Tooleing Around: Day 13

I’m staying in a hotel room tonight that will be very hard to top on this trip. Movies and history meld!

Filling our orange juice at the same time at the breakfast statio , I asked an Ed Flanders mustached gentleman named Duane, out of South Dakota, if he had any recommendations for the area. He very enthusiastically recommended Going To The Sun Road, a spectacular route he said would bring me through Montana, almost to Canada. He also said Buffalo, an hour away, was a nice little town.

Im going to Buffalo.

Duane used to supply greenhouses for that whole area and now works for the Department of Agriculture, dealing with their pesticide and fertilizer needs. He’s a big proponent of avoiding I90 . He couldn’t have been nicer.

There was a broad breakfast spread with an omelette station. I had biscuits with gravy and scrambled eggs with ham through then, overlooking the plains. When in Wyoming. Nice buzz in the room, a lot of people had come from church.

There was an unexpected conversation on wine tasting at the adjoining table, Alter wine was mentioned.

Back to the North Dakota thing. A good friend suggested the only worth while thing about visiting there would be the bragging rights. I’d be one of about 25 people from NYC ever to do so. Not reason enough.

Heading to Buffalo, WY.

An aside : Usually I read four to six books a month. Discounting audio books, that average is way down on this trip. Though by strange coincidence my current novel, The Midnight Line, is set back and forth between Rapid City and Wyoming.

Jim and Patty Brown noticed my plates at the gas station and commented I was far from home and we struck up a conversation. They own a ranch locally with some quarter horses they ride for fun. Jim, an extremely youthful 60, a Deputy Building Official for the city, recently got his DNA tested – 57% Irish!

He is also very involved in an international non profit ,concerned with international building codes (if I understood correctly) and offered to hook me up with his group on my travels.

Patty and Jim were hugely helpful telling me those places to see and critically, to avoid.Kings Saddlery is definitely on my list now, as is Bozeman.

As Jim put in a plug of Tobacco, got in his pickup and we went our ways, it struck me, my Escalade is looking smaller the further I get West.

75 miles later I’m in Buffalo, WY.

There’s not a lot open on Sundays in Buffalo but I got lucky with the Absoraka County Store – a strange combination of coffee shop and clothing store.

Elora, named for the character Rlora Danan in Willow, was nice enough to make me an excellent French Press in the Absoraka Store in Buffalo. She recommend I drive up to Mulgers Gulch for some great views.

Elora is a senior in high school, with two younger siblings and has moved towns a bit over her years. Her dad is in natural gas and relocates quite frequently, though the family has been in Buffalo for three years and love the town. Their previous state was Pennsylvania. Aloura was in Baltimore last year and was not sure she’d take to big city life.

Sunday was slow, Elora was running the coffee and clothing sections alone. There’d have been 7 people working the same space in NY.

Elora was another real pleasure to meet and made a damn fine coffee.

I crossed the road to check out my first gun store; had a bit of a gander ; took some selfies and bought an eight pack of sweat socks.

Jim Brown had recommended I visit The Occidental Hotel, so I dropped in.

Rick and DeeDee were having a beer at the intriguing taxidermy filled Occidental Hotel Bar. They work a local guest ranch , The TA Ranch, 8,000 acres with 30 horses. A lot of the guests are French. The French are fascinated with all things Western. They shared some beautiful photos of their own two quarter horses. Both highly recommended I go to Cody, another historic western town, further west.

The bar was founded in 1880, originally in a tent, the current hotel and hunting trophy filled bar, was built in 1908. Wild bathroom too.

Haley , the energetic and fun barmaid , is marrying an Irishman next year. She had lived in town since she was two. Her fiancée , Randall , goes by Floyd because he loves Pink Floyd and thinks he looks like Pink from Dazed and Confused. Haley showed me Floyd’s photo. He kinda does .

I’m childishly pleased with the Buffalo heads in Buffalo selfies.

Met Bill Lee, and his Harley, out of Casper WY. Bill had worked at the WTC until 1999, as an engineer and lived in Brooklyn. There have been lots is States and lots of jobs since. He is retired a couple of years. Bill Lee loved his jobs.

He serenaded Haley, behind the bar, with his rendition of A Song For You (Leon Russel) followed quickly by Thats Life. He’d sung earlier at Church. Bill Lee loves to sing.

He has five kids, 7 Grand kids and another coming – and he’s been married 3 times. Bill Lee loves the ladies.

An avid hunter, he nailed an antelope yesterday and is hoping for an elk tomorrow. It’s bow season. Bill Lee loves to hunt.

Bill told me i looked honest and that I could take his house in Casper for the night if I wanted, an hour and a half away . He told me he owns 8 houses. Bill Lee loves houses.

Bill had me come out and take photos of his Harley , and me with his Harley and the two of us with his Harley. He had recently done a 5 week road trip. Bill Lee loves his Harley .

This blow-in was made to feel so welcome in The Occidental.

I was enjoying the place so much I booked a room. The Occidental Hotel has a lot of history, Herbert Hoover; Calamity Jane; Ernest Hemingway and Teddy Roosevelt , to name a few , all stayed here .

Each room looks unique, some with western swinging doors, each with its own story, and all named after a famous resident. The Madames room is available in what was the Brothel section of the hotel. $3 back in the day got you a really good time. Today it got me an OJ not a ….

But the room I absolutely had to have was The Hole in The Wall Room . The one that Butch Cassidy stayed in. It’s a beautiful little corner room over looking the Main Street and a happy little stream. I will amuse my self all night looking out the window and muttering “Who are those guys?”

The saloon has bullet holes in the ceiling, origins unknown.

I left Buffalo and Bill Lee with his one glass of red, around 4, and drove around a couple of hours. Nothing open Sundays in Sheridan so i turned around and went back to Buffalo.

When I returned to the bar, to eat and listen to the live C&W, three hours later, Bill Lee was still there. He’d taken a room for the night. Bill Lee loves his red wine.

The bison burger was really good as was the live music. Taylor Corum, the solo act, had played the Old Oprey. Mister Euro Trash here actually knew some of the C&W standards and he did cover a few Pet Shop Boy classics.

