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Holed up in Wall Drugs Did the Hole in the Wall gang have to put up with this? Sixteen hours in Wall Drugs trying to wait out the heat, put us all on edge. After 6:00, there was finally some relief. Once started, we made a dash for the border to try to beat the heat, and get as much pavement behind us as we could while travel was possible. No let up was predicted for the heat, and it was forecasted to be traveling east.

	Uh oh, it's those two middle aged guys, looking a bit ragged after a couple of weeks on the road. We have just entered South Dakota from Wyoming, and are posing in front of one of the trademark concrete teepees. Those are some of the Black Hills behind us.
	Rapid City, South Dakota. As many times as I have been this way, I have never stopped at Rapid City. I have known this place, since childhood, as the city in which Cary Grant stayed during the chase in the Alfred Hitchcock movie, North by Northwest.
	The corners of the central downtown area have sculptures of American presidents and Indian leaders.
	Looking down the street in Rapid City. The terrible heat was still with us, and Rapid City was actually sort of a dull place. We were expecting it to eclipse Sioux Falls, but the opposite was true.
	Downtown Rapid City.
	Having been to Wall Drugs on four previous occasions, none of this was new to me. it was however a first visit for my mom and brother.
	A recreation of the original Wall Drug Store front, from decades ago.
	A look towards the back of main street, Wall Drugs.
	Heading towards the restaurant and the ice cream parlor.
	This is the Wall Drug back yard, full of the usual assortment of odds and ends.
	A picture gallery in the back room of Wall Drugs. The Wall Drug dinosaur waits in the background.
The wall Drugs dinosaur, waiting for a victim, and preparing to strike. This was new since my last visit.
	Left and Below: an assortment of characters and denizens of Wall drugs. Most are made of wood, but there are a few made of other materials.
	Getting something to eat in Wall Drugs. the food was reasonably priced and fairly good. It also helped to pass the time as we were still hesitant to brave the heat outside.
	we stop at Al's Oases, on the Missouri River. This is not a photograph of Al. The bluffs of the Eastern bank of the river are visible past the buffalo
	The inside of Al's. This is my second time here. The food is fairly good, and the portions are big enough. the place is full of interesting things in the back, but we were tired, and in a hurry, so there was no time to look.
	The foyer and the entrance to al's (surprise) gift shop.
	Outside of Al's is another icon of the road trip --- the fireworks stand.
	The front of Al's at dusk, as we leave.
	Arriving at the river rest stop just after dusk.
	Going to the tourist center, and the rest area, nearly everything is closed here.
	The teepee is lit up for the night. I have never been to this area after dark.
	Lights on as the Missouri goes to sleep.
	A look over the park and down the river. Al's is down there somewhere.
	Always ready to serve. One of the great accomplishments of civilization, as seen by tourists on the road is the vending machine.
	Getting into Minnesota in the middle of the night. We had crossed the border around midnight, and traveled for another hour or two. We wished to make the best use of the nigh for traveling, because the oppressive heat was coming east with us.
	Here's what happens when you push a bit too hard. I lost a tire right at the Wisconsin border. One of the rest stop people was very nice, and gave me some fix a flat so that I could limp to this garage in LaCrosse. Actually, most of my road trips seem to end in some type of car problem.

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