Independence Day
This morning, in Hot Springs, South Dakota (pop. 3,500) locals were lining up alongside River Road outside the Mornin’ Sunshine with chairs staking out prime real estate for the town’s 10am July 4th parade starting from the American Legion Hall. A biker slowly rode along the same Main Strand displaying a huge American flag attached to the rear of his Harley. Looping the block multiple times before the parade even began.
This afternoon, at Wind Cave National Park, many tourists sported the Red, White and Blue wearing patriotic shirts, shorts and hats while enjoying an almost 90 degree day exploring the caves and hiking trails.
Later this afternoon, at Needles Highway Tunnel in Custer State Park, a group of repellers (high atop Needles) set up their annual tradition of entertaining the tourists with a July 4th themed celebration.
Finally, tonight in Custer, South Dakota (pop. 1,919) we watched the local fireworks display in grassy fields behind Subway and local car wash.
It always kinda neat to be traveling during these special calendar days witnessing other towns and states celebrating our country’s holidays in their own unique ways.
Because of the sacrifices of many who came before us, S&M were also able to celebrate many personal freedoms today enjoying many of the activities we like to experience!
Happy 4th of July
South Dakota style
July 4, 2022
PS - We also experienced a bison approximately 60 feet from our SUV near Gobbler Pass.
Badlands - Not Just a Springsteen Song
Living 40 odd years with this woman, I learned when Marie is happy these three things typically happen: She sings. She gabs with strangers. Scott is behaving.
Today she was happy! Happy wife. Happy life.
This place is beautiful she repeated throughout the day. “It looks like sandcastles.”
She was correct. Beautiful white/lightest shade of gray buttes, spires and pinnacles somewhat similar to the red/orange hoodoos and spires of Bryce Canyon NP (Utah) appear rising from the floor forming natural amphitheaters that you can hike up, over and around in.
Today we hiked multiple short mostly flat but inspiring trails near the Ben Reifel Visitor Center ~ 3 miles in total.
It was fun watching the younger kids scramble up the hard scrabble mounds. “Be careful, Scott” Marie cried, as I made my way up the smaller peaks.
Young or old, there’s something about wanting to climb up something for the thrill and the view that never really goes away.
Today, we met a family from Oregon, parents mid forties with 4 kids. She was a former CPA. He was Engineer. About two years before COVID, his tech firm folded. Since COVID, they’ve been been traveling. They have not been home in over two years. They were in Philly/Reading/Lancaster area last year. Made it to the OCNJ Boardwalk. We shared travel stories as the kids scrambled on the mounds at Door Trail when I offered to take their family pic!
Heading to Window Trail, we passed a family wearing Phillies gear. Marie mentioned our Phillie Phanatic mascot sitting in the car. Turns out they are a Moorestown family! Kids all went to Roberts Elementary. Lauren was South Valley.
Love hearing travel experiences from other like minded wanderlust enthusiasts while On Trail. T-shirts will eventually shrink. Souvenirs will break, get lost or donated, but the stories exchanged are truly the blessings we travelers receive from other travelers. Making the world (seem) smaller through travel is a beautiful thing.
Looking at these photos, the smiles say it all.
It truly felt amazing to get our hiking shoes dirty, feel sweaty and a bit sore tonight. To the outdoor enthusiast, these are gifts we receive for taking our indoor life - outside.
At dinner, we celebrated with 14 ounce locally raised ribeye steaks and Moose Drool Brown Ale from Missoula, Montana. Marie who has multiple dietary restrictions cleaned her plate.
Tonight, a wicked hail storm has rolled into the Black Hills of South Dakota but not before we cleaned our hikers sitting on the small wrought iron bench outside our modest cabin.
Still another timely reminder, that joy often comes in life’s most simple and cheapest experiences. Taking a walk in unspoiled Nature!
Tomorrow we hit the road but today was ours!
S&M
Playing with the kids near Window Trail
Badlands National Park
Life is Short, Eat Dessert First
Proclaimed the sign inside The Little Cottage Cafe feeding Bismarck, South Dakota locals since 1965. Their signature dish is the (nearly) 1/2 pound Caramel Roll served with a huge slab side of butter. Of course we ordered two! Restaurant is located right next door to a fully functioning Bob’s Big Boy also operating from about the same era.
