Wall thru Badlands Loop, to Sturgis, back to Spearfish

Today we leave Wall and go on the Badlands Loop Drive. The Badlands are pretty in their own way. I don’t think they are as dramatic as Bryce Canyon, but none the less definitely worth seeing.

Looking out one side of the car are the Badlands.

Looking out the other side are the wide open spaces of the grasslands.

And then around a curve and these guys are out on a bluff.

We continue on with new sights around every bend, with stops to enjoy the country.

And then I got my chance to get my up and personal shot of the Bighorn Sheep!

We leave the Badlands and head for Sturgis. We take the lesser traveled road again instead of the freeway.

Don’t know why anyone would try to homestead here.

I finally get my chance to get my up and personal shot of the big commercial sunflowers.

In this field the sunflowers are drying up, but it is the closest I have been able to get to them.

Today is our last day of touring for this tour, so I think this is an appropriate shot with the sunflowers all hanging their hears down!

But as they say “All good things must come to an end”!

We go to Sturgis and stop for lunch. Our first stop is at the Knuckle Saloon, but we leave after finding out the wait is over 45 minutes.

We head onto The Jambonz and have a great lunch – Southern Foods (catfish and gumbo) and finish off with homemade peach cobbler! The atmosphere was also great.

We make it to the hotel in Spearfish and it is time to load Tin Lizzie back on the trailer. She has taken us 1769 miles with no breakdowns! She got a free ride of 1335 miles coming and we will take the Northern route back home.

Lizzie loaded on the trailer to go home.

A few parting shots of people:

Jim and his order of “small” nachos and Karen and Dave Bockman.

Tomorrow will be the Farewell Breakfast.