Day5-BA2.12.1 is the current variant
The bear cubs at Bear Country, USA…
Me with the founder and creator of Bear Country, USA…
5/16/22. Monday
9:00-11:00 - This is it - our last day. B. goes for the buffet breakfast while I make coffee, take my shower, and finish packing. I sit outside on the balcony with my coffee, one last time, to collect my thoughts and say goodbye. South Dakota is very beautiful - I love what it has to offer, specifically, the national parks, the Black Hills…nature, largely untouched. I sit and look at the pine trees until a huge wasp flies into the corner of the balcony - I’m out.
11:00-1:00 - B. and I check out of the hotel, but we still have time to kill because our flight doesn’t leave until 4:30. My therapist recommended seeing Bear Country USA, in Black Hills, SD, so we go.
Bear Country is actually a zoo. I’m not a fan of zoos, although I’ve been known to go - refer to my previous Santa Barbara Zoo posts on this blog if you’re interested. BUT, I’ve boycotted Sea World for the last 15 years.
This is a different kind of zoo, however, in that you remain in your vehicle at all times, and slowly drive around the perimeter of the park, as various animals are roaming the grounds (200 acres). From this vantage point, it’s difficult to see the fencing, although it exists, and this creates the illusion of an outdoor space for the animals, without boundaries. It’s deceptive, but effective, although I’m still uneasy. Technically, the animals are, in fact, caged…nevertheless, I love it. We drive past black bears, elk, reindeer, regular deer, rocky mountain goats, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, buffalo, and foxes. There are black bears all over the place - it’s incredible.
Once the drive is over, we park the car and take the cement paseo that encircles the front of the park to look at the various exhibits and to see the bear cubs!! They are soooo cute!! I’m very conflicted…I love seeing them but I’m heartbroken that they’re in captivity, although they don’t seem to realize it…but that’s not the point. They act like toddlers, wrestling with each other, tumbling, climbing on the wooden apparatus…see the picture I posted at the top of the blog.
1:00-2:30 - B. and I drive back to Keystone to the National Presidential Wax Museum, which contains “over 100 lifelike wax figures, including all 46 U.S. presidents, all depicted in stunning visual recreations of iconic moments in U.S. presidential history.” This is another referral from my therapist. Most of the wax figures are placed in their own “stages” - scenes created to reflect their place in history at any given time. I like the Wax Museum…I really do…but this is a confined space with no ventilation and, although technically not crowded, we’re on top of the people in front of and behind us. One couple is obese and wheezing heavily - unmasked - and she keeps coughing. It’s disgusting and unnerving. One half of the other couple - a female - has a phlegmy smoker’s hack that can’t be contained. I just want to get out of there, although B. is enjoying reading the various placards and takes his time. It’s a relief to be outside and breathe fresh air.
2:30-4:30 - B. and I drive to the Rapid City Airport, turn in the car, and grab lunch inside the airport. There is nobody in the airport. I’m not exaggerating…I mean there is nobody in the airport, other than two TSA employees who look bored. Why is it that I do NOT have to take my shoes off here, but I still have to at LAX and Burbank? I have my mandatory two drinks and we board without incident on the same, teeny-tiny plane (one aisle with two seats to the left, one seat to the right) Good luck trying to get a drink, or anything else, for that matter, on United. If you don’t have that United app, you’re SOL. I mask while I’m on the plane.
4:35-8:00 - We land in Denver on time, but our connecting flight to Burbank is delayed an hour - what a surprise - and we don’t end up leaving until 8:00 p.m. I plan accordingly and have my two-drink minimum before boarding. I mask the entire time, except when I’m drinking. Airports are just so gross.
8:00-9:30 - We land at Burbank late, but without incident. I’m grateful the flight was only delayed by an hour, instead of a day(s), as I have to be in Inglewood tomorrow morning at 8:00 for my F2F high school class. I’m still masking.
9:30-10:30 - We grab our bags and B. gets a ride from a Metro cop to the police parking lot, where he originally parked his car, then comes to collect the luggage and I.
10:30-11:30 - Its a short ride from Burbank to my house - B. drops me off and leaves for his house.
11:30-1:00 - I unpack, do a load of laundry, and prepare everything for tomorrow morning. I end up going to bed way too late but what’s new? At least I’m going to make tomorrow’s class.
1:00-1:30 - Nighttime routine. Bed. “Back to my shitty life…”