The Badlands are even better!

Rested, fed, and watered, we drifted into a local Safeway to stock-up for our Sunday outing.....the sun being up, augured well. Our prime target was Badlands National Park, some fifty miles from Rapid City, but before driving the Badlands Loop we visited 'Wall Drug' for coffee and to reacquaint ourselves with the majesty of this homage to tourism! Wall Drug sits alongside the I90, only a short distance from Sturgis (Mecca to Harley Davidson enthusiasts everywhere!). Originally, a guy set-up a pharmacy at Wall which was spectacularly unsuccessful, that is until he began offering free water to the areas first passing tourists, who then obligingly began purchasing items from his shop to repay his kindness. Today, Wall Drug is a tourist magnet, serving fabulous 'Cherry Pie a la mode' along with every conceivable form of Cowboy merchandise imaginable. (A rodeo was getting into full swing as we arrived!) A little Wall goes a long way and we were soon off again, heading for the Badlands National Park. Spirits rejuvenated by discovering that our annual pass saved us another $15, we set about motoring round the spectacular loop road on which every turn reveals sights that (to us) are a cross between Bryce Canyon and Death Valley......stunning (and unearthly!).

Along the way we stopped and swapped tales with some great people; a couple form New Mexico who having spent much of their pre-retirement years in Europe (attached to the US Military) were now discovering their own country; and a couple of great guys from Washington who were "Harley'ing" their way through the Rockies and who had some good tips for us about travelling up to Glacier National Park. (Their Harley machines were awesome and had everything ranging from CB radio, stereo sound system, and plug-in points for electrically heated leathers!)

We completed our day's outing by motoring seventy miles to the Rapid City Reptile Museum, half-thinking it could be a cheesy tourist disappointment.....what can I say, we were totally blown-away with the place! Its collection of reptiles, the manner in which they were displayed, and the interactive 'shows' were first class! Finally, it was back to base and dinner at our new favourite restaurant where I asked for a glass of Merlot and it came (served 'Mediterranean-style'!) in a tumbler, with precious little daylight between the rim of the glass and the meniscus of the wine! (I approved!!) Once again, we were submerged in 50's R&R music today as we rolled along, but my pick of the day could only be the following track!