Today was purely dedicated to relocation to western South Dakota, yet it was much more than just many miles of driving. After sleeping in late, around the town of Chugwater, WY, population 159, we saw big signs advertising the presence of the Chugwater Chili Company. Liking chili, and it being almost lunch time, we looked for the company, and found a trailer. In that trailer were two older ladies who explained that this *was* the chili company. We sampled some indeed tasty Chili, bought a small bottle of spice powder, and went to the local Super 8 Motel restaurant, where they reportedly
served this local product. And good it was, a big bowl at mere $4 or so.
Because Essan never was in Nebraska before, and chances of her going to that state explicitly were rather low, we took a minor detour and headed to Rapid City, SD, through the northwest corner of Nebraska. Along the road we encountered numerous amazing vistas, such as a Post Office for sale, as well as a number of very long
coal trains.
Once in South Dakota, memories of my last visit in 1994 came back; the feeling of comfort and relaxation, of perfect
scenery, the green grass and trees and nice rocks and almost no people... this place looks really like one big park, or as Essan put it, like a huge golf course. During the two or three brief months ea ch year when California is trying hard to look green it still doesn't compare to the local rolling
hills.
Being the tourists which we are, I felt it necessary to take Essan to the Mt Rushmore monument - after all, as a US citizen she should visit it in pride; me, of course, just barely turned-a-permanent-resident, found the Crazy Horse monument much more appropriate, even if when looking at the futuristic plans for the monument, a bit overdone and unlikely.
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Since South Dakota welcomed us with a sign saying "Welcome to Beef Country" we made our mandatory stop at Outback Steakhouse, which served indeed delicious steak (and in Essan's case, fish, of course).