Bill Lee came over and chatted for a bit. Bill Lee is a really good guy.

My first live music of the trip.

The bar shut down 8.30.

The Tally :

Hotel: $63 !

Gas: $24

Dinner : $16

Tooleing Around: Day 12

‘Twas a pretty active day.

Had a happening breakfast buffet in a bright open space, with a patio , at Tru Hilton, with decent eggs and good Lavazza coffee.

The semi-tough looking crew of bikers beside me all seem to be in real estate, from over hearing their loud conversation. C21s Angels. There are a lot of bikers in Deadwood.

The 4th floor view from my room would have been great if not for that 5-story wall in the backyard. Hilton Tru is the nicest room I’ve had to date though, very new and fresh, 52” flatscreen, double queen.

My accent was picked up on again and I had an extended conversation with lovely Mary Maynard Née McDermott, from solid Irish American stock.

Mary considers herself non denominational but had strong religious beliefs. Like a lot of people, she lost faith in organized religions. Mary had 9 children in ten years, though her original plan was three. Sadly she lost a son to a motor cycling hit and run, a block from her home, a few years back , her heartbreak still evident. We also talked about her concerns about the drinking of some of her family, a common Irish thread. Mary’s not a drinker. Mary kindly gave me her number and told me to call if I was in need, she was very warm and thoughtful.

And she was responsible for the excellent coffee.

Mary also explained how Sturgis is now just a town for the bikers, functioning solely for their big event each year. Probably not worth visiting today she said.

I got a big hug goodbye.

Started out today at the Days of 76 museum. A celebration of Deadwood history. These guys had great nicknames Deadwood Dick, Potato Creek Johnny . I’m guessing I’d have been Potato Dick back in 76.

The museum has an impressive collection of muskets and carbines and early rifles. Housed in the museum is also an impressive collection of beautifully preserved covered wagons, carriages and other wheely western things.

Teresa, working at the Museum was extraordinarily well versed in the history of Deadwood. She had actually read all available periodicals of the day as well as available history. I was delighted to hear that HBOs Deadwood was remarkably accurate, though chronology was switched a little. We talked a bit about about the cultural influence the Western has had globally.

Teresa is also a gold prospector, with a few claims , and explained the Potato references here refer to the shape of the stones nuggets are quite often found in.

Headed into Deadwood to stake a claim and find the Adams museum.

Seems I’ve hit the Deadwood Jam Weekend, two days of non stop free music. Sweet.

Looking for the Adams Museum, located near thd music venue , I once again asked security if he knew where the museum was” No clue”, he said .It was right behind his back. Is Deadwood the Manhattan of SD? No one is actually from here?

There was an impressive looking text book on the counter with lots of unlining going on. Elizabeth, another young expert on local history, explained that the Adams building was constructed mid depression, in 1930, to house artifacts of Deadwood and regional history. It’s an ideal museum for the area. But that stuffed two headed calf – why? Nightmarish.

Elizabeth recommended The Green Bean coffee shop in Spearfish, Dough Traders for dinner ther and a fish hatchery. Elizabeth again was a huge help. She’s studying history at college in Spearfish .

Right by Adams I happened on Pump House , a combination Cafe , bar and glass blowing center. So I bought a coke and watched a dude blow.

Where history is the needle, Casinos, bars and souvenir stores are now the Deadwood haystack. But the needle is still there. Deep.

MT. Moriah Cemetery, a little outside Deadwood center, hosts the mortal remains of Calamity Jane, right beside Wild Bill, as was her dying wish. Potato Creek Johnny snuck in there too, sneaky old spud.

Buried above them , up a quarter mile incline, is the grave of Bullock and his wife.

For those of you that don’t know who I’m talking about , read more or watch the series!

A young couple at his graveside advised I skip North Dakota , Nebraska and Kansas. As Granny used to say “ You should never ignore advice given from the side of a grave”.

The cemetery is beautiful and has a full view of Deadwood below.

I’m going to have to hit the thesaurus soon , but the Deadwood through Wyoming drive, on route something or other, was stunning.

Talked to Randy for a bit, working at the Devils Tower Gulch Bar, where I had a pit stop. His son had been to Ireland with a singing group this year, loved the place and hopes to get back very soon. Dublin’s a long haul from Devils Tower, WY. He showed me photos of a Buffalo herd that got in his way when he was doing some hauling yesterday.

“Do-do-do-do-dooooo”.

Devils Tower , WY – the parking spot of choice for any Close Encounter of the Third Kind.

Well, yet more stunning stuff. The 1.4 mike hike around the base of Devils Tower is a trip highlight, although the climbers way up there are giving me vertigo. I did give myself a quick start to get ahead of a Japanese group with a wheelchair guy, broken foot. They had a lot of slow moving drama going on. They’ll be sending out Park Rangers to find them after dark.

My OMD t-shirt was a conversation opener with a couple from Michigen. They’d left their animals with family and friends an we’re taking their first vacation in years. They had just seen Jeff Beck. Another couple out of California gave me a bunch of Utah recommendations. Everyone chats on these trails.

A fabulous hike.

Booked a room at Gillette last minute. I cut it close. Drove an hour, checked in at 8.

In the hour across WY, I counted three cars.

Roxy, the pretty 31 year old Mexican receptionist sat and chatted with me for an hour while she folded towels, beside the reception desk, and I waited for my laundry to dry. The hotel had a washer and dryer so I took advantage. It’s a privately owned hotel and Roxanne multi-tasks. They are lucky to have her.

Roxanne has been in the country since she was twelve , when she moved to Minnesota with her Uncle. She stayed there until three months ago when she moved to Gilette, where she had a friend. She is a single mother of two pretty and charming little girls, five and eight ( I met them there). Roxy works each evening until midnight and also does some cleaning work during the day for a different outfit. Something which she enjoys because she gets to see some of the fancier homes in Gillette. She’d like to get different shifts to have more time with the kids. Her Mother is visiting soon, they enjoy driving around together and she does get to México every couple of years.

A customer needed an extra key card, the towels were folded and my drying was done.

I hope everything works out for Roxy and the kids.

