Friday, May 22, 2009

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:

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Thursday, May 21, 2009

Day Seven: Omaha, NE to Rapid City, SD

After a long day driving through Iowa, Jess and Wes sought off for South Dakota. Along the way, we came across signs of God, the Corn Palace and pro-fur propaganda.

Unfortunately our hotel was not the greatest. The whole town shuts down around 8pm, and our dinner options were non-existent. Add a pet fee that we were not originally told of, and you've got some unhappy campers.


Wes enjoys the free wifi. Little did we know, it would be the last reliable connection for awhile.


This hotel was way too expensive. Luckily, we got it on the cheap.


Emma shows her true feelings.


Postcard perfect.


Our hoss, with Jess' car along for the ride.


Your tax dollars hard at work.


DEAR GOD!


Welcome to Sioux City.


Welcome to South Dakota, finally.


Jess strums Emma.


Just deer heads driving a car. No big deal.


The term "VIP" is used a bit loosely.


The BS Barbecue.


Wow. Pork legislation at its best.


Wes seems to approve.


Emma makes a new friend.


The Enchanted World of Dolls is up for sale.


As soon as we said, "That was cool, let's leave," we saw a reference to the man that coined the phrase.


Wide open spaces.


Somewhere over the rainbow....is our hotel, hopefully.


The badass Badlands.


"Help manage your wildlife. Wear fur. Hunting helps keep wildlife in balance." Then again, so does natural selection.


Badlands trading post.


Picturesque.


Emma and Jess in the Badlands.


"Close than you think." Kinda creepy.


More Badlands.


The final sign for the Wall Drug, thankfully.


Our lovely dinner: Whatever was left over in the cab.


Wes is rather unhappy with the fees, the hunger, the lack of Internet, etc., etc., etc.

Today's route:

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