At the end of August, my boyfriend and I ventured west to Wyoming for the wedding of two friends, Hanna and Alex. It was both our first trip as a couple and first wedding as a couple, and it went really well. It turns out we travel quite well together and can thoroughly enjoy each other’s company in the most mundane of places (lookin’ at you eastern SD). Being a guest at a wedding is always a difficult task for me because I’m so used to shooting weddings that I’ve forgotten how to be a guest. I was eyeing the photographers with envy. It turns out when you’re a guest, there’s not actually a lot to do. You just relax and enjoy the party.

LOESS HILLS
We kicked the trip off with avoiding the interstates and taking the scenic route, the Loess Hills Scenic Byway from Ames to Sioux City. Anyone who thinks Iowa is flat needs to drive this road. There’s a certain romance to be experienced driving these back roads. The route winds, climbs and descends through some absolutely stunning scenery that no one would ever guess could be found in Iowa. Two-lane roads are a good way to force yourself to slow down and be present in your surroundings.

Sanaa’s: Chicken Shish Tawook, saffron rice, pita bread, and roasted potatoes.

SANAA’S
My boyfriend was dead set on taking me to Sanaa’s so of course I looked at the menu first, seeing as I was raised on very basic, simple, American fare, and my tastes have only grown simpler as I’ve gotten older. You can imagine how Mediterranean cuisine might be a little out of the norm for me. The night we went, they had a buffet. They had several different entrees as well as a few options for dessert. I chose the chicken shish tawook with saffron rice, and it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. It was incredible. My boyfriend went up for seconds. I would have had I not stuffed myself. If you’re ever in Sioux Falls, Sanaa’s is a must!

REMEDY
After dinner we walked around the area for a bit and then went to Remedy Brewing for some beers and to meet up with some of my boyfriend’s friends. The beer I tried was the Queen Bee and it reminded me a lot of one of my favorite beers, Ayinger Brau-Weisse. It’s pretty tasty beer. It was light but they didn’t skimp on alcohol content at 7.3% ABV. The atmosphere reminded me a little of Confluence in Des Moines, lots of wood, with a casual, modern and industrial feel. Remedy is a place I would love to visit again, and you should too if you’re ever in the area.

FALLS PARK
Falls Park is somewhere I had seen hundreds of times in pictures, but had never been to. Photos don’t do it justice. I was surprised by the location, as I was under the impression that it was somewhere outside of town or on the outskirts of town. To my delight, it was surrounded by the city and had lovely views of downtown. Along the river, there is a lookout tower that offers 360º views of the area, as well as a cafe, which used to be a hydroelectric power plant. My favorite thing about Falls Park is how you can get right up next to the water in some places. It’s a very relaxing place to spend an afternoon and walk around.

View from the lookout tower. Falls Park, Sioux Falls, SD

BADLANDS
Badlands was just as amazing the second time around, and watching my boyfriend be captivated for the first time was a really cool experience. I love watching people fall in love with the places and things that have wooed me over the years. There were a few times when I wanted a picture of my boyfriend and he got a little too close to the edge (intentionally) and sent my nerves into a frenzy. There were several, Oh, cool, my boyfriend is going to get himself killed, NBD, moments. The rock out there is not terribly sturdy and it crumbles easily. On the other hand, while the formations are a result of erosion, it’s weathered millions of years of existence. So maybe I overreacted a bit. Aside from the sheer size of the formations, the most impressive part of the park is the section of the highway that takes you through formations where layers in the rock show off vibrant reds, yellows, and greens. If you’re headed through South Dakota on I-90, making a detour through the badlands is a good decision.

WALL DRUG
After Badlands, we went up to the town of Wall and visited Wall Drug. I had been there before, but my boyfriend had not. He was overwhelmed with the kitsch. And it is. It’s as kitschy and touristy as it gets. This is hinted at by the many billboards scattered across the state of South Dakota, advertising the Jackalope and “FREE ICE WATER". One attraction I was surprised to find was a chapel, and it was actually very tasteful. It looked like a serene, not-at-all-kitschy chapel. (Let’s be honest, Vegas has the market cornered on kitschy chapels.) We made sure to have our picture taken on the jackalope, and in the wagon where we pretended to be pioneers setting off into the wild…. gift shop??? Wall Drug is tacky in the most fun way possible, and while I wouldn’t call it a must, it’s worth seeing just once.

DEVIL’S TOWER
Being back in Wyoming again was really nice! It had been far too long since I had been. (I think the last time I had been in Wyoming was in 2015.) It was also exciting to actually be visiting a place that I’d only seen from a distance on I-90. As we made our way from Gillette, I was surprised at how mountainous the terrain was. It was hillier than southeastern Wyoming which is where I am used to traveling. I underestimated northeast Wyoming.

We left Gillette for the wedding in a timely manner, but we were greeted by a long line of cars at the monument entrance. It took a good 20 minutes or so to get into the park. Even from the road in, we had spectacular views of the tower. You can’t really grasp the scale from photos. It’s quite breathtaking, and is a necessary stop on any northern Wyoming road trip.

WEDDING
We left on time, but waited in line for a good 20-30 minutes, as I mentioned before. We arrived just before the end of the ceremony. One thing I appreciated was instead of having a typical unity ceremony, they partook in handfasting. Lighting a unity candle or doing sand ceremonies are special, but they are not unique. It was refreshing to see something new. Hanna looked amazing and being a witness to my friends’ confessions of commitment was swoon-worthy. Alex expressing his love and affection for Hanna made me melt. I’ve never really though of him as an exceptionally sentimental person but that side of him showed it’s colors. Having known Hanna and Alex for awhile, I really appreciated being invited to the wedding as well as the generosity of being allowed a plus one. Hanna and Alex and their families were such gracious hosts. The venue was humble, but the scenery made it one of the most romantic places I’ve ever witnessed a wedding.

BLACK HILLS
On the way back, I made a point of driving so my boyfriend could enjoy the Black Hills without having to split his attention between the beauty and the road. While I was at it, I handed him my camera. It was clear from how many photos he took that he was captivated. The elevation changes through US Highway 16, offering spectacular views of the hills from high and low. It’s truly humbling to be in such grand surroundings. You feel small and, somehow, at the same time, you feel so full of life on the inside that it’s hard to contain.

MT. RUSHMORE
We arrived at Mount Rushmore only to find massive crowds and part of the attraction under construction. We couldn’t get very many good photos of the mountain, and we didn’t stay for a terribly long time. As stunning and respectable Mount Rushmore is, I have always wondered about the ethics of sculpting mountains. As a climber, I recognize that bolting cliffs for the sake of climbing or fixed anchors isn’t the cleanest way to treat the mountain, but that’s slightly different than carving four faces into a mountain. It’s just something I’ve been thinking about: How can we go about enjoying things while considering that some of these things dramatically alter the environment, and are far from low impact?

Overall the trip was really good, even if it was short and busy. From Ames, IA to Gillette, WY and back in four days is a long haul. Being the first road trip with my boyfriend I was a little nervous, but we had a really good time, and traveled really well together. I really enjoyed hanging out with him and getting weird with him. At the reception, Hanna’s maid of honor said, “You make me weirder.” That stood out to me because that’s exactly how my boyfriend and I are with each other. This trip made me see that he makes me weirder and better. Experiencing all that we did in the span of four days was even better when shared with him.