More day 2 - Badlands, Rushmore

  After we left the Corn Palace, we passed several glorious, huge fields of sunflowers.  I wish I could have gotten a good picture.  

10:10 a.m. (Mountain Time) GAS at Gas & Go in Kadoka, SD.  $2.16/gal x 8.4 gal = $18.23.  Surprisingly nice place in the middle of nowhere.

Then we drove through the Badlands, took the Loop Road.  Thunderstorms all around, but just a few  sprinkles on us.  Such a beautiful place.  We saw buffalo, some kind of antelope things, and millions of adorable prairie dogs. 

Beautiful plains.

We climbed this little hill.

Mike peeing.

Mike pointing at our van.

2:45 p..m.  We went to Cosmos Mystery Area, where we met this wonderful St. Bernard.

This was a strange place that made us nauseous, dizzy, and confused.  Worth a trip. 

4:00 Arrived at the Baymont Hotel in Keystone, SD.  The room is so tiny we can barely move, so we left in search of food.  We ate at Palomino's, where I had a vegan chili bread bowl and Mike drank Buffalo Snot beer.

Beautiful scene on the way to Rushmore.

Mike's first glimpse of Mt. Rushmore.

We ended up sticking around for the lighting ceremony, which was really cool, even though we sat through the rain.