Badlands and Beyond…

Today was an amazing day, filled with panoramic scenery and wildlife. Who would have thought that the landscape could change so much from one end of the state to the other. The western part of South Dakota has expansive views as far as the eye can see. Replacing the lush farm land it then became grasslands (of the brown variety)and houses were few and far between. We started out our day in Mitchell, SD at the Corn Palace. The exterior and some part of the interior are covered in 12 different types of corn; attached to the building to create intricate murals tied to the common theme. Each year there is a different theme and they have begun to assemble the 2008 theme on the outside panels. All of this started in the late 1800’s and has been going on every year since. There are photos inside the building showing each year’s them since it all started. It was a gorgeous creation, all made out of corn. It costs $130,000 to create each year’s murals but there is no admission fee to get in….what a deal !
We then began our journey westward,, with our destination being the Badlands.
Once we entered the Badlands, off the Rt 240 loop, it was like landing on the moon. The landscape was so very different…..carved out nooks and crannies, jagged spires and multi-colored layers of rock and sediment. It is park of the national park system and well worth the $15 admission fee per vehicle. We saw deer, bighorn sheep, bison and prairie dogs while driving the 40 mile loop through the park. The prairie dogs are so cute, running around between their burrows and digging in the dirt. They are much smaller than the woodchucks we have back east AND much cuter.
When you exit the Badlands you find yourself in Wall, SD; home of Wall Drug… This emporium houses knick knacks, gifts, and café in a building that is one block in size. The town of Wall, population 800, is a cute western town with a few businesses. Wall Drug employs 230 people (do the math..that’s ¼ of the town) and must provide the livelihood for that town.
Tomorrow we begin our route south, towards Kansas.