Nomad Life - Day 149

I woke up at 0500 without an alarm this morning and started teleworking.  The day began with several early meetings and very few breaks.  So, after the first one was completed, I got breakfast in the lobby of the Microtel (Rapid City) and hurried back to my computer within 15 minutes.  All told, the online discussions lasted until almost 1300 - as a result, I deferred lunch.  One minor annoyance was that I had to evacuate my room for loud fire alarms (two different levels of noise); fortunately, the whole thing ended up being a drill...  After wrapping up my work day at 1330, I departed the hotel and drove a short distance to get lunch at Culvers.  I ordered a butterburger at 1340 and ate in restaurant.  Meanwhile, the cold and wind made me question whether I should try to get any outdoor exercise.  Hoping to avoid another walk for exercise inside the Walmart, I decided to look for a park in downtown Rapid City.  Before that, though, I drove east on the Frontage Road for I-90 and located the memorial stone for William Coogan.  He was killed by Sioux in 1876 and I'd visited his memorial stone/sign least once (and possibly twice) before.  In the years since my first visit (2010), the sign and stone had been weathered a good bit.  The stone was located right next to the Comfort Suites Conference Center on the far eastern edge of town and, like I'd noticed before, seemed like a lonely place to have died when Rapid City was only a small village...  Next, I drove towards the center of Rapid City, intent on trying to walk in Memorial Park.  Along the way, I ended up having some trouble with my phone and this delayed me from exiting my car when I first arrived at the park.  Outside, it was very cold (mid 20s) but it was also sunny.  There was a stiff wind but, altogether, it seemed possible to walk on the trails.  With this in mind, I left my car at 1450 and started exploring.  Almost immediately, I encountered an exceptional Veterans Memorial, which paid homage to heroes from all the wars in US History.  I was even more impressed by all of the names of local soldiers, sailors and marines - and I found a stone with a Medal of Honor winner!  There was another stone that listed POWs/MIAs (there were several from the area).  Meanwhile, the trail I was walking on followed (and crossed under bridges for) Rapid Creek.  At one point, I encountered some strange ducks that were all white with black heads.  They looked so pout of place while handing out with the numerous Mallards and Canada Geese.  A later search on Google indicated that candidates for these species were Common Goldeneyes, Ring Necked Ducks and/or Buffleheads.  The farther west I walked along the creek, the more interesting things I found - at one point, I encountered a place with a section of the Berlin Wall (from a section located near Checkpoint Charlie) and, nearby, a beautiful music stage.  I later decoded that I was actually walking on an extended trail that was named the (Eastern) Memorial Park Greenway.  Despite not really knowing the name for my trail, I walked back and forth between East Omaha Street (the underpass on the east side) and Founders Park Road (road crossing on the west side).  The trail in this area passed under an active railroad track and a busy Interstate (I-190).  At one point, I visited The Monument (entertainment and sports venue) to use the bathroom (because all the ones outside were locked for the season).  The building was ultra-warm inside!  I made it back to my car by 1620 and felt good about weathering the elements for about four miles (1.5 hours).  Feeling a bit hungry by then, I drove (without using Google Maps) back towards my hotel.  I managed to reach the Mall/Shopping area I'd found a few days before and decided to visit Old Chicago again.  Not only was it Trivia Night (although I didn't know what time that started), I wanted to get my free appetizer (from signing up for rewards the previous night).  The bartender was different but immediately made me like him when he brought me beer samples.  Ultimately, I bought a tall boy of another Jeremiah Johnson beer (this time, the Honey Hefeweizen) and a pepperoni roll appetizer (free).  The bartender also recommended ranch, rather than marinara, as a dipping sauce "because it's better and we make it ourselves") - he was correct in his assessment.  Unlike on Tuesday evening, there were LOTS more people at the restaurant.  I guess my sleep deficit from earlier in the week (along with the food and beer) caught up with me because I ran out of steam by 1715 - Trivia Night will have to wait for a day when I don't wake up to work on East Coast Time...  I reluctantly said goodbye to my new bartender friend and departed for my hotel.  The rest of the evening was filled with movies and a bit more reading.  Bed time was at 2215.  During my exploring this afternoon, I got cold but didn't give up on trying to get outdoor exercise - hope that trend continues!