Wall, SD - home of Wall Drug, free ice water since 1936, has added a Backyard complete with a roaring dinosaur and 6 ft. jackalope.  This block-sized emporium has eats and artifacts, too.  But the Badlands are the real attraction.  The 240 loop through the Grasslands and the Badlands has chiseled spires, ragged ridges, rugged canyons, prairie, and buttes.  On our first foray we stopped at each viewpoint and took 4 hours to travel 30 miles.  We went a few miles further and stopped at the Minuteman Missile Contact Station for a video and information.  Sad to say, the tours were all filled for two weeks but the next day we drove to the Delta-09 silo site to see the rocket encased and preserved; the ranger there was well-informed and friendly.  That first evening after dinner (Indian taco of buffalo meat and refried beans), and a tour of the Ben Riefel Visitor Center, we drove back through the Badlands to get a sunset view - much more impressive and colorful and alive.  We returned the next dusk and saw more deer, prairie dogs, and a good number of mountain goats.  The Story of Wounded Knee Museum is so well done; after two hours reading and viewing pictures one realized the injustices done to Native Americans during the 1800's; we have a pretty poor record of human rights since 1492 right up to the present day.  Be sure to visit www.woundedkneemuseum.com   Okay, today we are at Spearfish; drove the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway and saw a few waterfalls.

Busy watching the Olympics.  Spent several hours at the Pioneer Auto & Antique Town in Murdo, SD.  Must admit, though, that the Pioneer Museum in Minden, NE, is much more inclusive and better kept.  Be sure to check out picture pages - on fast wifi so had a chance to update.  Keep smilin'

Lunch here at Doug's Dairy Queen; nice guy and one of the friendliest we've met in SD.  We drove out to Farm Island and Fort Sully this a.m. and then did the driving tour through the Historic Homes of Pierre (it's so hard to remember to pronounce that 'peer').  Plan on a relaxing evening watching the Olympics and filling the scrapbook.  Tomorrow is Murdo and mail.

08-08-08 Opening ceremonies of the XXIX Olympiad certainly were creative; really liked the links to Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism; 15,000 participants; 2008 drummers, 2008 Tai Chi masters; and that 500' x 70' LED screen - WOW.  Now we have many days of events to watch in the evening.

Today we spent several hours at the SD capitol building with its weathered copper dome looking black against the blue SD sky and scaglione marble columns in the rotunda and hallways; statues and trees on the grounds complete the vision.  The Heritage Cultural Center is underground - built into the side of a hill so that only the front entrance is exposed.  The well-presented exhibits cover SD from prehistory to the present.  This may be the smallest capital city: 14,000.  More to see tomorrow.

Did you know that Custer was married?  We visited Fort Abraham Lincoln south of Mandan/Bismarck today and toured the Custer House and Barracks of 1875; saw the earthlodges of On-A-Slant Village and the Museum at the Vistiors Center.  We rested a bit at the Bismarck-Mandan Elks Lodge to enjoy the massive wood-column mahogany bar once frequented and patronized by Teddy Roosevelt and Tom Mix.  There's a whole story behind that bar that you can read about at www.elks.org/lodges/LodgeFacilities.cfm?...   We've seen our last "office bldg" capitol, too.

We are in Fargo, ND - our 43rd state, and last new one for the season.  So sad.  But - we saw the Hjemkomst Viking ship, the Hopperstad stave church replica, bison, the Red River, the Fargodome, and many buildings from the 1890's.  The state population is 635,867; Fargo - 90,056.  Lots of open space here!