Headed Home

It's a weird thing to say, leaving Texas, coming back to Denver.  But after almost eight years it kind of is...

 Random dragon.

 Clayton, NM.

End of the Line

I was totally dreading the drive home.  Seven hours with no stops to speak of on the last day of an epic road trip.  It was just going to be sad.

How could I ever think that?!

We made a quick stop on our way out of town to the Nebraska State Museum at Morril Hall.  We used to visit this incredible natural history museum every summer we came to Lincoln.  I remember these mastodons being massive.

We went in just to see the front - and the kind volunteer let us take a photo in the entrance without paying to take the tour.

It smelled just like it did over 20 years ago...

 Worlds Largest?

 Cool museum built over I-80.

We learned all about the Rest Stop Sculptures strewn about I-80, and the drama that ensued over their abstractness.  Fascinating what people get up in arms about.  But I actually really loved this one.  It moves with wind currents!

 I don't mind abstract park equipment either.

We stopped at the third Mexican restaurant we tried in North Platte, NE.  The first said they were open on the phone and promptly (and rather testily) told us they were closing when we walked up.  The second didn't exist?!  We really wanted us some queso.

From there we listened to Freakonomics thanks to the public library, and recounted the past (amazing) three days.  Top five trips.  For sure!

Roadside America

We woke up early (surprisingly early) to begin our sojourn across South Dakota.

 The hotel:

 Main Street Square in the daytime!

I had a Black & White at Seattle's Best, first one in years.  But before we could leave the city we had two important stops to make.  The first: Piece of Cake.

I believe I have established before that this is literally the best cake I have ever had.  So, we stopped to get some for on the road.  I brought a lunchbox with frozen water bottles to help it, along with the icing tubs, keep.  The next stop would be no surprise to anyone who knows us...

Finally, we were on our way to Mike's first Experience with Wall Drug.  I am still floored that I have now been to this place three times.  It's a classic.

 Really funny that my dad made this same pose five years ago...wow!

 We're doin' it.

From there, we took 240 through Badlands National Park.  Just incredible.  I'm blown away every time I see it.  Haunting and lovely.

 Also windy.  Very, very windy...

It takes about an hour to drive through, or 15 minutes on I-90, so it is a legit detour.  We stopped for some much-needed cake.  Mike was convinced.

We didn't plan for this stop, but it was just too classic (and right on the way) to pass up.

We did plan on taking a tour of one of the missile silos that was one of over 500 strategically located in South Dakota.  We watched the 10 minute video utterly in awe of how much nuclear weaponry is buried near us.  What we also couldn't believe was that all of the tours that day were full...so annoying.  All I really wanted to see was the vault door.  So funny.  Ish.

Probably our biggest regret was actually paying to see the 1880s town.  It had so much outward potential...

We went in to eat a late light lunch in the 1950s dining car...aaaaaand promptly walked out.  Cool-looking, but not our type of faire...

They had so many original buildings of the town and artifacts from that town and period, but it was just sad how much dust they were gathering and how little care was being taken to preserve any of it.

It was fascinating, but also hot and crumbling in the wind and sun.  Made me kinda sad...as did what we paid for it.  Oh well, it did allow for this little gem right off the highway...

Next stop: the World's Only (shocker, I know) Corn Palace.

How it's done:

We were both a bit disappointed as we actually thought it would be a structure made out of corn...

 But it's still photo-worthy.

We ended up skipping the 1880s Cowboy Town (robots? c'mon) and creepy sculpture garden (I saw it while driving; that was enough).  Finally...we arrived at World Market, Sioux Falls, SD.  Where we discovered that it was an hour later than we thought due to a random time-change mid I-90 (thank goodness it wasn't past 9pm their time...).  But our trunk bar was there, on hold, in the box, never having been opened.  It was a magical moment.

Until it didn't fit in the car and I panicked.  One $3 Philips screwdriver and a mild heart attack later, we got it in.  Mike is, seriously, the best husband.  Ever.

We walked from our hotel downtown (there's a theme here), enjoying the sculpture walk there, to Mama's Lada's Enchiladas and Wine Bar.  Not even joking.

 It was time for food...

 This place was super cute, big ol' cheesy enchiladas and good portions of wine.

I think I pretty much said every animal looked like either Kona or Keebs.  Or both.  By this time I was missin' some Clayton pups.

 Metal couch.  Looked so real!

We watched the lightning storm for 10 minutes - going in just in time to watch the sky bottom out.  Could not have asked for a more perfect day.