I’m in Wyoming.

The Tally

Hotel: $58 Arbuckle Lodge

Gas: $42

Dinner at Old Chicago Pizza: $15

South Dakota book and movie recommendations:

Books: Little Nig Man; Deadwood ( Peter Dexter); The Midnight Line

Movies: Badlands; North by Northwest ; The Revenant; Little Big Man

… and of course HBOs Deadwood.

Tooleing Around: Day 11

* couldn’t get my PC to connect so the post today was all done from iPhone. Lots of typos Im sure I could not get photos from the camera… oh well.

Since I’d missed a couple of locations I wanted to see in Rapid City, I went back to Pure Bean for brekkie.

Grey sheets and towels you could use to smooth wood, more rules than the NFL, but I slept like an infant in the Holy Smoke Cabin in the Woods.

Visited The historic Hotel Alex Johnson , opened in 1928. It has long been known as one of the most haunted hotels in South Dakota. From the “lady in white” to the ghost of Alex Johnson himself.

Stopped in at the store there. Jennifer, the proprietor of five years, told me that I had to see Badlands, that it would be a religious experience. The store is fascinating, full of curios. I bought another book. Jennifer explained that from a business standpoint Prime Tourist season is Memorial to the thundering Buffalo Roundup the end of September.

Jennifer, of Scandinavian descent showed me the wooden chest her grandmother had packed to travel to this country, semi hidden under a display table.

She also showed me the intricate Murder of Crows tattoo on her forearm, she claimed it was her gift to herself for her mid life crises. Felt it was cheaper and safer than some of her other options.

Art alley was right beside the Hotel, a lane where local artists can spay the walls with their works, with a permit.

The dork in me was drawn across the road to The Storyteller comic store. I still have a soft spot for graphic novels. Jordon, the exhuberent manager, a little longer in the tooth than the usual comic store manager, pointed me to the section and I bought something called Nailbiter. I mentioned that I live near Forbidden Planet and Jordon jealously commented , “oh you play with the big boys”. The Storyteller looked like Clarence’s workplace in True Romance .

Terrible song today, that we all secretly like and know the words to Africa – by that most African of bands, Toto.

Thirty miles outside Rapid City I noticed a yellow envelope on my windscreen. My first parking ticket ever. I checked te space and I was only an hour. WT….

Got to use my National Parks Pass for the first time , which I’d purchased last minute on the advice of s well traveled friend.

Badlands have a barren magnificence, one the most beautiful places I’ve seen . The 22 mile drive around the park has been a highlight of the trip so far.

Where not a complete religious experience,I did see a rock that looked like Mother Teresa.

Met Kelley, and Ben the dog, out of Minneapolis , on a Badlands ridge. She recommended I see Buffalo , Wyoming.

Kelley, left her job, bought a van,took a 10 week stint on the road two years ago and has freelanced since in Project Management. She loves seeing this country and wants to hit the road again soon. She’s thinking of getting another van.

Kelley advised I see State Forests a lot, but that the State Parks can get a bit over populated. Observed that myself at Grand Canyon, the Atlantic City of National Parks.

Now, for those of you that have never seen the Terrence Malick masterpiece Badlands, you really should.

I grew up on cowboy movies. Weekends at The Town Hall, Galway there was often a double-bill matinee of a Bond movie feature and a spaghetti western opener.

I couldn’t tell you how often I saw the Eastwood , Man With No Name Trilogy. Shane; The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance; Tomstone; My Darling Valentine; Rio Bravo; The Magnificent Seven; I love them all . Deadwood is one of the greatest series ever made; Lonesome Dove my favorite book and excellent mini series; Godless this year, great; For a Few Dollars More, the best Western ever, the watch chimes give me goosebumps every time.

All this is my, not long winded because I love cowboy films, way of saying I’m psyched to be in Deadwood. Go Bullock !

Checked in at the Hilton , hit the gym, showered then took a walk down Main Street Deadwood . Quickly learned, its a 24 hour Casino town and lots of people smoke here. I happened on the Deadwood Friday night free outdoor concert event, some country rock band. Lots of people were feeling no pain there at all. I asked 6 different attendees, 3 ushers and the officer in charge at the entrance, the name of the band. No one knew.

If I learned anything in life it’s that every town has a Chinese restaurant and Irish bar. Paddy O Neil’s, a Chinese Restaurant , was still serving food at 10PM.

Took a quick sweep around the Casino back at the hotel. Nothing quite as grim as slot machine jockeys.

Todays Tally:

hotel: $124

gas: $23

dinner: $8.37

Tooleing Around: Day 10

Pure Bean on Main Street, Rapid City has to be my favorite breakfast to date; a homemade biscuit with bacon, egg and cheese and excellent house blend coffee.

Delightful Destiny, from Rapid City, recommended I stop at Keystone on the way to Rushmore and told me to eat at Grizzly Creek. Her family owns it. Grandma works as the hostess sometimes. She also recommended Powder House Lodge as a good place to stay. Destiny works there as well. I’ll start looking into lodges as well as hotels.

Creamery

Nathan & Destiny

Nathan was also generous with local info. He’s from Bismarck ND. He was a roaster for the coffee shop before the current job and his uncle is partner in the business. Pure Bean is located in the old creamery building , the coffee is resident in the old milk lab with the drains covered up. Cool brick floor. The Uncle/Owner was involved in the Portland coffee scene and his business partner the only Q Grader in SD – a coffee sommelier.

As a North Dakotan, Nathan recommends a very brief visit there, if at all. I may Nebraska it.

Their coffee was great. I had 3 cups. I stayed too long.

Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the biggest bike event in the world, brings in around a million bikers annually to the general region. Those weeks are a huge contributor to the local economy. That explains last night’s odd Wi-Fi password – sturgis67.

Mitzis Books

Digital Camera

Hobbies

Rapid City

Continuing my local bookstore quest, I found Mitzi’s on Main Street a sweet little shop. Heather, behind the counter, had a broad breadth of book knowledge. We agreed on a lot (Little Fires Everywhere) but I don’t share her love of science fantasy. I appropriately bought a small novel called The Bookstore.

From there the half hour to Rushmore.

