Day trip to Badlands

Hi all,
Biker week has begun early ready or not. We have a few in the campground and are seeing some good sized groups passing through. Actually the Sturgis Rally is to be Aug.3 - Aug.9 but this being the 75 anniversary has prompted the early start. I told Wendy we will just put in our ear plugs and hide.
 Wendy and I took a day trip the other day venturing out to Badlands National Park. It is located only about 75 miles east of here an easy day trip.
 We took a different route there opting to stay off the freeway. We caught Highway 44 out of Rapid City that takes you on a more southern edge of the Badlands. We went through the ghost town of Scenic, a 12 acre town that sold with 46 other acres for 799,000. It also included the Longhorn Saloon, the post office, a dance hall, two stores, and train depot that is on an abandoned train line. The train line(104 miles) is part of a rails to trails project from Rapid City to Kadoka.

Strangely the town was purchased by a controversial  Philippine church call Iglesia ni Cristo.  They have done little since the purchase, some believe bought for oil exploration.
  Through the Badlands on a pretty hot day maybe not the best idea, we only ventured short walks seeing some of the amazing views.

 Of course after that we needed a cold drink and what better place than Wall Drug for free ice water, well that and a little ice cream. We hadn't done Wall Drug in years and nice to know it hasn't changed. It is one of those tourist attractions that everyone does and then says what did we do that for? Well we did find a xmas gift for one of the girls so not all was lost.