Sioux Falls to Rapid City, South Dakota – 4/5/2015 – http://fulltimetimeshare.com/blog

April 5, 2015 (Sunday)

Happy Easter!

Slept okay. We decided not to eat at the hotel in order to be hungry for the Sunday special chicken dinner at Cracker Barrel in Sioux Falls. We packed up and left our room around 10:00 AM and headed for the falls in Sioux Falls. We decided they must be nice if they named a town after them.

At first glance we thought this was a church, then a city hall. It turned out to be a museum.

We just thought this was a nice sign pointing us to the park.

We ended up at Falls Park. It was beautiful and we got to walk out onto the smooth rocks and see the waterfalls and water. Really enjoyed it. After that we drove around a little and saw a great museum (looked like a church), and a gorgeous church up on the hill. We also drove through old houses in a historical district type thing. What a great old town Sioux Falls is. I’m sure it held other great treasures but we had to get going. We headed to the local Cracker Barrel Restaurant and had our chicken we’ve had our mouth set on for two weeks. We were a little disappointed (but not much) in that it didn’t taste like they had double dipped it. Still good and we ate all of it. Also, we didn’t have to wait very long to get a table, just long enough for me to shop around the store a little.

The falls of Falls park. — The falls of Falls Park.

The rocks are mostly devoid of any sharp corners. There is a smooth quality to the river bed that is visible.

Lots have historical markers in the lawn.

We have been wanting the Sunday special for awhile now.

Edie's. She got pinto beans and broccoli with hers. — Edie’s. She got pinto beans and broccoli with hers.

The drive today was about 350 miles, but it turned out a little longer because Michael wanted to do a loop he had seen on line around the Badlands. So glad we did as it was quite lovely. Almost a Monument Valley or Sedona feel – but without the colors. Couldn’t image wagon trains trying to get over or around those huge craters and mounds of earth. Very beautiful. We even saw some mountain sheep or goat (not sure) alongside the road.

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Edie's liking the old weathered look. Gives me hope, being old and weathered. — Edie’s liking the old weathered look. Gives me hope, being old and weathered.

A tourist trap of some sort. We almost stopped, but the Badlands beckoned.

We think there are tarps for the spring and summer.

Topped off before heading into the Badlands..

It is a large area and gets it's name from a French trapper that was describing it as a very bad place to walk through. His comparatively long expression got reduced to the Badlands. — It is a large area and gets its name from a French trapper that was describing it as a very bad place to walk through. His comparatively long expression got reduced to the Badlands.

We stopped at a place called, "The Window" and I walked up to a shear drop revealing a dramatic bowl canyon. You are on your own in the National Parks. — We stopped at a place called “The Window” and I walked up to a shear drop revealing a dramatic bowl canyon. You are on your own in the National Parks.

As I walked back to the car there was a young family. I told the dad that it was a dramatic view. I walked away and after a bit looked back. He was at the edge, on all fours. I yelled, "They need a handrail there." He agreed. — As I walked back to the car there was a young family. I told the dad that it was a dramatic view. I walked away and after a bit looked back. He was at the edge, on all fours. I yelled, “They need a handrail there.” He agreed.

The earth is hard and gritty. Unforgiving and easy to slip on.

Neither of us could imaging traversing any distance through this. Every path ends in a dead end.

Reminded us of the painted desert with the red layers in the sedimentary rock.

Edie's eyes are so good. She spots wildlife first and farthermost away. — Edie’s eyes are so good. She spots wildlife first and farthermost away.

Missed it on the way in, caught it on the way out.

We made another little side trip into Wall, South Dakota. We kept seeing signs for the Wall Drug Store (as seen on the “Today Show”) and wanted to see what all the hype was about. It’s a huge drug store and has horse head hitching posts out front. We were disappointed (but not surprised) it was closed (but it was Easter Sunday).

It looks huge and cool. Maybe again one day, not on Easter, we will pass by again. — It looks huge and cool. Maybe one day, not on Easter, we will pass by again.

We stopped for dinner at a Perkins Restaurant in Rapid City, right down the street from our hotel (Super 8). We both had a salad, but I cheated and had a piece of lemon meringue pie for dessert. Very yummy and tart.

Edie's salad. I was envious of her avocado. — Edie’s salad. I was envious of her avocado.

Edie's Lemon Meringue Pie. She said it was very tart. — Edie’s lemon meringue pie. She said it was very tart.

We got into our home for the night around 6:30 PM (we had a time change so we lost another hour). The room is small but it has a very comfortable chair for Michael to work from that he’s enjoying. He got several blog entries posted.

Okay bed. No bugs, firm. — Okay bed, no bugs, firm.

Mike here, for me the net was screaming, so nice.

That was our day. Hope yours was great!