Seated next to us was a dad in his late 30s sitting across from his daughter probably about 10 years old. Dad was explaining the game of golf to his daughter; rules, etiquette and nuance of the game he was in the process of teaching her this summer. They also talked about family trips to Glacier where she and her brother learned to swim.
Marie reached her hands over the table to find mine as she could sense tears beginning to well in my eyes. Forty years with someone prepares you for brief moments like this…..
You see, nearly 3,000 miles away this morning, Lauren and Brian were preparing to land in Cartagena, Columbia to celebrate their first wedding anniversary.
I immediately recalled teaching Lauren how to play catch at 8 Meadow, tennis in our backyard, skiing up the Poconos and riding bikes to Ritas.
Boy oh boy, why does this existence on earth pass so quickly?
Today we headed south to Wall, South Dakota. A travel day ~ 4.5 hours driving ~ 290 miles though the many small towns proudly advertising populations less than 500. Today’s winner was Cottonwood. Pop 9.
Marie and I sang “You Wreck Me” at the top of our lungs driving straight into the endless black pavement horizon on Highway 65. We spotted bison grazing alongside 12. Thankfully no one was gored unlike the three travelers recently gored in Yellowstone!
By our best estimates we passed ~ 70 cars during the nearly five hour car ride. Hell, this time of year back home, there are twice that many cars signaling ‘right’ to Exit 7S - All Shore Points South!
Gased up the Range Rover in Faith, SD as it seemed like the sensible thing to do!
Arriving in Wall dressed like we had just stepped out of the summer catalog from LL Bean, let’s just say we “stood out” with the busload of folks looking for “Real South Dakota” (stuff) at Wall Drug (Est. 1931). Roadside Americana attraction.
Part “South of the Border” (SC), part Wildwood/Jersey Boardwalk, part NYC Times Square tourist trap shops. We felt like we landed from another planet!
Bison burgers and Saddle Bronc Brown Ale from nearby Sheridan, WY we’re trying hard to assimilate with t
This morning, in Hot Springs, South Dakota (pop. 3,500) locals were lining up alongside River Road outside the Mornin’ Sunshine with chairs staking out prime real estate for the town’s 10am July 4th parade starting from the American Legion Hall. A biker slowly rode along the same Main Strand displaying a huge American flag attached to the rear of his Harley. Looping the block multiple times before the parade even began.
This afternoon, at Wind Cave National Park, many tourists sported the Red, White and Blue wearing patriotic shirts, shorts and hats while enjoying an almost 90 degree day exploring the caves and hiking trails.
Later this afternoon, at Needles Highway Tunnel in Custer State Park, a group of repellers (high atop Needles) set up their annual tradition of entertaining the tourists with a July 4th themed celebration.
Finally, tonight in Custer, South Dakota (pop. 1,919) we watched the local fireworks display in grassy fields behind Subway and local car wash.
It always kinda neat to be traveling during these special calendar days witnessing other towns and states celebrating our country’s holidays in their own unique ways.
Because of the sacrifices of many who came before us, S&M were also able to celebrate many personal freedoms today enjoying many of the activities we like to experience!
Happy 4th of July
South Dakota style
July 4, 2022
PS - We also experienced a bison approximately 60 feet from our SUV near Gobbler Pass.
Badlands - Not Just a Springsteen Song
Living 40 odd years with this woman, I learned when Marie is happy these three things typically happen: She sings. She gabs with strangers. Scott is behaving.
Today she was happy! Happy wife. Happy life.
This place is beautiful she repeated throughout the day. “It looks like sandcastles.”
She was correct. Beautiful white/lightest shade of gray buttes, spires and pinnacles somewhat similar to the red/orange hoodoos and spires of Bryce Canyon NP (Utah) appear rising from the floor forming natural amphitheaters that you can hike up, over and around in.
Today we hiked multiple short mostly flat but inspiring trails near the Ben Reifel Visitor Center ~ 3 miles in total.
It was fun watching the younger kids scramble up the hard scrabble mounds. “Be careful, Scott” Marie cried, as I made my way up the smaller peaks.
