Badlands

Today's adventure started with a visit to Wall Drugs in tiny Wall, South Dakota.

It's changed quite a bit since our last visit 10 years ago, 

 Horse hitching posts

becoming more mall-ish but retaining its kitschy cuteness.

 Part of the original soda fountain

The girls had a blast,

having their pictures taken 

 Jackalope!

at every 

photo op

that presented itself.

Then it was on to Badlands National Park,

 Swearing-in ceremony

where Leia earned her third Junior Ranger badge (she has two from last year's Alaska trip).

 Rachel bought Junior Ranger vests for both girls which they looooooooove.

We drove the Badlands 35-mile loop road,

from the Pinnacles back to Wall,

stopping often so Rachel could take photos (see below)

of the scenery and wildlife 

 Big Horn Sheep

and Leia and I could walk the parking lots looking for license plates to complete the girls' list of 50 states. (Only 9 still to go!)

We'd originally planned to visit Deadwood but time ran out, so we settled for a delicious dinner at Ruby House Restaurant (bison ribeye steak - yummmmmm),

 My absolute, very most favorite souvenir from this trip.

and having the girls' picture taken in Keystone. We laughed so much while the pictures were being shot. Leia couldn't stop giggling in her Southern belle finery and Addy was a total bad*ss gunslinger, complete with bull whip. So. Much. Fun.

 Sleeping with all her new friends - a chipmunk, deer, fox, bear and 2 dogs. Grandma might need a stuffy-buying intervention. . .

Tomorrow we are up and on the road early so we can reach Nebraska before the eclipse does. Wish us luck avoiding the predicted traffic eclipse-pocalypse!