
Passed by Winner, SD -- remember the young rancher who won the lottery a few weeks ago? Stopped in Wall, SD. Ever heard about this place? If you have seen a South of the Border sign along I-95, then multiply that by a thousand. Literally. Additionally, the Wall Drug Store which is the attraction (one very long block with a multitude of shopping opportunities) has managed to get notices in countries around the world. So, we have now been there, done that, and didn't need a tee shirt. :-) Check them out on the Internet sometime. Lots of Native American/Western paraphrenalia manufactured in China for the tourists. Glad we did that -- once. From there we had a straight shot towards Rapid City -- and when I say straight, I mean straight! No turns in the road. Straight.
Today the trip was long but an experience. The plains are sweeping and majestic with a vibrant green color that reaches the bottom of the sky at the horizon. Another big sky state. One of our favorite sights today was coming over a ridge and suddenly seeing the Missouri River stretched out in both directions. Just imagine the pioneers figuring out how to cross this expanse with their wagons, live stock, provisions, and families. Still thinking about the film we saw at the Trails Museum in Council Bluffs, Iowa on the four major trails the pioneers chose and many of their trials and tribulations along the way. We were happy to see signs of our own trail's end with the Badlands looming in the distance this afternoon.
We got up this morning in Sioux Falls and began our trek across this state on I-90. Stopped in Mitchell (home of the Corn Palace and the late Senator McGovern) to see a prehistoric Indian site that is under excavation by a group from Exeter, England. This site dates to the Early Middle Missouri Cultural Complex in A. D. 1000. Interesting. My traveling companion being a Native American is reading every piece of info on the Indians as we go along -- and there are many in this area -- so it takes a little time to move her along. :-)
Passed by Winner, SD -- remember the young rancher who won the lottery a few weeks ago? Stopped in Wall, SD. Ever heard about this place? If you have seen a South of the Border sign along I-95, then multiply that by a thousand. Literally. Additionally, the Wall Drug Store which is the attraction (one very long block with a multitude of shopping opportunities) has managed to get notices in countries around the world. So, we have now been there, done that, and didn't need a tee shirt. :-) Check them out on the Internet sometime. Lots of Native American/Western paraphrenalia manufactured in China for the tourists. Glad we did that -- once. From there we had a straight shot towards Rapid City -- and when I say straight, I mean straight! No turns in the road. Straight.
Today the trip was long but an experience. The plains are sweeping and majestic with a vibrant green color that reaches the bottom of the sky at the horizon. Another big sky state. One of our favorite sights today was coming over a ridge and suddenly seeing the Missouri River stretched out in both directions. Just imagine the pioneers figuring out how to cross this expanse with their wagons, live stock, provisions, and families. Still thinking about the film we saw at the Trails Museum in Council Bluffs, Iowa on the four major trails the pioneers chose and many of their trials and tribulations along the way. We were happy to see signs of our own trail's end with the Badlands looming in the distance this afternoon.
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