By all accounts, it was destined to be a great trip…..the thirteen day vacation that Fayez and I had planned. Or maybe I should say, the vacation that I planned….and Fayez approved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We tried to plan the  camping portion of our trip around KOA campgrounds. Why? Mostly because I have a KOA membership card…..and we got ten percent off of the regular price for each night. But…not only that. The vast majority of the KOA’s that I have stayed in over the years can’t be beat. The are clean; they are safe; they convenient; they are locally owned by families who are friendly, and like people, who are helpful…… take pride in their business.

We have always stayed in a KOA cabin. They are basic structures…..primarily built from the same design nation-wide…. Some people might call them “glorified tents”. But…..believe me: They are much better than sleeping in a tent on the ground. Each cabin will sleep at least three or four people. The mattresses are already there…..covered with plastic, so they are easy to clean….and, I suppose, so bed bugs can live on…or in….them. The traveler has to furnish the bedding….the sleeping bag, the sheets, the blankets, the pillows….or whatever else you might want. But, the important thing is: You are sleeping inside, on a bed with a mattress.

All of the cabins have some sort of basic shelf….or desk…. They all have electricity. Then, depending on the campground, there may be a chair….or there may not be a chair….to sit on. Depending on where the campground is located, there may be an air-conditioner or a heater…..or both.

Outside is where the action is, however. There is a friendly front porch with a porch swing or some chair. Every cabin has its own picnic table. And, except in rare cases….probably determined by local ordinances….there will be a fire ring or a barbecue grill. ]

To me….this is the best part of camping…..building a fire….and eating the food that Fayez fixes for us! We have two comfortable camping chairs, and when supper is finished…..and the dishes are done, which

consists mainly of throwing away the paper plates and plastic eating utensils….we can sit back and relax and enjoy the rest of the evening…..talking and laughing and arguing….and trying to avoid the smoke that will inevitably blow in our face.

These are camping cabins. Of course, there are no showers in them. Just like the people living in tents, we have to take a shower in the shower house. But, the showers are rarely fully occupied, so the only inconvenience is walking to and from the shower.

OK…..so: Our trip was built in large part around the availability of KOA campgrounds. And, this can be a little problematic. The objective is always to find a campground approximately one day’s drive from the last campground. Sometimes this means driving a few more miles….quite a few more miles. Some days, it means getting to a campground with plenty of time to spare. Those were the best days!

Actually, when we started talking about the trip, the only real destination we had in mind was Mt. Rushmore National Park in South Dakota. That gave me a lot of freedom to choose a route. Another goal was to cover as many states as possible. Before Fayez graduates from college, one of our aspirations is to visit every state in the Continental USA.

Fayez added one place he wanted to visit: A city in Michigan….a suburb of Detroit…called Hamtramck….which has the largest Muslim population in the USA. According to census figures, somewhere around 40,000 Muslims reside there. And, I also added a couple places to round out the trip: the St. Louis Arch….and a visit with my cousin in Arkansas.

Thus…..armed with this information, I devised a trip plan which, on paper, would transport us 3758 miles. The reservations were made and confirmed. The campgrounds and the hotels were booked. The rental car was reserved. We were ready to go.

When I looked at the rental car…a late model Kia…..and then looked at the mountain of “stuff” we were going to take with us…..it was rather discouraging. “There is no way all that stuff is going fit into the car,” I thought. And, even it that was possible….it would take a half day to load it all.

By this time, it was probably 4:00…..I was 101 degrees outside….and the sun was showing no mercy. Fayez said he would arrive around 6:30. The job had to be completed….if we were to leave on time. And….part of my plan was for Fayez to simply lock his car….we would get into the rental car…..and leave. Precise planning is one of my strong points…..just ask Fayez.

So, one labored armful at a time, I slowly, but methodically, carried the equipment and supplies to the car. The camping chairs…..the bedding…..the plastic boxes containing food and eating supplies….. After each load, I returned to the front room….out of breath…..hurting. I sat down in the recliner for five minutes…..and then carried another arm load of stuff. “Just keep at it…. Don’t stop now,” I kept urging myself.

The heat was brutal; the sun was unrelenting. There was not a cloud in the sky. Not a breeze was stirring. I got a can of diet cola…..just something cold to drink. “You’re making progress….. Just a few more loads…..” Finally….everything in the front room had been carried to the car. And….it all fit. With some space left over. By this time, I was thoroughly worn out; out of breath; chest hurting….. But, the job was finished. I had done my part. The time was pushing 5:00. Fayez would be here in another hour.

Now…..just sit in the recliner, turn on some music, and try to sleep. Oh….what relief; what contentment. I closed my eyes….and listened to the soothing sounds of Abba….as I drifted into a world of sleep.

