Custer, SD

We sat outside in the COOL weather last night at the Badlands and the stars were brilliant. We could see the Milky Way as clear as I've ever seen it. We watched satellites streak through the sky and tried to identify some of the constellations while we listened to coyotes in the distance.
At the Badlands campground the group camping area is right next to the dump station. We pulled in this morning on our way out and a large group of young boys & their chaperone's - the campground host said "135" - were all gathered around a U-Haul truck that was blocking our way out. Roger got out and went over to ask them if they could move it - of course, they said yes, they told him they were St. Marys' Boys Club.
It didn't take me long to figure out that the priest was saying Mass - using the tailgate as the altar! I felt so bad - we drove through and there was the priest standing by the side of the road holding the challis! If we had known what they were doing we could have waited! Roger said not if he was going to give a long winded homily!
In South Dakota the ranchers bale hay on the roadsides and in the medians. Makes sense, but strange to see large round hay bales along the interstate!
Signs here call small speed bumps "rumbles."
The Lakota Sioux are the Indian tribe in this area - they are into casinos too! Apparently Deadwood is the Las Vegas of SD.
We drove through more prairie land on our way to the Black Hills. Miles and miles of nothing! At one point we saw a mailbox and a sign that said "For Sale by Owner" - doubt if they get much drive by advertisement!
The Black Hills - so named because they are covered with fir trees and look black from a distance - are beautiful. Rolling high hills covered with ponderosa pine. We are staying at a National Forest Campground on Bismark Lake just on the western edge of Custer State Park. It is lovely and at 5,000 feet elevation the weather is much nicer!
We drove to Crazy Horse Monument this afternoon. It is privately owned and still a work in progress. Eventually, his horse will also be carved out.
On the way back we stopped in the town of Custer and walked around. They are getting ready for some celebration this week-end - arts/craft and food booths were set up in the park. One couple was selling "pronto pups" - Roger had to go ask what they were - similar to a corn dog! Come to find out they were from Grand Haven, Michigan - so, we had a nice chat with them.