Yellowstone Expedition: Day 2

Clouds

Today, Dad and I woke up bright and early to a not so bright sky. We got some breakfast and headed down the road and it started to rain. That did not last to long, but overcast seemed to be the order of the day. Given that there was nothing to do except for stare at clouds and the occasional windmill, I got in a nap. When I woke up, it was still cloudy and nothing to look at, because Iowa is boring. It is like looking out across this vast expanse. In my mind I kept wondering how long it was going to actually take us to cross the Dothraki Sea. We did make a very important stop at the smallest Walmart I think I have ever been in. I now have a charger for my camera!

Tepee?

Around mid afternoon we finally arrived in South Dakota. It provided a nice break from the monotony for a bit. They had a cool stone tepee kinda thing. As well, we found some maps and brochures that I started using to plan our trip out a bit more. Looks like we may see a bit more than just the Badlands and Mount Rushmore tomorrow.

Sadly, the break did not last terribly long. We were soon back on the road...and I was wondering how many men might have gone mad trying to cross the west on in the pioneer days. Clouds. So many clouds.

Lewis and Clark's boat. It stretched out through the wall.

Thankfully we finally got a true change of scenery as we neared the Missouri River. We stopped at a rest stop that was like a Lewis and Clark museum. It even had a replica of their boat built into its structure. Out back was a stunning view of the river and the hills beyond. We probably spent more than half an hour there taking in the sights and stretching our legs.

Missouri River

I was feeling particularly adventuresome and took a hike down a path that previous visitors had worn into the earth. It appealed to the naturalist in me. I watched a pair of bugs do battle and got some closeups of the foliage. I went about as far as I dared without tumbling down the ledge.

The final eye catcher of this stop was a marker that had been placed to commemorate the Lewis and Clark expedition. Its exact coordinates are used as part of global positioning system. I think they may need to update its relative height above sea level soon though...

Commemorating the Lewis and Clark expedition

Down in the corner...

With a new jolt of energy, we started back down the road. Things were at least a little bit more interesting. Hills to look at. The occasional tourist attraction. I was partial to the guy walking the T-Rex skeleton. The cloud cover was back on us though. I thought for sure we were going to get stormed on. Instead, right about the time we found a hotel, the sun decided to come out.

The final adventure for the day came after dinner. I decided to take a jog out in a parking lot. As I was making my lap, a killdeer started trying to get my attention with quite a bit of insistence. I finally noticed her nest of eggs. I ran back to the hotel for my camera. Unfortunately, she had stopped posturing by the time I got back. I did get some nice shots of the eggs though.

Killdeer eggs

Tomorrow is going to be a big day. We will get in the Badlands, Rushmore, the Minuteman Missile, and perhaps some caves. I am excited to see these sites, not to mention get out of the car.

Also, here is a horse eating right next to the road. Why? Because it is South Dakota I guess.

Horse. Need I say more?