“Wake up!” said a voice somewhere out there in the fog of my consciousness. I opened my eyes….and there stood Fayez.

“What is this?” I asked myself. Abba was still singing…..and that is only the first track on the CD. I glanced at the clock…..I glanced at Fayez. Fayez was early! No…..I had to be dreaming.

“How can this be. This must be a mistake” But, no…..I was sure it was Fayez. Then I became wide awake. I realized that I had seen an important event in history….something that had never happened before….and may never happen again: Fayez was early! Fayez threw his suitcases into the back of the car….and soon, we were off on our adventure……and just about on time.

We drove up US 75 into Nebraska. It was a steamy night. So steamy, in fact…..that the camera lens steamed over, making it almost impossible to take any pictures that night. The difference in temperature between inside the house and outside the house….the difference in temperature between the inside of the cool interior of car and the temperature outside the car….caused the camera lens to fog over almost immediately. This was one of those nights when we definitely gave thanks for the invention of air-conditioning…..even though it did mean ruining a night’s worth of pictures. But….given the choice between comfort and pictures…..we gladly chose comfort.

As we drove along, we talked and laughed and joked…..and of course, traded a few insults. We ate our Subway sandwiches I had bought earlier in the day. But……We were running late……probably due to stopping in Holton for some supplies…..and due to the slow speed limits on US 75…..and stopping to take pictures of state signs….most of which were ruined by the fogged-up lens on the camera.

According to my calculations, we should have arrived in South Sioux City, Nebraska, somewhere around 10:30 P.M. Ten thirty came and went….and we still had many miles to drive. Other than our stop in Holton….and the stops at the state borders, we didn’t waste any time…..but it was approaching midnight when we approached South Sioux Falls.

Little did we know at this point that an even bigger surprise was waiting for us…..something that would set us back at least another half hour or forty-five minutes. I had booked a room through the Expedia web site in motel just off I-29. We walked into the motel tired and worn out….and ready to get a good night’s sleep….at least, what was left of the night. I gave my name to the hotel clerk…..a foreigner, of course. He checked the reservations. “No reservation,” he said.

“Check again,” I asked him. “I made a reservation and it was confirmed.”

The foreign clerk checked again….and shook his head. “No reservation,” he repeated.

“Surely there has to be a mistake. I have the confirmation e-mail right here.”

He started to rummage through the reservations. “Oh, you have a reservation for August 11th”

What? That was after our trip was ended…..after we were back home again. But….obviously there had been a mistake. And…..is wasn’t mine! Apparently Expedia had reserved the room for the wrong date. We were out of luck!

“Do you have a room we can rent?’ I asked.

“No….all booked up.”

He did suggest another motel, however.  For some reason, we didn’t look for it immediately,  but set off on our own to find another motel with an available room.  The “motel gods” were working against us that night.  We tried two or three motels.   They were either fully occupied…..or closed.  Finally, we thought of the motel the clerk had suggested.

We found it….and it was still open…..and they had a vacant room for

us to rent.  Even thought it was not 12:30 in the morning, the owner seemed to be out and about…..doing something,  Of course….he was a foreigner, too.  He smiled at us…..took our money…..and smilingly led us to our room.  Wow….we were relieved.  Finally a place to stay.  A place to lay our weary bodies down…..and sleep.

He opened the door for us…..and with a sweeping gesture welcomed us inside…..and is we were entering a suite at a 5-star motel.  but….it was NOT a 5-star hotel.   It wasn’t even a ZERO star hotel.   Quite frankly…it was a dump!  There were two small rooms….so dimly lit that we almost needed a flashlight to find our way around.  And….probably for good reason!  They probably didn’t want us to see that the room was dirty; the carpets were stained; the furniture…..or lack of it….was broken down and old.   I am assuming that the bedding…..the sheets, bed spread and pillow cases….had been washed….but that would have been difficult to prove in a court.

But….the owner….the foreigner…..seemed to be bursting with pride with his motel. And us…..we had no other choice. This would be where we would sleep…..and by that time, I was so tired that I could have slept standing up. Fayez slept in a little bedroom where the air-conditioner was located. And I? I slept in the “front room”, so to speak. I had expected to toss and turn the remainder of the night from the suffocating heat. But, surprisingly enough, the little air-conditioner actually worked…..and I even reached for blanket sometime during the night.

We woke up…..fortunately with no diseases or anything like that. Of course, there was no breakfast! We took showers, packed our stuff into the car…..dropped the key in the key return box…..and left! I think there was a general agreement between Fayez and me that we would strike this off our list of possible motels in the unlikely event that we should ever return to South Sioux City, Nebraska.

