Day 12: Devils Tower, Deadwood, and Hell...uhh...Hill City

The name was program today. At least when it comes to the weather and our sun-hungry mood.

The reason we are even traveling to this special corner of America is Mount Rushmore, our destination for tomorrow (okay, I admit, it was my personal wish 😁).

The landscape didn't offer much at first. Green meadows and hills, partly shrouded in dense fog, passed by. Towards South Dakota (yes, our 8th state 😊), the Black Hills slowly stretched out, a mountain range with many pine trees.

However, before that, we made a detour to Devils Tower National Monument. A huge monolithic structure of volcanic origin that rises 265m high and is a sacred place for the local Indians. Despite the rain, we ventured out of our very comfortable and very warm Dodge to take a walk around it. It's probably nice with the sun...and if not masses of school classes would clog up the restrooms and paths. Today we also saw the Amish for the first time, who greeted us nicely and were happy when we smiled at them. But we didn't understand their conversations.🙂

The TV series enthusiasts among you may know something about the name 'Deadwood'.

A real western town that emerged from a tent camp during the gold rush in 1876. Famous residents were Calamity Jane and gunslinger Wild Bill Hickock, who was murdered from behind while playing cards. This scene is regularly reenacted at the scene of the crime at Saloon No. 10. But it was too expensive for us at $10 per person. Since 1986, gambling has also been allowed, which has benefited the place in terms of tourism, but we didn't particularly like it.

Freezing and hungry, we made our way to our accommodation in Hill City.

But what really annoys me...there are no South Dakota Starbucks mugs?!?! I can't approve of that!😠

Hoping for sunlit presidential heads, we end the evening with a delicious sandwich, hot coffee, and a round of series watching...

~ Evi