Day Eight: Rapid City, SD to Billings, MT

This is a long one, folks. Today we saw Mount Rushmore! Plus, Presidents Park. (Don't worry if you haven't heard of that one.) The middle of this country is full of weird stuff.

Plus check out the bonus video at the end. We hope it makes sense.


Our hotel, straight out of The Shining.


The Hotel Alex Johnson, great for old tyme types, not so great for us.


The town we stayed in.


Across the street from the hotel.


Rapid City has weird statues of guys like Reagan just hanging out.


Rockerville: Wes' home away from home.


It's enough to make a Native American cry.


Mount Rushmore. Nuff said.


Emma enjoying her breakfast near Mount Rushmore. No big deal.


Nom, nom, nom.


The entrance to Mount Rushmore.


This guy started the monument carving, but made his son finish it for him. What a jerk.


Awesome.


Posing in front of the mountain.


Jess really feels as though she should've been carved into that rock.


Wes looking stoic-like.


Go Illini!


Obama gets a smaller picture than all the other presidents? I think we know why...


Jess loves that damn dog.


This breakfast was really, really good. And cheap.


Wax museum? This has got to be good. Wait, "Holy Terror Mini Golf?" At a presidential museum? Who greenlighted this?


The emergency truck ramp for out of control trucks.


Deadwood.


Honest Abe.


Wes next to Thomas Jefferson.


William Henry Harrison gets his own coin and huge bust? This is too much.


Wes and his favorite President, Abe Lincoln.


Emma loves FDR too.


Check out the left side of the back of Lincoln's head. Pretty poor taste considering he was shot in the head.


JFK and JFK, united.


Screw Bush.


Bush crapped on our environment, so Jess is crapping on him.


President Knoblauch has a nice ring to it.


What? It could happen.


A fake Emma doll takes the wheel.


Strip mining! The nerve of some towns.


Wide open spaces.


Get comfy, Emma.


Yes, that Sundance.


Some town in Wyoming paid way too much for this thing.


"You want to put a cast iron ostrich in the middle of town? Sure, why not?"


Emma puts an end to her sniff addiction.


"Crazy Woman Creek Road." Never let it be said that Wyoming isn't creative.


It's Montana, everybody!


See? More Montana.


So much to think about on a long journey as this.


Custer and Sitting Bull, stuck together for eternity. I'm sure they're not thrilled.


Jess peed in this.

Bonus video:

See? It's like Jess is running along with the truck. A "running gag" of sorts.
Oh fine, you do better.

Today's route:

View Larger Map