South Dakota

Has a lot to offer. Didn't think that I would be saying that but for the past 2.5 days it has kept Ma and I pleasantly entertained.

After Mt Rushmore, we thought we would make it into Nebraska, however a chance pause at those little vacation brochure racks in our hotel changed our direction. I read one that mentioned a horse sanctuary about 15 miles from our hotel.

I was hoping for a private tour, but those must be booked in advance, to me calling at 9 am for a 1 pm tour was in advance, but not nearly as much time as they needed. They said that I could do it in 3 days, I said I would go on the bus with everyone else.

So Ma and I got on the little school bus (why they use this for off-roading I have no idea, but it works) and listened to Carol as she told us about the history of the preserve, past owners, current owners, the sundance that the local Sioux Indian tribe was holding that weekend (we couldn't take pictures or video while driving through, but we saw and heard the dances).

There is a little guy taking a nap, some prairie dogs checking out what the hub-bub was about, another horse, and a a family of deer hiding in the trees (it was about 90 out).

The horses were amazing. Some of the ones in the afternoon put on a show for us, coming really close to the bus and prancing around (of course they did this on the other side of the bus from where I was taking pictures), but Ma got to see it and laughed when the mother came up and nudged him along. When we made it back to home base, the paints were coming down for their afternoon drink and they walked in pairs, mothers and babies. There was one who kept posing for me and when it's mother looked up, she would put her head down or to the side - such a ham for the camera.

We then went back to Hot Springs cause it was the only town around with restaurants open after 5 - man, we are not in the city! While driving around to find something open, we happened upon one of the waterfalls in town and also a wooden jail that was built in 1888 that was encased in another home. It is no longer than my car and about 20 feet wide. It is right in the center of town on Chicago Street.

We then went to WORLD FAMOUS WALL DRUG. I saw billboards for it starting back in WY. Apparently that is how they got famous - and during WWII, someone took a sign over in Europe and said how far away Wall Drug was. It was set up like the old west, and there were tons of stores off of one hallway.

Today we drove across the rest of the state and checked out the Corn Palace and Sioux Falls. We then landed in Sioux City, which I was told by someone in the visitor's center in Mitchell, SD that both Nebraska and Iowa has Sioux Cities - and I thought I would be able to cross both off my to do list in short order - no such luck. We stopped at a casino in Iowa and played for about 1.5 hours and I was doing considerably well, only down $30 when I tried my hand at the dollar machine -I quickly made back what I had put in plus $30 and tried one more time......well I dont' need to tell you how that ended up.

We then tried to find dinner and something to do in NE. From across the river there looked like there was a park - but we couldn't find our way in and then after passing 7 mexican restaurants, one african, three fast food joints and driving 30 miles, we gave up and headed back into Iowa for dinner. So Nebraska is still on the list.....oh well.

Tomorrow we head back north to Minnesota and then to Wisconsin....only 6 more days on the road.