Day 6 - Coffee For A Nickel

Already, we've reached South Dakota. In addition to having some of the best maintained and fun to drive roads in America, some of the cleanest and most wonderful cities to explore (LOVE Rapid City where we are headed tomorrow), they also have a tax structure that keeps them on our "list" of places to consider for future residence- not that we are anywhere close to making such a decision or that we need to any time soon. Our first stop in the state is, as it was last time, Al's Oasis on Rt 90 in Oacoma. Al's is a prairie oasis, not a desert oasis, but it fits the theme anyway. A campground that's laid back. Beautiful rolling hills and water views. A restaurant that serves up a fine buffalo burger and fries every bit as good as Mickey D's. Coffee for 5 cents! A fuel stop. A western wear shop. A grocery store that sells some items you won't find easily elsewhere. An antique mall. A strolling park. A place to pack and ship your fish if you catch any. All within a minute's walk of where you park your rig. Prices in the 20's. When we come through here this time of year, we call ahead, they tell us some sites to pick from, then we simply pull in on arrival and hook up. Sooner or later they come around to settle up. As easy as it gets. Meanwhile, we head on over for a buffalo burger!

Nicknames continue to roll on in. I told Jude I may need to have a runoff here pretty soon. Some good ones. Some flops. Hey, everyone's got an opinion!

Don't know if there is any humor in this or not, but since it struck me funny I'll pass it along. Previously I saw a billboard that said "Indian Ruins Navajo Rugs". In that same vein, today I saw one that said "Sioux Falls, 66". Sounded like a bad newspaper headline to me, about an unfortunate event for a native American rather than the road sign it actually was.....

Just a birdwatcher's note: The pheasant population is down in most states in the country in which they are found. But they must be on a major rebound here in South Dakota. We saw them in the fields and along the roads in large numbers. Seem really healthy! As they spend a lot of time on the ground and don't fly very high when they do fly, I guess the new, taller windmills are not able to reach them in flight! :)

I have a travel tip again today: Sip and enjoy your coffee before you take the dog out for that first morning walk in the deep grass in the Pet Walk area along the edge of the muddy corn field. That way, you will enjoy your coffee much more than if you should "step in it!!!" during the dog's outing! Oh, and this too: Before retiring for the night, check that all basement slide drawers are closed. Leaving one open when it pours all night is not really the brightest thing I have ever done.

More people (Hi Cindy!) contacted us today to say they are headed north to Alaska this summer. And the folks next to us last night in the campground are headed up to Alaska for July and August- would love to learn recreational gold mining, so I passed them a card and a Chicken Gold camp brochure and now we'll hope to see them this summer as well. Gollllllly, Gomer! Those free panning lessons are going like hot cakes!!