 

Fortunately….again due to my fantastic advance planning….this was to be the only misfortune or misunderstanding over reservations for the remainder of the trip. Our next major objective before leaving the city was to find a place to eat breakfast. Quite frankly, I am very easy to please when comes to food. I often say that I am on a “see food” diet. I see food……I eat it! I am not very particular. Just set some food in front of me…..and I am satisfied. Fayez is not so easily appeased, however.

We stopped at a casino…..which seem to be very legal in Nebraska…. Fayez went to check on breakfast….. He came back out and said that some guy was going to lead us to the best place in South Souix City to eat breakfast. I am just a little hesitant to follow strange people….in a strange city….to strange, unknown places. But….it turned out well. It was a good place to eat breakfast….and was full of local yokals….and friendly waitresses. With out stomachs satisfied….and our spirits somewhat higher….we took off for the first full day of our vacation.

“On the road again….Expecting that the world be going our way…..” (John Denver)

Now…..it really feels like we are in South Dakota. We are heading west on I-90. There is nothing to slow us down…..just miles and miles of interstate highway stretching in front of us. There are very few towns to break the monotony of driving…..just miles of vast fields of South Dakota farm land.

People often joke about

 

 

 

 

People often joke about Kansas….calling it a vast wasteland. Or a state whose only purpose is to serve as a barrier between Missouri and Colorado……a state that has to be driven through to get to the Golden West. Kansas has often been described as being “flat as a pancake”. And somebody actually did research to prove that this is true. Of course, those of us who have lived in Kansas all our lives know this description is pure nonsense….a bunch of bull. The eastern one-third of the state consists of the Flint Hills…hundreds….if not thousands….of square miles of rolling hills. Yes, central Kansas is flat. But, its flatness is more than compensated for by the lush fields of wheat and soy beans and milo.

But…..when it comes to boring…..surely South Dakota will win that prize any day of the year. Apparently even South Dakota recognizes this. They have set their upper speed limit at 80 mph. And, why not? There is nothing to slow a person down. Often it is difficult to keep speed down…..whether it be the urge to get through the state as quickly as possible….or whether it is the mesmerizing ribbon of seemingly endless highway. But, a driver should not be lulled into a sense of false security. Even though South Dakota has set their speed limit high……they are certainly serious about enforcing it. I-90 is well patrolled. It is not at all uncommon to see state troopers parked in the medians….or driving along the highways….keeping a close watch for unsuspecting drivers who may think that the posted speed signs are merely a polite formality.

Unless a person chooses to stop at one of the few bona fide towns located at infrequent intervals along the highway, the only real opportunities to stop…rest…and to stretch muscles….are the highway rest areas. These rest areas are normally crowded with both tourists and truckers seeking a few minutes of relief from the highway. The rest areas are welcome green oases from the vast areas of uninhabited prairies.

Most of the rest areas have picnic tables. Ours did…..and we took advantage of the stop by eating our lunch. And, in our situation, our lunches were usually improvised….and consisted of anything edible we could readily put our hands on…..usually sandwiches made of peanut and jelly and sandwiches made of sliced turkey meat and cheese. For the first few days, we also treated ourselves to boiled eggs….which I had left over in my refrigerator.

After we picked up I-90 at Sioux City, South Dakota, and stopping only for a lunch break and maybe a couple rest sessions, we drove steadily across the state…..after a while, paying little attention to the surrounding landscape. There are a limit to the number of wheat

fields and corn fields that can hold one’s attention….even though there is a certain beauty to them. After all, this is our nation’s food supply. Without the vast fertile fields of grain and the thousands of square miles of pasture land which provide the food for the nation’s beef, pork and dairy animals, we would not be the great “bread basket” of the nation….and of the world.

But….. Even acknowledging all this, the landscape does take on an undeniable sameness. For the vast majority of the people who travel this highway, they have no hint that only a few miles to the south of these fertile fields lies the largest undisturbed mixed grass prairie in the United States. And, within this vast grassland lies a spectacular area of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires…..which have been formed through thousands of years of relentless forces of nature…..water erosion and wind erosion. These earth and rock formation are known at the Badlands of South Dakota…..almost 243,000 acres in area.

It was mid-afternoon. We had driven about four-fifths the distance across the state of South Dakota when we finally left I-90 and headed south to take a look at the Badlands National Park. To me, the vast areas of peaks and valleys that have been carved out of the soil are fascinating…..and well as beautiful. For one thing…..they are so unexpected. Except for a sign pointing the way, there is no other visible evidence that they exist. A person who does not know this area….or a person who doesn’t read highway signs….would simply drive past it…..never knowing that it was there.

Driving through the Badlands is interesting. There are plenty of opportunities to stop and take pictures. But the best way to fully appreciate this park is to hike on one or more of the many well defined trails….and be surrounded on every side by the beauty of the landscape. One the three other occasions I have been there, this is exactly what we did. We spend several hours hiking the trails and taking pictures. But…sadly to say….that was back in my younger days….days when I was in better shape and in better health.

