Catching up - Part 1

I have quite a bit to write about. Sadly I forgot the charger to my camera, so pictures will accompany the blog later, once I've had it mailed to me. I'm not really sure how to go about accounting for all that has happened in the past week, but I guess starting at the beginning is always the best.

Saturday, May 23rd
All I did on this day was drive from Bremerton, Washington to Bozeman, Montana. Didn't stop for anything except gas and lunch. The weather was great for driving and I found out that Montana's big cities aren't all that big.

Sunday, May 24th
This day was the shortest driver of all, going from Bozeman to Murdo, South Dakota. The reason being that I stopped at Little Bighorn Battle site, Wall Drug, and the Badlands. All essential sites that aren't worth missing.

Little Bighorn is, of course, where Custer had his last stand. It's on a hill just off the freeway. In the 1890's, markers were erected where soldiers presumably fell, although 20 years after the fact, it is hard to be sure. Sometime in the 1970's a few markers were put out for natives. Reading Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee was good preparation for this site. The outright hate that men like Custer had for Indians is staggering and one can't help but be glad in this case, he was wiped out instead.

Wall Drug is classic roadside America. I've been wanting to see it since there was a kitch special on Travel Channel ages ago. There is nothing that anyone could possibly need inside, but that doesn't make it any less appealing. Starting as a small, one room, turn of the century drugstore, Wall Drug has expanded into a labyrinth of touristy corniness. The center part is an aisle way of storefronts and there are alleyways that lead off into a cafe, boot store, post office, etc. The items they carry are about as random as possible, cowchip frisbees and jackalope heads as example. Behind Wall Drug resides something called "The Backyard". Personally, one of the best parts, it is home to giant fiberglass animals and a "live" T-Rex. One odd fact: Wall Drug is home to one of the largest collections of golden age western Illustrations in America. Awesomely, I got to see some N.C. Wyeth while I ate dinner.

Since the drive was not as far this day, we capped it off at the Badlands National Park. I can't really describe what I saw and give you an adequate idea, so I'll let the pictures do the talking when I get them. All I can say is this, they came out of nowhere. One minute you're on the prairie and the next...

Monday, May 25th
Other than arriving in Kansas City, the most important part if this day was the Corn Palace. No, actually, I'd rate the Corn Palace in front of arriving in Kansas City. Originally, the Corn Palace was just that - a palace entirely made out of corn, but after fires completely demolishing it, twice, the little town of Mitchell, South Dakota, decided to build a brick palace and just cover it in corn. The murals across the Corn Palace, changed once a year, are made in a fashion kind of like corn-by-number. They nail the nine different corns, by color code, where there needs to go. The lady in the gift shop called it; "the world biggest bird-feeder", I call it; "Karen's roadside mecca".

After waving the Corn Palace goodbye, it was an easy, boring, drive to Kansas City. Didn't really arrive in Kansas City, instead we went directly to Independence, Missouri, where a Quality Inn awaited.

Well now I have to go get ready for work, I will keep this adventure telling going when I return.