Wall Drug in the morning did not disappoint. It did not overwhelm, either. Emily and I knew what we were leading the kids into—an old-timey drug store that expanded to consume an entire block and offer the same trinkets that could be found elsewhere on our journey. They ended up spending their money on the kind of toys that could be found at Toys R’ Us, if that piece of America still existed.
We grabbed some coffees, returned to our car on the north side of town, and got to driving. We made our way to the Powder House Lodge & Restaurant in Keystone, SD. We checked into a cute little cabin that would house us for the next few nights. A lofted area provided twin beds for each child. One real bedroom for the parents to share. A mini-fridge, microwave, and minimal sink was an arm’s reach from the round table that would serve as my desk. Emily took the kids to a playground so I could work from the desk.
After work we explored the property behind the cabin. The black hills have giant boulders and pine trees. The kids and I climbed a few boulders and hiked a short distance before making our way to the playground, then the car.
The Powder House has a destination charger next to the playground. Free electrons to power our evening excursions.
Mount Rushmore was our first excursion. Junior Ranger’ing was the plan. But not before climbing some more boulders while Emily investigated the gift shops.
We stayed close to the monument, sitting in the amphitheater. There was talk of a light show at nightfall, so we decided to grab some snacks and stay a while. The light show was underwhelming, but memorable nonetheless.
The following day was basically a rinse and repeat. I spent the morning on the porch while home school took place inside. After school requirements were met, Emily took the kids into town to find playgrounds, book shops, ice cream, etc. I returned inside to work from the makeshift desk.
When the work day was over we went to see the other monument being carved into the face of a rock: Crazy Horse. The ambition and scale of Crazy Horse is truly inspiring. Here’s hoping the vision is realized on a long enough timeline.
We continued on from there to visit Wind Cave National Park. Another set of Junior Ranger books, another pledge, another set of badges. The caves themselves were not accessible on this day. But the fields above had their own beauty. Prairie dogs were everywhere, and fun to scope out no matter how often we saw them.
We grabbed dinner at a Mexican restaurant in town. I don’t remember which town, or the name of the restaurant, but I do recall it being good.
There were no light snows this evening, so we returned to the cabin earlier than the previous night, allowing us to pack up for checkout the next morning.
Published: 2024-08-23