I felt badly for Fayez. Even though I encouraged him to go ahead and do some exploring by himself, he declined to do so. Maybe out of consideration for me….not wanting to leave me by myself while he was off having fun. If he had chosen to go off for a while on his own adventure, that would have been fine with me. It would have given him the opportunity to experience the Badlands up close. And, maybe it would have made his experience more personal and memorable. Climbing down into the valleys….being surrounded on all sides by cliffs and spires….being separated from the highway and “civilization” would have perhaps have given him a new perspective and appreciation of the unique beauty of the Badlands.

Or….maybe it was simply because it is not much fun to do things like this alone. And, I certainly understand that feeling. It is more fun and often more meaningful to share such occasions with others. But, in any event, we stopped in several places, took pictures…..and moved forward on our journey. For those tourists…..like us…..who only want to look and take pictures, there is a loop through the park…..a strip of highway that winds approximately 40 miles off I-90…..from east to west. Once we were back on the Interstate, we were only a short distance from your destination for the day: The Black Hills and Mt. Rushmore National Monument. Our first stop was in Rapid City to fill up with gasoline. Our next stop was intended to be our destination for the day….the Mt. Rushmore KOA Campground that would be our home for the that night and the next night. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done, though. Fayez entered the address into the GPS. For some unknown reason, the GPS didn’t recognize the address.

Unbelievable! We are headed to one of the most popular tourist destinations in the USA….and the GPS has never heard of it? Now I am beginning to question what kind of GPS unit I bought. The answer seemingly boiled down to one of two choices: (1.) The GPS was manufactured before 1941 (when the Monument was dedicated)….which was rather unlikely! Or… (2.) The GPS unit was a piece of worthless junk!

The KOA is located on highway 244…..the same highway that leads

to Mt. Rushmore. How could the GPS not know that? We checked the atlas we had brought with us…. We checked the little maps on the brochures we had picked up in town….. They all knew where highway 244 was located….. The location of Mt. Rushmore was no secret to them.

Without the magical GPS to guide us….we had to resort to our desperate last choice: Follow the directions on the map…..and read the highway signs. We….at least Fayez…..felt that we had been transported back into a long-ago era…..an era which was void of modern technology…..and when human beings were forced to use their own ingenuity and intelligence and resourcefulness to guide them to any given target. At one point, we even considered waiting until darkness fell….and use the stars as our guide.

As for me…..as we drove along one of the highways going south out of Rapid City, I recognized many of the landmarks. Landmarks….which in this case can be translated more literally as “Tourist Traps”….abound by the dozen. Tame bears, pony rides, water slides, “museums”……anything to get a dollar out of a tourist’s pocket. Because of these familiar sights, I knew that at least we were in the right vicinity….at least, the right state…..and it was only a matter of time before we would find the highway we were looking for……the highway that would lead us to our campground.

Once we located the town of Hill City, we were able to orient ourselves….and figure out where we needed to go. It was also about this time that the GPS Unit woke up and decided that it, too, knew where we were! I am not sure if had been asleep….or whether it was one of those “special ed” type GPSes…..and just need a little bit of extra time to figure things out.

Shortly after leaving Hill City, we turned east onto highway 244….and within a few minutes we had arrived at our destination: The Mt. Rushmore Campground. No….No….that isn’t right. It was the Mt. Rushmore Campground and RESORT. As I said earlier, most….it not all….of the KOA’s where we have stayed have been locally owned….family owned….franchises…..many times with the entire family involved in its operation. The people who stay there almost always get friendly, personal attention. In many cases there is a small general store which stocks the most basic of supplies that travelers might need. And, commonly they have a small laundry that tourists can use. Some of them may even have a swimming pool that is open during the daylight hours.

But, this KOA was not your ordinary campground. It was as much a “resort” as it was a campground…..inasmuch as a campground can be called a resort. Personally, I would classify it as perhaps a “poor man’s resort”, at its best…..and an expensive tourist trap, at its worst. Included in the sprawling compound were such “amenities” as 2 large swimming pools, a bike shop, a car rental agency, a catering service, a chuck wagon dinner show, a climbing wall, stables, a “splash park”, UTV (utility terrain vehicle) rentals…..not mention the store, cafe and gift shop….. All of which cost an extra fee.

In fact, it had everything except WI-FI. I don’t know. Maybe they figured that if they furnished free wi-fi, people would spend their time using it, rather than spending money on their other “attractions”. Ask Fayez….. for me, this could have been the first strike against the campground. I had waited two days to log onto my e-mail accounts….only to find out that I could rent a horse….but not log onto the Internet.

