Day Nine - Driving and South Dakota

Day 8 – Wednesday, June 27th – A mostly uneventful day. Lots of driving. We decided to take our time out of the hotel in Cody because it offered everything and was very comfortable. WE finally got out of there about 10 am and decided to stop at a couple of stores in Cody. The highlight of those stores – AND maybe the entire trip – FOR ME – was stopping at the fireworks warehouse. I think I could have spent a thousand dollars in there. They had all the types of firecarackers I used from when I was a kid. A little reminiscent. Look out Platte Lake – you are going to see some fireworks this year. Anyway after that we got some cowboy hats for the kids and some Buffalo Jerky for the parents – hmmm good. From there it was just a long drive – about 7 hours onto Custer. We passed through a small town called Upton which claimed - very boastfully I might add - to be the best place on earth. Hmm - the first thing you see upon passing upton - is a junkyard. Yeah - I don't think so. Near Sheridan we passed over the Custer mountains – very beautiful with about a 10,000 foot peak and rocky grassland all around. I guess this is where they were when they Rode the High Country. The drive down was a twisty turnny pretzel of a highway – with everyone asleep in the car I somehow made it through. Laura took over from there and we literally jetted across Wyoming. Some very majestic countrysides for certain. We got to the hotel around 6:30 and we instantly went to the pool. It was a pizza dinner and then quiet time. The kids were particularly good today. Just playing and sleeping in the car. I think they are used to the routine. Although Sammie asks everyday – “Are we on the way to Michigan yet?” Very sweet.

Tomorrow we will go to Mt. Rushmore and to a local indoor hot springs pool called Evans Plunge with Water slides and fun for the kids. Should be a fun afternoon. The weather has cooled down quite a bit and we are enjoying the milder tempatures. Of course it helps that we now have clean clothes as well. Til tomorrow.

What we learned today – Uptown is the best town on earth; Buffalo Bill was commissioned by the government to make a city so that people would think the West was inhabitable, Buffalo Jerky is good, Cody is a cute little tourist town – but expensive. The drive from Yellowstone to Cody and from Cody to Custer, SD – is very beautiful. Classic views of the old West.