5/23: Driving. Just driving, all the way to Independence, Missouri. Went through St. Louis and the infamous East St. Louis, which I've always been curious about. I can finally believe that their police cars can't afford radios -- most of the buildings don't even have roofs.
5/24: Independence, including westward trails sites, historic downtown, and anything that ever figured in the life of Pres. Truman. I've never been on a trip with this fam that did not include a presidential home, and this one was no exception. That afternoon, driving to Council Bluffs, Iowa.
5/25: Drive to various small towns in SD my stepmom lived in, and meeting her aunt and cousin's family. Many stories here, all terrible. In short, her cousin's husband is a taxidermist.
5/26: Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead in De Smet, Wall Drug. Driving forever. This state is huge, and the eastern half is terrifying! It's incredibly flat, all farmland, no landmarks, all the streets (only about half of which are paved) are gridded and named with numbers, because there's nothing to distinguish them. I saw the sign at the corner of 434th and 216th and couldn't believe it.
5/27: Deadwood, SD; Terry's Summit, Devil's Tower in Wyoming.
5/28: Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, and Custer State Park.
For best results, use a soundtrack.
I just want to pick this post up off my computer screen and HUG it! So. Beautiful. (The pics, too, but I mostly mean the stories...)
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