We began RVing in 2004, but this blog did not begin until we went into fulltime RVing in 2007. The blog has evolved to a time when we no longer have a RV, but we still consider ourselves vacationing on a perpetual basis.
WHEN? Friday · September 7 · (today's second post)
WHERE? Mitchell, South Dakota · find us on the map
Lots of RVing goodies are available at Cabela's impressive 80,000 square-foot showroom, where Wendell and Mae Dean purchased a new Coleman stove.
See more Cabela's photos on flickr
WHEN? Friday · September 7 (today's first post)
WHERE? Mitchell, South Dakota · find us on the map
Airstream parked at: Rondee's Campground
Wheeeee! Wendell and Mae Dean discovered the
a-maize-ing ear-chitecture of Mitchell Corn Palace.
Toldja it was corny ...
See more Corn Palace photos on flickr
WHEN? Thursday · September 6 ·
WHERE? Wall, South Dakota · find us on the map
Servicing the RV in South Dakota meant a second opportunity to shop for souvenirs at Wall Drug, where no visit is complete without posing alongside some of its playful photo ops:
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Check it out!
Mae Dean and Wendell have also become invitation-only members of flickr's I Dug Wall Drug Photo Pool.
WHEN? Friday · August 24
WHERE? Custer, South Dakota · find us on the map
Wendell and Mae Dean took in the beauty of one of Black Hills National Forest's natural wonders, Jewel Cave National Monument, named for its sparkling calcite spar crystals. Ranger Kenneth Zortman crammed lots of information into the half-hour Discovery Tour presentation.
See more Jewel Cave photos on flickr
WHEN? Last weekend
WHERE? Spearfish, South Dakota · find us on the map
Mae Dean was graciously invited for an impromptu tour of the cottage gardens at Devashan, a Spearfish antiques business.
Since devachan means a little piece of heaven in the Hindu religion's ancient Sanskrit language, it's a fitting name for this charming local landmark.
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Devashan's owners also provide Up The Creek's annual breakfast and lunch buffets at Spearfish Campground during Bike Week.
See more Devashan garden photos on flickr
Witnessing tour buses pass through the highway's narrow tunnels was an unexpected but remarkable event
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See more Needles Highway photos on flickr
WHEN? Saturday · August 4 · (today's first post)
WHERE? Spearfish, South Dakota · find us on the map
Perhaps today's visit to D. C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery provided inspiration for an upcoming volunteer assignment?
See more Spearfish fish hatchery photos on flickr
WHEN? Last weekend
WHERE? Wall Drug in beautiful South Dakota
Forgot to mention this earlier ...
Wendell and Mae Dean recently had the displeasure of meeting South Dakota's ugliest cowboy:
On the bright side, this guy
could make Elwood feel attractive
* Yo momma says you oogly
... is from Wildcats ghetto-riffic cheerleaders' version of The Ugly Cheer. View the link here to see the Wildcats U-G-L-Y Cheer on YouTube.SNL's Spartan cheerleaders made this cheer a pop-culture favorite, YouTube users began posting their own goofy versions.
After
WHEN? Saturday · July 21 (today's second post)
WHERE? Wall, South Dakota · find us on the map
Planning ahead for next weekend's photography class, Mae Dean purchased a pair of reading glasses at South Dakota's historic Wall Drug. Since the brightly-colored shopping bag she carried them home in is a souvenir on its own, she scanned it to share with her travelblog readers:
Mae Dean shares the good news of her recent
Wall Drug purchase with an unresponsive Santa Claus
No visit to Wall Drug is complete without
photo-opping alongside Annie Oakley
See more Wall Drug photos on flickr
WHEN? Saturday · July 21 · (today's first post)
WHERE? Badlands National Park · find us on the map
The afternoon's 104° high temps combined with 25 mph winds made the Badlands feel like an oven. The visitor center's 20-minute movie, Land of Stone and Light, allowed air-conditioned relief while teaching viewers about the area's geology, history and wildlife. Mae Dean compared the mountain views to a much taller version of Arizona's Painted Desert.
See more Badlands photos on flickr
WHEN? Friday · July 6
WHERE? Whitewood, South Dakota · find us on the map
A plumbing leak inspired Wendell and Mae Dean to pull up the Airstream's stakes for the first time since settling in at Devils Tower. They visited Northern Hills Homes & RVs in South Dakota and returned home with unleaky pipes in just a few hours.
An enormous selection of campers and RV's were available for sale on the seven-acre lot. This unusual design is either newfangled or retro:
WHEN? Friday · May 18 · (today's second post)
WHERE? South Dakota's Black Hills · find us on the map
Although Mount Rushmore's a hard act to follow, Custer State Park was up to the task. Today's wildlife sightings:
My first pronghorn antelope
... only two bison
... and several wild burros
See more Custer State Park photos on flickr
WHEN? Friday · May 18 · (today's first post)
WHERE? Keystone, South Dakota · find us on the map
A grand start to the three-day weekend:
The breathtaking Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Mae Dean wondered if Mt. Rushmore's creation was envisioned because of the monster-like "facial features" that naturally appear in the Black Hills:
Wendell promptly found his home state's granite marker:
See more Mount Rushmore photos on flickr
WHEN? Friday · May 11
WHERE? Spearfish, South Dakota · find us on the map
While in Spearfish to purchase final uniform gear, Mae Dean made arrangements to have several hundred photos swapped to a CD, to share them with friends and family.
Although details are currently unavailable, Wendell and Mae Dean also visited Belle Fourche, which means Beautiful Fork.
WHEN? Tuesday afternoon · May 8 (today's second post)
WHERE? Spearfish, South Dakota · find us on the map
Airstream still parked at: Mountain View Campground
After touring the Buffalo Jump, Wendell stayed several steps ahead by planning the return drive to Sundance through Spearfish Canyon on its scenic byway, on which they passed Bridal Veil Falls.
See more Spearfish Canyon photos on flickr
Since Wendell and Mae Dean never tire of traveling such scenic byways, they also drove through Lead and Deadwood, South Dakota before returning to Sundance.
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WHEN? Sunday · May 6
WHERE? Sturgis, South Dakota · find us on the map
Airstream parked at: Mountain View Campground in Sundance
Mae Dean and Wendell toured Sturgis Motorcycle Museum, where they found a family historian and author's name in the museum's Hall of Fame.
See more Sturgis Motorcycle photos on flickr
