Mt Rushmore to Sioux Falls …and Melissa Sue Gilbert!

Hey Chroniclers!

We’re back! Did ya miss us? The internet and phone service at our last campsite was — NOPE!

Let me try and catch you up, Tuesday we partied like rockstars at Mt. Rushmore. Most of the gang went to the site again to check it out again in the daylight. Got the passports stamped, got some stickers and some magnets. Then we met up for vittles. Pizza and ice cream. Exciting day.

Nah! You know we got into some stuff! The KOA has all types of toys and you know we just can’t sit still. Everyone jumped into a UTV and we took off. The New Guy had already done some exploring in his Jeep, so we just followed his lead. You can’t just roll around on the streets of L.A. in a UTV, but you can in South Dakota.

Six UTVs rolling through Hill City was no big deal. And then we found the trails. We started off a little slow, because we had to get oriented to where we were and how the machines worked. After about 30 minutes of feeling the UTVs out, the drivers started to test their metal! Over hill, over dale, man we hit that dusty trail!

In our car, I was the driver. The navigator was McCroc, he oversaw the GPS and made sure we didn’t get lost. In the back seat, the HB and Mrs. McCroc doin’ what they do best, back seat driving. We went over rocks, and dirt and dust and back onto the highway, six UTVs looking like six little blue ducklings following each other on the backroads and trails throughout Hill City. I think it would‘ve been a blast growing up in the country.

Toward the end, we really got comfortable and started to get heavy footed. That was all well and good until your hero got dust in his eyes. McCroc was in the front seat, with his arms up in the air as if he were on the Snoopy roller coaster at Knotts, screaming “Wheeeee!” The bosses were in the back seat, just screaming. All of a sudden, the car started to slow down.

McCroc screamed for me to go faster, but I had to slow down because I could no longer see. My face and eyes were covered in a brown silt and I had to pull over for medical aid. I was pleading for help but McCroc was of no help whatsoever, he was too busy toweling off his Crocs.

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Yesterday was a travel day for us and it was a doozy! Almost 400 miles. A very long day. And we had to do it after the New Guy and his lovely wife ditched us. They had to go back to SoCal because the New Guy had already missed several shifts at his family’s jerk chicken restaurant. The rest of the trip just won't be the same without them. They’re gonna be missed.

Mickey Q. called the HB yesterday. He was really looking out for McCroc. He found out about a buy two, get one free sale at the Croc Store. Mickey Q. insists that since he gave McCroc the heads-up about the sale, he’s entitled to the free pair.

The Centurion was inconsolable when we passed the childhood home of Laura Engalls Wilder today, the HB insisted that he could not stop to see it. Mrs. Centurion tells us, he binge watches Little House on the Prairie for hours on end at the Ranch. Sorry, Centurion, we just didn't have the time to visit. Everyone has heroes.

I'm beginning to think that the Professor married Yoko Ono. Every chance she gets, she tries to break the band up and do things on her own.

Mr. Francois tells me that his wife, Samantha, was practicing her hypnosis on Stephanie during today's drive. Apparently she's a little frustrated that her head nod thing hasn't been working its usual magic.

Ma & Pa were especially quiet today. Pa gave Ma the keys to the land yacht and she was concentrating intently to the road. She had no time for shenanigans today.

One band, one sound (unless you're the Professor’s wife)

Drink 'em if you got 'em!

#coffeehousechronicles