Amuck in America 2006: Bushwacked
8/31/06
We have left sunny and beautiful Onowa Iowa and headed up to Souix Falls where we took a hard west. I was at the controls and let me tell you. The speed limit is not a hard and fast rule in South Dakota so much as a goal to be attained. Due to high winds, it was everything I could do to maintain 65...and keep us from dying. 75 was simply out of the question. It was rough enough sailing that I had to stop for breaks to work out the kinks in my shoulders from the tension created by keeping our shiney side up. As luck would have it a few hours later we finally drove out of the foul winds and it was safe to turn the controls over to someone else.
Our next stop was The Bad Lands National park. It was big, it was beautiful, it was magestic, it looked like the sandcastles of giant babies. Our camera battery died the moment we turned into the driveway. So we took about twice the number of pictures using our camera phones. Sara says we may have to come back, partially for the pictures, but mostly because I think she found someplace she really and truly loved. I have not seen her this relaxed and truly happy in a long time. It was a lot of fun.
As we left the park the road took us to the highway in the town of Wall. I have seen Wall Drug (from the road) and let me tell you, nothing was more exciting to me than finally seeing the end of those ubiquitious signs that dot the landscape for thousands of miles in every direction. From the road it wasn't that impressive.
Next stop Mt. Rushmore's KOA. We found it late, and while Sally went in to see if there was a vacancy, Sara and I looked out the window and pondered our navagational short commings. While there, I saw a schoolbus come and drop off a whole load of senior citizens. They all walked back to their RV's...in their overcoats, long pants, and in some cases tobogans. I went outside in my shorts, sandles, and t-shirt. Ah! That's why. the temperature here is somewhere between 40 and 50 degrees.
During the night the thunderstorm with the hail came...
This morning I proved to the crew that the furnace works as well as the AC. My crew loves me. Even in a thunderstorm with hail.
Now, if you'll excuse me, the coffee is ready.
Oh yeah, thank you all, I have just reached 1000 legitimate comments.
