Day 9: Badlands (South Dakota)

With our campsite located at the entrance to Badlands National Park, we didn't have far to go this morning. The main way to view the park is to drive the Badlands Park Loop, a winding road with several overlooks you can park at, each more dramatic than the last. You can also hike anywhere in the park. We thought about pitching a tent and leaving the camper parked but changed our mind because of the high temperatures in the upper 90s. We also met a bunch of Swedes from Malmo touring the park.

What's this, a high up view of a canyon below?

Nope!

 

Flat grassland as far as the eye can see on one side of the
road, what you see in the other pictures on other side.

"Yellow Mounds"

The Badlands were very impressive, although we wish we had timed it to see the sunset or rise, or even a night moon, all of which are supposedly very dramatic.

As we exited the Badlands, prairie dogs were everywhere.

 

From the Badlands National Park, we raced over to the Minuteman Missile National Monument, about 25 miles away. This is the first Cold War related National Monument and features one of the thousands of underground missile silos that were built to protect the U.S. in the event of a Soviet attack. If we had arrived earlier in the day, we could have toured the missile control room and underground silo, but unfortunately this late in the day only a self-guided tour of the surface was an option.

Looking down into the silo
through the window.

The facility was secret until the end of the Cold War - other than a chainlink fence visible from the Highway, there is nothing to suggest anything exists here.

Our final destination of the day: Wall, South Dakota, home of the world famous Wall Drug Store. The store is advertised along the highway for nearly a hundred miles in each direction. It began as a small drug store in the 1930s. Facing bankruptcy, the owners decided to offer travelers "free ice water." As a result their store became a huge success and is now known as the "Free Ice Water Store." Today it's the size of a city block, and includes a water park, chapel, restaurants, book store, pharmacy, Western wear store, souvenir shop, and much more. In addition to the famous free ice water fountains, the coffee is still only 5 cents.

Ending the day, we set up camp at an RV park within walking distance from the store. By the way, word of advice: if you're going to go "RVing" be prepared for something new to break each day. Today it was the hot water heater hose connection, along with minor flooding. Here's a list of new damage (not counting existing problems!) since we bought the camper:

• Bathroom vent fan
• Freezer cover
• Bathroom medicine cabinet latch
• Shower faucet
• Vent cover
• Bathroom towel hook
• Outside shower cover
• Window release knob
• Refrigerator propane connection
• Outside storage compartment lock
• License plate holder
• Blown tire
• Gray water sewage tank release switch
• Hot water hose connection
• Truck bumper dent
• Water leak in ceiling corner

By the time we get home it may just be the trailer with our bags taped to the frame!

Next we'll head for the South Dakota Black Hills, home to Mount Rushmore and many other attractions.

Random Fact of the Day: Many of the attractions we've encountered have teenagers from other countries working. Apparently there's some kind of "work and travel in the USA" program that lets them come to the U.S. for the summer, work for a couple months, and then travel before returning home.