Day 4(Custer, SD to Albert Lea, MN): Today worked out pretty well in the end; despite a late start in cold, wet Custer, and various stops to see Mount Rushmore National Monument (impressive, interesting story), Wall Drug (triumph of roadside marketing), The Badlands (including a short helicopter ride for $35, which was great!) and the Corn Palace (which was holding a freaky polka gala for seniors), I still managed to cover 637 miles, ending up in a town with the unlikely name of Albert Lea in Minnesota (directly south of Minneapolis, on Hwy 90). I’m getting pretty skilled at “drive-by tourism.”

The car is still going strong, although I definitely have a (wheel?) bearing that’s about to fail. I can’t tell if it’s a front or a back wheel though. Still, the noise is only noticeable at low speeds, so once I’m on the interstate it doesn’t bother me so much (I’m kind of in denial about it I think).

I was finally able to get a signal on my Sprint PCS cellphone today in Minnesota, for the first time since I was in Oregon 3 days ago; someone had left a message expressing doubt that I would be able to update my weblog on a daily basis… Ha! Updating the blog is MUCH easier than picking up cellphone messages!