My natural cynical expectation was to be underwhelmed by Mt. Rushmore, but man when you round that highway and see it up there for the first time it really is a sight to behold. Again, with the movies – I remember as a child watching Carey Grant hang on up there in North by Northwest. Remarkable to think some hair brained stone carver’s idea turned in to this cash cow.

I was hoping to use “behold” in a sentence sooner rather than later.

Rushmore

Rushmore

Well, I got a tiny bit carried away in the gift store.

A folding Mt. Rushmore knife with my name on it (nothing ever says Karl); a Mt. Rushmore keychain nail clippers (it’s a keychain and a nail clippers) ; a Mt. Rushmore T-Shirt (Maroonish) and a glow in the dark Mt. Rushmore Christmas Tree Decoration .Bonanza!

And as Granny would say, what you spend on the swings, you save in the roundabout. Or something like that. Cheap lodgings tonight, no gas needed today.

John Oliver is responsible for my next set of nightmares. If I thought fiberglass Jesus was creepy, it was nothing compared to the National Presidential Wax Museum.

Digital Camera

Reagan & Me

Bush

On the positive side, Pat, a retired Accountant from Custer, who now works at the museum, was a pleasure to talk to. Her husband, who she’s been with 50+ years, had a kidney replacement recently and is doing well. They had bought a RV in the last while and hoped to take advantage of that soon, though her new job kept her busy this year. Pat was nice enough to capture some of my stunning poses at the museum.

Pat

Kennedy & Some Commies

Nixon & Kissinger

Obama

I’m noticing much more this side of the country that the RV culture is prevalent.

Ear popping trails brought me through the Black Hills National Park on the way to Custer. I’m not sure these 15MPH roads were designed for Escalades, with their spectacular one way mini-roads and tunnels through the rock face. There were great views from the stops up top of the mountain.

Then further on for a bit of a ramble through Custer State Park.

I did see a very small herd of Buffalo (one) and a number of mule and white tail deer, a couple of four pointers.

Not as much fun driving back along those narrow lanes at sunset as it was exploring in daylight.

Holy Smoke Cabins in Keystone is where I’m booked in tonight, with an attached RV Park. I needed to get there by 8PM before the office closed and was pushing the clock a bit.

Small Herd

Fun song that popped up today: The Heat is On – Glenn Frey. Name that Movie for 10.

As an interesting development on this trip, no one sells club soda – my usual drink. I’m being forced to drink water. It’s not bad, similar taste.

I had a very good Filet Mignon at The Powder House Lodge (I couldn’t get a room there), a recommendation from Destiny this morning.

Not in a hurry to go back to the shack, I dropped into Buddies Bar, Keystone for an OJ, the kind of establishment I used to haunt back in the day. Joined in on a “why did we ever go to Wall Drug “conversation with some other tourists. We were all fooled by the endless miles of signs.

I started a natter with Devon & Kim from Novi, Michigan at the bar counter. They told me to avoid North Dakota like the pox. They spent time with relatives there yesterday and escaped in a hurry to Keystone.

Devon showed me photos of prairie dogs and buttes and told me that was the full ND story. They also convinced me not to bother seeing the Crazy Horse Monument as it’s not finished and never will be and shared a photo of that too. Devon & Kim are doing more to destroy the tourist industry than that hurricane.

Saves me a lot of hours and the price of a Crazy Horse ticket.

Cabin in the Woods

Kim & Devon

A correction for fellow traveling buddies, I met yesterday. Pam and Michael – Wisconsin not Wyoming.

Some Iowa based recommendations having departed that State

Movies: Bonnie and Clyde; The Straight Story; Field of Dreams ; Star Trek (Kirk’s home)
Books: The Nix; Grasshopper Jungle

Today’s Cost:

Hotel: $90
Dinner: $31
Cheesy Souvenirs: $72

Tooleing Around: Day 9

I met Frances McDormand today.

Brekkie was a good coffee and a very fresh blueberry muffin at the Cornerstone Coffee & Coffeehouse in Mitchell. When the top rated coffee spot on Google turned up as McDonalds I got a bit of a fright. After a little more searching, all turned out fine.

The Comfort Inn, Mitchell was one of those places where if one resident flushed the whole hotel shook. Lots of flushing went down.

Pam & Michael

Corn Friend

Well I hit the payload of travel information and advice today in Mitchell.

Michael & Pam DeLambo sold everything 4 years ago and now travel the country in their RV doing volunteer work. They down anchor in their place of choice and stay as many months as the feel. They spent their last few months in Montana. West Virginia is their favorite stop to date; Pam told of a night when the night was lit by millions of fireflies and they loved the local music.

Corn Friend

Pam & Michael

Michael was in the Navy during the Cold war, cruising on submarines. They were tracking Russians in the North waters. He had a lot of great stories to tell and a couple of scars to show, mainly from the good times in Scottish pubs he explained.

Originally residents of Illinois and Wyoming, they love their new life on the road. My two months of travel pale.

On to my first destination of the day, the world famous Corn Palace of Mitchell.

Entering the Corn Palace you are greeted by the sickening sweet smell of Caramel popcorn. I want to toss my cookies when people nuke the stuff in the office, but this is overwhelming.

Well, how can one describe the Corn Palace? The Louvre of South Dakota? The Whitney of the midwest. I saw a cleaning lady yell at her mop bucket.

You have to wonder what the work application of a corn artist reads like. They were toiling away with repairs to the front wall of the Palace this morning. Does it pop in extreme heat?

Digital Camera

Pillar of Corn

At the souvenir store cash register, the darling woman told me my accent got her cornfused. Get it? CORNfused. Bet that was the first time she used that one. I purchased the ugliest Christmas decoration in creation. It will never be let near my tree.

This has to be the most America venue I’ve visited. A very Marty McFly auditorium (cornatorium?) , if it wasn’t for all the ugly corn murals. It’s great. I could say the place was really cheesy but… you know what I’m going to say…

My Irish Catholic induced phobias kicked in to overdrive when I visited the creepy Walk Thru Ancient Bible World across the street. Marionettes and religion and a weird tin donkey, this will haunt my dreams for years. I commented as such to another visitor. He admired the artistry. Shudder.

