Day 9 -- Cheese-tastic (with a Bit of Park Beauty on the Side)

It’s a good thing we went to Mt. Rushmore yesterday. Today turned into another long day, with lots done. We started out going to Wall Drug, which is an amazing place, and worth the stop. It is the absolute height of Carl bought a poster. It was at that point that I realized I had lost my most-used credit card, which kind of put a damper on the day, but at least we are not liable, according to B of A.

Then, we went on to a short loop around Badlands National Park. Last year we bought a senior pass for $10, which gets us into any national park for the rest of our life. We are getting our money’s worth, and it’s one of the benefits of aging. I had not been aware of this park, but Carl really wanted to go, and it was so worth it. The ground has been eroded away over many millions of years, and result in canyons & crags. Carl compares it to Bryce Canyon, another place I’ve never been. It is also home to many dinosaur fossils. It was a magnificent drive.

From the magnificent to the super-cheesy (or should I say corny) Corn Palace in Mitchell., SD This place has to be seen to be believed. It is a huge “palace” for concerts & college basketball, and the outside is decorated with murals made of corn & wheat, literally. Thousands and thousands of corn cobs in yellow, red & orange decorate this thing, and the murals are changed every year. This year one of the murals is the Space Needle, so I felt like home.

The Great Plains are truly Great, but tomorrow we are leaving for some actual Midwestern cities. We are staying tonight in Sioux Falls, SD, and it is the biggest city we’ve been in since Reno. Tomorrow we are going through Omaha on our way to Kansas City. Is it back to civilization, or back to harsh reality? I can see how there is a huge disconnect between rural America and the “mainstream” America as seen on TV.

• New Out of State License Plates seen: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky. Rhode Island, Ontario, Quebec
• Days till we see Lucy: 4
• Days till we see Toby & Beruria: 11
• Days till we see Paige : 27