Out in the Wild, Wild West

The world is a book and those who do not travel only read one page.

- Saint Augustine

Each time I looked out the window it was a shock to see how beautiful it all was.

Pulling into the KOA we were shocked at the sound of the cicadas. It was deafening! What we experienced in Cincinnati this summer was nothing compared to this. They must have been a different breed of cicada all together. These had a pasty-white color to them with brown markings made to look like big eyes. Also, they didn't go to sleep like our pleasant, friendly cicadas. 

We went to bed with the air conditioning not working. Remember how I told you how hot it was at the Badlands? The heat didn't go away when the sun went down. Luckily we have windows that open and Mark and Michelle had fans we could use. 

The next morning we added another problem to our list: the awning wouldn't retract. When we bought the RV it came with a file folder filled with information and trouble shooting tips, but the part about the awning wasn't giving us the answers we needed. Luckily, Tony the KOA guy was driving by in a golf cart and stopped to help. We learned a lot from him about our RV but none of the information helped us fix the awning. It was Tony's zip ties that finally allowed us to get on the road!

Tony, KOA helper of those in distress

Whew - We did a lot today! Monday was supposed to be a laid-back day, taking our time doing what we want. With this little glitch we were now on a tight schedule to get to Deadwood!

Souvenir shopping, includes a baseball

Before we left the Badlands we wanted to stop at the visitor center, as well as at some more of the overlooks that had been recommended. It was at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center that the kids became Junior Rangers. They each got a booklet that guided them along in activities they had to complete before taking the pledge and getting their badges. 

Take the Junior Ranger Pledge

As a Junior Ranger, I promise to teach others about what I learned today, explore other parks and historic sites, and help preserve and protect special places like Badlands National Park.

Mere and her new buddy, Douglas Bison

We made three stops along the Badlands Loop which is a stretch of Hwy 240 that shows different perspectives of the Badlands. At one stop we tried to track a Big Horn Sheep, but we learned quickly why it's valuable to have hooves in these hills. At another we were mesmerized by the bright colored layers in the hills. It's like nothing I've ever seen. We got to see lots of prairie dog towns, too! 

It was time to say goodbye to the Badlands and head for the Old West town of Deadwood Gulch. Along the way Kevin made phone calls to places in both Rapid City and Deadwood to see if they'd look at the RV's ac unit. Struck out with all of them.

Pinnacle Overlook

Depth perception is difficult in this park. You can't see how high the boys climbed
and how far away Kevin was when he took this picture.

This Big Horn Sheep was beckoning us to follow him, so we did.

On the way to Deadwood you pass through the legendary Wall Drug in Wall, South Dakota. In 1936 Mr. and Mrs. Hustead ran a pharmacy in Wall and decided to jump on a marketing campaign to up their business. Knowing that travelers journeying though the dusty prairie would be thirsty they lined the highways with sign saying they offered free ice water to all those who stop in, and that offer still stands today. 

We had lunch at the Art Gallery Cafe, a busy cafeteria with walls covered with Indian and WIld West paintings. The drug store itself is a mall filled with all sorts of touristy items, as well as Western wear, a book store, and an arcade. The kids had fun in their newest addition, The Backyard, which had an area where water squirts out of the ground and different things to get your picture taken with.

Off to Deadwood! There's a lot of entertainment to be had in town that doesn't involve gaming, which is what the majority of it is set up for. 

Charlie and Drew, outside of a Deadwood establishment

We saw a half hour show in Saloon No. 10, depicting the night that Wild Bill Hickok was shot during a poker game holding the infamous hand of aces and eights. The bar is basically a museum dedicated to the history and oddities of the town. All variety of local wildlife were mounted on the walls, including a buffalo head. 

                                       

Many of the tables had chairs made out of barrels, and the floor was covered in saw dust to collect any tobacco juice that might be spit on the ground. The kids enjoyed their pops and free bags of popcorn.

The chair where Hickok sat playing poker when McCall shot him.

Jack McCall and Bill Hickok with the kids at Saloon 10

On Main Street we saw both the arrest of Jack McCall, the drifter who shot Bill Hickok, and then the subsequent arrest. The actors were all really great and got the crowd involved in the action. We attempted to have dinner in town, but decided to pick up Taco John's and head to the KOA.

Gun fight on Main Street

Enjoying some Taco John's in this beautiful campground