Category: Following The Oregon Trail 2023

Hello all! The book that was the inspiration for this trip out west was written by my Great-Grand Uncle, Joel Barnett.  My Aunt Jane Jackson Drury reminded me recently that there is an online digital version of “A Long Trip in a Prairie Schooner”.  Joel Barnett is Aunt Jane’s Great Uncle, an older brother to…

July 1, 2023 The last stop: Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  Who knew there were Falls here? Actually, this place has a very storied history.  Enjoy my photos and videos.  This is the final post for this trip. Thank you for following along!    

July 1, 2023   The World’s Only Corn Palace! in Mitchell, South Dakota is a building that has mosaic artwork on its walls constructed entirely out of corn and corn by-products.  I also saw some wheat in there as well.  I am sure this takes a long time to plan and execute and it used…

  June 30, 2023 The Badlands!  Definitely a highlight of the trip. Just South of Wall, South Dakota. I won’t say much more after this.  If you can make it to this area of the country, you should check this out!  I was there for hours! Enjoy the photos and videos.   The Badlands are…

June 29, 2023 Wall Drug in Wall, South Dakota was a bit of a disappointment.  I don’t know what I was expecting, but it was a real tourist trap.  A LOT of tourists there.  Many, many shops with cheap tchotchkes and a cafe within this mini shopping mall.  I stopped in a leather shop and…

June 29, 2023 I passed through Sturgis, South Dakota three times getting to both Devils Tower, Wyoming and Bear Butte, South Dakota. Interesting town. Lots of motorcycle-centric businesses.  I’m glad it wasn’t motorcycle week. Next up is Bear Butte.  It’s a big dang hill!  This also a pay to enter site and there was an…

June 29, 2023 After a rainy night in Rapid City, South Dakota, on to more sightseeing!  First, Devils Tower, and it is quite a sight! And very crowded. This is a pay to enter National Park and there was a flashing sign indicating very limited parking.  The were a lot of families there visiting, so…

June 28, 2023 Also at Mt. Rushmore today. It got cloudy and cool…now raining in Rapid City. We were last here as a family in 1968. Our visit to Mt. Rushmore as a family on a trip out west in 1968:

June 28, 2023 At the Crazy Horse Monument today. Like Graceland, it has become highly commercialized. Somehow, don’t think that was the original intent of the artist. The small black sculpture is what the artist envisioned. This was taken from very far away using the zoom on my phone camera.  It was $15.00 to enter…

July 8, 2023 Stay tuned for my return trip to home.  I visited several monuments and tourist traps on the way back home through Wyoming and South Dakota.  I will be posting the reset of the trip here.