My bad, Badlands

The weather was terrible on our drive out of Wyoming and into South Dakota. We had planned on seeing Mt. Rushmore that night but didn't make, the rain was so heavy we had to pull off the road. It started to hail while we were at the gas station. Little Frannie (Cooper's car) sustained minimal hail damage; she'll be ok.
So first thing in the morning, we headed to Keystone, SD to see Mt. Rushmore, but alas, it was still raining. Plus it was $8 per person to enter the park, so we just told the park guard that we were just turning around: she bought it. We took some pictures from the street but didn't even bother getting out of the car. It was so wet and rainy it look liked the presidents were melting. It was still cool to see. Cooper reminded me it wasn't actually a "natural wonder" like i had kept referring to it.
Back on the road in South Dakota, we stopped in Wall, SD, home of Wall Drug, because it was the only thing advertised in the entire state. It was very much like Branson, MO. . . and you know my feelings on that place. Cooper and I stayed approximately 60 seconds, maybe it was the wall of Buffalo heads that freaked us out or possibly the Mullet convention being held in the gift shop, but we felt compelled to get back on the road. However we did find the best cup of spiced chai tea latte that I have ever had in my life (scouts honor) at the Mocha Moose ice cream shoppe in Wall, SD. I was prepared to get ice cream but, unfortunately it was only 9am; the chai was the right choice.
Apparently I had gone to the Badlands when i was a child, but I really don't remember it, unfortunately. On the insistence of Powers and Bobbi from work (both of whom are from South Dakota) we went, it was pretty much already on our way. Well, i am here to tell you, it was the coolest thing on our entire trip. Absolutely gorgeous. Even though it was a cloudy day, everything was just beautiful and colorful. These pictures really don't do it justice. I am so glad we went.

It is at this point that our story takes a terrible turn for the worst. Arthur, our roaming gnome (see above) was taking pictures from a safe view point. When out of no where, a strong gust or wind knocks him of his stand and right over a cliff! I watched him tumble down the steep canyon but I couldn't do anything. I actually screamed out his name and the tourist around me thought I had actually dropped a real person. It was hard to explain that it was just a gnome, mainly because I was laughing so hard, and crying a little i think, all at the same time. We couldn't go down and get him, this is how people (real people) get hurt in the Badlands. . . the very badlands. So we set up a mini memorial in Arthur's honor (for more on Arthur's memorial, please see next blog).
We made our way through the badlands and tried to enjoy the rest of our day but a dark cloud was over our heads. Arthur had been our travel companion and more importantly our insurance. We even named him triple A: Arthur Albert Alfredson (AAA) to keep us safe on our drive. Wouldn't you know it, as we were pulling into Omaha, NE that night we got a flat tire! Coinsidence? I think not! Thank god we knew people in Omaha.
I'll have to save the flat tire rescue story for the next blog. Don't worry, it has a happy ending. Rest in pieces Arthur.