HAIL STORM

While we were waiting to leave the Badlands, (kind of appropriate), it started getting dark. We were barely down the road and the storm hit with hail, some about the size of a dime. We couldn't pull over because we were in a construction zone.




The pictures don't do the storm justice. Don was cool, calm and collected even after going through the accident beforehand. We made it to Murdo and decided to call it a day and count our blessings!

END OF FUN FOR THE DAY

I've been trying for two days to get caught up on the sightseeing part of the blog, so I could catch you up on news, which happened last Saturday. It's Wednesday now. We had just come out of one of the driveways at the visitor center.

As we went past the other exit, a man in a blue car that was stopped, suddenly drove out and ran into us. I saw him coming, and screamed, "Oh my God, he's going to hit us. There was no place for Don to go, because there was a car in the other lane. Thank God, we weren't hurt, and neither was the man. He not only hit my side at the front, but somehow scraped all the way down the side of the RV.

A closer look.

There are a couple small holes in the fiberglass.

Here's the cop from the Park Service taking pictures.

One good thing that happened-a man immediately came forward to give us his name etc. because he witnessed it. Apparently, it's also good to be big-wait till you see the guys car.

Doesn't he look like Cliff from Cheers? He was very nervous and upset and not very sharp. He gave us a name for his insurance agency, but didn't have any papers. At first the park ranger didn't think we needed to file a report, but I kind of pushed Don until he finally agreed with me that he probably didn't have insurance-and he didn't. He was just too worried about his car. We were headed for Sioux Falls and that's where our agent is, so we took care of it. Now we have to figure out where to get estimates and have the work done. Another good thing-our insurance provides $750 for a motel room during the repairs.

BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK

The Badlands are hard to describe-except by using words like amazing and awesome. The pictures will have to tell the story.

WALL DRUG

I know that any of you who have been in South Dakota, have probably seen signs for Wall Drug. It just keeps getting bigger. It's now a block long plus a mall.





This only shows a few shops.

I think the guys were waiting for Don.

I'm not quite sure what this is.

They have an old fashioned ice cream parlor.

It's fun watching the doughnut machine.

It's quite a place!

BEAVER LAKE CAMPGROUND

This is our friends second summer working at the number one campground in South Dakota. We appreciate them finding us a spot when they're so busy. The office is in the background down the road.

They also have cabins to rent.

They have a new building to be used for activities, rallies, etc.

I see I forgot to take a picture of the pool and slide.

If you're going to the Custer area, this is the place to stay.

POWDER HOUSE RESTAURANT

The last evening we were there, we went with Al and Sue to the Powder House Restaurant in Keystone for prime rib. The whole meal was delicious!

If you ever get to the area, this is a place to stop.

RAPID CITY GRAFFITI

They were having trouble with graffiti in downtown Rapid City, so they gave the so called artists free reign in one block of an alley. It's pretty ugly, but interesting.