Day 5 - The Badlands and Custer State Park

We slept so well that we decided to sleep in today. We didn't leave our campsite until 0700! Today's destination is less than 400 miles away. There is little in the way of development between Sioux Falls and Rapid City. From I90, one sees undulating hills of grassland. The view seems to go on forever. This country seems desolate. Today is a good weather day but it's not hard to imagine how harsh it can be in the heat of summer and the cold of winter. Now imagine it with unbearable wind! Our first stop was at a visitors center that featured exhibits about the Lewis and Clark expedition. The center is located on a ridge overlooking the Missouri River. We were able to capture some of the great views. We got off the highway to take the 60 mile loop through the badlands. What an amazing place!  We made the obligatory tourist stop at Wall Drugs where I enjoyed a nickel cup of coffee. We finally saw trees again when we approached Custer State Park, our home for the evening. On the way to the park, we saw bison dung on the side of the street. We haven't seen any of the big beasts yet. Maybe tomorrow? We established our camp in the Game Lodge CG of Custer State Park. Marjorie and Ed came over for a visit. We be caravanning and camping with them for the next month. Interestingly, the lodge right next door served as the little White House for President Calvin Coolidge and his family for three months during the summer of 1927.