West River

Well, it turns out there's more to South Dakota than Sioux Falls and stupid Legislatures that consider birth-control prescriptions a source of controversy. Last weekend, I ventured West River (that's South Dakota-speak for the half of the state that's west of the Missouri River, where the Midwest gives way to the West) for the first time.

I missed out on all the major tourist attractions, such as Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse. But I did get to venture into Wyoming, which was a highlight for me because I've never been to Wyoming, and I'm trying to get to all the states by the time I'm 30. And now that I've been to Wyoming, I only have 20 more states to go (and less than three years to get to them ... I'm sad now).

It was good to see how the other half of the state lives. There's definitely more of a cowboy flavor out there (in addition to a large troupe of Elvis impersonators that likes to roam around Deadwood). And if you enjoy slot machines and alcohol, I highly recommend a trip to Deadwood. The scenery of the Hills isn't bad to look at, either :)