Digital Camera

Saved?

Mitchell Art

Signage on brown brick building down the street boasted the Greatest Coffee Shop in the World. After plastic Jesus, Mary & Joseph, I needed one. It was out of business.

Saved?

Digital Camera

There are 270 Miles between Mitchell and Wall Drugs. This better be worth this drive. The signs for this Wall place started at the State line.

It’s a long and windy day on them there plains crossing South Dakota. I stopped for a soda at the Crow Creek Reservation in Fort Jefferson and Denise recommended I see the Big Bend Dam. So I did briefly then took to the Interstate, it’s so flat you practically get the same views whatever you are driving on.

I happened on the 1880 Town by chance so pulled off the highway for a look see. It was so right up my alley. Dances with Wolves was filmed in the region and they have a full exhibit movie of memorabilia and a mish-mash of other historical Western artifacts.

Denise

Wolves

Put me in Coach

The beautiful John Barry, Oscar winning score was playing throughout the town. The 1880 Town is made of original western constructs from the 1800s, moved from other locations. I was so movie geek pleased.

Train

Diner

Saloon

Four hours later and a time zone change, I got to Wall Drugs – South Dakota Tacky Central.

Mira Doroftei a Romanian exchange, was a surprise employee to find working in the Western and Periodicals Bookstore in backwoods SD. Mira noticed my accent we got to talking. Mia is studying for a Bachelor Degree in Psychology, back home in Romania and is here as part of the Work and Travel United States program. She will graduate next year.

Mira has been here since June and worked in Sun Valley pre Wall. She is taking a two day bus ride to NY early October for a brief visit, the JFK home. Mia already had a multi legged bus and flight adventure to make it here from Bucharest; another student with incredible drive.

Weird F#$$# Bunny

Ok – Bizarre moment in the Wall Drug restaurant. I was about to take a selfie in the backroom of the place and was asked if I minded not getting the group behind me in it. It looked like a kids birthday gig, all wearing Kelly green paper hats. Of course it was not a problem. I then saw Frances McDormand walking by with a Wall Drug party hat and waitresses outfit. I said hello, shook her hand, and congratulated her on her Oscar win and working with the Irish. She was very nice.

In Wall Drug, what are the chances?

I booked a roo, last minute online again, at the Grand Gateway Hotel, Rapid City.

Popped down to the bar/karaoke/casino Cheers, for an OJ, and listened to a few massacred C&W standards.

Cheers was a mix of hotel residents and locals, hosted by the usual over enthusiastic KJ. The voices were no better or worse than in NYC, just a lot less Koreans. One large lad unfortunately took the “dance like you’re alone in your living room” thing too literally and of course someone always butchers a Patsy Cline song (Crazy tonight).

330 miles added to the odometer today.

Today’s Bills:

Gas : $92
Hotel: $115
Dinner: $12

Tooleing Around: Day 8

Today I’m wearing a skull themed, Queens of the Stone Age t-shirt so I look tough as I move further west into South Dakota. The skull has a sky blue circumference which nicely accents my shorts .

Moving away from Manning today means I will miss the official ribbon cutting for the new Waspys but, the road beckons.

Manning

Digital Camera

Found some local sites of interest right behind the hotel. Dorothy, a life long local in her golden years, took my $6 this morning and I took a quick walk through the historic German house barn and glanced at the Church. The field side church was moved from its original location a few years back because of a dwindling congregation. With its picturesque location it has since become a wedding hot bed.

To Deb’s Corner Cafe, in Manning, for Breakfast, I was too late for breakfast. Everyone serves a grilled cheese though . Debs had the feel of a local spot for local people, a little Royston Vaseyish.

Manning Parking

Manning Art

Manning

Grilled Cheese at Deb’s

The road to South Dakota took me along the Iowa State Scenic Highway , which had some variety on the flat, wide open corn field theme. I think it was flat, wide open soy fields.

First lesson learned in South Dakota, its 80MPH on the highways. Southern South Dakota makes Iowa look mountainous. I’m missing the corn.

Digital Camera

Reached Sioux Falls and went tooling around aimlessly and happened on The Great Plains Zoo. As a family, back in Ireland, our annual outing was the CIE train from Galway to the Dublin Zoo, with cheese and corned beef sandwiches packed in tin foil and cans of Corrib Orange. I’ve a soft spot for zoos so I pulled in there at five for a quick look around. They close at six.

The zoo has good black and brown bear enclosures and a couple of healthy looking tigers. Got to see my first Red Wolf there, seemingly saved from extinction since 1980 when at serious risk. They are not red. So that’s my David Attenborough bit for the trip done.

Zoo Art

Giraffe Spyro Art

Bear With Me

I also happened on the falls in Sioux Falls. It’s in a very attractive city park with wandering walkways. Chatted a bit with Jenny from Illinois. Jenny is a Chemist , graduated Washington State and works for Waters – they weigh molecules. She gave me great pointers as someone who had driven SD and lots of recommendations for the Seattle area, her old stomping ground.

Sioux Falls - Falls — Sioux Falls – Falls

Nothing but dive hotels available in Sioux Falls tonight. Metallica are here in concert so everything’s sold out. If I’d have known I’d have scalped a ticket. I booked an hour away in my original destination town, Mitchell.

Dinner tonight was the jalapeño , goat cheese , bacon burger at Ode to Food and Drink, a high end joint, in Downtown Sioux Falls. It was outstanding. The pepper was ground through the patty. One of the tastiest burgers I’ve had and easily my best meal to date on the road.

Downtown Sioux Falls is home to to Raven, who produce the Macy’s day floats and is also the home of the original Motel 8. Braden, the bartender, from Aberdeen up North, was a mine of information. He may have made all this up, which would be even better. He made a damn fine cappuccino too.

Braden

Jenny Weighs Molecules

80Mph across South Dakota in the pitch dark – Christ on a broomstick.

I’m booked at the Comfort Inn tonight in Mitchell. Or just Inn as I’ll call it.

A big travel day . – 260 miles IA to SD.

