Signs, Signs, Everywhere the Signs...

 

If you said, "A song by the Canadian band Five Man Electrical Band, 1971," you get 25 bonus points.  If you said, "You must be driving across South Dakota," you are correct, but no bonus points.

It has been 4 years since we've driven across South Dakota.  If it weren't for all the billboards (signs), it would be a lot of prairie and farm fields.  So, a look at some of the signs to entertain you along the way...

 Of course, the grand-daddy of South Dakota signs: Wall Drug.  These days, they have a lot of competition in the billboard biz...

Firehenge is new since we've been here last.  It appears to be firetrucks arranged like Carhenge, which is a bunch of cars buried upright in Nebraska to somewhat look like Stonehenge.  Everybody looking to cash in somehow...

 Informational signs...

 Not signs, but windmills that weren't hear when we were last here...

 Many signs...

 Signs on the side of semi trailers...

 Signs that have the item they are advertising alongside them...

 Not a sign, but the river (Missouri River) that divides South Dakota into East River and West River...

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It was windy last night where we were parked; as in: gusts above 50 mph.  Yeah, you notice that.  Not much sleep.  Then today, it was windy, with gusts above 25 mph, as a headwind.  You notice that, too; especially at the gas pump.  At one fill up (we got gas twice today), our miles per gallon was down to just over 13 mpg.  We generally see 16 to 18 mpg.  The van can handle it, but the wind makes a difference.

We are down for the night at one of our favorite places: Hart Ranch in the Black Hills.  It is cool and windy here.  Murphy won't be going outside; he is not a fan of the wind.  But, we will be able to sleep without air conditioning tonight - the first time since we left home.  That should make for a quiet night.  The a/c is necessary, but it isn't quiet... a trade-off for comfort.  We may need heat tonight, but that is much quieter.  Now, if the cats can make it through the night without the zoomies, there is the possibility for us all to get a good night's sleep.