On The Road Again – Part 1

Five Years and Another Road Trip to PA

After months of planning and packing, the day had finally arrived—another cross-country road trip with my mother-in-law, Wanda. This time, budget constraints meant a shorter journey with fewer stops than our 2021 adventure, but we were still excited to hit the road.

By 6 a.m., the car was mostly loaded. All that remained was tossing in our suitcases and strapping on the bikes. I was bringing my e-bike for some rides in Pennsylvania, and finally delivering my brother Billy’s new one. He’d asked me to buy it back in January, and it had been waiting patiently in my garage ever since. By 7 a.m., we were rolling east.

Little Bighorn National Monument

It took us six days to reach my dad’s home in Dover, PA. Along the way, we made a few memorable stops—starting with Little Bighorn National Monument in Montana. It was a first for both of us, and no visit there is complete without popping into the Custer Battlefield Trading Post. History, souvenirs, and a touch of kitsch—it had it all.

Devils Tower National Monument

We dipped down into Wyoming to visit Devils Tower, another first. Rain had followed us for days, but as we arrived, the clouds parted just long enough to gift us a patch of blue sky—perfect for a few scenic photos.

Mt. Rushmore (Sort of)

South Dakota was next, with Mt. Rushmore on the itinerary for Wanda. But Mother Nature had other plans. Heavy rain and low clouds made visibility nearly impossible, and Wanda couldn’t manage the long walk from the parking garage to the viewing area. I’d seen it before and knew the trek, but didn’t want to spoil her hopes. So I improvised—bought a postcard, held it up, and snapped a photo to show her what the monument would have looked like. Not quite the grand reveal we imagined, but we made the best of it.

To salvage the stop, we visited the nearby Christmas Store and picked up gifts for my grandkids. Outside, a mammoth and saber-tooth tiger statue added a touch of whimsy to the soggy day.

Wall Drug

Next up: Wall Drug. Yes, it’s a tourist trap, but it’s also a rite of passage. We browsed the kitschy shops, grabbed a few postcards, and sipped five-cent coffee. The highlight? Sharing a massive frosted cinnamon bun that was worth every sticky bite.

Badlands National Park

Since we were nearby, we detoured to Badlands National Park—neither of us had been before. On the way, we stopped at the giant prairie dog statue and watched dozens of real ones darting around, begging for snacks (which you could buy at the trading post).

The Badlands themselves were breathtaking. Stark, rugged, and strangely beautiful. I wouldn’t want to live there—or cross it in a covered wagon like the early settlers—but it pulled me in. I took a short hike while Wanda waited in the car, soaking in the silence and the surreal landscape.

1880 Town

I’d read about 1880 Town on the Roadside Attractions website. It’s not a real town, but a collection of old buildings salvaged from ghost towns and assembled as a movie set that never quite happened. Still, it made for a fun leg-stretch. While I was there, they staged a hokey bank robbery and shoot-out scene. If I’d had more time (and cash), I would’ve tried on a costume and posed for an old-timey photo. Maybe next time.

Dignity of Earth and Sky

After crossing the Missouri River, we stopped at a rest area perched high on a bluff. There stood Dignity—a stunning 50-foot sculpture of a Native woman wrapped in a star quilt made of 128 diamond-shaped pieces in hues of water and sky. Made of stainless steel and weighing 12 tons, she honors the Native Nations of the Great Plains. It was one of the most moving stops of the trip.

Quirky Roadside Friends

Before reaching Pennsylvania, we made a few more whimsical stops: the towering Green Giant and Little Sprout, Sarta, the bicycle capital of the US, Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, and Pinky—the bespectacled pink elephant we’d visited before. Familiar faces on a familiar road.