Summer Vacation: Badlands and Wall Drug

So the kids and I got home from Kansas late night June 30.  Our friends the Rasmussen were coming up from Fort Collins for the 4th on the night of July 2nd, Aaron was flying in late night July 2nd.  Unfortunately thanks to Hurricane Alex Aaron was stuck in Houston until the afternoon of the 4th.

We headed off to the Badlands, so named as they are "bad lands" to try and farm (catchy right? nothing gets past the Dakotans), where we hiked, picnicked and suffered a little bit of heat exhaustion due to hot weather and only 3 water bottles between the two families.

View of the Badlands

Kids and I at the top of one particular hike.

On our way home we stopped at Wall Drug.  Anyone (all 5) who have been through South Dakota knows about Wall Drug because there is a billboard for it every 3 miles across the entire state (not joking).  Here is mile 131 - 110 on I-90:

wait for it...

wait for it...

wait for it...

almost there...

NOW!! exit now!

 It's a giant drugstore complex with shops, cafes, wild west trinkets:

it says "Homeland Security, Fighting Terrorism since 1492"

 And DELUXE accommodations

You can even ride the Jackalope.

 Let me tell you...South Dakota does NOT disappoint!