$89! Vacation Here!


For eons, people traveled west across the land we call South Dakota.


As usual, this weekend I'm mixing business and pleasure.  I'm headed west too.

Along the way with my fancy cell phone (I-90 is a very long straight road)  I checked Facebook to see what friends posted and checked my email.

Sure enough, Mary Beth wrote:

Tonight is the biggest full moon of the year! Let me know how it looks from your place on the globe! SW--you especially, seeing as you are in big sky country!

Lucky me!  It was about twilight.  And, as Mary Beth said - the biggest, most awesome full moon appeared to the north.


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Unlucky me!  I had a brush with the law.

(At this moment, we were both on camera.)
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"Sir, you may only stop in an emergency."

But, this was an emergency.  There would only be a few short minutes to witness and photograph the rare perigee moon.  "Please, forgive me."

He did.  Click here to see the photos.

It got better.  The twilight view of South Dakota's open prairie and badlands was spectacular.  Fortunately for you, you were not along to listen to me sing the bass part to Lone Prairie over and over.

I stopped and took this movie for you though.  Enjoy listening to the Lone Prairie tag with me just this one time:


I'm telling you.  I really enjoyed myself.  I can watch this over and over.  It's hypnotic.*

I stayed at the Bullock Hotel, downtown Deadwood, and walked next door to the No. 10 Saloon.  Being alone and all, no dance partner, I invented my own fun.  Me and my YouTube camera:

I sat at the doorway between the front and back part of the saloon and carded people who had already been there.  (I thought this was pretty hilareous.)  A couple hours later, I walked back to the hotel unscathed.

On Saturday, I visited great friends and customers while the weather turned ugly.  Really, I thought it was quite awesome.


Then, it did turn ugly.  That night, I had this queer dream about shopping at an open-air flea market in Pasadena.  Overnight, the South Dakota Interstates closed.  Listen to this highway report Sunday morning!

Played: 35 | Download | Duration: 00:01:03



It was ugly in an awesome kind of way.  Interstate 90 re-opened about noon.
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That's right.  MINUS 15° Fahrenheit!  And the wind was 40 mph.


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This gas pump was actually frozen, but I did manage to pump 5 gallons in 15 minutes.

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The cattle tried to find the way to the downwind side of this billboard.  See, even the sign blew off.



Hmmm, I'm starting to realize why airline tickets from L.A. to South Dakota cost only $89.

Six hours later, I made it to Sioux Falls in time for Mark and Kay's Christmas party.

But, that's another story....
Posted by Stephen T Wilson at 12/15/2008 12:30 PM
Categories: Sioux Falls, Living
 
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