I did have a request from a friend to include a lot more local art pieces. Anything spirally. or bronzy Done.

Mitchell Corn Palace tomorrow – the Disney of South Dakota.

Today’s Price Tag:

Hotel : $72

Dinner : $23

Gas: $22

Tooleing Around: Day 7

Well, today was quite the rollercoaster of lowbrow to highbrow experiences.

The Gateway Hotel, last night, was fair value for money. Nothing special but it served its purpose. I had a fine big, double queen room with a campus view. It is a bigger hotel, primarily there to service the Iowa State crowd.

Having seen signs all over for Kum & Go, I had to find out what type of service they provided. They are just gas stations. I bought a hat with a bottle opener built in.

Kum Hat

Kum & Go

My day started in The Stomping Ground Cafe, close by the Iowa State Campus. They had really good, made to order coffee and poached eggs served out on their bright and airy patio. I’d go back.

First order of my travel day was to find the gnome. Extensive research revealed it to be domiciled in the Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University. As well as the oversized sprite the gardens host a walkthrough butterfly enclosure and a Wind, Waves & Light exhibit of wind sculptures. I rushed through them all to find the gnome.

Dennis, in his stone magnificence, was everything I could have wished for – 13 plus feet of elfen manliness. Important to note, he’s they biggest stone gnome in the world. Some fiberglass giant gnome in some other gnome-land got bend out of shape at the biggest gnome claim, so they had to get specific. Stone.

Then it was onward to the campus itself.

Javier, originally from Houston and of Mexican descent, was generous enough to help me navigate the Iowa State Campus. He is specializing in food studies (and I know I got that course title wrong). He felt he would get a greater world view through studying away from home. He hopes to return to work in Houston when he graduates, where his family all are.

Digital Camera

Good fortune and Javier brought me to the campus Art Gallery and Nancy Gebhart. Nancy is the Professor of Art and Visual Culture and Curator of Contemporary Art exhibits. Where Nancy is curating a number exhibits, the absorbing Unpacked – Refugee Baggage exhibit is featuring in the main gallery. The pieces are intricate and extraordinary and the audio accompaniments are heartbreaking. Each piece represents the real story of a surviving refugee.

Nancy Gebhardt - Curator — Nancy Gebhart – Professor & Curator

You are invited, as you exit the exhibit, to write down those things you would pack, given only 30 minutes to flee your home. It’s not easy. If you ever have the chance to see this exhibit, please do. The pieces are beautiful.

Nancy was extremely generous with her time and walked me through each piece. It was a rare treat. We also had an extended discussion on art; books; concerts; films; Iowa & New York. Nancy’s five year old daughter is a dedicated Beatles fan, who recently threw over Paul in favor of Ringo when she started learning the drums. The childs got taste.

Nancy – Unpacked

I only left because my car was on a meter off campus. I was loving the conversation.

As I departed the gallery, I pondered whether I was really juvenile enough to embark on the next stage of the trip. The answer was unequivocally YES. I was going to drive two hours cross country to see Albert, the world’s largest concrete Bull. My father’s name was Albert. How could I not?

Albert was everything I could have dreamed of. I was informed, by a local gas station employee , that Big Bull Al, was somehow featured during the Super Bowl this year so he drew multitudes in 2018.

So that you all have the full Bull history:

Albert, the World’s Largest Bull, has stood in Audubon Iowa since 1964. 30 feet tall and 33 feet long, he has a 15-foot span between horns. He also has baby blue eyes and giant concrete gonads, often whimsically repainted by folks celebrating various events.

Bollocks

Albert

Al’s Arse

There was nowhere I wanted to stay in Audubon so I checked in online to Boulders Inn and Suites in Manning, 23 miles away.

I had dinner in a Waspys Truck Stop Café, Templeton. Fried chicken with mash and coleslaw and it was surprisingly good. Also surprising, all the customers in there know one another. I learned that this Waspys is new to town.

Everyone remembers their first truck-stop dinner.

Iowa

Dinner at Waspys

By coincidence, charming Danielle Hale, the receptionist at the hotel turned out to be an Ohio State student and had taken elective classes with Nancy Gebhart. Mine was a late check in and the front desk was quiet so we had a grand, long conversation.

21 year old Danielle is obviously very smart and definitely has it all together. She lives locally, as do her six sisters. I got the run down from her on Manning, which has an interesting looking main street and has a lot of employment in brewing and construction. I’ll take a walk around tomorrow.

Danielle works evenings at the hotel but is also a full time Ohio State Student, commuting back and forth an hour and forty minutes, each way, every day. She also works at a clinic weekends and is a sorority member, she already owns her own house in Manning and is extensively travelled internationally and domestically.

I was so in awe of this young woman. I think at 21 I was just drunk. All that and she has been employee of the month theses past two months. I think Danielle will be very successful in life.

The unexpected song that made me smirk today: Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick – Ian Dury and the Blockheads.

On the Audio front, I finished American Kingpin. Where it’s an engrossing story, I would have preferred hear it in Podcast Format, interspersed with interviews. It is extremely well researched and I hope it gets turned into a mini-series, on a channel that doesn’t skimp on graphic representations.

The American Kingpin reader got on me nads again though, with his two intonations.

#1: His Own Voice, slightly breathless – this represented most men.

#2: The Prissy/Stick Stuck Firmly Up There Voice – this same voice represented Women; Irritated or Scared Men; Spanish; Asian; Children and a puppy.

Today’s Tally:
Hotel: $93
Dinner: $8.20
Gas: $43

Tooleing Around: Day 6

I drove 320 miles across Illinois and Iowa today, in the quest to find the world’s largest garden gnome. If the price is right I will pick it up for a good friend of mine, who has an odd fetish for these things.

Had some interesting news on the Blog front, from Ireland. My Mother has learned how to post comments. Maree celebrated her 80th a few weeks ago and is mastering the new smart phone we gifted her. Now I cannot lie or exaggerate on my Site or I’ll hear that I’m full of Blarney. Rather, full of shit. My Mother would never say Blarney.

It was a quick in and out at the Holiday Inn Express. Fast, functional, bland & soulless. This location was beside some kind of Bass Fishing Outlet. I will avoid HIE from here on in.

