Amazing how easy customs is with the new facial recognition. Actually it always has a hard time recognizing me…. Big Hair? Blinking eyes? Criminal convictions? Who knows…
What is not easy to do in Sioux Falls, is to find food at 10 pm. Thanks to that rental car we were able to a drive thru at Burger King. The next day was able to get my Marshall’s shopping fix . We were disappointed when thunder and lightening started, but in true Midwest form… the sun came out after 30 minutes of rain so the outdoor concert was on. We found out about the Levitt outdoor concerts from my seat mate on the plane. Her husband and son farm 3500 acres…. Hard to imagine.
The concert was unexpectedly terrific. Starting with food truck dinner and drink, and followed by Humble Town (local bluegrass) and Damn Tall Buildings (bluegrass group from Brooklyn). Really wonderful to be in the middle of the city with all different ages just having fun and dancing to the music. Interestingly, they keep a flag out of different colors to warn of weather. If there is a lightning strike within 10 miles, a red flag is posted and everyone must leave.
On return to the hotel we found the Desantis bus was parked at our hotel. Oh no! Is it that time again? His slogan is “Never back down”…. Hmm not so sure a good idea with nuclear diplomacy etc. …. See minuteman discussion later.
Unbelievably, I walked into the DMV at 8:50 AM for my 9 AM appt. I left with license at 9:10. And she even took a nice pic…. And laughed when I blinked (usually they get really annoyed).
So we were off to Badlands … about 5 hours away. There were many small towns on the map so thought we’d have plenty of stores and restaurants. This was incorrect. Remarkably few places of business on the way. Has anyway had a Forestburg melon? Grocery store clerks say people wait all year for them. Too big for those hotel fridges…
I really was craving a salad. This is apparently not a normal craving in this area.
I think this would be a great place to bike. Easy to stop and take photos of giant abandoned barns and old farmhouses. You could camp in a sunflower field.
The scenery became flatter, more desolate…. And then we could see Badlands popping up out the sage brush. Beautiful in its own weird way. Made me think of “All the Pretty Horses”.
Strange to hear the ranger give a talk that night about the minuteman missile program then jump into a star watching program. . She described step by step how a missile would be fired. It was an excellent but scary talk… rare that you laugh with hair standing up on the back of your neck. Was good to hear that the missiles had been removed from the area we were in (with a museum in its place) but there are still 450 (previously 700) nuclear warheads in other desolate areas that could be in Moscow in about a half hour. And creepy to think that every day there are a whole bunch of folks waiting for that order…..every day!
Now for some amazing Badlands photography….
Life's Been Good To Us So Far! 
Hi Dyer’s
A lot of great hiking trails in the badlands. Fossils everywhere. Don’t miss the visitor center. They are always working on fossils that were found in that area. A lot of the fossils are found by visitors, so keep your 👀 open.
The sunflowers were pretty dry when we went through. Love your pics!!! Custer state park in the black hills has a wonderful nature driving loop with buffalo and these wild donkeys that will come right up to your car and beg for food. I guess that doesn’t make them so wild. Wind cave is right next door to Custer
State park and we did an interesting cave tour. Have you seen Mount Rushmore? You may have done all that already. Dances with wolfs was filmed near the town of Coputa. You look at the prairie topography and can see it in your minds eye. Kevin was so dreamy in that movie. Ok back to reality. You guys have fun! Cindy Bonner
PS: LOVE THE PRARIE DOGS!!
LikeLike