Dateline: Divide, MT, May 28

On the way out of town, we remembered we'd forgotten to post a shot of the Hearst Castle snowglobe, and I know how much some of you crave these snowglobe pictures. So here ya go, whoever you are.

Dateline: Hardin, WY, May 28

L'il family restaurant with a Purple Cow theme. BBQ hamburger sandwich turned out to be sloppy joes. Who knew?

Dateline: Custer, SD, May 28

The triangular blob against the horizon is our tent at sunset. Like most of our "impressionistic" shots, it didn't start out that way, but I'll take it.

The campground was on a slight hill, and all night long we'd have to wake up every now and then to climb back up to the top of the air mattress.

Dateline: Mt Rushmore, SD, May 29

Oh, man, what a tourist trap - Janet, you were right - but I'm glad we went! It's such a piece of American schtick, and the people-watching was killer! There was a 7 foot tall actor dressed as Lincoln posing for photos with people - I should have gotten a shot of him, dammit. (It was so overwhelmingly kitcshy that it took me a while to get into it.)

Dateline: Mt Rushmore, SD, May 29

You've got to be kidding - WAAAAAAAAAY too tasteful.

Dateline: Mt Rushmore, SD, May 29

Ah, that's more like it. (Those are buffalo in the foreground.)

Dateline: Mt Rushmore, SD, May 29

So why did Lincoln get stuck with waffles?

(We figured George-o got soft food for his wooden teeth, Teddy got the Great Outdoorsman's Special, and Jeffie got the toast from his trading partner, Nappy Bonaparte.)

Dateline: Mt Rushmore, SD, May 29

A Fudge-alo. Really.

Dateline: Custer State Park, SD, May 29

So we're in the park passing signs every twenty feet that say, "BUFFALO ARE DANGEROUS! STAY AWAY FROM THE BUFFALO!" And we figure we'll see 'em grazing off a ways in the grasslands.

Then we come around the corner, and there they are: killer buffalo. I slowed the van down and tried hard to look herbivorous.

Dateline: Custer State Park, SD, May 29

Buffalo calves EVERYWHERE. Frisky little critters, too. And they were sooooo cute...

Dateline: Custer State Park, SD, May 29

... that I almost hated to eat one.

(Note the shirt. This is my de facto shirt when we camp. Why? I have no idea.)

Dateline: Custer State Park, SD, May 29

"Are you lookin' at me? Are you lookin' at ME?!? Don't you... why I oughta...! You wanna piece of me!??! Come on over here - I'll kick your ass!"

Dateline: Custer State Park, SD, May 29

Speaking of which:

"Mind if I use your van as a napkin?"

Dateline: Custer, SD, May 29

Awwwww....