Another long day

After getting in pretty late yesterday, we had another early start today with a 9:30 am ranger talk back at Mt. Rushmore. We woke up to a BEAUTIFUL clear day… quite a stark contrast from the thunderstorm the day before.

We made it to Mt. Rushmore!

We left Mt. Rushmore at around noon after exploring the Presidential Trail. Each of the four presidents represent a distinct aspect of our nation: George Washington represents the “birth” of our nation; Thomas Jefferson represents the “expansion” of our nation (Louisiana Purchase); Theodore Roosevelt represents the “development” of our nation; and Abraham Lincoln represents the “preservation” of our nation.

Mt. Rushmore on a beautiful clear day!

Gas in Rapid City, SD.

We grabbed a quick lunch (and gas) in nearby Rapid City, SD, and hit the road to Iowa. We were originally going to stay with a friend of mine in Union, Iowa, but because of our delayed schedule from yesterday’s storm, we decided to take it easy and see where our drive would take us. We stopped briefly at the famous “Wall Drug” in Wall, SD, and also ended up taking a “short” detour through the Badlands National Park – quite an unexpected but pleasant surprise! We drove across South Dakota and entered Iowa around 9:30 pm and ended up here in Fort Dodge, Iowa after an 11-hour journey. One of the highlights of the night – a curious stop off the freeway to take a closer look at FIREFLIES! There were hundreds – if not thousands of them flashing on and off throughout the darkness!

Wall Drug in Wall, SD.
(I still don't quite get the appeal of this place.)

A quick detour through the Badlands.

The Badlands (behind me).

Gas somewhere just before Chamberlain, South Dakota.

Gas in Sioux City, Iowa.

Tomorrow, we will stop by my friends’ farm in Union, Iowa to take a peek at farm life – hoping to have some good photos up for that! – before heading off to Chicago in the evening.