My South Dakota Address

A big sky arrival in Rapid City, South Dakota




When one is considering becoming home free, one has to chose, in the parlance of those of us who don't "live" anywhere, a domicile state. I basically made my decision because of the majority of the full-timers I *know* on line chose it. Most full timers choose Florida, Texas or South Dakota. Each has its advantages/disadvantages, but South Dakota offers no state income tax, only 3% sales tax, you don't have to return for jury duty, you can register your rig by mail...and you don't have to live there (I actually look forward to returning one day to check out those badlands). DMV makes it incredibly easy to become a resident, if you have all the necessary paperwork...the Patriot Act is a real pain to full time travelers. It took literally about 12 minutes for me...the Virginia DMV might consider some lessons in efficiency from them.



After much on line research (30 minutes) I have joined a mailing service in Box Elder, SD (near the Wyoming border). America's Mailbox is located in the industrial part of Rapid City. The deal was that I spend the night in one of their five guestrooms for $89; I then take that receipt to DMV and Voila, I have a new home. It went just as they promised.
My new home, 514 America's Way #4892, Box Elder, SD 57719


The Flying J truck stop, where I walked on I -90 to eat three so-so meals.
I really hadn't pondered it much, but I kinda assumed that I was going to some kind of rustic South Dakota town, that hurting for commerce, was trying to fill their civic coffers with a fake residency scam. What I did not know was the  Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was about to begin. ~500,000 beefy Harley riders with grey/white Fu Manchu's and their babes that should have stopped wearing hot pants 30 years ago, were gathering the tribe. Add that to the mix of RV'ers of all stripes checking out Badlands National Park and families on the great American road trip on their way to Custer and Mount Rushmore and you have a place that was booming.

Being car free in the industrial part of Rapid City, I relied on Tom Selemon (605-399-323 if you are ever in Rapid City and have need of a colorful taxi driver), owner of the one taxi shop, Affordable Taxi, to get in and out. I knew that I had a character on my hands when he pulled up to America's Mailbox in his Hawaiian shirt, short pants, black socks and leather brogans. He had meticulously scotched taped his collage-y-art work on the back of the business card that I copy from now.

After he waited for me at DMV for 12 minutes, I said I didn't mind riding around with him as he picked up a few truckers from Motel 8's going to places in town. Eventually we headed for the longer trip to the airport, through a scenic prairie/badland highway. We had meandering conversations about life as illusion, all the murdered Indians and prospectors, whose bones were still lying in the distant gullies, and more. It was my best (and only) interaction in my 20 hours in Box Elder.

Imagine my surprise when a woman, who was in all fairness was probably texting, was slow pushing off from a red changing to green light in this bucolic setting. Tom laid on the horn in a way that would only fit in in Manhattan. I thought it was too harsh a penalty for the offense. As we get moving, she calls him on his cell phone to inquire what his problem was (605-399-3232 was on the side of the taxi).
He says "MADAM,YOU WERE LOOKING AT YOUR CROTCH, INSTEAD OF DRIVING"
I couldn't hear what she replied, but Tom screamed "MADAM, YOU WERE LOOKING AT YOUR CROTCH, INSTEAD OF DRIVING PROPERLY....WE HAVE IT ON VIDEOTAPE. IF YOU WANT TO COME TO THE OFFICE TO VIEW THE OFFENSE THEN FINE!"

I don't think Tom has an office, but as he dropped me off at the airport on my way to Kansas City, I thought "what just happened there?"





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