May 8, 2013 - Bunnies, Crazy Horse, Custard State park and Buffalo!!!!

We started off this morning with the electricity being down from 6am to 8am. I had got up at 5:30 just so I could get my coffee made and turn our breakers off so that when the power came on and there was a surge then it wouldn't hurt anything. While we were waiting on the power to come back on we saw bunnies right beside us. They were the start of our wildlife viewing for the day. After the power came back on we all got things together and the girls made a picnic lunch. We took off to Crazy Horse memorial. They charge $27.00 a car load to...

May 7, 2013 - Mt Rushmore

Today we got up to a beautiful day. We walked to the back of the campground and crawled thru the fence out into an open pasture. The view is overlooking an open field with hills and valleys. We were told that part of the movie was filmed there for Dances with Wolves. Next door to our campground is Fort Hayes Wild West town and Dinner show. They advertise that they have the film set for the movie, Dances with Wolves. They aren't open for the season yet but they said we could walk thru the Old West Town. We might do that before we leave this...

May 6, 2013 - Rapid City, SD

We got on the road around 8:30 headed west. It was partly cloudy and cool. We stopped at Wall Drug in Wall, SD. It is something that I guess everyone needs to see at least once. It started back in 1931 when a Ted Hustead bought a drug store in Wall, SD. There were only a little over 200 people that lived in the town. Business was slow but he noticed that a new attraction called Mt Rushmore opened down the road. He would watch as the cars would drive by on the way to see the new monument. Hustead's wife suggested that he offered free ice...

May 3, 2013 - Custer State Park, Wind Cave and Jewel Cave

Custer State Park is a big beautiful park where animals roam freely - there are hundreds of buffalo that roam freely, but seem to like hanging around the road, even laying on it so you have to drive around them. Going 5 MPH with a buffalo as close as two to three feet is somewhat un-nerving. After seeing what a white tail deer can do to a car, I could not help to wonder what these fellows could do. (For those of you that do not know, these guys can out run a horse in a short run). Stephanie took numerous pictures of the buffalo’s along...

Apr 30, 2013 - Mt. Rushmore National Memorial

Everyone knows about Mt. Rushmore, but we are not sure you can really appreciate the majesty of this work until one sees it – the four Presidents chosen for this project really do represent the character of American. It is interesting to note that the miners became so adept at using dynamite, they carved the vast majority of the sculpture and only the final touches were done by hand. For those who have seen Stone Mountain in Atlanta, you should know that Gutzon Borglum, who designed and sculptured Mt Rushmore, also did it a few years...

Apr 29, 2013 - Crazy Horse Monument

This monument has become a focal point for most if not all of the native tribes of America reminding all Americans of their part and history in the development of the country. Although only partially completed it is an amazing transformation of rock to a monument of all Native Americans The Visitor’s Center is really beautiful; the Center and all the tools used were and are funded by private visits and donations. The sculptor , Korczak Ziolkowski, had been an apprentice of Gutzon Borglum who carved Mt. Rushmore. He lived in very difficult...

Apr 27, 2013 - Rapid City, SD, Badlands and Missile Silos

The weather turned nice as we headed to Rapid City, SD. and we made it without incident or snow! As you go from the eastern to western SD traveling 352 miles on I-90, the terrain goes from flat land to rolling prairies to the Badlands and the Black Hills. Each time I have driven in this part of the country I could only imagine how the pioneers and settlers faced this daunting task in horse draw wagons and seeing the Badlands’ wall for the first time only makes one wonder more how they made it Several days later, we drove the loop through...

Apr 21, 2013 - TRAVELING

WE SPENT THE LAST FEW DAYS TRAVELING EAST AVOIDING BAD WEATHER. PASSED STURGIS, HOME TO THE HUGE MOTORCYCLE RALLY EACH AUGUST. STAYED OVERNIGHT IN RAPID CITY BUT DECIDED NOT TO BOTHER TRAVELING 1/2 HR, TO MT RUSHMORE. WE ARE DONE NOT INTERESTED IN ANY MORE ROCKS,DESERT,SNOW,WIND STORMS , OR MOUNTAINS.

Mar 30, 2013 - Crazy Horse Monument

This monument has become a focal point for most if not all of the native tribes of America reminding all Americans of their part and history in the development of the country. Although only partially completed it is an amazing transformation of rock to a monument of all Native Americans The Visitor’s Center is really beautiful; the Center and all the tools used were and are funded by private visits and donations. The sculptor , Korczak Ziolkowski, had been an apprentice of Gutzon Borglum who carved Mt. Rushmore. He lived in very difficult...

Feb 5, 2013 - Sheridan to Rapid City

Just a leisurely drive down I 90 today stopping occasionally to stretch legs. Crossed into South Dakota Visited Sturgis and had a coffee at "The Sturgis Coffee Company" which was very good and just what we needed after a longer drive. Did the obligatory tour of Sturgis including the bars ,all closed for the Sturgis motorcycle rally in August each year. A bit amusing as they all look like they are built with whatever is handy at the time. Drove up to Deadwood and parked on the Main Street for a wander around. Plenty of stuff here for the...

Oct 21, 2012 - Bear Country U.S.A.

Bear Country U.S.A. Since we are such animal lovers, and had such a great time when we visited back in 2009, we just had to come back and enjoy this wonderful experience. The neat thing about Bear Country is that it’s a three-mile drive through several enclosures that include black bear, elk, reindeer, deer, cougars, bobcats, rocky mountain goats, arctic wolves, timber wolves, bighorn sheep, dall sheep and buffalo. There is over 250 acres of tall towering pines and meadows for these wonderful animals, and is the home of the largest...

Oct 13, 2012 - Rapid City

From Colorado we went slowly up to Rapid City in South Dakota to visit with our friends Bill and Su. Rapid City is a great place. There is heaps to see and do and of course every one that visits Rapid City goes to Mt Rushmore to see the Presidents heads carved in the rocks. The project was started in 1927 and completed 14 years later. A little less known head is that of Crazy Horse. This carving was started in 1948 and will not be finished for about another hundred years. I wouldn't dream of suggesting that the government has got involved....