Zion coffee on Adams Street, Peoria is a sunny, bright hangout in a funky industrial looking neighborhood. Very good cappuccino and they had an extremely tasty egg on avocado sourdough toast. Again, a very welcoming staff.

They also confirmed my choice of a local destination in Peoria. I went to see Vania.

Vania

Vania & Visitor

Vania, the female version of the Muffler Man has her clothes removed each summer to indicate the beginning of pool season.

Authors note: I will not be taking any food photos on this journey. There will just be lots of pictures of my big head with stuff behind.

It was a glorious day for a cross state drive and again avoiding the highways, where possible, the road brought me through a lot of small towns, as I’d hoped. All this flat open country is unique for me and I had a radiant cloud free day to take it all in.

Mississippi Jailer’s View

L’il Red Shed

Fort Madison Cinema

After crossing the Mississippi at Fort Madison, I came upon the Iowa State Penitentiary. On taking the drive around and above the jail, I got some beautiful broad vistas of the bridge and river. Those turnkeys sure get a lot of light in their homes.

Hanna City

Digital Camera

Iowa State Penitentiary

Wrong Turn Somewhere?

Fort Madison is also the home of the Original Wallyburger, it would seem. It was closed today, so I missed out. Much like New Yorkers identify themselves as true New Yorkers on knowing the address of the Original Ray’s Pizza, Iowan’s take the same pride of ownership in knowing the location of The Original Wallyburger. Or “The Knowledge” as it is commonly referred to locally.

I also happened on the American Gothic House, right next door to the middle of nowhere. It looks like the old couple is hitting hard times based on the shape of their old homestead. Hubby Hank probably had to hock his pitchfork.

American Gothic House

American Gothic & Friend

Eight hours rambling later, and here I am in Ames, Iowa at the Gateway Hotel.

On an excellent recommendation from Sarah O‘Leary at reception I went to dinner at Wallaby’s. It’s Not Australian, despite the name. The Fish and Chips tasted very good, though I was hungry enough to eat the hind leg of the lamb of Christ after all the travelling.

The staff at Wallaby’s gave me a huge warm Ohio welcome. The three upstairs are hardworking Iowa State Students. Dalton is studying Business; Bree – Studio Arts and Emma – Event Planning. They really all made for a fun evening, at the end of a very long driving day.

Chris the manager and an 8 year Army veteran, was kind enough to take the photo with his much better camera than mine.

The random song that came on at the exactly the right time today on the road: “I Ran” – Flock of Seagulls. The ultimate 80’s song and haircuts.

Tomorrow I will hunt the gnome.

The Price Tag:

Hotel: $105 with a few dollars off on Hotels Tonight
Gas: $43
Dinner: $16

Tooleing Around: Day 5

Game Day. What do I wear?

This morning I wished I knew more about football. Three players and their extremely nice coach got in the elevator with me. Because I watched Last Chance U and had learned the game day jacket and tie tradition I figured out quickly, they were players. The jackets and the fact they looked like earthquakes. They could not have been more gracious with this annoying Paddy. Good luck whichever team!

The concierge at the DoubleTree recommended Peggs for breakfast. I googled Pigs relentlessly for directions. I found the place eventually. These accents.

Peggs: They gave me the worst seat in the house. It’s a hopping local breakfast favorite and I just beat the waits. My omelet was delicious, the coffee passable and the very young staff couldn’t have been nicer.

More books bought today. I talked a bit with Jim Linty working the counter at Idle Hours Bookstore, another grand little spot. Jim, of Polish descent, helps out his daughter out at her store weekends. I unnecessarily bought The Boat, first edition, the basis for Das Boot, the greatest and most accurate submarine movie ever made. Never realized it was based on a book. Someone has to keep these independent bookstores breathing.

Elisa & Phil

Jim Lintey

I chatted for a good stretch with Elisa and Phil Kukirlski while waiting for the game shuttle from the Hotel. Again, coincidentally, they were well traveled in Galway. Phil is a 1970 grad but it was Elisa’s first home game. They were kind enough to verse me in game day events and traditions and walk me the right direction for Touchdown Jesus.

Phil, retired from journalism in Rhode Island, versed me in the history of ND and how marketing and football turned around the fortunes of what was a lesser school. Elisa proudly told me about their world traveler daughter Tina, Executive Director of Art21 in NYC, and Tina was previously a curator at The Whitney. Tina is also an executive for Art on the 21st Century on PBS. I will give it a watch. I think I got the details right.

One of the game management crew informed me on the sly that ND don’t well against teams that wear red. I called my bookie.

After watching the team and band arrive to the stadium, I took a walk around the impressive Snite Museum since it was right there. The Mexican/Mayan/Olmec Dragon and the Goddess exhibit were worth a peek as was the hall of old masters. I found the Lynch Fragments pieces oddly appealing. University College Galway has faded posters of the doors and bars of Ireland and a couple of old Boomtown Rats flyers.

I’m so well rounded. I’m all cultured and sporty today.

Pre-Kick Off: AC/DC and Dropkick Murphys blaring through the stadium speakers and some eejit jigging around dressed as a leprechaun. I’m all in! How much does that poor little gobshite of a leprechaun get paid? Tell me it’s not some destitute student volunteer.

OK. Let me retract on the “I’m all sporty” claim. I got antsy and left before the second half. All in all a delightful experience but I wanted to put more miles on the clock.

Kyle Loopy, a 25 year old local, stopped me to talk as I walked back from the stadium. He told me to always remember him and assured me of two things.

1. He’s the nicest guy I will every meet.
2. He’s got the dumbest fucking name in the world.

Noted Kyle. Next beer is on me.

I walked the two miles from the stadium, back to the parked Escalade, then drove the 240 miles to Peoria, IL. Part of this leg I traveled on Historic Route 66, historic in that it has not been repaved since 1966 judging by the look and feel of it. It was a gray, rainy drive but I got to see a lot of open countryside again, via the back roads.

Random song that picked me up when I hit a four hour driving wall: “Relax” – Frankie Goes To Hollywood.

