Day 33 - To the Black Hills

 Today was all South Dakota, from the eastern edge to the Black Hills - some very beautiful country and a healthy dose of roadside attractions that almost (but not quite) made us feel like we were back on Route 66: a battleship monument in Sioux Falls (the nearest salt water is Hudson Bay, Canada), the little prairie house of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the Corn Palace, Wall Drug, and the largest reptile collection in the world, as certified by the Guiness Book of Records. Alas, we were short of time and left all for our next trip through the area.

The billboards showed a form of humor that develops during long, cold winters. For a Mexican restaurant: "Mexican food so good that Donald Trump would build a wall around it" and "Exercise makes you look better, but so does tequila". For a wine shop: "In wine there is wisdom; in water there is bacteria". Is this a great country or what? 

There were natural wonders too: the mighty Missouri River near Oacoma, the Badlands near Kadoka, and the grasslands and big sky that made Betty feel at home, she adores the big sky.

Nearing Rapid City, the sky was getting blacker and blacker, shrouding the Black Hills from view. As we turned south toward Mt. Rushmore, a few drops of rain started. By the time we got to Keystone, there was thunder, chain lightning and a downpour - the first real rain in our 33-day trip. Hopefully the weather settles tomorrow for our day at Mt. Rushmore.

365 miles today. No new license plates.

After driving through so much Indian Country, it is time for a book about Native Americans. Wanders through South Dakota include the land of the Lakota Nation. Joseph Marshall III, a Lakota native and historian has written an intimate biography of the Lakota war leader Crazy Horse, The Journey of Crazy Horse: a Lakota History. Based on vivid oral histories as well as in depth historical research, Marshall creates a vibrant portrait of the man, his time, and his legacy.

There was a major loss today for Route 66 fans. George Maharis, who played the dark-haired, brooding Buz Murdock in the TV series died at 94. Hepatitis nearly killed him as filming of the 116 episodes wound across the country, and the disease dogged him later in his career. It flared again recently, and he died of complications. In honor of Route 66 and all road trips we decided to go with Tom Cochrane today singing Life is a Highway. Tom Cochrane - Life Is A Highway (Official Video) - YouTube