"We were a thousand miles from nowhere..." -Garth Brooks, "Cheyenne"

After a night in a comfy and cozy bed, we  packed up the truck and got back on the road. We had two destinations in mind: Devil's Tower and Cheyenne. Both are located in the beautiful state of Wyoming. 

Located just across the border from South Dakota, Devil's Tower juts out of the ground and can be seen from miles and miles away. I can see why it is called "Devil's Tower." It freaked me out, especially since I can remember being scared by the scenes of it from the movie  Close Encounters of the Third Kind when I was a kid. At the same time, though, I could see why the Sioux believed that the    Creator lived in that area. Time and time again on this trip I have been awe-struck by the beauty of our planet and this was no exception. 

Kevin liked this stop because we found his favorite ice cream flavor at the Trading Post-Superman!!! So we enjoyed some before getting back on the road. 

During our travels today we also came across the town of Aladdin, Wyoming. Population 15. The General Store was stocked with souvenirs and treats and antiques, and we couldn't resist purchasing a few items (especially since the entire town depends on the only store). 

The majority of our day was spent driving on the roads in Wyoming. We originally planned to camp near Cheyenne for the night. Kevin wanted to see the town since it is mentioned in so many country music songs. When we arrived in Cheyenne we discovered that rainstorms had formed in the area and didn't want to  spend the night in a tent. So...we decided to head on to Black Hawk, Colorado. We plan to spend tonight and tomorrow night in the area exploring Colorado and enjoying the Rocky Mountains. 

We spent most of the day in the car, but the views and deserted roads made the time fly. We really do live in a beautiful country, and I'm glad to have the chance to see so much of it! It was difficult to be so close to Yellowstone and not visit. But Kevin and I plan to make it our destination on our next summer adventure! Ahh! The perks of being teachers! 

Here are some pics of our drive today. We truly felt like we were a thousand miles from nowhere! 

One of my favorite parts of the trip is the spontaneity of it all. We never know what to expect, and a "wrong" turn can actually lead you somewhere great! Like when we had to turn around in a parking lot in the middle of Wyoming and found a man cooking and selling racks of ribs for 10 bucks on the side of the road. They made a delicious lunch as we devoured them as we continued on our way. 

Today's journey has brought us from flat and expansive grasslands: 

To the Rocky Mountains:

More posts to come tomorrow...

"I think you've had too much..." -Kevin aka Wild Bill's bartender

Last night we stayed in the historic mining town called Deadwood, South Dakota. We had a blast, but more about that later...we made a few stops before arriving in Deadwood.

After packing up camp, we set out for Spearfish, SD, although it wasn't the town we were interested in; it was the road leading up to it. Spearfish Canyon Road winds along the floor of the canyon and the views are spectacular. A creek winds along the roadside and we felt like we were in a car commercial. 

We had planned on grabbing some lunch in Spearfish, but nothing seemed to be open in the sleepy town. Not even the Back Porch pub. 

From Spearfish we headed to the town of Sturgis. This town is famous for their motorcycle rally. Held for a week every August, it seemed like the whole town was prepping for the event. Some places make so much money during the rally that they only open for the week and remain closed the rest of the year. I can't even imagine what the town looks like when thousands of bikers arrive!

After driving around Sturgis for awhile we set out for Deadwood. Once a functioning gold mine, the town was famous for its gambling halls and brothels in its heyday. 

Thankfully we were able to check into our hotel early so that we could shower and rest a little before hitting Main Street. It was a scorcher yesterday-99 degrees-so we were able to escape the heat of the afternoon in our comfy hotel room. Our hotel was located on the site of the old mine. 

Once it cooled off a little, we headed to explore the town. It was fun to try to imagine the street filled with miners and the likes of Wild Bill Hickock, Calamity Jane, and Poker Alice. 

Soon we wandered into Saloon No 10. The site of the murder of Wild Bill Hickock during a card game. Now known as the "Deadman's Hand," Wild Bill was holding Aces and eights when Jack McCall came into the bar and shot Wild Bill because he lost to Wild Bill the night before. We had to enjoy a brew at the bar, of course, and little did we know but the fun was just beginning. 

Here is the chair Wild Bill was sitting in when he was shot:

We felt like we stepped back in time in the No. 10 Saloon. Sawdust covered the floors, and the decor remained as it was during the 1870s. The historical appeal only got better when Kevin was selected to play the role of the bartender in the historical reenactment of the shooting. It was hilarious and amazing all at the same time. Kevin even had a line or two! My favorite was when he refused to serve McCall any liquor with the line, "I think you've had too much."  