Oh…but let me tell you what else the “resort” DOES have. It has many roads…. which were all heading uphill. It had an abundance of rocks that one could easily stumble over in the dark. It had a terrain that did not have one square foot of level ground…..This would have been great, if one of my legs was shorter than the other leg. It had long walks to the showers….all uphill….. Again, great if I had been training to climb Mt. Everest. It had showers which were located exactly in the middle of the large 55 feet self-contained RV’s…..the only vehicles which had their own comfortable showers. It had cabins with little desks….but no chairs to sit on (but on the other hand, there was no wi-fi, either…).

Yeah….the campground was in a beautiful environment….the trees, the mountains in the background. But, for me, none of this was enough to compensate for the discomfort and the inconvenience of the rocky, hilly, sprawling terrain. Throughout our entire stay there, I felt like I was constantly standing at an angle….always tipped to one side…..feeling much like I was the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Maybe that was because I was.

Fayez, on the other hand, loved it…..and was quite satisfied and happy. Maybe I can persuade him to write a paragraph or two giving his impression of the campground….and the two nights we spent there. Aside from all of my complaints….and they are legitimate ones…..it did not prevent Fayez and me from having a good time. And, it did not prevent Fayez from preparing a couple highly delicious meals. The first night, we enjoyed his specialty: chicken with rice and vegetables.

(By Fayez:  ‘Mt. Rushmore Campground, it is not as bad as Beryl made sounds. In addition, it was one of the best campgrounds that we stayed in this trip. It is true that it was bigger than normal but it was accepted to be big comparing it as it is being close to Mt. Rushmore. The camping place was located in the top of hill where the wound was blowing so peacefully late at night. We did not have any problem with insect or any sort of thing like that for the first time in that trip. Even though, the place was packed with a lot of people, who came today for the same purpose as us, we did not have any problem with people making noises or distraction. For the shower thing, it took us 30 seconds to hop in the car and be in the actual restrooms. I do agree with beryl for one thing only which is that the ground is not level, and there were rocks all over. But I want tell beryl that live cannot easy all the time, you have to be adventures and take the risk to be a real man and take it’….)

One of the few good things about the KOA was that it had a very comfortable mattress. I slept well both nights. And, although the days were quite warm….even bordering on being hot….it cooled off nicely at night. This, of course, was a gift from Mother Nature…..and not of the KOA.

Sunday morning, after a breakfast of raisin bran, a boiled egg and some coffee, we headed toward Mt. Rushmore….only a few minutes up the highway toward the east. Although it was fairly early on Sunday morning, the parking lot was filling up quickly at Mt Rushmore. Very luckily we were able to find a parking spot very near the entrance to the Monument.

Mt. Rushmore is quite amazing. Even though it is not a very interactive park, it makes up for this in its awesome beauty and wonder…..and incomparable dimensions and detail. The monument was the brainchild of a man named Doane Robinson…..who contacted the Gutson Borglum, a renowned sculptor, who had worked on other such projects.

Construction on the Monument began in 1927 and continued until its dedication on October 31, 1941…..shortly before the USA entered World War II. Although there was some controversy concerning who should be displayed on the Monument, in the end the final choices were George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt…..all considered to be among the most important and influential presidents in our history.

The total cost of of the Monument was approximately $990,000. That probably sounds unbelievably cheap….. Today it is less than money than 90% of university football and basketball coaches are paid every year! One million dollars back in 1935 would be worth somewhere in the vicinity of $17,000,000 in today’s market. Still not a bad price to pay for such a monumental undertaking.

Ninety percent of the “sculpting” was accomplished with dynamite. And, it is astonishing that not even one person lost his life during the 17 years of the construction.

Leading up to the main viewing area, we walked along the Avenue of Flags….a walkway flanked on each side by the flags of each of the 50 states….plus the flags of the District of Columbia…..and the American owned territories. Of course, we stopped to take each of our pictures with the Kansas flag.

 

 

 

 

 

Although we could see the faces of the presidents from many places….even from outside the park….they can be seen in their full magnificence only from the viewing platform directly in front of the monument. And, as one would expect, this is the spot where all of the people want their picture taken….and usually not just one picture….but several pictures. There is no other choice except to wait until there is an empty spot before having your picture taken. And….don’t even think of having your picture taken without any other people in it. It’s just not going to happen! Everybody is competing for their opportunity to have their picture taken….. And, Fayez and I were no different than the rest of the crowd. Once we had claimed our spot…..we took as many pictures as we needed before relinquishing it to somebody else. But…..the crowd is friendly. All of them have come for the same purpose…..so there is a general understanding that you may as well be patient until your turn comes around.

