SoDak!

Most of you know that I (V) was born in South Dakota and that my grandparents and extended family still live there.  I have not driven through the state in over a decade  so this seemed like great opportunity to not only visit my grandparents but also re-discover this part of the country so important in my family history.Our first stop was Vermillion in far southeast corner of the state.  Surrounded by farmland, it's a real all-American town where you can ride your bike to the pool and buy breakfast for $2.  

Each day we visited with various family members over an artery-clogging meal of broasted chicken, fried cheeseballs and/or mushrooms and thoroughly enjoyed every minute.  The special treat to our visit was the time we spent in the Dakota Gardens senior living center where my grandparents now reside.  We went to coffee in the afternoon and visited with the other residents who were very much interested in our trip.  One evening, we played dominos in the tv lounge with

Blanche, Julie, Eileen, Leone, Joann and Minnie (desperately trying to catch some election results between plays).  But the most fun was the slideshow we created of pictures from our travels abroad.   

What fun it was!  We took them around the world showing them homes, clothes, towns and most importantly food (hot topic!) from around the globe.  Afterwards, everyone stayed and soon were sharing their own travel stories---men shared military stories, women told of their own Rosie the Riveter moments. And in the end we received thanks and smiles, but I think we were the lucky ones to have shared time with them.

Next we headed west to the Badlands National Park and then to the Black Hills and Rapid City

 where I was born.  This is a truly magical part of the country where fascinating landscapes and an abundance of activities lie all within such a small area, it's easy to do everything.  In Rapid City we headed to the local high school to see Bill Clinton.  

We stood only a few rows back and Sarah even shook his hand.  (Note the black-haired beauty close to Clinton) It was interesting to hear the locals talk politics.  Many commented how 'closeted' they were in this faithfully red state and how surprising it was to see so many Democrats (1500 showed up:). 

 

We enjoyed a wonderful drive through the barren, crumbling, conical shapes of pink and orange - or the Badlands.  Our favorite bit was stopping to watch birds, prairie dogs and

 pronghorn on the high prairie.  To spice it up, Sarah convinced one of the park workers that they were once called the 'Good' Lands!  In the Black Hills, we were pleasantly surprised by the beauty and the number of things to do.  We gambled in the saloons 0f Deadwood and then got snowed out. We saw bison and goats in our campground in Custer park.   The heads of Mt.Rushmore and Crazy Horse mesmerized us both in their beauty and scope.  

The scenic drives took us past the most amazing rock formations and beautiful pine forests and our hearts got pumping when driving the van through tunnels just big enough to fit. Finally at Devils Tower (actually in Wyoming but still part of the Black Hills Forest) we marveled at its mysticism camping in its shadow.   This is one area that we know we want to return.  Truly amazing and easy to enjoy.

Overall I'd say our trip to SoDak was a hit.  In a place where so many think there is nothing, there is truly so much.  From farmland to badland, to prairie to mountains, from history to gambling, from wild west to wildlife - South Dakota is a spectacular state - even if I'm a little biased.  But best of all - as with so many places - were the friendly people we met.