Young or old, there’s something about wanting to climb up something for the thrill and the view that never really goes away.
Today, we met a family from Oregon, parents mid forties with 4 kids. She was a former CPA. He was Engineer. About two years before COVID, his tech firm folded. Since COVID, they’ve been been traveling. They have not been home in over two years. They were in Philly/Reading/Lancaster area last year. Made it to the OCNJ Boardwalk. We shared travel stories as the kids scrambled on the mounds at Door Trail when I offered to take their family pic!
Heading to Window Trail, we passed a family wearing Phillies gear. Marie mentioned our Phillie Phanatic mascot sitting in the car. Turns out they are a Moorestown family! Kids all went to Roberts Elementary. Lauren was South Valley.
Love hearing travel experiences from other like minded wanderlust enthusiasts while On Trail. T-shirts will eventually shrink. Souvenirs will break, get lost or donated, but the stories exchanged are truly the blessings we travelers receive from other travelers. Making the world (seem) smaller through travel is a beautiful thing.
Looking at these photos, the smiles say it all.
It truly felt amazing to get our hiking shoes dirty, feel sweaty and a bit sore tonight. To the outdoor enthusiast, these are gifts we receive for taking our indoor life - outside.
At dinner, we celebrated with 14 ounce locally raised ribeye steaks and Moose Drool Brown Ale from Missoula, Montana. Marie who has multiple dietary restrictions cleaned her plate.
Tonight, a wicked hail storm has rolled into the Black Hills of South Dakota but not before we cleaned our hikers sitting on the small wrought iron bench outside our modest cabin.
Still another timely reminder, that joy often comes in life’s most simple and cheapest experiences. Taking a walk in unspoiled Nature!
Tomorrow we hit the road but today was ours!
S&M
Playing with the kids near Window Trail
Badlands National Park
Life is Short, Eat Dessert First
Proclaimed the sign inside The Little Cottage Cafe feeding Bismarck, South Dakota locals since 1965. Their signature dish is the (nearly) 1/2 pound Caramel Roll served with a huge slab side of butter. Of course we ordered two! Restaurant is located right next door to a fully functioning Bob’s Big Boy also operating from about the same era.
Seated next to us was a dad in his late 30s sitting across from his daughter probably about 10 years old. Dad was explaining the game of golf to his daughter; rules, etiquette and nuance of the game he was in the process of teaching her this summer. They also talked about family trips to Glacier where she and her brother learned to swim.
Marie reached her hands over the table to find mine as she could sense tears beginning to well in my eyes. Forty years with someone prepares you for brief moments like this…..
You see, nearly 3,000 miles away this morning, Lauren and Brian were preparing to land in Cartagena, Columbia to celebrate their first wedding anniversary.
I immediately recalled teaching Lauren how to play catch at 8 Meadow, tennis in our backyard, skiing up the Poconos and riding bikes to Ritas.
Boy oh boy, why does this existence on earth pass so quickly?
Today we headed south to Wall, South Dakota. A travel day ~ 4.5 hours driving ~ 290 miles though the many small towns proudly advertising populations less than 500. Today’s winner was Cottonwood. Pop 9.
Marie and I sang “You Wreck Me” at the top of our lungs driving straight into the endless black pavement horizon on Highway 65. We spotted bison grazing alongside 12. Thankfully no one was gored unlike the three travelers recently gored in Yellowstone!
By our best estimates we passed ~ 70 cars during the nearly five hour car ride. Hell, this time of year back home, there are twice that many cars signaling ‘right’ to Exit 7S - All Shore Points South!
Gased up the Range Rover in Faith, SD as it seemed like the sensible thing to do!
Arriving in Wall dressed like we had just stepped out of the summer catalog from LL Bean, let’s just say we “stood out” with the busload of folks looking for “Real South Dakota” (stuff) at Wall Drug (Est. 1931). Roadside Americana attraction.
Part “South of the Border” (SC), part Wildwood/Jersey Boardwalk, part NYC Times Square tourist trap shops. We felt like we landed from another planet!
Bison burgers and Saddle Bronc Brown Ale from nearby Sheridan, WY we’re trying hard to assimilate with t
© Scott Kern