Day 3 - Casper, Wy - Mitchell, SD

Day 3....started out like any road trip day - woke up, got dressed, ate breakfast and hit the road. The girls (Erica and Loren) somehow got the car packed (Tetris skills came in handy positioning luggage into the trunk)!


The plan for this day was an aggressive one....Casper to Mt Rushmore, Mt Rushmore to Mitchell, SD (10 hours of driving time alone)!


Should mention at this point the Sturgis event. Sturgis is a motorcycle run that occurs once a year and this year is the 70th anniversary of the event. There were 1,000's (no exaggeration) of bikes in the town (Custer) near Mt Rushmore. Was quite a sight! Really cool! Must be so much fun if you're into it. The town welcomes all these people and the bikers are all so friendly. Was fun asking people where they were from and starting a conversation about their trip, etc.


Mt. Rushmore was incredible! It’s always so amazing to me when you finally get to see something in person that is so familiar to you. Spent an hour or two touring the site and then had to hit the road again for the remaining 6 hour drive of the day.


As we exited the area we came upon a place called Bear Country USA. We quickly hung a u-turn and went in. What a fun place! It’s basically a drive thru zoo. We saw arctic wolves, buffalo, goats (and baby goats), rams, and lots of Bears! Was so cool. And then there was Babyland...were all the baby animals are kept. So freakin cute (look at Erica's blog for pictures). So after spending 2 hours of unplanned time in Bear Country we hit the road again. This is were it gets dicey.....


...with a 6 hour drive ahead of us and its around 6:30 pm and we're just heading out...the prospect of the next leg of the trip got to us. Now I should interject here that I don't love the Garmin navigation device- especially when it guides you incorrectly and I was driving and getting lost and getting very, very frustrated. Ding! Round 1 of the day! Rocco vs. Rocco is never pretty. With curt tones flying back and forth and decibels levels higher than should be the round ended with one "you're a bitch" and the return of "F U Mom" (note...FU was not used (insert actual words here)!


30 minutes later, and 2 I'm sorry's the trip was back on course again. Driving along we came upon Wall Drug. Now, for the life of me I had no idea what this was, but let me tell you there are mile marks every mile announcing the destination mile marker to Wall Drug. When we finally got there, it was basically an old west, village filled with chotskies that no one needs. So, another 1.5 hour spent at Wall Drug and dinner at Dairy Queen and we're on the road again. Driving at night (not my fav) and thru the Badlands we still have another 3 hours to go...should arrive at 12:30 am!


Finally, we arrive in Mitchell, SD at the Ramada Inn. We're freakin' tired and cranky. Ding! Round 2. Trying to get all correct luggage out of the car triggers Rocco vs Rocco again! Picture a dark, hotel parking lot filled with hundreds of chirping crickets and all our luggage all over the parking lot!!! (See below picture just imagine it at night)

So that was Day 3! Truthfully we had a really good time and I know this blog emphasized the "rougher" parts of the trip, but the 3 of us are getting along well and while Loren's been exposed to some of the "darker" sides of the Rocco girls...it isn't the first time (and for sure won't be the last).
Having fun and will post more tomorrow.
Love ya all...