 

 

 

One thing that we found at Mt. Rushmore…..and at most parks…..is that people were always cheerfully willing to take pictures of Fayez and me together. And…..they are also happy when we volunteeres to take their picture. And, of course…..there are always the usual quota of people carrying the annoying selfie sticks, too.

I have visited Mt. Rushmore probably four or five times. And, every time I go there, I am truly in awe of how the people doing the sculpting…..the dynamite blasting…..are able to put the entire process into perspective…..and visualize it so accurately…..the steps to be taken to end up with an image that bears such a close resemblance to the person they are sculpting. When I consider that the face of George Washington is 60 feet long….it boggles my mind to understand how the workers could start out with the bare side of a mountain…..and end up with highly recognizable likenesses of the four presidents. I guess the lesson to be learned from this is…..I had better stick with things that I know…and leave sculpting to somebody else.

It was a hot day. The sun was bearing down with no clouds in the sky. We spent more than an hour at the Monument. After taking several pictures of Mt. Rushmore….from several angles….there was not much more to do. The carvings of the four faces are the main attraction….the only attraction. Right before we left the viewing area to walk back to our car, we did the thing that Fayez probably enjoyed the most about the visit. Fayez bought each of us an ice cream cone! I am not sure how much he paid for them….but whatever he paid, it was worth it. After standing in the sun for an hour, we were ready for something cool and refreshing…..and ice cream hit the target.

The visit to Mt. Rushmore gave me….an old history teacher….an opportunity to give Fayez a short lesson in United States history……by explaining who each of the presidents was….and why each of them was important in the history of our country. And….the only president whose qualifications I might be tempted to question would be Theodore Roosevelt. But, even then, I was able to tell Fayez several important things he did while he was in office. It took a couple attempts, but Fayez did pass the test on the name and location of each of the four presidents….and even why each of them is important. I am not sure if he could pass that test today….but he did well at the time of the test. And, as we all know….that is what is important. And….I hope he finally realized that studying history is equally as difficult as studying chemistry!

It was after noon by now….time to move on to something else. In our case, it was Custer State Park. Custer State Park was sort of a disappointment for me. In the first place, we had a difficult time finding it. Every other time I have visited the park, we entered from either the east or the south. But, never from the west. Every other time I have visited the park, we always planned our route using a map….a real map.

And, for some reason, Custer State Park seemed different this time. Nothing looked familiar. I didn’t see any recognizable landmarks. The only real attraction of the park is the herds of buffalo….or bison….that roam freely, grazing in the expansive grasslands and in the forests of the Black Hills. On each of my former visits, we have seen the buffalo. I can prove it. I have pictures of them.

 

And, an even better attraction is the donkeys or burros that call Custer Park their home. The donkeys are docile…tame. They can commonly be found on or near the road that runs through the park. They are eagerly waiting for any human being who will stop and pet them…..and give them something to eat. We always stopped our car….got out…and petted the friendly animals. We put our arms around them….fed them….talked to them….. However, if you are nervous….or afraid….to get out of the car to face these cute, cuddly animals, just open the window of your car and they will stick their head inside. Sort of self-service petting. Of course, they are being friendly…but there are also looking for some sort of hand out. So be prepared….have some bread or fruit or vegetables handy as a reward.

 

 

But, this year, we didn’t see any. No buffalo. No burros. Not even any camels. I don’t know. I can imagine we were simply in the wrong place. But, for me, it was a major disappointment.

We did see some beautiful scenery, however. Lots of spectacular rock formations. We drove through several miles of thick forests. We drove through a few tunnels….none of which I recall from any previous visit. It was a pleasant drive.

Our next objective was to find the sculpture of Crazy Horse. Of course, it wasn’t listed on the GPS either. After driving east for several miles, we finally realized that we were probably going to wrong direction. And, of course, we were. Retracing our route, eventually we did find the Crazy House sculpture…..another one of those sculptures which is carved….or blasted….into the side of a mountain. I can imagine that it’s purpose is to be a copy-cat tourist opportunity. If people will come to see Mt. Rushmore which displays the faces of some famous presidents…..maybe they will also pay to see a deja vu version of an Indian chief. Fortunately, this monument-in-progress is visible from the highway…..because it is certainly nothing that I would want to pay good money to see. I last saw this sculpture in 2002…..and it looks much the same today as it looked then. This monument is being financed by private funds, I think…..so perhaps is why progress is so slow. But….even when it is done…..so what? It is a likeness of an Indian riding a horse. Oh well….. There are all sorts of ways to make money from the public. By this time, both Fayez and I were starting to grow weary of driving….an we headed back to the campground……the resort…..or maybe “last resort” would be better description.

