Coming off that extra emotional last week, I was grateful for some more drone-like days of long distance driving. That is, until I hit my 10th consistent hour behind the wheel driving the Standing Rock National Native American Scenic Byway (say that ten times fast) and realizing I was going to need to cut the drive shorter than originally planned.
So I sadly did not make it the whole length of the Scenic Byway into North Dakota. I’ll have to save that state for another trip. But I did get to Mobridge, South Dakota to see Sakakawea and Sitting Bull’s monuments,
as well as the Standing Rock reservation itself.
Then I drove back down to the SW foot of South Dakota and crashed so hard in yet another Walmart parking lot. Woke the next day to a fresh energy and tackled the infamous Badlands loop. 31 miles of some of the most amazing buttes, cliffs, and multi-colored spires my tired little eyes had ever seen. It actually quite reminded me of the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert, which now seemed so long ago.
After the Badlands, I tried to visit Mt. Rushmore nearby. But the weather was still so bleak and rainy, that visibility was near zero and I realized it would be a waste of my time and money. So instead I decided to learn from my recent exhaustion and take it easy the rest of the day. So I went into town, here being Rapid City, and hunkered down in a cafe for some productive work time and general life catch-up. Then I found another great Walmart right in Rapid City and slept like a log that night.
The next day, I again paced myself, only aiming to hit one major attraction – Wind Cave National Park – and then relax once again back in Rapid City. And what an attraction that cave proved to be! The most intricate cave system in the US and the first cave to be named a national park. It was truly an incredible work of natural art. Unlike anything I’d ever seen before, even in other caves.
Its signature boxwork was truly out of this world, and especially knowing the story of how it was created in the first place. Such delicate detail, hardened from mineral deposits washed into the cracks of the limestone cave walls. Literally works of art that formed between a rock and a hard place.
One of the most gorgeous things on this trip so far, and that’s saying something. Maybe I missed my calling as a cave explorer. I do like me some tight damp dark spaces. 😉
Bet you were wondering how long it’d take me to write something dirty. And when better than in a cave?
So many dirty jokes at once. You’re welcome.
By now, I’d been in the area for a day longer than planned and spending more time in the city itself than at nearby attractions, given my goal to take things a bit slower. So somehow, I found myself forming a sort of reluctant bond with Rapid City. This wasn’t even a city I’d originally mapped as a must-see on my route. And here I was, settling into the energy of this city more easily than so many others I’d been excited to visit. And finding some hidden pockets of cool shit where I didn’t expect, like a super cool street graffiti Art Alley.
The weather thankfully cleared up the next day, and I was able to give Mt. Rushmore a second attempt. Visibility was indeed excellent, but that’s the only thing about it that was. Mt. Rushmore itself was incredibly underwhelming. I spent all of about an hour walking the whole limited path around the base of the thing, stopping at every viewpoint to take some more nearly-identical photos of this giant rock carving too far away to see any detail anyway.
Then I decided that was enough to justify the parking fee and headed back via the gift shop. Now gift shops have been a crucial part of my road trip experience thus far. I’ve been collecting stickers and postcards – being the cheapest items on sale that I can still do something creative with later – at every single national park and key city I’ve visited. So underwhelming or not, this one was going to be no exception.
I went into the gift shop, beelined for the stickers and postcards, and chose my selection. Then I saw them. Souvenir knives in rows upon beautiful rows with custom names carved into them. Now I’m not usually one for clearly overpriced trinkets that I can easily get cheaper elsewhere. But a knife with my name carved into it. That was catering right to me.
So I go up to the rack and peruse. But something feels off about it. I look and look, turning the rack one side to the next, and I start to realize what it is. There are NO girl’s names carved in any of these knives. None of them. There are only boy’s names here.
I’m getting angrier and angrier as I spin the rack around and around, studying every row for any sign of a remotely feminine sounding name. I’m sure I looked strange, muttering angrily and slowly spinning this souvenir display. But inside, I was enraged! I mean, how dare they?!
This quiet rage proved just the right fuel for the rest of my day exploring the Black Hills Forest (dotted with some ironic white birch) and then, the highlight of my day, the Devils Tower National Monument.
I felt such a warm fuzzy sensation flush through my whole body upon beholding this towering beast of sacred significance,
not to mention the biggest boulder pile I’ve ever seen stacked over a hundred feet high all the way around it. I spent nearly half my time there climbing up and down that giant boulder field to my heart’s content.
I could have easily kept bouldering all day long. But the Tower Trail looping around the whole igneous intrusion also must be done so I could see the big beauty up close and from all angles.
With a skip in my step and a light sweat on my brow, I drove on through the Shoshone and Bridger Teton National Forests (with an overnight stay somewhere in the middle), building up to the headliner of the next day, the Grand Teton National Park.
And look, there was snow! I didn’t think I’d see any on this trip, silly me. But up here at 6,500 feet, there’s enough snow and thin air to make a girl quite faint with excitement (or is that the altitude sickness again?).
I drove the full Teton Park Road from one visitor center to the other, right alongside its gloriously glaciated peaks and shimmering lakes.
After camping in the park, I made the quick 18mi hop skip jump into the south entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Now we’re over 8,000 feet!
Once again, I drove the whole loop, stopping often to explore all the amazing wonders at every turn and trailhead. From Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces,
to Artists Paint Pots,
to all the geysers at West Thumb,
and at Upper Geyser Basin,
and Midway Geyser Basin,
and Norris Geyser Basin,
and of course the infamous Old Faithful (which was honestly the least impressive of them all).
I walked around and admired each one, their “potent and inconceivable radiancies shining in bright Mind Essence.” And as each geyser’s thermal sulfuric smoke washed over me, I felt a similar warm, spiritual sensation that blessed me anew. Like burning sage, only better.
That night, I decided to treat myself to dinner, complete with amusing local beer, at the Canyon Village diner near my campsite.
And I made a friend. The guy sitting at the diner bar next to me turned out to be a fellow nomad living out of his truck. We talked for hours, swapping travel stories and tips like his idea to use the space under the front passenger seat as a “wine cellar.” So clever.
I slept like a baby in my campsite that night, and enjoyed a rejuvenating shower the next morning (highly recommend that campground’s showers). Then it was on out the north entrance I went up into Montana to visit my dear friend Danny B and his little sweetie Edie in the wilderness of Hyalite Canyon.
We spent a beautiful 24 hours together discussing synchronicity and our similar journeys navigating new paths and major life crossroads.
I left feeling freshly motivated in my self-exploration and the approaching end of my road trip. I had intended to have made some major life and career decisions by its conclusion, but realize now that may not be quite possible. And that’s alright. All I need to know, at any point in life, is simply what I want to do next. I don’t need to have all the rest of it figured out.
