113 miles today in fierce relentlessly buffeting headwinds as we drove from Spearfish SD to Wall SD where we are for one night.
The highlight today was a visit with Jim and Peg Aplan at their ancient western antiques shop off a dirt road in rural Piedmont, about 10 miles east of Sturgis SD.  The Aplans are well up in their 80s and are famous dealers throughout the West.  We first met them many years ago.  We kept seeing their name associated with great western items on display in various museums so we went to their shop, bought some Native American rarities, and have visited them every time we've been West since.  We've become old friends.  Their shop is packed floor to ceiling with wonderful things, ranging from dozens of early western rifles and pistols, to beautiful American Indian clothing and beadwork...the sorts of things you rarely see anywhere else.  But seeing it at the Aplan's shop is not easy because everything is piled high and you have to carefully pick your way around on aisles that are just inches wide.  We saw an old cavalry flag hanging on a wall and were interested in buying it but there was absolutely no way to get at it without moving a ton of stuff piled in front of it.  Among the Aplan's other customers are Hank Williams Jr., Tom Selleck and a long list of other celebs.  Those folks tend to do most of their buying at the national level shows where the Aplans set up.  We feel honored to be welcomed at their shop, attached to their home, whenever we're in South Dakota.  They keep telling us just to visit, even when we're not in buying mode.  (But we did buy a large old, very folksy, advertising thermometer today, promoting horse liniment.  It's about 3 feet tall and has good graphics.  Very Western.)
Lunch was buffalo burgers at legendary Wall Drugs, just down the street from our motel.  Tomorrow we plan to head to Pierre SD.
TAKE CARE ALL!
P.S.  After two weeks of buffalo burgers we are beginning to be concerned about our impact on that magnificent symbol of the Old West.