Day-3 .. Wyoming - So.Dakota - Iowa

An early start and lonnnggg day to race ahead of the impending snowstorm and blizzard.   All day, radio stations were warning of impending road closures.  Livestock auctions were being re-scheduled all across South Dakota and Nebraska.   Already my senses were heightened.   And, after 160-miles I received a jolt of additional adrenaline when, at daybreak, three deer appeared on the highway edge not 10-feet from me when I was zooming at 75mph!  Thank goodness Mama had decided not to cross at that moment!   Whew!
I thought maybe this was going to become a 'Joe Jump' historic place ...

I mentioned radio stations .. across the middle of the country, on the AM dial, you have a good selection of farm information stations.  Livestock (heifers, breeders, etc.) auctions and grain prices and weekend farm equipment shows dominate the discussion.   In between segments include country music from six decades.    Local high school athletics accomplishments also are discussed.

Love it!    Brings back memories from my drives to Kackley to see Mary Nell.

All of today's drive East was into a very stiff headwind.   I kept hoping my trusty bike rack would stay solidly connected.   And .. it did!   Yay.

At Sundance, Wyoming I hit the trifecta of historical signs !!!

10-miles East of Sundance, I came across a sight that Jim had asked me to look for :

A plane on a pole  ..  and a ..'flying saucer'?  .. and a ..where's the RavRover?

Racing ahead to Rapid City, I was glad to notice that the weather was cooperating for my visit to the Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse memorials!   What a treat for this road-trip-warrior-tourist!

what it will look like .. when finished !

a fantastic visitor center  ..  what a story !

Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski was born in Boston of Polish descent.   He helped on the Mt.Rushmore project.   His work at the 1939 World's Fair attracted the attention of Chief Henry Standing Bear who invited Korczak to the Black Hills to carve Crazy Horse.   Korczak's 10-kids and grandkids continue the project to this day!    Well worth a visit!

Adrenaline level was still good!    Screaming across So.Dakota, I enjoyed reading 60-miles of WALL DRUG signs.   Very neat!   Good advertising!

And it lived up to the hype!    I HAD to stop!

It's a HUGE place!    many, many stores and interesting sights!

Well, now I knew I couldn't dawdle any more.  I had to race as far East as I could.    When I reached Sioux Falls, after listening to more radio weather warnings and estimates of the path of the snowstorm travel, instead of continuing on I-90 into Minnesota, I decided to head South on I-29 to Sioux City, Iowa.

Tomorrow morning I'll head East on Hwy.20 to .. Ft.Dodge, Cedar Rapids, .... hopefully this will take me out of harm's way.

A very, very, long  .. but .. FUN day!     Should sleep well tonight!

start odometer  ..  108039    (Sheridan, WY)

4/9  odometer   ..  108788   (Sioux City, Iowa)

day miles  :  749   !
trip total   : 1879