Went to the "Big City"

Well we had a nice weekend. Decided to take a day trip on over to Rapid City SD (about a 2 hour drive from Gillette). We were not 100% that we were going to go as there was some prediction about snow and I hate traveling in the snow. But we woke up Saturday morning and although chilly, it was not snowing and pretty clear skies.

So we loaded up the van with kids, Big Nut bars and coffee and headed on out. The drive there was uneventful other than the kids arguing with one another and bickering.

Our first stop was for brunch at Golden Corral, not my choice, but it is an easy restaurant when you have little kids. The food there was actually very good and the service was great.

After brunch we headed over to my least favorite store, Cabella's. I hate that store, the dead animals displayed all over the place freak me out and make me angry. We were on the hunt for a tent for our upcoming camping trip to Yellowstone National Park. We were disappointed in the selection there and left empty handed. Next we headed over to another sporting goods store, Schpels (or something like that), for which they were having a grand opening. This store was pretty cool, and although there was a little taxidermy on display over in the hunting section of the store the dead animals were not everywhere, so I was a happy camper. We ended up finding a 3-room big-ass tent here for $120. Works for me, as I was frankly getting tired of hearing my husband talk about getting a tent for the last 3 weeks!

Next we headed over to a brand new Target. And man I wish I had take the time to see what deals were hot there and print out some Target printable's, but I didn't, because I am a dork. Instead I had fun going up and down the aisles looking for deals and coupons. Really the only deal I spotted was Kraft salad dressing for $0.09 cents after coupon. I also picked up a Organic Gardening for Dummies book over in the dollar spot and a few bags of Archer Farms granola/trail mix for the ride home. The little kids got a pin wheel each and a box of Archer Farm fruit bars (OMG those are yummy). And Hannah got a toy that makes animal noises. Rusty picked out a charger for my phone...go figure. LOL I hate to admit that I had never been inside a Super Target and thought that was just too cool. Man sometimes I hate living in the sticks. LOL

After that we decided to just drive around and see where the road takes us. we saw some old Victorian houses and oohed and awwwed at them. They totally reminded me of Redlands, my hometown and made me homesick. After arguing with my husband about what to do next we decided to stop at a gas station for a potty break and to buy a map and ask for recommendation (about 1 hour of our entire trip was spent pulled over on the side of the road because he needed to fart with the GPS), well I got steamed when he decided to get recommendations while I was in the restroom with Carly and by the time we got out he had decided that we were going to go to some amusement park. After getting lost, despite the new map AND the GPS we eventually found the amusement park, but it was closed. So I suggested that we check out Reptile Gardens. For those that have never been to Rapid City SD, well the big attraction out there is Mount Rushmore, so all along the road to see Rushmore there are tourist traps. Some are really dumb and some are really cool. We were not sure what to expect with the Reptile Gardens but frankly I was getting tired of arguing with my husband, and the natives were getting restless in their car seats.

So reptile gardens it was! We first went into the "Dome", in the center of the dome there is a tropical garden atrium filled with tropical plants and a few turtles and Koi fish. I guess there are usually Parrots in there too but the worker told us it was too cold for the birds today. What was weird is that there were tons of young couples dressed to the nines surrounded by cameras. I guess it was prom night and the hot thing to do is get your picture taken at Reptile Gardens...who would have thunk!

Also downstairs in the dome (but not in the garden part) was where they kept the Aligators, Cayman, Crocodiles, large snakes like the Reticulated Python and Anaconda. As well a nice collection of bugs, like Hissing Cockroaches and Tarantulas.

We then went upstairs in the dome and saw all sorts of lizards, snakes, bugs, and turtles. The kids had fun. But it was getting to be the time for the snake show so we headed out of the dome into a small yellow building to see the show. Basically it was a guy, holding various snakes, talking with the audience about the snakes and what not. Good show, the kids had fun and when it was over we got to touch a Albino Boa Constrictor.

After that we decided to see what was located outside. We saw a Bald Eagle, Prairie Dogs, and Giant Tortoises. Those were all fun to see, although the Prairie Dogs were hiding. But we have seen them before over at Devils Tower.

After Reptile Gardens we went and got some dinner at the Golden Phoenix, excellent Chinese food! And the kids by this time were pooped and falling asleep in the back of the car. So we found a Caribou coffee and headed out on the road home. Rusty drove from Rapid City to Wyoming state line, we switched and I drove from state line through Sundance to Moorcroft. It started snowing and I let Rusty drive the last half hour to home.

We got home and totally crashed. It was a long day. But we had fun. And vowed to to take more day trips and perhaps a camping trip or two this summer in the Black Hills.