An Adventure Across South Dakota

August 14, 2016

Overall Mission: Two cousins, Nici and Todd, heading to Seattle from Ohio by car, stopping at many National Parks along the way.

Miles Driven: 450 miles
Hours Driven: 8 hours
Goal: See as much of South Dakota as possible
Journey: We drove from Mitchell to the Badlands National Park to the Black Hills to the city of Custer to Custer State Park to Sturgis, ending the night in Deadwood.

Day 2: From Mitchell, South Dakota, to Badlands National Park to the Black Hills to the city of Custer to Custer State Park to Sturgis to Deadwood, South Dakota

Animals Spotted: One hawk, buffalo, pronghorn, horses, deer, chickens, alpaca on a farm, wild donkeys, wild turkeys, lots of birds, and tons and tons of cows

Notable Sighting or Events:

• Going from the Central to Mountain time zone

• Crossing over the Missouri River (huge and beautiful)

• Fields and fields of sunflowers

• Red or pink-ish highways

• A rainbow

• Seeing tons of motorcycles heading the opposite way, presumably leaving Bike Week in Sturgis, South Dakota.

• We spent two hours in Sturgis, South Dakota, at the tail end of Bike Week. The bars were crazy fun, even though most of the bikers had already left town. In one bar, a cute, smiling, pleasant, but very drunk, blonde-haired, blue-eyed guy asked us four or five times, “How are you doing?” In another, a self-proclaimed meteorologist explained to us the concept of the heat lightning that was occurring in the sky before she left us to dance on top of the bar and do acrobatics from an overhead rail.

The Beauty of South Dakota:

• South Dakota is a mixture of rolling green hills and fields, rocky landscapes, and uniquely fun, small towns.
  

  Rolling Hills in South Dakota

  

  Part of an old, abandoned railroad track in South Dakota

  

  Cows in South Dakota

• The mighty and breathtaking Badlands are so mysterious and intriguing; the “painted” peaks and valleys are almost indescribable, as they appear ancient and otherworldly. A drive through the park is an absolute must.
  

  Start of the Badlands in South Dakota

  

  The Badlands in South Dakota

  

  The Badlands in South Dakota

  

  Nici and Todd in the Badlands in South Dakota

  

  The Badlands in South Dakota

  

  The Badlands in South Dakota

  

  The Road through the Badlands in South Dakota

• The heartwarming beauty of the Black Hills, a tremendous area of light green grassy hills with dark green forestry. No wonder the buffalo, pronghorn, and deer roam along the lush lands. Within the Black Hills:
  • Mount Rushmore is found in the hills, and the park has grown from an old roadside stop to a huge national park attraction.
    

    Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota

    

    Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota

  • Crazy Horse is a monument that is currently under construction. If you like museums, this is the spot for you.
    

    Crazy Horse in the Black Hills of South Dakota

  • Driving through Custer State Park was magnificent and exciting, as the lands are gorgeous and the buffalo were immense and beautiful.
    

    Custer State Park, South Dakota

    

    A Fawn in Custer State Park, South Dakota

    

    A Wild Donkey in Custer State Park, South Dakota

    

    A Pronghorn in Custer State Park, South Dakota

    

    A Pronghorn in Custer State Park, South Dakota

    

    A Buffalo Family in Custer State Park, South Dakota

    

    A Buffalo in Custer State Park, South Dakota

    

    A Buffalo Family in Custer State Park, South Dakota