It took a little longer than 8 hours, actually, thanks to the wonderful sights South Dakota affords: The Corn Palace in Mitchell. A sight that can only be truly appreciated in person - it is totally made out of corn, corn husks, corn cobs, corn kernals...you get the idea.
Al's Oasis in Chamberlin (where you can climb on the buffalo).
And you can't drive by the Badlands, you have to drive through them and stop. Often. And answer questions that you don't know the answers to, like "Why are they called the Bad Lands? What's so bad about them?"
We skipped Wall Drug, since we've been there about a thousand times. (Not really, but it seems like it.) And once you've seen the hundreds and hundreds of Wall Drug signs along the interstate, you kind of lose your appetite for it. (If you've never been, do stop and get your free water, listen to the cowboy orchestra and wait for forever to hear the T-rex roar. It's an experience.)
Our trip was an absolute blast. For those of you who have never been to the Black Hills, (another question, by the way - "Why are they called the black hills? They're not even black...") it is definitely a trip worth taking. We spent time hiking, seeing the sights and just relaxing. As someone who minored in history in college, I am sad to report that my kids spent two hours at Reptile Gardens and fifteen minutes were plenty at Mount Rushmore.
Can you sense the boredom? Maybe someday they'll understand why big snakes are not as fascinating as four presidents' faces carved out of solid granite. Did you know that George Washington's mouth is sixteen feet long? See? Fascinating.
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