Lake Mills to Spearfish

We left Lake Mills at 7:30 a.m. Originally. We're leaving at 6:00. Unfortunately, our block out curtains did their job and we slept in. So, a later start than we anticipated. Going to try and get to Spearfish, South Dakota by evening. 10 hours on the road. It was hard to leave home as usual. So many details to attend to. What to take along..what is excessive ...what is necessary...what is a maybe. Do I need to bring along the cowboy hat that I haven't worn for three years because I am going to Montana and what better place to wear a cowboy hat? Or, will the hat just take up space and I will feel foolish wearing it being a Midwestern Iowan trying to emulate a westerner?Weighty decisions. I left Rondo with Becky to take care of. We were going to take him but you can't take dogs on the National Park trails. So, it would be long days just sitting in the camper. I will miss him. We have bonded from my last 10 day trip to Grand Rapids, MN.

3:00. Miles of billboards and hay-bails, bug splats and 99 degree temperatures. Hot, windy but much drier air than I left in Iowa this morning. Very few crops. The rolling hills meet the puffy clouds at the horizon. Cows graze on pasture land. Many billboards advertising Wall Drug, Badlands and the Petrified Gardens. I forgot how beautiful the Black Hills are. Unfortunately we will be leaving tomorrow for central Montana. Frank and I are going to return soon for an extended stay here. Staying at a KOA tonight. No reservations for tomorrow. Living on the edge. Te sun is down, it is cooling off, the time has changed to an hour earlier somewhere by Wall Drug.