Trouble in the Badlands

All seemed well - picked up a bright blue Toyota Corolla at Sioux Falls airport's Hertz rental counter. Luggage fit and everything. Didn't like hills but sipped gas so we were happy.

Travis and Joe (l-r) work on trunk. Photo by Debi Lander.

All well until we loaded up to leave Wall for Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial and Mount Rushmore. Trunk would not close. Knights of the Road Joe Leach, owner of our motel, and his cousin, Travis Nelson, tried everything (as had we) but had to give up on the fix.

There went our early morning magic moments of light for photography, my visit to a big box store in search of card reader and battery charger (both at home - see even pros forget!) and a quick tour of downtown Rapid City which we heard is nifty.

Joe with the finished "fix". Photo by Debi Lander.

Instead, we tied trunk down with twine, secured it with duct tape (travelers' savior) and headed to Mr. Hertz at Rapid City airport, where they gave us another car - bigger, thirstier but comfier - and discovered the arguing over costs would resume in Sioux Falls upon our return.

If all's well that ends well, we'll have to await the outcome.

Isn't travel fun?