The second night we spent at Mt. Rushmore KOA we decided to be a bit more creative with our supper. I thought that maybe I was one of the few people in the world who really likes to eat liver. Most people turn up their nose….or make disgusting gagging sounds….when they hear the word liver. But, what a fortunate coincidence: Fayez also likes liver. So, we bought some liver….plus a cast iron skillet….and enjoyed an appetizing and tasty meal of liver…..and you guessed it…..rice. So, not only did we enjoy a delightful and different meal…..but I now have another cast iron skillet to add to my already more-than-adequate collection.

No matter how uncomfortable and inconvenient the campground was, it never kept Fayez and me from relaxing at night beside a campfire…sometimes until late into the night. Generally speaking, we had the night to ourselves. When darkness fell, the other campers disappeared into their RV’s or their cabins…..or their tents. So, as a strong breeze played with the campfire….and as the leaves of the trees rustled in the background and the crickets, the cicadas and other night sounds formed a curtain of serenity…..Fayez and I sat from talking and laughing and having fun solving the problems of the world…..and enjoying the freedom and serenity of nature and the great outdoors…..all the while trying to avoid the ubiquitous smoke that followed us no matter where we put our chairs.

We woke early Monday morning, ate our breakfast, packed our stuff back into the car…..and left the KOA Campground and Resort. And, for me…..there were no tears shed as we drove away! It wasn’t so much that I was eager to get away from the Black Hills….although I think we had seen as much as we wanted to see. But, it meant that I did not have to spend another night in that uncomfortable campground. I was hoping that at our next campground, I could at least stand up straight….and not be constantly leaning to one side. I think I can say with a great deal of certainty…..that will be the last time I will see that campground. I have to claim most….if not all….of the blame for staying there two nights, instead of one night. I told Fayez earlier that I thought I had made only ONE mistake in the planning of the trip….although I didn’t tell him what it was.

About a week before we were to leave, it dawned on me that for our second night, it would have been to our advantage to move to a campground closer to our next destination. I am not sure why I didn’t think of this when I was making the reservations, but by now it was….for me, at least…..too late to go through the hassle of canceling our reservation for Sunday night…..and looking for another campground on down the highway. It was just easier to stay in the Black Hills KOA….and drive a little bit farther the next day. But….I have found out that sometimes doing the easiest thing is not necessarily the best thing!

But….in my defense, I had no idea that the campground would be so…so….disagreeable. Most of the time, it is difficult….if not impossible…..to know these things in advance. I was more concerned about it having a picnic table….a fire ring….available firewood….. And, of course, the description in the advertisement in their brochure always sounds good.

So….we drove back into Rapid City to get back onto I-90….and headed west for some miles before turning north toward Sturgis. Sturgis is famous for its motorcycle rally held each summer…..when literally thousands of motorcyclists descent on the small town for a week of partying and smoking weed. The rally was still a couple weeks away when we drove through the small town. However, there were an inordinate number of motorcyclists at both Mt. Rushmore and Custer State Park…..most of them traveling in groups…..if not gangs.

It is always said that most of these motorcyclists are ordinary people, from all walks of life. Well….I don’t know about that. But, I can say that all of the motorcyclists that we saw were very well behaved….with no hint of a problem. Yeah…..they look like hoodlums….at least some of them do. But, I guess I would, too, if I were dressed in leather, with a headband, boots and gloves…..in the middle of the summer. I mean, we certainly did not see any of the motorcyclists wearing a suit and tie!

It was sort of amusing to me. We had stopped in Custer State Park. Fayez wanted to climb down to a rock formation to have his picture taken. I waited for him in the parking area. While I was standing there waiting to take his picture, there were three or four motorcyclists standing nearby. They were all dressed in their motorcycle attire. They looked somewhat unshaven. In other words, they fit the stereotype of the typical motorcyclist. I wasn’t eve dropping on their conversation….not intentionally, at least. But, I couldn’t escape hearing their conversation. I don’t know exactly what I expected them to be talking about…..maybe their next party….or where they would buy their next supply of marijuana….or about the next fight they had planned with a rival gang? But….No! They were discussing the stock market…and how various stocks were doing on the market. Who know? Maybe motorcyclists are just ordinary people, after all….at least, some of them.

After we departed I-90, a few miles west of Rapid City, we drove for several hours on a two lane state highway…..something pretty rare for this trip. Two lane state highways are by far the best way to see the countryside…..to absorb the atmosphere and ambiance of the area. It is only on the two lane highways that a person has the opportunity to drive through the small towns and villages….to see the local landmarks….the schools, the churches, the parks, the quaint downtowns….. It is the only way to observe people as they go about their daily routine….and live their everyday lives. If we had the luxury of another week or ten days, we could have….and would have….taken this more leisurely route. But….time was the king….the dictator of our schedule.

