Apr 17, 2013 - A day of waiting

Date: April 17, 2013 Tonight’s Location: Wall, SD Mileage: End - Start - Total Miles for the day: 0 Weather: snow and snow showers all day Temperature: start 23º High 34º Wildlife count: Year List: 184 Birds: Killdeer, Red-winged Blackbird, Gadwall ducks We awoke early, knowing that we were to stay here all day. All schools west of here were closed due to the forecast. Actually, only about 2” fell, but we had a most relaxing day. We took several walks around the park, as well as to Wall Drug, where we enjoyed a very good lunch of...

Apr 16, 2013 - Snow comes...

Date: April 16, 2013 Tonight’s Location: Wall, SD Mileage: End - 14665 Start - 14243 Total Miles for the day: 422 Weather: sunny am, then cloudy with snow from 1 pm on. Temperature: start 33º High 36º Wildlife count: coyote, Pronghorn (antelope) These animals can leap 20’, sprint 70 mph; run comfortably at 35 mph. They can detect movement from 4 miles away. Year List: 184 Birds: Pileated Woodpecker, Red-winged Blackbird, Great Blue Heron, (16) Red-tailed Hawks, Canada Geese, Rock Dove, Common Grackle, House Finch, Kestrel, Western...

Oct 20, 2012 - Wall Drug

Wall Drug It was so fun visiting Wall Drug again after four years. Today we had a 5 cent cup of coffee and Bill bought a great tee shirt with a Buffalo on it. I love the story that Ted Hustead tells about how Wall Drug came to be so I thought I would share it. The Husteads Today In 1931, Dorothy and Ted Hustead with their son, Billy, moved into the back of Wall Drug Store. Dorothy, the lady with the FREE ICE WATER IDEA, passed away in November 1995, founder Ted passed away in January 1999, and their son Billy died the following October,...

Oct 1, 2012 - WALL, SD

Day 8 After reading about R @ Bs travels around the country, we thought we should try it too. We drove today from Sioux Falls, South Dakota west on Route 92 to Wall, South Dakota. Stops on the way were, the Corn Palace at Mitchell South Dakota and 1800 Frontier Town in Murdo, SD. They had an old time printshop newspaper that had a Linotype and a press and the composing type cases all jammed together, they never could have printed a paper there. (but some said that about The Post also) The Corn Palace is a stadium, auditorium, theater with...

Sep 25, 2012 - Custer to Wall, SD via the Badlands NP

Had a nice drive from Custer to the Badlands. Saw several flocks of wild turkeys along the side of the road. AND we almost hit a deer crossing the road! We got our first scent of sweet grass as we passed state mowers on Route 36. Sweetest scent ever!! The landscape went from sharp to rounded to flat. As we went east from Rapid City, we followed the river valley which was strange seeing the green of the river valley surrounded by the arid, brown hills. Route 44 finally passes through a small strip of the Badlands. It leaves you rather...

Sep 12, 2012 - The Badlands

September 12th, 2012 We are in Wall, SD primarily to visit the Badlands. Sleepy Hollow RV Park is a small but pleasant park set back from the main road so the sounds of traffic are nil. The roads and RV pads are gravel but there is generous amount of grass at each site along with a picnic table. A huge dog run made Charlie very happy when he first saw it. And the park is walking distance (for most people) to Wall Drugs. Burma shave style billboards dotted the landscape advertising the “store.” Now, it occupies a full block and has...

Sep 11, 2012 - Day 6

Wall, SD to Sioux Falls, SD We awoke to horrible winds so got up and showered, ate breakfast and went into Wall to check out the famous Drug Store. Then we hit the road. Marty is exhausted as he said he had to hang onto the steering wheel all day to stay on the road. The winds never left. Now in Sioux Falls it’s not a very nice camp ground, but we’re here and safe.

Sep 10, 2012 - Day 5

Deadwood to Crazy Horse, Mt. Rushmore, Wall, SD This was a day of sightseeing. Seeing these two national treasures was awesome. A lot has changed since we saw Mt Rushmore more than 25+ years ago. Today is 100 degree day. It's too hot for us. Can't sit outside, but are very thankful for a wonderful working heat/cooling pump. Motorhome has worked out wonderfully. Leaving Abby at the two monuments today in an air-conditioned motorhome worked perfect.

Aug 30, 2012 - The Badlands

Yesterday's drive from Custer to Wall was only about 100 miles. We got to our campground about noon, had lunch and then hunkered down for the afternoon. As the temperatures approached 108, it was 86 inside our motorhome. The airconditioners can only bring the temperature down about 20 degrees below the outside temperature. It was warm but tolerable. I am reading a book about women's experience on the emigrant trails of the 19th century. It was an enjoyable afternoon as I sat with a fan right in front of me while I read. About 5 p.m. the...

Aug 13, 2012 - Badlands of Dakota

We are now in Wall SD. As we drove from Spearfish to Wall this morning we begin to see signs on the landscape of rolling prairie and not much else. The signs were advertising Wall Drug at Wall SD. We read these signs as they went on and on and on...for everything from free ice water to 5 cent coffee and western wear and camping supplies and lots of other stuff. Well by the time we arrived, we got set up and since it was lunch time we went to eat at Wall Drug. It took up a whole block and had maps to guide you through the place and it was...

Aug 10, 2012 - Mt. Rushmore, Custer State Park, Wind Cave NP

Up before dawn as we have lots to do today! Showers, pancakes and then off to Wall to drop the trailer. We saw a prairie dog town along the way and stopped to check it out. There are thousands and thousands of motorcycles on the road and are everywhere. Most are hard core Harley Davidson types (usually very nice folks under the getup and tattoos). We headed west and soon hit the Black Hills. Had always heard how nice they were…a beautiful, forested mecca in the midst of some otherwise barren territory. Not hard to understand why the Sioux...

Jul 29, 2012 - to Wall SD; 16/195

120730-Mon-63465-Today we ended at 63657, started at 63465 miles, for total miles today of 102. We drove around the Black Hills and around Custer St Pk and saw prairie dogs, deer and buffalo. Then we went thru 4 tunnels on our way to Rapid City where we ate lunch at a Hardee’s. Then we went to the Badlands via Rt. 44 and thru the Badlands to Wall SD. We went to Wall Drug and are staying at the Arrow Campground in Wall with internet, cable TV and a pool. It was 104 degrees when we went to Wall Drug about 4pm..