May 30, 2025 (Fri.) - spa day, RV upgrades, AMZ, chasing aurora
It was spa day for both Otis and Lynn. After Otis’ repeated mud escapades, he was overdue for a bath, while Lynn found a fantastic nail salon—Rushmore Nails—for a much, much, much needed manicure and pedicure. Small-world moment: her nail stylist used to live in Westminster, CA (Little Saigon)! She traded California’s chaos for South Dakota’s laid-back lifestyle a decade ago and hasn’t looked back.
While Lynn and Otis were getting pampered, Kirk spent his time roaming/spending at Menards, naturally. Later, he tackled an RV upgrade, swapping out the flickering, unsightly “puck lights” in the bedroom for sleek, directional lighting. Definitely an improvement!
One might assume that moving from a traditional house to an RV would curb Amazon purchases, but somehow, the deliveries have continued😂! Being stationary for a bit makes ordering ridiculously easy, and having an Amazon Warehouse Distribution Center literally next door doesn’t help. Sadly, it’s not open to the public, so packages still get sent to Americas Mailbox, where we schedule pickups. Among recent arrivals: a surprise birthday gift for Lynn from her sister, Pirate’s Booty snack (apparently impossible to find in South Dakota), a dining table-sized Ravensburger cat puzzle (YAY!), and an essential seat cushion (ComfiLife really is the best!)—because long blogging sessions on rigid RV dining chairs are no joke.
Another win: two out of three letters from the CDTFA arrived, proving we paid sales tax on our vehicles—one step closer to locking down those South Dakota registrations!
As night fell, social media was buzzing with reports of aurora sightings, so we took off on a late-night drive to escape the city lights. We left at 9:30 PM, only to find it wasn’t dark yet! We headed north toward Bear Butte and ended up near Sturgis, hoping to catch a glimpse of the northern lights. Sadly, no luck—but forecasts predict better chances on Sunday (6/1/25), so fingers crossed! The stars were shining bright, though, and a few rabbits—and even a fox—crossed our path as we navigated the gravel roads our GPS so generously selected for us.
All in all, a solid day. Late starts have been the theme lately, but hey—that’s retirement life! Next week, we plan to check out more South Dakota attractions as the weather continues to improve.
Weather – High 81*, Low 47*, winds 8-27mph.
Traffic – none.
Notable – spa day, new lights, stars, fox crossing, birthday goodies.
Food – nothing to note. Ate in the RV and had lunch at Popeye’s.
May 31, 2025 (Sat.) - mom's bd, sticker board, missed aurora
Another late start to the day—breakfast didn’t happen until 10:30-11:00 AM, though Lynn was up much earlier, enjoying her peaceful morning coffee ritual.
Lynn’s mom turned 86 today! While we couldn’t celebrate in person, she got a FaceTime call from Lynn’s sisters so she could share in the virtual celebration. Bonus: her sister-in-law Michelle (in PA) joined in, along with niece Sarah.
Kirk tackled a RV sticker board project, installing a plexiglass display on the door—since collecting souvenirs isn’t always practical, stickers are now the go-to keepsakes to document the journey. The best part? The plexiglass is portable, meaning it can come along if the RV ever gets upgraded.
The rest of the day was filled with the less glamorous tasks—paperwork, bills, and scheduling appointments. Lynn locked in a TSA Pre-check renewal for Wednesday, so at least something got accomplished!
Lunch was a Yelp-inspired stop at Colonial House in Rapid City. Lynn’s chicken fried steak climbed to #2 on her favorites list—high praise! Meanwhile, Kirk tried their Buffalo Burger, which came highly rated but didn’t quite meet his expectations. Pricey and underwhelming. The restaurant also has pre-made meals, which seemed promising—until they took forever to reheat and ended up being just meh.
Later, we drove around the neighborhood near Dinosaur Park, enjoying the great views and spotting plenty of hiking trails. We snapped a pic of the KEVN TV station tower—a fun little homage to Lynn’s brother-in-law Kevin. Definitely planning a return trip on a less crowded weekday!
Now, onto the aurora hunt. Forecasts suggested the best viewing would be Sunday night/Monday morning, but some reports hinted at possible sightings tonight. We stayed up until midnight before calling it quits—only to wake up to social media flooded with aurora pics from 1:30 AM. Missed it by an hour! 😩 Fingers crossed for Sunday—alarms are officially set.
Otis continues to live his best life. He gets multiple walks per day and is a great traveler. Couldn’t ask for a better dog, except when he doesn’t listen. 😂
$$ Note: Daily supply costs are creeping up, thanks to Kirk snagging the fog lights he’s been eyeing for months—they were on sale, so obviously it was a must 😂. Also, a deposit went down on a grill guard for the truck, because apparently, it’s a requirement in South Dakota (or at least Kirk believes it is). Practical justification? In case we hit a deer. Actual justification? Because everyone has one, so obviously, we need one too. 😂
All in all, a slow but satisfying day—just another chapter in this South Dakota adventure!
Weather – High 78*, Low 5*, winds 10-20mph.
Traffic – None.
Notable – sticker board, Colonial House chicken fried steak.
Food – Colonial House
I hear r tonight is a good night for the aurora!
Yes, I hope so! However the cloud cover is worse tonight than last night. Fingers crossed!