I last minute checked in online again at the Holiday Inn Express, Peoria at 11 PM. I’ve no particular reason to be here besides the fact its further west.

With limited, late options available I did some fine dining at Prime Steakburger, home of the #1 Rated Zagat Milkshake. Not a lot of Zagat voters in the joint that I could make out. I smell like a deep fat fryer.

Very good burger though.

South Bend Ape

Top Milkshake

First College Game

The Tally:
Hotel: $145 Expensive Hotel Day – Peoria must be popular on Saturday Nights. A few dollars off on Hotel Tonight.
Dinner: $6.35
Gas: $39

Now that Indiana is in my rear-view here are my film and book favorites set there:

Books:
Crimes in Southern Indiana (Short Stories. I avoided Southern Indiana after reading it) &
Underground Airlines (not to be confused with the also excellent Underground Railroad released the same year)

Movies:
A History Of Violence (Viggo Mortessen’s best role)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Natural Born Killers
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
A Christmas Story

I’d be remiss not to mention Hoosiers but its a bit too nice for me. It was called Best Shot back in Ireland. We’d have thought Hoosiers was about a vacuum cleaner salesman or something. Dennis Hopper should have been nominated for Blue Velvet in 1986, not this! Now that’s my kind of film!

Tooleing Around: Day 4

I was accosted by a Chatty Gluten Free lady, pre coffee this morning, at the lobby breakfast buffet. Margo pointedly skipped the pancakes but had no problem with the eggs and bacon. And eggs and bacon. No problem at all. Can you believe the Doctor told her just right before last Christmas about her gluten ailment?

The Fighting Irish throng ate breakfast like it was their last night on death row. The food was good; the coffee had slightly more flavor than water; the staff remarkably friendly, even busing tables.

And yes, I went for another food free for all. But it was bright and nicely situated in the lobby area and there was nowhere else close. I caved.

Those deodorants that get white powdery shit all over your t-shirts should be banned.

“Pump it up” – Elvis Costello, as I drove to see the Notre Dame Campus. A good song to kick off the day.

Barbara at The Bookstore, in South Bend, taught me my first lesson of the day. There are no books in The Bookstore. But I did buy a leprechaun key ring and a Notre Dame baseball cap so I’m an official fan now.

Barbara told me her family was originally from Brooklyn. She had an Uncle who drove his Studebaker back there from IN each summer. The old Brooklyn, as she put it (pre the man bun-vape-types). The old NY neighbors thought he was coming back loaded – he wasn’t. Barbara felt we all end up in the place we should be in life. Hers is South Bend.

Notre Dame today was my first ever college campus. Pretty spectacular. It’s a teeny bit bigger than the grounds of University College Galway, maybe bigger than Galway. I took a full walk around.

With my lousy sense of direction, I hitched a golf cart ride to try and snag a game ticket and was fortunate to share the ride with John and Marilyn Mackie, in from coal country, Pottsville, PN. John, a youthful 76, is a Fighting Irish fan as long as he can remember. The couple try and get in for a week in the season each year and bookend a couple of games. Their granddaughter is currently a student.

John had met some of the original Molly Maguire families and had great stories to share. He also gave me a couple of good book recommendations on the topic. My only point of reference was the Sean Connery/Richard Harris film.

The Brunellis

Notre Dame

John & Marilyn Mackie

John had worked as steam fitter and welder in Manhattan. He was there in 1962 for three and a half years. As one of their son’s had studied a semester in Galway (and is now a professor at Boston University) they had traveled to, and were familiar with Galway. They had taken photos of the bronze bust of JFK in Eyre Square, my father’s work. So we had my two home towns, NYC & Galway, in common.

I had a nice chat with the Brunelli family, also in from Pennsylvania (Lancaster). They try and get in for a game every year. They were nice enough to take a couple of snaps for me,

The enthusiasm at Notre Dame today being so infectious is why I decided I had to stay and see this game. Route 66 Westward was the initial plan for the day.

A very good friend and Michigan grad (as is my wife) recommended I visit Cereal City, in Battle Creek Michigan on my bizarre Museum quest. It turns out it closed down in 2007. She’s a bit of a flake (Yes! A Dad Joke!).

Cereal Joke: my father was eaten alive by a crocodile. Snap. Crackle. No Pop.

So, instead of cornflake exhibits, I traveled to South Haven. It’s an exquisite little summer vacation town with a landmark red lighthouse and attractive beaches. South Haven is the first family vacation venue my wife ever went to with her parents and sister. Who says I’m not sentimental?

The Cure tee was a big hit as conversation starter today, more so than other concert shirts. Guess we Cure fans are cultish.

Black River Books was a fun find with a wonderful stock of used books. Because I do not need another book I snagged a first edition hardcover copy of John Le Carre’s , The Little Drummer Girl. Pam, a retired mental health worker and her husband Dick, a retired Pastor, are the owners. They took the thousands of books they had accumulated over the years in Florida and opened their wonderful book store in South Haven, 12 years ago. There’s little I enjoy more than talking books with people that love books.

I grabbed a drink on The Idler Riverboat. It’s a lively, boat deck bar but had an auspicious menu and not the cleanest looking bogs. Instead, I had my first perch sandwich for dinner at The Black River Waterfront Bar. It had a hopping local atmosphere and the food was exactly what I would have expected.

South Haven Lighthouse

Not on my armpits

Digital Camera

Then back to South Bend.

So I scored a ticket for tomorrow’s Notre Dame Game. This will be my first ever college football game. They are playing some other team. I’m ready with my green cap.

The Tally:

Gas : $48

Hotel: $135 (Yet another Hotel Tonight success. I’m in the Doubletree near Notre Dame pre-game. The rooms are listed on Travelocity for $411)

Dinner: $11

Notre Dame Game Ticket: $75

Baseball Cap: $37 (but is a collector’s item and 5 panel)

It was pointed out on my comments that I missed two Road Movie Goodies on my List.

Priscilla Queen of The Desert: Hilarious, cross-dressing bus trip across the Australian outback. This was an Oscar winner for the over the top costumes.

Down By Law: An oddball, neo-beat comedy from the always interesting Jim Jarmusch.