a day in the road trip life

Phew, yesterday was A Day. You know, like when you get to the end of it and can’t believe that all

those things that happened could have possibly occurred on one April 24^th, 2015.

Started off with a walk down nostalgia lane—we slept in Wind Cave National Park, SD. I spent three weeks there on a SCA summer crew right after high school. I strolled through our old campground in the early morning, reminiscing with myself about the spigots we used for a waterfight that one time, and the firepit we gathered around on the first night to play butt darts. Then I got to the visitor center right when it opened so that I could finally get my Jr. Ranger badge, six year later.

Prairie sunrise

We went on a scenic drive, stopping to gaze at some adorable prairie dogs and grazing bison. Then it was nearing lunchtime, and I really needed to go to the Purple Pie Place in Custer for old times sake. So we drove the windy road back out of the park, keeping our eye out for rogue road bison.

A few minutes into our drive, we spy a NPS person walking on the side of the road. My first thought/hope was that it was Ranger Dwayne-- the man, the myth, the legend. My SCA crew had been mildly obsessed with him because we got to spend a day wandering around the hills with him as he tracked elk populations with radio telemetry. So he approaches us, and we shake hands, and I say: “Uhhhhh are you Ranger Dwayne by any chance?” Lo and behold, he is! He was checking on an eagle nest. Casual day at the office.

We chat about what he does, and the fire that just occurred in Wind Cave, and then we talk about where Emily and I are headed (to camp). And that’s how I ended up giving my camp brochure to Ranger Dwayne. Self fiiiiive.

We keep driving, and encounter a herd of bison on the road! Up close and personal.

Then the day continues. We start driving to Custer, as it begins to POUR. Got myself some warm blackberry pie and huckleberry ice cream, and then we kept driving. I had to stop in Hill City, because six years ago it had the best corny postcards I have ever encountered. I bought 49, but like, who’s counting.

Then the sun comes out for our drive to Wall Drug. The build up is worth it—so many life-size replicas and stuffed things to take pictures with, the free ice water and the 5 cent coffee is REAL, and the corny postcards are there in fair numbers (but I’ve seen better).

Then it was time to drive to Badlands while blasting Badlands-- the song. We drive in and immediately see a group of bighorn sheep grazing on the hillside. Bighorn sheep sightings in Death Valley are quite rare, and maybe they’re not quite as rare in South Dakota, but still worth a freak out. So after that excitement we keep driving, with the plan of finding a campsite and a sunset viewing point. 

Bighorns and impending storm of doom.

But then the storm caught up with us. Two hours of torrential downpours interspersed with blue bolts of lightning over the prairie and the badlands. Pretty glad I’ve already been to the park, because I really didn’t get to see anything—it was terrifying out. Needless to say, we scrapped the camping plan and I slowly drove us out and eastward. Right when we got to the eastern edge of the park, we got to witness a break in the storm and a double rainbow. I drove for about another hour, into the storm, and then we saw a magical hotel sign for a Best Western in Murdo (tried to ignore how it sounded a lot like murder), and here we are. Hot breakfast and lots of coffee, and it’s time to drive to Minnesota. Onward and upward, through this foggy gray day.

Badlands or really anywhere where it's raining.