Life in the Cheese Drawer

so close to the end of vacay. here i am at home, but posting about yesterday. it was a grey day, but we packed up camp in the drizzle and headed north to deadwood. we ended up stopping at pactola reservoir, but it was pretty dreary, so i got creepy pics. got to deadwood for the lunch buffet, which ended up being the cheapest, best food of the trip. threw $20 away on slots, then checked out a miniature train exhibit, the museum, and the visitors’ center. i toured mount moriah without nate (he was sick and stayed at the car; i was sick and decided a tromp through the cold drizzle was a good idea) and checked out wild bill hickock’s and calamity jane’s graves (as well as a bunch of others’). 
then we headed over to lead to see the open pit mine, which was fascinating and disgusting at the same time. 
(meanwhile, this whole time, it was lucky if the temp got above 50º – bleah.)
finally got outta deadwood to head to sturgis. i did want to see the motorcycle hall of fame/museum, but entry fees were a little high, so we passed. instead, nate and i checked out the indian motorcycle showroom, nate got his souvenir tshirt, and then we strolled main street. dead as a doorknob, basically. there were a couple kitchy tshirt shops open, but we stumbled into an antique/weirdo shop that was awesome! got a stellar father’s day present there.
spent the night on a bed that was 100x more comfy than the camping cabin mattress, then got up this morning and headed home 🙁
i stopped at the minuteman missile center on the way to see what the deal was – it’ll have to wait for another trip. then the last stop of the trip was lunch at al’s, where i had the obligatory chocolate malt. crossed the missouri and here nate and i are – home again home again, jiggity jig.

you know what’s elusive in the hills? the bighorn sheep. all week nate was on the lookout for a sheep. i hadn’t seen one in years – who knows when. then, while we were at our cabin, nate said, “LOOK.” and there was a sheep standing in the campground. RAN to get my camera and caught him running away. 
anyway, today nate and i went to keystone to get our dose of tacky in. we went by way of hwy 16 and the pigtail bridges, and it was SO FOGGY. i was really nervous driving on the edge of the road in the fog. we made it, and i finished up my prize shopping, got myself a sweatshirt since it was absolutely chilly out, then got a giant ice cream cone. mmmmm. considered the 1880 train, but was $26 a person, which seemed a little high to me. 
on the way home, we stopped at the mt. coolidge lookout, which was an even freakier drive up the side of the hill, but it was worth it. learned about the forest fire in 1988, which lasted only 5-6 days! couldn’t believe that. if it hadn’t been a little foggy yet, we would’ve been able to see some pretty awesome landmarks, but as it was, i was barely able to make out crazy horse through my camera lens. it would’ve been awesome to see the hills give way to the plains. ah well. another time.
back at the cabin, we had the sheep moment, then nate took a nap while i decided a hike through the woods on a minimally maintained trail while in the beginning stages of a cold was a good idea. i took my camera in case of wildlife or attackers (that sucker’s heavy!). it was a good hike until i got to the river i would’ve had to cross if i’d been a through hiker (not yet – another year). 
had a good fire that night! after a few false attempts and about 45 minutes of the wood actually drying out by burning pine needles, the logs finally burned well. watched the fire til it was embers.

 

here i am, rockin’ the iphone hotspot to upload my day 3 pics. nate and i left our awesome hotel room this morning and headed up to the dinosaur park. nate went halfway; i went to the top. 
then we headed into the hills and went to wind cave. that was awesome! i totally recommend a cave tour. it was the first time i’d done it. nate even came out of his summer-cold stupor to enjoy it a little bit. 
then we were off to blue bell lodge for our camping cabin. i saw a few buffalo on the way! also antelope, elk, mule deer, prairie dogs (of course), and i’m sure something else i’m forgetting. 
so far, nate is not impressed with the camping cabin’s amenities. the beds are pretty uncomfortable, but the view is stellar. now’ i’m going to make a smore over the lantern since i didn’t want to drive to the store to get wood. 

welp, nate is still getting his sleep schedule switched around, and on top of that, it’s allergy season here in SD. or else he’s sick. huzzah!  -_-
we left chamberlain at about 9:30 this morning (no breakfast at al’s – free continental at the hotel; we’ll hit al’s on the way home) and took off in a chilly, grey morning. after a sketchy stop at a gas station in belvedeire, we made it to the badlands, where the sky cleared up about halfway through the loop. it must have been a very wet spring, because things are very green here. 
nate and i stopped at a few viewpoints and i got some pics (below). of course the loop ended at wall, where we had an unexpectedly expensive lunch at wall drug. hot beef sandwiches at kitchy restaurants are so good, but $12? omg. and $4 for a slice o’pie. after the usual tour and a photo with my green lady, nate and i left for rapid city. 
i got a fancy hotel tonight because a) i knew nate would be feeling like poo this day and would appreciate a jacuzzi suite and b) the next three nights are going to be roughing it in a camping cabin, which i’m sure nate will be in love with (haha). 
pics from the badlands! #hifromsd

 

off like a prom dress!
nate and i drove across i-90 this morning, and after a very sketchy experience at a taco ball, arrived safe and somewhat sound (like, not so much in the bowels, but ok everywhere) in chamberlain around 4:00. after a short nap, i headed out to a lakota museum, family dollar, and al’s oasis while nate took a longer nap (to correct his sleep schedule). 
i also stopped at a boat launch and then headed up to the lewis and clark interactive rest area blah blah blah for some pics at sunset. 
tomorrow, we go through the badlands, maybe check out a nuclear missile site, and hopefully nate’ll be up for wall drug! plus, bonus hot tub hotel room tomorrow night!
picture time!