in Mitchell SD

August 27, 2010

 When we left Canmore we camped in Jasper and Banff Parks for 8 days, in several different campgrounds, went on several hikes.. THEN we drove from Jasper to Golden, and then through the Okanagan Valley, etc.

We spent 2 nights in Deadwood SD, toured the Mining Museum and toured a simulated mine tour of the Homestake Gold Mine, which was the largest gold mine in the world until 2001 when they closed the mine, not because the gold is gone, but because it was costing more to remove it than they were getting. Now they are using the deep mine as a special science lab.

This morning we left Deadwood driving east on I-90. Stopped at Wall Drug (in Wall, SD), the hokey tourist stop, then drove along a non-main highway to Pierre to see the capitol building, Saw miles and miles of sunflowers, hundreds of acres of them, also a lot of milo and hay. Just rolling hills covered with short grasses and very very few trees. Rode miles with very few houses or towns.

Got very hot and was extremely windy. Our van has a temp gauge for the outside temperature and it hit 109 for awhile in the early afternoon, was over 100 for most of the day. AC worked hard and we stayed comfortable, but when we stepped out it was a blast of oven air that almost blew you over... but as they say it was a dry heat, so not muggy at all.

Hoped to get to Sioux Falls, but didn't make it. We're in Mitchell SD about 60 miles before Sioux Falls. Crossed the time line so lost an hour, we are now in Central Time. We had hoped to get to Davenport (Quad Cities) tomorrow night, then Louisville and home by Sunday night, but not sure we can make tracks that fast. We might find something to stop and see and take an extra day.

No time to upload photos or videos now, but will upload them when I get home.