Off to the Rodeo!

Best laid plans sometimes have to change. ESPECIALLY when you stop for lunch in Wyoming and the bartender tells you there's a rodeo that night in Cody. 

Wyoming was even more vast and desolate than South Dakota, which we didn't think was possible. I foolishly didn't take many photos because I was busy sewing patches I've collected onto my bag:

We'll see what this thing looks like in August!

When Rachael and I stopped for lunch at pretty much the only sign of civilization and the bartender told us about the Buffalo Bill Stampede Rodeo in Cody, we were all in. We changed our reservations in Yellowstone and booked a camp site in Cody. Cody is just outside Yellowstone. To get there we had to drive through the big horn mountains which was really windy and scary! But incredibly beautiful:

We got to Cody and set up our new tent! We lost the old one to a broken pole in the Badlands but the new one is pretty great.

Then we set off for the rodeo! It was so interesting to see all of the events. My favorite was definitely the barrel racing or the bull riding. It was so nice to be in the grandstand, drinking a cold beer, watching the rodeo while lightning struck in the distance. 

Mt. Rushmore

Before heading out of South Dakota we had to stop by Mt. Rushmore. We hadn't gotten the best reviews from people who have seen it, but it was exactly what I thought it would be like. It looked like a postcard!

Not far from Mt. Rushmore is the Crazy Horse Monument:

We stopped to take a look and continued on our way. The controversy around the sculpture is really interesting.  

After taking in the patriotic sites we hit the road destined for Wyoming.

Badlands

After 1880 town we continued on across the prairie toward Badlands National Park. Badlands is adjacent to the Buffalo Gap National Grassland. It's incredible just how vast, flat, and desolate the land is.

And yet as you walk through the grass there is so much noise and activity between all the bugs and birds, prairie dogs, and rattlesnakes which we thankfully did not see. 

Looking out over the grassland is amazing, turning around and seeing the first glimpse of the badlands is shocking. 

Driving through the park on our way to our campsite was unbelievable. It seems impossible that these landforms exist and are naturally occurring. Imagine native Americans and explorers who traversed the prairie only to be met with this:

We set up camp, had some dinner, and hit the hay early after being up for nearly 24 hours. 

The next morning we woke up at 5, packed up the car, and set off for a hike before getting on the road. I wish that photographs could capture the view and feeling of this place. It was one of the most bizarre and beautiful places I've ever seen. 

Next stop: Yellowstone!

1880 Town.

Let's be honest. The real reason Rachael and I were rushing through South Dakota was to get to 1880 town. We have been hearing about 1880 town since our friend Andrew payed them a visit 3 years ago. We had to get there. 

1880 town is a collection of buildings from the 1880s. When you visit you can pay a nominal fee to be costumed by a shopkeeper. You are then free to roam the town unsupervised and take any photos you want. I, of course, needed the whole experience. I paid my $7 and the shopkeeper helped me chose a dress and complete the look with shoes, gloves, and a hat. 

I guess she knew who she was dealing with, because before letting me loose she gave me a lecture on making absolutely sure that the dress does NOT drag on the ground or get dirty in any way. I told her the costume was in good hands and we set off to start the photo shoot. 

We stopped at every building, covered wagon, and old piece of farm equipment and we were having a hilarious time... Until Rachael found an egg on the ground. At least we thought it was an egg. Like a responsible adult, Rachael said "don't touch it, let's just go". But, I couldn't help myself. I picked it up and was pleased to see it was just a smooth rock. I gave it a squeeze just to be sure... But it wasn't a rock. Egg yolk dripped off my white cotton gloves and seeped down the front of the dress that I had been trusted to keep clean. After a bit of a freak out and some frantic cleanup we quickly rushed back to the costume shop and I sheepishly returned the dress. All in all, a fantastic time was had. 

Here is a sampling of "The 1880s Collection":

A Night on 90 West

We headed out of Chicago around 8pm intending to drive as far as we could towards South Dakota. We knew the first two legs of the trip would be grueling so best to just dig in and get it overwith. We enjoyed a beautiful sunset on our way out of the city.

After dark we crossed into Wisconsin: the land of cheese and fireworks! We stopped around midnight to get a little shuteye at a rest area, but around 1:30 we noticed a man in the window of the store staring into our car for over 15 minutes. That was enough to put the car in gear and high tail it out of there!

I drove through the night while Rachael slept. The land was so flat I could see 4 different thunder storms rolling in. Each with different colored lightning and bolts splintering across the sky. 

We switched around 6am and it was my turn to rest while Rachael drove us into South Dakota!

South Dakota is the KING of roadside attractions and gimmicks. And we loved it. We stuck a Cape Cod pin in more than one gas station map:

And we felt like royalty at the Corn Palace:

The road was long but the prairie was so uniquely beautiful. 

Sunny Day in the Windy City

We woke up Saturday morning well rested and ready to take on the day. Mary, the ever generous hostess made us a delicious breakfast and a cup of ginger tea. Sufficiently fueled up we started down the street and took the 'L' train downtown. The train ride offered some excellent views of the city and the river and Mary pointed out interesting places and neighborhood tidbits along the way. 

We got off at Wabash Street and walked down the street to the cultural center. As Mary described it, the cultural center truly is a hidden gem. It is filled with incredible mosaics from floor to ceiling and is also home to the largest Tiffany done. 

We were also lucky to see two great art exhibits on display. The first was Archibald Motley whose work focused on racial identity and the African American neighborhood and jazz scene in Chicago. 

The other exhibit was a collection of Valmor Products' packaging and advertising. 

After leaving the cultural center we headed for the Art Institute. It would have been easy to spend all day there, but we moved through quickly to see the hits.

After the art institute we crossed the street to Millenium park to tour the gardens and see Cloud Gate:

Around lunch time Mary headed for home and Rachael and I set out for some Chicago deep dish pizza. We found some at Giardano's. 

I think this was a once-in-a-lifetime pizza for me. It was good, but so huge and so cheesy that once was sufficient. 

After lunch and some shopping we Uber'd our way uptown to the Hancock Tower for a glass of wine with a view:

We took the 'L' back to Mary's and made a quick stop at Wrigley Field before hitting the road to get a headstart toward South Dakota!