
Immediately after crossing into South Dakota, we were
bombarded with billboards advertising Wall Drug in Wall, South Dakota.
And though we were still hundreds of miles from Wall and from the
Badlands, the billboards stayed with us. Followed us for miles and miles
and miles, increasing in frequency and oddity. They advertised FREE ICE
WATER and that Wall Drug was A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY. And despite
knowing that Wall Drug would be a tourist trap, we planned to stop.

And earlier in the day, we had paused in Mitchell, home of the Corn Palace. We made time for an "awkward family photo" and listened, bemused, as Ty spewed puns ("Has anyone ever been stalked at the Corn Palace?" "I'd be a-maized.")


It was still just the beginning of our journey. But
under the gray sky, between Mitchell and Wall, we were stopped by a
state trooper, which Zoë adequately documented.
The trooper was more polite than most of his Indiana
compatriots - he smiled, told us he'd pulled us over for speeding,
asked for license and registration and proof of insurance, wanted to
know where we were heading (Yellowstone). "Oh, you're on vacation?"
He asked Ty to go to his patrol car to see
his speed. Ty returned after a couple of minutes, which Dawn and I spent
debating the odds of a ticket and discussing the trooper's nice
manners.
"Well, that was one of the nicest troopers I've ever met," Ty said upon returning, shuffling documents.
We agreed. "Did he give you a warning?"
"No. Ticket. 83 in a 75," he replied. "The
usual spiel. They're trying to keep everyone safe, it's for my own
safety." He recited the rest of the ticket script. "Oh, and he thought
you were my wife," he dropped in Dawn's direction, almost an
afterthought.
"WHAT?"
"Yeah, he asked, 'So is that the Mrs. and kiddie?'"
"He thought I was your CHILD?" I asked incredulously, my voice rising with indignation. "SERIOUSLY?"
Ty confirmed as Dawn laughed hysterically.
It
has been two hours and this is already another running joke; Dawn has
scolded me for inattention, Ty has threatened to pull over the car, I've
sworn frequently with vehement mock outrage.
Ty is still going 5 mph over the speed limit, straight toward heavy gray clouds and endless flat horizon.
And finally, after Mitchell, after Wall Drug, after
unfortunate phone calls and shit-shooting and chagrin, we reached the
Badlands. And as Zoë said, the Badlands are "a wholly inadequate name
for a place that dwarfs all our petty human problems. For all the space,
there's no room for anger or sadness."







Catch up with the first part of the trip, a visit to the Henry Doorly Zoo.








This is the most beautiful place i have ever seen I am so OVERWHELMED right now with longing. the last couple photographs are killing me I swear.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos of the Badlands. When we visited, we stopped at those tourist traps, too. I'm glad you did because that photo of Ty on a giant jackalope is pretty great.
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