I caught some of it on video. Click here to enjoy it: http://youtu.be/GBuJlvUFlWw

After a rousing round of applause, we headed to get some dinner. We decided on a saloon advertising steak and ended up ordering a delicious and ridiculous sized "Sirloin for two." It was heavenly! 

After dinner we sought out some more historical landmarks:

We also found some modern "stuff," like the car used in the Transformers movie! Bumblebee! 

We also found a blues musician in the Deadwood Tobacco Company bar. Located under Main Street, it is right next to the tunnels used to access the brothels when they were in full swing. 

 After enjoying "the Man in the Brown Hat" as he is known in his home of Memphis, we headed back to the hotel to rest up for today! 

Today's journey is taking us to Wyoming! I'll update again soon! Some might say "I think you've had too much..fun," but I say "No way!" Let the fun continue! 

"...The one with the prettiest of views..." -Anna Kendrick, "Cups"

Whew! What a day! Yesterday was a day filled with pretty views and memorable moments. Here is a sampling of what we experienced in the Black Hills region of South Dakota. 

Our first stop was the Badlands. The landscape looked like Mars! We could have spend days hiking in the area, but we had to settle for a few hours of sightseeing. Here are some pics from our time in the Badlands: 

A bighorn sheep!:

 There is a storm behind us in the above picture. It was far away, but the sound of the thunder rolling across the open landscape was impressive. 

After exploring the Badlands, we stopped in the town of Wall. We had seen countless billboards advertising the Wall Drug Store so we had to stop and see what all the fuss is about. It is definitely a bustling and fun tourist trap, and I was glad to see all the activity since the owners used to pray for just one customer a day when they opened during the Depression in 1931. We window shopped, sampled one of their famous donuts, ate some lunch, and even took on Chuck Norris and lived to tell the tale! 

After lunch we decided that priority number one was choosing our campsite for the evening. We chose Sylvan Lake. Not too shabby!!

We set up camp so that we could head out for the rest of the day and just crash when we came home. 

Our next destination was the unfinished Crazy Horse Memorial. Started in 1948, it remains a work in progress. It is a tribute to Native American History and culture. The sculptor was asked to create the memorial by several Native American chiefs, and he died before the massive project could be completed. The sculptor's family is trying to carry on the sculptor's wishes to construct the memorial without any government money, so they have constructed a museum containing Native American history. 

After Crazy Horse we were headed for the Needles Highway. But first, we made a stop at an antique shop we found along the way. A perfect setting for the tv show American Pickers, we enjoyed wandering through the cluttered aisles. The 83 year old owner was hilarious, although I wish he would have warned us about the very very very old donkey wandering the aisles with us! He gave us a little scare and then wouldn't stop following Kevin. Click here to see our encounter with the donkey: http://youtu.be/BWzxzci3hHo 

With a few newly acquired antique Ball jars and an old animal trap in tow, we set out for the Needles highway. The highway is named for the way the granite juts into the sky. It was a winding road, and I'm glad Kevin was the one behind the wheel. 

From the Needles Highway we headed for the Wildlife Loop in Custer State park. We saw plenty of wildlife, including:

Antelope

Buffalo

And my favorite...donkeys!! These donkeys were released into the wildlife area after they stopped giving tours to the top of Mt Harney, and boy are they friendly!!! 

 

We had saved some apple cores to share with the donkeys, so we were quite popular! To see a video of one of the donkeys eating an apple from our car, click here: http://youtu.be/kx3m6zxkQWA

Our last stop for the evening was Mount Rushmore. Every summer night at 9pm they host a lighting ceremony, so we timed our visit so that we could see it. Mount Rushmore is a sight you have to see to believe, and even then it is hard to believe! 

I love this quote from the sculptor of Mt Rushmore. I plan to share it with future students: 

By the time the lighting ceremony was over exhaustion began to set in, so we headed back to our camp where Kevin prepared some yummy Mountain House spaghetti and meat sauce. Then we fell into a deep sleep. 

As I write this we are driving through Spearfish canyon on our way to today's destinations- Sturgis (home of the famous motorcycle rally) and Deadwood (site of Wild Bill Hickock's murder during a card game). We stopped at a diner for breakfast and are looking forward to another fun day! 

More updates coming soon!