July 13th, Saturday

Happy Birthday Wendy ! Another hot, sunny day - 30 at 8am. On the road after a great barbecue and sleep last night. One of the best campgrounds yet and right beside Old MacDonald's Farm near Keystone on route 16. We hopped on the I90 and headed east across the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands which are recovered lands by the government. They are trying to bring the grasslands (short grass, mixed grasses and tall grasses) back to a productive level after all the drought years.

We stopped at the Wall Drug Store in Wall (76,000 sq ft), South Dakota. In 1931 the owner advertised Free Ice Water on a billboard on the now I90 and from then on the idea of billboards took off and now line the I90. The Wall Drug has creaky floors like Dayle's but nowhere near the quality or atmosphere. Even stopping at Masstown is away better. And to top it off we happened to arrive on parade day - but unlike Amherst you can cross the street with your vehicle when the parade is on :-). The Badlands of South Dakota were next - another highlight on the trip. Over the last few million years the Continental Plates pushed and shoved, the sea retreated, silt and sediment washed down from the Black Hills and the area of what we call the Badlands was exposed to the elements. Wind, air, water and sun sculpted the land into their present day craggy forms.

Late in the afternoon (after losing an hour crossing into Central Time) we found an antique car attraction called Pioneer Auto in Murdo, SD. Interesting - lots of stuff: some in good condition and some in poor condition.There was even a 1921 motorhome that went across the US from Coast to Coast. Temp is up to 37 today and it is hot.... Overnight at a campground in Mitchell, SD - the home of the Corn Castle. Maybe a picture tomorrow :-)