Ying and Yang

After taking all 28 unpaved, uneven, gravel miles of rt.2 through the fringes of The Badlands and into the first town on the west side, the Camry needed some serious rest and some quick hydration. Once we saw how nourished and hydrated she was, we figured we should hit up the local bar/casino connected to the gas station to do the same. It was a little strange when I realized that all the people around us who I thought were Latinos were actually Native Americans. We were nowhere near Boston. But after remembering that we passed through an Indian Reserve and considering the history of the country, it started to make sense.

Leaving The Badlands the scenery was again bleak, high desert. But from many miles away we could see The Black Hill National Forest and it was awesome to think that we were going to see so much different landscape in just one day. Unfortunately, I drove almost both days we stayed there so there are few pictures. Most of them are from Saloon 10 in Deadwood, SD.  which was recommended by the local who served us at the bar/casino connected to the gas station. Main Street Deadwood seemed like stereotypical town from the old west.

There were several highlights from Saloon 10. Here’s a shot of what the inside of the bar looks like, saw dust and all.

Chief Rain in the Face’s portrait brought up a lot of R. Kelly talk.

And this picture of the bar from the early part of the 20^th century – notice anything out of the ordinary?

After eating some bison burgers, which were basically like a hamburger, we took off to find our campsite in the pitch dark. The route we took to get into The Black Hills to Center Lake was the windiest, most narrow mountain road I have ever driven on. It made me wish I had my GLI to tear it up a little. But with the Camry, it was steady-as-she-goes driving. We went through some narrow one way mountain tunnels that advised us to honk while going through and did several 360 degree turns at 15 mph to continue climbing or descending the mountain.

All in all, another productive day chalked up in the books. Tomorrow’s agenda – Jewel Cave National Monument and the drive to Jackson!