Day 6: Rain!

As I'm writing this, a thunder storm is rolling through. This is the first rain I've seen on my trip. Feels kind of nice to cool things off, but Hailey doesn't like the thunder (she's hiding under the table at my feet).

Anyway, today began in Sheridan, WY. I woke up really early, wanting to get out of WY as quickly as possible. But I guess I was in too much of a hurry because I forgot to get gas (better loop back), and then cash (go back again), oh yeah and breakfast (more on that later). I swear I deserved a crusing ticket as many times as I went down main street. (almost reminded me of how I crossed the continental divide three times. Shouldn't that happen only once? Not when I'm navigating!)

There wasn't anything to see in WY, really. I've been using roadsideamerica.com to find most of my things to see and there really isn't much along I-90 in WY (maybe a two-headed calf, but Hailey couldn't go in, so forget it.) But, the last few miles of WY are totally gorgeous. The ground was red clay, but all of a sudden it got super lush green; the contrast was amazing. I still didn't stop though, except for rest stops, which in WY are a joke. Apparently no one except Washington thinks shade is useful in the pet areas at rest stops.

So, I got into South Dakota, where I was greeted by a lot of God-reference billboards. Apparently, they all go to church, and I'm probably going to hell. (look at me, stereotyping!) My first (attempted) thing to see was the center of the country (yes, there are many, but this was the center of all 50 states; 49 states is a bit further north; 48 states is in Kansas). It's located in Belle Fourche, SD. I went to the address I was given and didn't find a thing! I was feeling pretty stupid until I read more later; it turns out to really be poorly marked (zero signs.) Anyway, the picture below (out my car window) is somewhere near where it should be (to get to the actual spot you have to go into some farmer's fields, cross a barbed wire fence, and locate a marker in the ground). So I didn't see it, but close enough... it was too hot to go searching, anyway.

As close as I got to the center of all 50 states (maybe that trailer is holding it all together!)

Then I drove down into the Black Hills. There were a few things there to see, but I got frustrated by endless construction, being super hungry, the heat, and no where to park (without paying), or any shade to think of in order to stop and eat while Hailey could cool off. (I think it must be there way of getting you into their shops in these little towns - no cool, shady spots outside so you have to go into a restaurant or store and spend). The main thing I was going to see down that way was the Crazy Horse monument, but it wasn't something I was super attached to, so I didn't feel bad when I turned around and headed to Rapid City.

But Rapid City was so nice! We found a park to nap in. We even found a section of the Berlin Wall on display. We got to wander around a bit and just have a lazy hour or two to stay cool in the grass. Much better than waiting for a flagger to send me through construction areas!

Section of the Berlin Wall on display in the park

Hailey staying cool in the shade

Just anothe picture of the park we napped in

And there was plenty to see in Rapid City, too (side note: I think it's funny that the city trucks have printed on the side of them: "City of Rapid City" Isn't that a bit redundant?) First, we went looking for this lawn mower art. Unfortunately, it wasn't up (it sounds like it comes and goes), but I found the store (score one for my navigation skills). We also found funny men made of tires and a dinosaur park atop the biggest hill in the city (hard to imagine such prime real estate devoted to such cheesy dino statues, but oh well). We made it up there just before the storm got there.

Cool tire guys outside a tire store

Dinosaur park. Marvel at the realism!
Pretty view with the storm coming in

On the way to the hotel, we quickly toured downtown. They love their Presidents here and have statues on every corner. Here are a few. Bonus points if you can identify the last one (Hint: first Prez to be impeached). It was the only one not actually marked and I was talking to a few ladies on the street trying to figure out who it was.

Hailey with Gerald Ford

George Washington

Who is this guy? They didn't label him at all.

And lastly, what I ate... I'm embarrased to say, today was a total nutrition disaster. I knew it was coming on this trip, and today was it. My cooler is pretty much out of everything but nuts and peanut butter (okay, let's be honest here, I do still have two kombucha babies, 1 jar of kefir, another of kefir grains, and one jar of lard, but those are supposed to make it all the way to Boston). I thought I could get an egg sandwich from Burger King; that'd be pretty safe right? Ugh. I wanted to vomit. Lunch, a hamburger. Double gross, but I needed the calories. Afternoon snack, bean burrito (the highlight of my food day) from Taco John's (I guess Taco Bell doesn't exist much out here), and dinner a grilled chicken sandwich from Burger King. Maybe I can do better tomorrow.