Custer and Crazy Horse

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Custer and Crazy Horse

Driving through Custer State Park, we only came upon 1 gas tank. This was before we pumped, but it WAS 3.99 per gallon. In town for lunch we saw it was 70 cents less. Supply and demand, I guess.



Needles Scenic Byway was beautiful.

















Sylvan Lake


Red winged blackbird, about the only bird call I recognize.


Baby Buffalo


Crazy Horse Monument was really very nice and interesting. Lots of things to look at, a very interesting film about the history and the making of Crazy Horse, and we really enjoyed a talk, song and dances by a Latoka grandfather, son, and grandson.









Back to Keystone and a good dinner at BarLees, with a wonderful student/waitress from Jamaica. We've met a number of people that come to places like this for the summer and work, and have discovered there is a huge market for seasonal workers. Hmmm. I wonder where I will be next summer.

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Bad Barb in Bad Lands

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Bad Barb in Bad Lands

Busy day today. We had a quick breafast at the hotel in Wall, then went to the famous Wall Drug. Not impressed. Sorry. The best thing was a donut and 5 cent coffee. Dicks 5 & Dime in Branson is a lot more interesting. However, I did get the yahoos to pose for more pictures:


























We didn't spend much time there, thank goodness. However, just across the street is the Wounded Knee Museum. Small, but good. We need to never forget. Worth walking into town for.

Then, we headed out for some REAL sightseeing, through Badlands National Park. They have had so much rain, that everything was green, and wildflowers were in bloom, as well. It was much prettier than I thought it would be.
























































We also came across a field of prairie dogs. They were awesome. I watched one in particular for a long time. Suddenly, he sat up and starred at me, let out a squeal, then dropped to the ground, paying dead. There were a bunch (herd? group?, clutch?) of smaller prairie dogs nearby, so I can only surmise this is a way to warn the others, or deflect the attention of preditors. I could have spent a lot longer watching these cute little critters.


























After the loop drive, we went south just a mile or so to Interior, and ate a very good pizza at a bar & grill. That this little town of under 100 even is there, is pretty amazing. We were the only ones there at first, but before we were done, many bicyclists had shown up, apparently a known stop on the flat road just south of the scenic loop through the National Park. Then, on to our first ghost town, Scenic. There is still a post office there, but still kinda cool.



























While in Scenic, we noticed a new business with a sign outside and a web site. It took us a long time to find the right stuff, but if you'd like an interesting story, read this: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2011/10/10/why-did-a-secretive-filipino-church-buy-a-south-dakota-ghost-town/

On to our next hotel in Keystone, SD, just a few minutes from Mt. Rushmore. This is the picture from our room balcony.









So is this, if you use the zoom on my camera.








And, at night.








Corn Palace, check
Wall Drug, check
Badlands, check
Mount Rushmore, check

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Last full day on the Llangollen canal

A pleasant day along the canal, just cruising along enjoying the views of fields, corn (that is just about ready for harvest), meres, bridges, birds, but alas, no hedgehogs.


Homes for sale are listed in the windows of estate agents, and people sometimes cluster around, looking at the listings. No, sales agents don't pounce like U.S. used car salesmen do when you show up on the lot. The listing below is possibly the cheapest one we've seen. Many are 300,000 pounds +/-


This refrigerator/freezer is about 4 feet high, and is rather large for UK standards, I think. This one is 259.99 pounds, or about $400.00.


Yummmmm


Yummmmm


Est 1969? Explains the name

Moving house to a different mooring. These folks went much slower than our boat was able to go, so we had to throw it into neutral numerous times so not to run into them. Luckily, they only went a few miles.


Rain again, but not until the afternoon. Sainsbury saves the day. Love John's makeshift wellies.


Some boaters were equipped for the rain.


At bridge 2, John and I took a short walk over the stile into a sheep pasture and over the bridge.



Baa, baa, black sheep


Our last nights' mooring. Beautiful view.


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Yesterday was a whole day ago

I didn't type the blog last night, as we had a very long day and I was exhausted. So, hopefully I won't forget anything too wonderful.

We had a nice rain the previous night, it was really coming down off and on. I loved the sound of it on the roof. Almost like camping; I guess we are kinda camping. We moored at a beautiful mere, the real name is Blake Mere. One swan watches for people mooring, and comes for snacks.


Johns goal was to make Whitchurch today. I'm not really sure why, as it seems a long way, but we did it.






It rained off an on, but nothing too terrible. We moored and had a late lunch at a deli. That was where we found wifi yesterday, and I posted the previous blog. It was a perfect spot. We had pasties and dessert

. . . . . we interrupt this blog for an update. John is currently driving through the Ellesmere tunnel--his first. Only bumped once-so far. Light is on, horn honked, and since he is now over halfway, has decided this isn't bad. Now, back to our regularly scheduled blog . . . . .

pasties and dessert, both very good. The owner reminded us a lot of Mike of the Moxie, and talked to us for almost an hour and a half. The walk into Whitchurch is really long, and if I hadn't needed wifi, I'm not sure we would have done it.





We had to go as far as the step locks to turn around, and by then, it was getting late afternoon. We didn't want to have a really long day tomorrow, so we started back upcanal, and got as far as a straightaway near a bog. Again, it rained on us. We pulled in about 7, and I finally got the oven to work for me, so we had little dinners-spaghetti and lasagne.

We didn't see anyone all night long, and even though it rained again, it wasn't as bad as the previous night.

The weather is supposed to be terrible today, but so far so good. We have to be back at our marina Friday morning at 9:00, so we want to get as close to it as we can. If we can beat the rain, or some of it, that will be perfect.

We keep seeing the same boaters over and over, and almost all are very friendly and funny. One couple we've seen a half dozen times, and John said he doesn't think they have ever seen him piloting the boat. They call me skipper.

We've seen some beautiful birds, and some very interesting things.





















Time Share!





And what's up with this one? Not the right T.


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