Backward to Chamberlain

Mad Dash to Al’s Oasis

Yet another “included” breakfast missed, we drove up to Subway, where they make it until 11 AM; the only place in town where you can carry your breakfast away and eat it outside. Once finished, we declared we wouldn’t stop until Wall, and promptly pulled over two minutes later to photograph our last painted bison, which we had missed on our bison hunts on previous days.



Here are a few more. I think there must have been two dozen, including the one up at the Crazy Horse Museum, which is in an earlier entry.





This is my favorite:



And then we really did drive all the way to Wall, which for us is a prodigious feat. I mean, with the three dogs and the coffee and the soda and wanting to look at everything? The only reason we went so far without stopping is that we were retracing a previous route. Mostly. Because we had actually come into Custer the back way, and now we were going out the front, but with all the sightseeing we did, we’d seen a lot of that already, too.

So we went to Wall for a couple of reasons. First, we know how few chances there are to eat going across the state, so we had to get some lunch at yet another Subway. Second, I wanted a couple of bags of magnetite, one for me and one for my friend Jim. The plan was, if I didn’t get it someplace else, I’d stop into Wall Drug on the way back. Well, no rock shop we went to had it, so I went back, and while I was there, I got a bunch of stocking stuffers, too.

It was too early to actually eat lunch so we took it along and ate it in a rest stop where no dogs were supposed to be allowed at the picnic tables. But we put their cages in the shade with us and no one said anything. Of course, no one was there. No one much is anywhere in the middle of South Dakota.

And that’s one more example of how good dogs are treated like pariahs while children, no matter how badly behaved, are treated like celebrities. At the moment, I’m writing in Kentucky about other places and other times, but subsequent blogs will fill in the blanks. The point is, no matter who you are or how much money you have, if you have pets, you aren’t welcome in more places than any and every screaming, violent child. I may be mistaken, but I think in many cases, the laws prevent businesses from refusing to accommodate children, but they CAN refuse pets. Naturally, we take our business elsewhere; we have to. But given a choice, if you favor bratty kids over my dogs, you will not see one red cent of my money.

Our goal for that day was Chamberlain, on the banks of the Missouri River, a really beautiful little spot with a nice restaurant and one truly lousy motel. We saw it on our way out, and thought it was about as far as we could comfortably go in one day. If only we had gone farther! But we’ll deal with that next time.

Here you can see how pretty Chamberlain is, first from east of the river, and then from the west:

Bison bison bison bison

Why so many bison? Because there were babies! Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! And you know how much I like animals, so this was the best. Of course, most of us know what a bison looks like, so it may be difficult to imagine their calves are cute. But here you see they are.





And at some point, they quit looking like fuzzy little caramel lambs and assume their adult conformation, and you’d better respect them, but when they are calves, forget it. You just want to cuddle them all up.

Presumably the deer and antelope also had babies, but not as recently, so that you really couldn’t tell them from the adults anymore. They weren’t as placid about our presence, although we didn’t seem to bother them much, either. They would bound across the road and regroup right next to the car, then move on.





Bison, on the other hand, will stand there cropping and pooping indefinitely, which is why we have lots more pictures, close up of bison, than antelope and deer and prairie dogs. By the way, be sure to click on these photos to enlarge them, and then scroll around. There's a lot more to see than in the smaller picture.

One reason we got to see so many animals is, we waited. If we saw a pullout, we parked and shut off the engine. Within a few minutes, we'd see animals in the treeline, and then they'd come out and go about their business. And sometimes, when they'd congregate on the road, we'd just stop and wait. I mean, hello! It's a wildlife loop. What are you doing there if you don't want to dawdle along and gawk at animals? In a hurry? Take a main road. We suspect some of the people who blew their horns and swerved crazily around us and the wildlife were the same kind of people who have to have the whole pool for themselves and their spawn 24/7. Anyway, their loss if they can't take the time to enjoy nature's gifts.

There are actually some animals in Custer State Park even more gregarious than bison, and those are the burros. They are pretty much wild now, but they are descended from the burros who used to work in the park, hauling visitors up a mountain to see the view. A paved road put an end to that, and the burros were turned loose, and that’s a pretty good life for them. They have no fear of people, and will stick their heads right in your car windows.






We had two at once, and Stella took quite an exception to this, screaming bloody murder from the back of the van, from which she could see, hear and smell them quite well. The burros have heard it all before, and continued their investigation undisturbed by her yowling. We didn’t feed them, but learned they will eat pretty much anything, including pizza. Vegetables are recommended by the park rangers, and you can pet them, too. We saw two pregnant mares and a couple of little ones we assumed were on the young side, and they are all just adorable and tame as can be. If you get there, take some carrots along and make friends.

Home on the range

At last! The fog lifts enough for us to see some distance, so we head back to Custer State Park, but not before breakfast sandwiches at Subway. You may wonder why not eat the “complimentary” continental breakfast at Super 8. Because they stop serving it at 9 AM! Hello! No one comes to Custer who isn’t on vacation. We’re not getting up early. So we never actually ate there, although we customarily do take advantage of the included (Who do they think they’re fooling? You pay!) breakfast.

Never mind. We have to stop talking about rotten hotels and crappy people and get to the point of this trip: sight-seeing. Although the reason we came all this way was Rushmore and Crazy Horse, there is a lot more to South Dakota, and the Black Hills. They are so pristine and so beautiful, I’m surprised it isn’t more crowded. But it’s quite remote, too. I could see living close to Cedar Rapids. All the advantages of civilization but you’re out in some of the most beautiful country in the US. Trust me; go see it.

It’s all about the wildlife to me. Carved mountains are interesting, sure, and we’ll get to that, but seeing wildlife up close is the best thing about travel anyplace. We don’t even go into cities except for airports, anymore. I was raised in New York City. You couldn’t make me live there if you put a gun to my head.

So, Custer State Park is famous for wildlife, among folks who are into it. And it’s contiguous with Wind Cave NP, which we’ll also get to. And anyway, bison just roam all over the place. The herds are “managed” which means they are kept at a size the grazing land of the parks will support, but they live pretty much independently, except for the yearly round-up and medical care.

Bison and other animals can’t read, or maybe they can, and just like to confound visitors. They like to pop up and poop in a parking area, or amble across the road while you fumble for your camera. Their favorite thing to do is show you their ass when you are trying to take pictures. They all do it, and it’s no coincidence.




So, even though the official Wildlife Loop is a particular 12 miles of road, you will see everything everywhere, and you will understand “where the buffalo [sic] roam, and the deer and the antelope play.” All they do is play. Why should they work? We did all we could to wipe them out in the 19th century, and I think they get a pass for as long as time lasts.

By the way, their proper name is bison bison. They are not “buffalo.” Buffalo are native to Asia and Africa, not North America. But, as usual, we have dumbed down reality for USAians, who resist education in many areas. So every ten feet you will find this sign: “Buffalo are dangerous! Do not approach!” Okay, I’ll stay right here in North America and not bother any buffalo, but excuse me while I stick a firecracker up this bison’s butt, so it’ll turn around and I can take a picture. Here is a bison product:



More on more wildlife next time. That barely scratches the surface of what we saw that day.