wonderful breakfast by the proprietor, John. Over pancakes and bacon, he told us the story of how his wife found the house of her dreams, and they moved it 70 miles to this location in North Dakota. Yup - they hired a company to pick it up, trailer it 70 miles, then put it on a new foundation. Wow!
Returning to the open road, we raced along I-90 to our first stop. The interstate is 80mph in South Dakota, which takes some getting used to. While the higher speeds made much of the state race by in the rear view mirror, the winds buffeted us at every turn.
We discovered the Corn Palace of Mitchell, South Dakota and stopped in for fresh popcorn and a look at its famous murals. The exterior of the building is adorned with many murals made from corn husks and ears. Each year, a theme is chosen and local art students compete to have their designs displayed on the building's exterior.
With a bag of popcorn at the ready, we journeyed further westward, to gleaming sculpture, the Dignity
of Earth and Sky. Located at a modern travel stop, this sculpture shared its space with both a rest stop, an exhibit about the journey of Lewis and Clark and spectacular view of the Missouri River.
of Earth and Sky. Located at a modern travel stop, this sculpture shared its space with both a rest stop, an exhibit about the journey of Lewis and Clark and spectacular view of the Missouri River.
Traveling further west, we found another stop - the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. This facility is dedicated to the Minuteman missile program, the controversial buildup of strategic nuclear missiles that framed the backdrop of the Cold War. The silos of the Minuteman program, each holding a Minuteman II or III missile, stood as silent defenders we hoped would never be used. By the end of the Cold War, the Minuteman II missiles were decommissioned, partially replaced by Minuteman III and successive programs. While these 
missiles created a specter of fear in both American and Russian citizens, the fear of mutually assured destruction kept them from ever being fired by either side.
missiles created a specter of fear in both American and Russian citizens, the fear of mutually assured destruction kept them from ever being fired by either side.
This last stop put us in close proximity to Badlands National Park, where we would find ourselves much of the day. We would through the scenic drive, taking opportunities to step and see the eerie landscape, dotted with eroding mounds of clay and sediment. In stark contrast, the green plains of the Badlands spread out between the buttes in a vast, green carpet. At many turns along the road, the carpet seemed to spread clear to the horizon.
As luck would have it, we saw small deer and birds along the route. At one turn, we saw a pair of buffalo grazing dozens of yards from the road. At the very next bend, a lone buffalo munched on the grass within a few feet of the roadside. We quietly passed him in the car and tried to snap a few good pictures. The windy roads of the Badlands National Park twisted back and forth like a pretzel, until the road finally unwound near the park exit.
We had passed sign after sign along the highway, reminding us to visit Wall Drag. And without hesitation, we stopped in to browse the many stores and collect a quick bite of dinner.
We pressed on in the late afternoon to complete the long drive, hoping to reach Keystone, South Dakota in the early evening. Keystone is the landing zone for everyone coming to see the famous Mount Rushmore. Each evening features a show with the lighting of the sculptures, a dramatic program about the strength of the American spirit and a salute to many members of our armed forces in attendance. The short video was inspiring and heartwarming, but nothing held the spectacle of turning on the bright spotlight to illuminate the four, granite faces on the wall. The program was completed with applause and acknowledgement of the veterans present and an audience-led rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.
With our hotel just a few minutes from Mount Rushmore, we quickly returned home and discussed our plans for Friday. Our last day in South Dakota would involve more sightseeing, and ultimately put us in Lincoln, Nebraska for our pre-wedding family get-together.
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