Day 1, August 22

   Finally on the road we had a beautiful day for traveling. Time is 0915 Black Hills here we come.   First stop was Mitchell SD to see the corn palace and went the Cabella's.  Of course today they were having a fair and we couldn't get a good shot.  But still it was interesting.  All made of corn it is completely redone every year.  Sioux City had the first one but when ours burnt it was never replaced.





       We stopped at this rest stop that had a great view overlooking the river and bridges.  There was a sign to watch for snakes.  Believe you me, I did.







    Our first stop was Rapid City. We arrived around 6.  We had hit a head wind the entire time and got terrible gas mileage.   We found a motel for the night.  It was suppose to be a no smoking room but it wasn't it and it just reeked.  I never realized how much it smelled until I became a non-smoker.  However it was clean and close to the Firehouse Brewery where we were eating tonight.  We don't go to the cabin until tomorrow.  And tomorrow we are going to Reptile Gardens.  I love the snakes and orchids.  Such a tourist.  And just a note.  It is really slow up here.  I have never been here when it was so quiet.  Maybe because school has started but this is usually when we come here.  So the gas prices are affecting things.

     I had a great meal of the brisket which I shared with Rick and he had fish taco's and some tasty beers at the brewery.  The alarm in the motel went off at 4 am and we both had a terrible time getting back to sleep.  Drag and I had a headache from the beers.  Apparently 3 is too many.  So at 7 we went to breakfast at the restaurant across the parking lot.  It was the Colonial House Restaurant and Bar.   They had super great strong coffee the food was very tasty and reasonably priced.