We are now past the halfway point of our big adventure.
The roads in South Dakota are really, really straight and flat. Like so straight that we started playing a call and response game called “what do you think is over this small hump?”… “more flat and straight roads.”
We did see some cool stuff on the drive from Ponca to West Bend, though. A native boy riding a horse up and down the embankments alongside the highway, his father riding not far behind. Thousands of Hereford cows and silo after silo. A subtle haze followed us the entire way through the first half of the state. We passed gigantic wind turbines with their blades spinning in slow motion as we zipped by.
Headwinds picked up speed. As we neared our destination, the Missouri River re-emerged into our view, and we drove alongside its shimmering beauty as it bent up north, west and back down south again.
Once we arrived at our RV spot for the evening, I took Maia on a stroller walk about 5 minutes past a playground and to a short beach area on the Missouri River. Technically, the campgrounds were set alongside Lake Sharpe. One of the first things I noticed while walking were the amount of dead (run over) frogs flattened like pancakes on the road. I counted at least 30 on the round trip walk. I kept thinking to myself, where are all the alive frogs? Adam discovered the next morning they were all hiding in the grass.
Looking up I was blown away by the beauty and the vastness of it all.
After some playing in the sand and discovering some cool rocks, we played at the empty playground for a bit. One thing I had read about this place was to be aware of the pesky flies. Maia got bit by something I thought at first was a bee, then later find out it was lacewing fly. They got Adam a few times too; I was lucky enough to steer clear. Needless to say, we decided to camp in the RV for the night, complete with some good ol’ leftovers, cup noodles, Mac n Cheese, and Moscato D’Asti.
Before calling it a night, we walked around the secluded corner of the site to check out something a neighbor gave us a heads up about. Took us several minutes but we finally came across a committee of turkey vultures perched on a dead tree. It was an eerie sight against the backdrop of a setting sun. Did you know that vultures don’t have a vocal bird call? They’re just dead silent. Adam got some beautiful shots on his SLR – we’ll post all our favorite photos from the good camera after the conclusion of our trip.
Next morning, Maia showed Adam the river and playground that he missed out on the day before, while I took a much needed shower in the very clean and well-kept facilities.
We had a long drive ahead of us, so instead of splitting it up with a lunch stop, we drove through the majestic Badlands National Park.
The Welshs Voyage West! 