The Adventures of Gypsy-Jackie

I drove over 5 hours yesterday and over 8 hours today!  That my friends is a very long time to be in a car by yourself...especially when driving across South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas.  If you are ever confronted with this situation, my advice is audio books!  They sure make the miles go by without soul crushing boredom.  I honestly don't think it even matters if you like the book.  Life saving! Imagine looking at this for 13 hours... Here are a couple amusing signs from the road I'm pretty sure the Native America' in Broken Bow, Nebraska did want the whites to just West or really anywhere.  But it seemed like a quaint little town!  Pioneer Harvest Fiesta in Fort Smith, Kansas made be chuckle.  I think it's the combination of Pioneer and Fiesta being used 62 years ago.  Really?  Anyway, I'm back home for ...well I really don't know how long.   I do know that I have a 5K to run this weekend - and I've not trained AT ALL. Sigh...the things

I planned too many days in Rapid City.  Today I did exciting things like getting my oil changed, eating out and reading.  I considered things to do today, but most of them involved driving 2 hours each way.  No thanks!  I think I might even head home a day early. That only involves driving 13 hours one way.  Sigh! Ashamed to admit that I've been so bored that I've even been watching sports!  Those of you who know me well just gasped out loud at that revelation.  I have friends texting me advise on how to enjoy "sportball".  Ashamed to say that I think it's starting to work.  Sigh.  But sitting in a restaurant watching "The Game" is still better than golfing or shopping.  Yup, that's what I tell myself. This no job/gypsy lifestyle is taking some getting used to.  I knew there would be challenges and changes.  But watching football!  Never in my wildest did I imagine I'd be watching football.  Makes me wish I actually knew something about footb

The sun finally shone today and I went full on tourist!  I started the day by traveling to Keystone to ride the 1880 train ( link ) to Hill City.  This is an old rail line that was originally used to move ore from area mines to Hill City where it was then transported to parts unknown.  The first leg of my journey, from Keystone to Hill City, was awful!  Totally ruined by a couple who  let their children and their parents run amok!  I truly don't know who was more annoying the 3 small children or their grandmother who was so LOUD!!!  I finally had to put in ear plugs which was also annoying because the train ride was narrated.   We had an hour lay over in Hill City where I changed my seat.  So I was actually able to hear the tour guide on the way back which was very interesting. The train ride overall was kind of disappointing because most of the countryside could have been seen from a car traveling County Road 323.  Also, the 10 mile track crosses 20 roads, which means the tr

This is another "I'm still alive!" post.  Today was rainy and I was tired so I basically did nothing.  Well that's not true, I spent most of the day trying to decide what I wanted to do with the rest of the week, the rest of the year...and the rest of my life.   No real answers for the rest of the year - but I think I need to see the ocean again soon. But I did get a full day planned for tomorrow.  And fun bonus, the sun is going to shine!  Woohoo. South Dakota is so pretty - but there really isn't that much to see and you have to drive so far between each attraction.  I've been driving so much lately that it's just wearing me out.  Time to become a modern gypsy and start flying more! 

Today was a rainy day.  Not really rainy - more misty, foggy and annoying.  But since I had planned to go see Mount Rushmore today, it was pretty annoying.  So, I've pushed that off a few days until the sun is shinning and came up with plan B.  Netflix and chill was a possibility - but then again how often am I going to be in South Dakota.  So plan B was a drive through the Black Hills.  Down I-90 to Sturgis, South Dakota.  Yup, Motorcycle Week Sturgis.  I was surprised how HUGE the bars are there.  None of which I stopped at (it was 10 AM after all), so I just drove around and took in the city.  Then on to Deadwood - this was an awesome part of the drive.  Very cool to see the tops of the mountains shrouded in mist and fog.  Sturgis to Deadwood on US-14 was gorgeous.  Tall pine trees, towering cliffs and nature at its best.  I walked around Deadwood down town for a while.  Lots of touristy shops and casinos.  Have I mentioned the South Dakota Casinos?  They are everywhere! 

Monday I traveled on to Grand Rapids and checked into my Airbnb.  It's a small one-bedroom duplex in a nice neighborhood.  It's very cozy and heated by a gas fireplace.  Loving being able to watch the flames while I read.  Even if I have to turn up the air conditioning and open a window. One thing I've learned about South Dakota is that people seem to drive the speed limit.  The highway from Sioux Falls to Rapid City is 80 miles an hour...and the people drive 80 MILES AN HOUR!  I set the cruise at 82 and just kept blowing my everyone.  It's so weird! Today I started my day with a cup of coffee at the duplex.  Amusing combination of worlds smallest coffee pot and worlds largest coffee cup. I stopped by Wall Drug to see the road side attraction ( link ).  Sadly there was some type of siren going off that was loud and annoying.  Apparently the staff wasn't worried but the tourists were all annoyed.  But at least I got to see a giant jackalope, so it was worth t

Yesterday I traveled to Sioux Falls, South Dakota and shockingly it didn't rain!  It was actually a gorgeous drive!  A very long (8 hour) drive, but a great drive none the less.  I listened to the top 40 on the radio and then switched over to a funny book on tape.  Books on tape are an awesome way to travel.  It made the miles go by so quickly! Today I'm traveling on to Rapid City, South Dakota where I plan spend 7 nights exploring the Bad Lands, Black Hills, Crazy Horse, Mount Rushmore and more.  I've brought a bike with a me and hope to see more of the sights that way. This is going to be a great week of sight seeing!

After a weekend in KC I realized my bed was just a few hours away...and that was hard to resist.  So, I'm spending a few days back at my place deciding where to head next.  Maybe South Dakota or the Florida Keys.  I have a few obligations between now and the end of the year that are going to be tricky scheduling around.  So, I'm considering flying and renting a car, so I can explore more.  Not gypsy, but I'm making up the rules here. I'll post again when I'm on the road or in the air! 

Yesterday was the first day I've had where nothing seemed to go right.  Nothing bad, everything annoying.  Such as I drove an hour out of my way to a State Park where the Missouri and Mississippi rivers converge ( link ) and when I got there it was so remote and so deserted that I didn't feel comfortable hiking.  So I left - annoying! I'm checked into yet another Airbnb and while this is a good one, I'm starting to doubt continuing using Airbnb's.  I've had some great stays and meet some interesting people...but the space has never really felt like mine.  When in a hotel, you usually feel like you "own" that space while you're there.  With an Airbnb you feel like a guest - which is great, but also not 100% comfortable. I'm going to not post for a few days while I enjoy being with my family.  I'm sure once I start heading north again, I'll be in a better frame of mind.  I'm determined to get to South Dakota and see the sights!

I started my day at Wm. Van's Coffee House ( link ) where I had a Nitro Cold Brew coffee.  They do a cold brew with three different beans and then store it in a keg.  It's served cold and slightly carbonated, no ice.  It really looked like a beer when they first handed it to me..  Here's a pic after it had settled some.  Did I mention that it was wonderful?  Well it was!  I took my coffee across the street and wandered around the Abraham Lincoln Home National Park. It's a  two blocks section of perfectly preserved homes including Abraham Lincoln's home where he lived in Springfield. The Lincoln Home can be toured while the other homes appear to be used for administration, conference rooms, etc. Really a cool little walk through history.   I then went a few blocks over to the downtown area to walk around. If you ever come here bring lots of quarters as all of the parking meters only take quarters. Which is super annoying!  I've seen lots of