The next two days have pretty well been lost in my memory. We didn’t stop and take pictures…..and nothing significant comes to my mind when I try to think back on those days.

North Dakota is just an extension of South Dakota, basically…..although I am sure that the residents of both states will vehemently disagree with that assessment. North Dakota is probably the more productive of the two states. In fact, North Dakota has slipped past Kansas as the leading producer of wheat in the nation. This is largely due to the fact that Kansas farmers have diversified their crops over the past years…..and now produce a larger variety of crops. But…..nevertheless, North Dakota is a largely a state of flat land which disappears off into the distance….farm land…..although one of the nation’s biggest oil booms has taken place there in recent years.

One other things stands out in my memory about our journey through North Dakota. A lot of highway construction was taking place, which, at times tended to slow us down. But, maybe this was good. These stops were among the rare opportunities I had to take pictures.

It was approaching mid-afternoon when we reached the eastern border of North Dakota and crossed over into the state of Minnesota. I think Fayez was rather disappointed about the trip through Minnesota and Michigan. I think this general rule applies: If you want to see spectacular scenery….mountains, deserts, conifer forests, rock formations…..travel to the West. That is where you will find the Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone National Park, the dense forests of northern Idaho, the enchanting rock formations of Utah and Arizona, the Grand Canyon. Travel to the East….and you will see the history and cultural heritage of the USA. I am not saying that much of the East is not beautiful….because it is. But, you will, in general, not find the magnificent grandeur of the Western USA.

Most of the two days were spent winding our way through often heavily forested flat land. Minnesota, for example, is billed as the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Hidden away in the abundant forests are hundreds of fishing and boating resorts, that avid fishermen, boaters, water skiers and campers call paradise. But, after having traveled to the West Coast and the Pacific Ocean the previous summer….and experiencing two weeks of constant visual stimulation…..the trip through Minnesota and Michigan could no way compare to that experience. But, on the other hand, part of our purpose for taking the trip…..other than relaxing and having fun…..was for the experience of becoming acquainted with each of the lower 48 states…..and to appreciate the wide variety of differences within our country. Farmlands of the Midwest and the deciduous forests of the northern states are part of this varying landscape. So…. during the two day drive we transitioned from farmland of Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota….to the Black Hills….back to vast stretches of farmland in South Dakota and North Dakota….to vast stretches of seemingly never-ending forests of Minnesota and Michigan.

On Monday night, we stayed at a KOA in Bemiji, MN. It was late in the day when we arrived…..after the campground office had closed. However, we found our key and cabin number waiting for us when we arrived. Because we arrived late, we decided to make to settle for hot dogs that night…..instead of our usual elaborate meals.

Tuesday, July 28, was a special day. It is not special to everybody…..maybe only to me. And….really….it has become even less important to me as time goes by. In fact, more and more I try to ignore the day. And, unless somebody reminds me….I have been rather successful in ignoring it the past several years. The past couple years, however, it has been vividly brought to my attention….mostly by Fayez. But….that is OK. He is merely pointing out the obvious….only bringing me back to an unpleasant reality.

July 28 is my birthday. Last year, Fayez brought an ice cream cake with him when he came to visit on my birthday. This year….we spent it in our rental car, driving across the states of Minnesota and Michigan to our destination of Newberry, MI……a 517 miles….10 hour drive. There was not a lot of celebrating. Fayez had already given me a gift before we left home…. And that morning before we started on our day’s journey, he gave be a birthday card. That, basically, was our celebration. Fayez didn’t even sing “Happy Birthday” to me.

Maybe the most welcome gift I could have received was to finally arrive at our destination…..and to pull into our KOA Campground before the sun slipped below the western horizon. It was a close call….it wasn’t completely dark….but it really wasn’t very bright outside, either. Neither of us felt like finding a grocery store to buy supplies at such a late hour. So instead of Fayez preparing a sumptuous birthday meal…..we got into the car and drove toward the nearby town of Newberry, searching for a place to eat. And, luck was with us. We spotted a Chinese buffet on the highway. We immediately pulled into the driveway….and decided we would commemorate my 77th birthday by eating Chinese food…..one of our old favorite choices of cuisine. It was a good decision. By the time we got back to the campground, it was dark…..and all we wanted to do was start a fire….sit back and relax and try to erase the long ten hour journey from our short term memory.

As we sat by the fire and talked, I was somewhat surprised how warm the evening was. We were in the far northern part of the USA….actually only a few miles from Canada…. and somehow I had expected that maybe we would even need a jacket to stay warm at night. But…..not true. The temperature did become cooler as the night progressed….which made it a nice for sleeping.

We were looking forward to leaving the days of constant driving behind us….and to head to our next destination…..Detroit. We had seen enough farmland and forests for a while. Now we were ready to take on the Motor City.