Not All Great
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (86765)
United States
October 7, 2021 10:19pm CST
According to the GPS I’m about 500 miles from home. Bobby Bare is happy. 
The vacation has been a blast, and I’m so thankful that you all have enjoyed the photos. Believe me, they pale in comparison to standing in front of the real thing.
So, has it been the most perfect vacation ever?
Of course not!
I made a couple of stops that were less than thrilling.
One might shock you: Deadwood, South Dakota. Deadwood is the town where Wild Bill Hickok was murdered while holding a poker hand with two pair, aces and eights, which has since become known as “dead man’s hand.” And, of course, it was the setting for the HBO series Deadwood.
I didn’t “feel” it, to tell you the truth. The “authenticity” of the main street was lost on me as I walked by the Hampton Inn and the Sheraton. It reminded me of the over-commercialization of places like Gatlinburg or Daytona Beach.
The place I got conned into stopping at was Wall Drug Store in Wall, South Dakota. The thing that came to mind was the nonstop bombardment of South of the Border billboards you see along I-95 until you reach it (which is literally “south of the border,” the border in question being the North Carolina/South Carolina state line). I didn’t stay long at Wall Drug, and left thinking the South of the Border has better billboards and is a better tourist trap.
But things like that happen. No biggie. I never would have known if I hadn’t stopped, right?!
Here’s the referenced Bobby Bare song:
The vacation has been a blast, and I’m so thankful that you all have enjoyed the photos. Believe me, they pale in comparison to standing in front of the real thing.
So, has it been the most perfect vacation ever?
Of course not!
I made a couple of stops that were less than thrilling.
One might shock you: Deadwood, South Dakota. Deadwood is the town where Wild Bill Hickok was murdered while holding a poker hand with two pair, aces and eights, which has since become known as “dead man’s hand.” And, of course, it was the setting for the HBO series Deadwood.
I didn’t “feel” it, to tell you the truth. The “authenticity” of the main street was lost on me as I walked by the Hampton Inn and the Sheraton. It reminded me of the over-commercialization of places like Gatlinburg or Daytona Beach.
The place I got conned into stopping at was Wall Drug Store in Wall, South Dakota. The thing that came to mind was the nonstop bombardment of South of the Border billboards you see along I-95 until you reach it (which is literally “south of the border,” the border in question being the North Carolina/South Carolina state line). I didn’t stay long at Wall Drug, and left thinking the South of the Border has better billboards and is a better tourist trap.
But things like that happen. No biggie. I never would have known if I hadn’t stopped, right?!
Here’s the referenced Bobby Bare song:
12 people like this
9 responses
@BarBaraPrz (51831)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
8 Oct 21
Always did like that song...
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
8 Oct 21
A lovely song and a beautiful photo.
So glad you had this time there.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (135847)
• Marion, Ohio
8 Oct 21
It is a pretty view at least. I see no horses in that picture and that takes away from the feel of the wild west
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
8 Oct 21
Deadwood is a place I have always wanted to visit! it is on my list!!!
the railroadmen's lament is banned in my house (500 miles)
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (122232)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
8 Oct 21
Thank you for sharing your good times on vacation in the Dakotas region.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222527)
• United States
8 Oct 21
Drive safely; and thank you so much for taking us on this journey with you.
1 person likes this
