Preps for Heading West

Here is a surprise for all to enjoy, Pauly's Pizza and Subs, in Rapid City. This place is different when it comes to food, not just the normal, but a little off center too. What you see is a mac and cheese, and bacon pizza, it was outstanding. For you beer lovers, this is paradise, up to 48 ounces. The beer is self serve. At the counter you receive a "credit card" for beer, then you run to the taps and make your choices. The card keeps track of your desires to taste as many beers as possible. If the pizza is not enough, we had fried pickles, and fried cheese curds as well.

Definitely a lot to see in Rapid City area, especially museums. The Journey Museum was interesting because of how the Native American Indian sees how the universe began. There is a lot of walking to do, from the time of the Indians, pioneers, some of the atrocities against the Indian tribes, and other achievements. Then there is the Heritage Museum on the hill. This museum relates to local history within the a tri-state area, that being Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

Left - Wyoming  Center - So. Dakota (the hill)  Right - Montana

You think you want to be a teacher, here are your rules to follow back in the day:

 Need a ride, available at the museum you can sit in this beautiful 1904 Studebaker, not running though. One of the early residents owned it.


You RVers out there, here is an RV for you:

  Storage in the rear, AC, Dutch front door, cooking facilities, and roomy enough for a family of five.

We said good bye, but not without kissing one of their local residents good bye.

 Our last place we visited before we left was the Badlands of South Dakota. It was only a 40 minute drive from Rapid City. The Badlands don't look much different than when the settlers came across the Midwest.

 

As you can see there isn't much difference from the first time I traveled through the Badlands in the late 1800's and today. You can drive a loop around the Badlands, giving the opportunity to see this national park from all sides. 

Though out the park is lots of wildlife ranging from buffalo to prairie dogs. It is necessary to get out of the vehicle to see the prairie dogs, they are so close to the road. Tent campers should be excited to know that there is a campground located in the park. The fun thing about this campground is sleeping with prairie dogs.
 We drove half the loop and headed for the town of Wall for lunch. We ate at Wall's Drug Store which is not your average drug store. This place is over 27,000 square feet of store nooks and eating places.


We ran into a couple of character after
we enjoyed lunch. Apparently there is a lot that happens during the spring and summer months here.

This was our last tourist journey as we prepared to leave South Dakota for California.