As some of you already knew, I spent the last week in the land of ICE Barbie aka Kristi Noem. In other words, I went to South Dakota.
When I was first planning this trip I was excited- I hadn’t been to the Black Hills since I was approximately 10 years old. But as the time got closer I started worrying a little. South Dakota is painted as a very red state. Would there be any issues with me – a woman – travelling alone? Would there be MAGA crap everywhere I looked?
I’m happy to say that my fears were unfounded. The only place I saw any amount of MAGA gear was at Mt Rushmore, and even there those folks were only a fraction of the visitors. Everywhere I went I met lovely people out enjoying the sights just like I was.
And yes I did talk to people while I was out and about. I always do. I learned that from my dad- I grew up watching him chat up waitresses, gift shop employees, and anyone else we came across while vacationing. We found out about hidden gems to visit and once even got a personal tour of a copper mine from a employee that was far more in depth than the standard one the company offered. I didn’t get that lucky, but I did learn about a couple places to eat and a late night program out in the Badlands I would have otherwise missed.
You might be saying that I didn’t get a good overall view of the state because I was only in tourist areas. But that’s not entirely true. I stopped for gas in a few smaller towns and on the way back east I didn’t take Interstate 90 across the state so I was WAY off the beaten path. And I didn’t see anything frightening anywhere unless you count the “no services next 65 miles” sign. I saw far fewer anti abortion signs than I see in Iowa and I even saw a couple pride flags in Rapid City.
I understand if, given the rhetoric of many of the state’s leaders, why you may not want to visit the Black Hills. But I urge you to consider it if you are looking for a road trip this year. You could do a lot worse.
One final note if you do decide to visit- do NOT stay at the Econolodge in the town of Wall. Trust me on this one.