Day 4 - The Badlands

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Today was our first really long drive day - clocking in at about 9 hours. We kicked off the day with a yummy hotel breakfast - and once Jon had mastered the awkward bathroom taps - we were ready to roll. That is for a sum total of 5 minutes through town when we hit the railroad tracks and freight train rush hour. We sat at that crossing for over 30 minutes as we watched 3 freight trains go past. One of those trains had at least 110 cars! A little bit of wikipedia in the car and we think that one of those empty cars weighs about 230,000 pounds. Jon was “astounded” which was pretty cute.



Once on the road again, it didn’t take long before we were on the long straight highway heading through miles and miles and miles and miles of corn, wheat and soy fields. We also encountered our first real road construction - a full 18 miles of completely torn up 2-way highway. This wasn’t a small undertaking. This was the complete demolition of an entire side of the road. Incredible. Or as Jon would say... “mental”.



Did you know... that there is almost no good music originating from either North or South Dakota? Some people sing about the Dakotas... Frank Sinatra has “gotta gal loves (in North and South Dakota)” and the Beatles “Rocky Raccoon” went into his room somewhere in the black mountain hills of Dakota but he only found Gideon’s Bible. Overall, not too exciting.



All of the driving was worth it though when we suddenly - and what seemed like out of nowhere - arrived in the Badlands. We had managed to time it just right as the sun was just starting to set and we arrived at the top of the golden hour. Breathtaking. The colours of the rocks were really coming out in that light and so were the dear and the prairie dogs!



Unfortunately, as we exited the park we found ourselves in Wall, South Dakota. You would have to be blind or have been sleeping for hours to not know you would be arriving in Wall and that you could go to Wall Drug for any and all of your needs, wants or desires. “5¢ for a cup of coffee” - I bet that’s nice. South Dakota is likely to win the worst (and most annoying) road signage award. We were however starving so we had to stop in Wall. We went to the Roadkill Trip Cafe. What an awful place. They also are likely to win the award for worst waitress. Dumb and slow. Really dumb. The biggest highlight of our detainment in Wall was the “Motel Welsh”. Seriously?!?! That was unexpected and really sad for all of the lovely people of Wales that they would have a namesake motel in such an overly billboarded town.



Before long, we’d arrived at the Adobo Eco Hotel in Rapid City, South Dakota. What a place. What a room. We’ve never seen such a fine specimen of a 1980s leather sofa set in an otherwise awkward hotel room before.

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Photos

99, 100, 101, 102.....
For crying out loud. This is the engine of the THIRD train to pull through.

The Badlands
Thanks Mama Fearn!

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I don't even know how to caption this one.