It was 90 degrees yesterday.
Today, I woke up to sunshine, and a bit of a chill in the air.
I was excited to drive through Badlands National Park, Mount Rushmore, and the Crazy Horse Memorial. I started the day wearing just a long sleeve shirt, and my jacket. 20 miles down the road, I put on a sweatshirt as it got darker and colder. 20 miles further down the road I stopped and put on my rain gear to help break the chilly wind. Making my way to the Badlands, I had to stop every 50 miles to warm up. It was night, compared to the day yesterday.
Seeing the Badlands in the distance was a site for cold eyes. If you haven't been there, go. Now. On a motrocycle. America's first example of stark contrast in landscapes. Yesterday was cornfields and then green grass. Today a vast area of rock formations called the Badlands. The Dakota Indians called the area "mako sica", meaning "land bad". French trappers called the area "bad land to cross". I can't imagine trying to cross through that area without paved roads. Thank you to those that paved those roads. Riding through the badlands with Clyde, was one the coolest things I've ever done. No exaggeration. Sidenote: Clyde is now a mass murderer. He keeps his victims, dead insects, smashed on the windshield. And there are lots of them!
I also saw two cowboys herding cattle on horses. Real live cowboys on horses. And two on ATV's.
After the 18 mile scenic by-pass through the Badlands, I stopped in the town of Wall, which is just outside of the Badlands. Wall, incidentally, may have more billboards on the highway than the Corn Palace. Not Wall, actually, but Wall Drug, the drug store in Wall. I was hungry, so went to the famous Wall Drug for lunch. I had a delicious open-faced roast beef sandwich, which really hit the spot after 200 cold miles of riding.
It was too cold and windy to continue riding, so I spent the night in Wall. Wall, you named your town Wall?
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