Days 76 and 77 - a quiet weekend with a wet ending

Day 76 - Saturday

People are starting to come in for the convention now, although it's still 5 days away.  I can't work at HRB as they're closed so we have quiet day around town.  There's a bison ranch 30 miles south of here.  We tried to get in yesterday but their tour was full, and they don't do tours on Saturdays.  We do have a good meal of spare ribs at the unlikely named Pokey's Barbecue.

We were hoping to drive down to Spearfish today to pick up the Focus, but a part broke when they were putting our transmission back together and the UPS truck bringing that part broke down, so it will be at least Monday before we can go get the car.

We emphasize to them that Monday is about the last day we can come for the car without major inconvenience since Convention events will start on Tuesday, and they promise to do what they can.  Still no news on a manual Fiesta from the Rapid City Ford dealer.  I'd also called a Toyota dealer in Sheridan, a little way out of our route but the nearest place to Gillette with a dealer..  He tells us that manual versions of the Yaris, Toyota's small car, are hard to come by and they're also more expensive than the Fiesta, so that option won't work.

Meanwhile, we sit tight in Gillette.

Day 77 - Sunday

We've been wanting to visit the West Texas Trail museum in Moorcroft and Vicky suggests it for today.  A cunning plan, but I check online and find the museum is only open Monday thru Friday so that's out.

We get out the carpet shampooing machine and I clean the carpets.  This having been done we need to leave the RV to let it dry out, so we go for a drive around town.  Gillette is a big coal producing town and not particularly scenic so we're just marking time at the moment.

To let the carpets dry in peace we go to the movies.  "Skyscraper", starring Dwayne Johnson is not just a "spectacle" movie.  The plot not only involves complex characters with genuine (in their minds) reasons for their actions, it also emphasizes the importance of family, and protecting one's loved ones.  A good diversion.

Overnight we have a flood due to the still not fixed air conditioner.  I suggest there might be somebody at the convention who can help.  Vicky is skeptical, but she agrees to try tomorrow and meanwhile we do get the covers dry.   By morning most of the carpets also dry out.