All The President's Heads

August 11-18, 2019

Rushmore Shadows Resort, Rapid City, South Dakota

Day 58-65

Checking weather...thunderstorms likely all day.

I leave around 8:30am for South Dakota. Seems like “Karl the Fog” is paying me a visit, maybe he misses me. (For those of you not from SF, Karl IS the fog). There's construction on the main highway, so both navigation apps take me on beautiful State Road 22 instead. The road is 2 lanes with no shoulder and quite a drop on the edge. There are so few cars. Visibility is about ¼ mile, so I drive even slower today, I’m sure to the disappointment to the few locals behind me.

Normally, I fill the tank the night before. I’m at ¾ tank and figure I’ll get gas on route. The drive today is about 250 miles. I get about 10 mpg when towing and my tank is 36 gallons. I should be fine, but always better to be safe than sorry. Driving thru ND going south is pretty. I hardly see any oil rigs. This route is so rural, I don’t see any gas stations either. Fortunately, the fog has lifted, and I am starting to see a lot of motor bikes. Today is the last day of the 79th Sturgis Rally, and I'll be driving right thru it.

Once I cross into South Dakota, I notice no oil rigs, just rolling hills, buttes and more greenery. It’s gorgeous. Too dangerous to pull over and take pictures, so I'm trying hard to etch these views into memory. Still no gas stations. I am now at ½ tank, and I am in the middle of nowhere. I have now driven about 125 miles without seeing a gas station and start getting concerned. Finally, I'm about 25 miles from Sturgis at a ¼ tank and get gas! The sky in front of me is clear, behind me grey. Thunderstorms are predicted for later. I have about 70 miles to go; eta says 1:30pm. Hope I get there before the rain.

Approaching Rapid City (2nd largest city in SD after Sioux Falls), the ginormous sky is getting darker. My camp is south west of downtown, near Mt Rushmore. My niece Christina is joining me for a few days this week. Super excited to spend some time with her and there is a lot for us to see – Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park (her GREAT recommendation), Badlands and Sturgis.

Literally, right after I unhitch at camp my weather apps start sending alerts. Severe thunderstorms, flash flooding and possible tornados tonight!! The girl at front desk said tornados are not likely were we are, but they have a siren. If need be, they'll sound it and we'll meet in the Recreation Building. I don't think 200 people will fit and sure hope we don't have to find out. The camp is nice and about 15 miles from downtown Rapid City, on a hill with trees all around. I feel safe.

I take a much-needed shower, do laundry and monitor the weather. There’s a deluge of rain and thunder. It’s a lot cooler now too, maybe in the 60’s from high 80’s earlier. At about 8pm, clouds start to move out. I see clear skies and sun to the west, and now the skies to the east are dark. We are out of the woods.

Day 2 – Spent most of the morning working on general mail, trip chapters, future reservations and, of course, researching off-leash dog parks. Made a list of five parks; we'll try one today.

The first dog park we went to is so awesome! Braeburn is probably about the size of Stern Grove in SF. It's completely fenced in and lush, with a fast clear creek running thru it. The large dogs are strong enough to fetch in the water and swim back. Small dogs would be swept away, so I try and keep Sparky just to the edge. This is the best dog park yet! (So good in fact, that I went there later today!) Met a local and talked about dog parks. He said this was the best one, so I am not even bothering with the other four.

Stopped into Safeway, came back, made lunch and napped. Then off to Camping World to get a set of tire monitors for the RV and a Chock X. Their prices seem to be a little high. I get a discount from Good Sam but tell them their pricing is about 15-20% more than Amazon. They said they can give me “their” website pricing, which is pretty much the same as Amazon. Glad I asked!

Walked downtown; it's cute and historic. Not high end, but nice, sustainable and clean. Not too many for lease signs. Found a great vintage "mall" where I got an early 70’s no-iron dress…for $5.00 😊. It’s now 6pm and most stores are closed; I see a few I would like to come back to, including a frame store that has some local artwork.

Stopped back at that terrific dog park. Met another couple (Stan, Pat and Hud their dog) from Houston. They love their new Airstream (International 2019 twin) too. They're the third or fourth couple I've met so far that have twin configuration. It's perfect, especially when the husband is tall. This way they both get more bed real estate, plus it makes the rig feel bigger. They're staying near the Badlands, about an hour away, and heard about this park. They said the mosquitos are awful there, beware.

I am at a large, clean full-service RV resort with a small fenced in dog park. It probably has 200 RV’s. I'm the only Airstream, and probably only single, let alone woman. My neighbor, Gwen, is very friendly and introduced her 2 dogs to Sparky. She and her husband invited me out to a pizza buffet which was so nice. Told her I don’t eat cheese and gluten anymore so I'll pass but will happily join them later at their fire pit. With wine, of course.

Day 3 – Most of the morning was spent doing reservations for the next 2-3 weeks. The Minneapolis portion is proving difficult because of the State Fair. Some of the local campsites are still closed due to the storm damage they suffered this Spring. I can't seem to find anything within 45 miles.

The rest of the day I spent exploring Rapid City. Stopped into the frame store downtown and had one picture framed, replaced the glass with plexiglass on another, and purchased a small 4” plein-air painting by a local artist. Drove thru West Boulevard, the nicest neighborhood, to see some lovely homes. It's an older neighborhood about ½ mile from downtown, reminds me of Comm Ave in Newton. It has a long green meridian and beautiful older homes with spacious well-maintained sidewalks on both sides. Large and small homes, all well-kept. Then, of course, the dog park again before returning to camp. Settled in and enjoyed the fire pit again with my neighbors.

Day 4 – Most of the morning I work on Montana Part 1 chapter. Feels great to have it all posted, as well as the email version for those not on Facebook. Weather report says possible thunderstorms all day.

Fortunately, my niece's flight is not delayed and, actually, she arrives a few minutes early. The airport is “regional”, which means small but easy to fly in and out of. The sky is clear with some clouds to the West. We go back to camp and have dinner, then head out around 7pm for the Badlands and the “Night Sky” program at 9:15pm.

If you recall, I regrettably skipped this at Glacier National Park. Turns out that many of the NP’s have a stars program! Tonight the moon is almost full, which is not helpful in looking at stars because it’s so bright. Also, clouds are moving in, but we go anyway. The drive takes about 1 hour, going 70-80mph. Along the way, we see a HUGE white ball on the horizon. It looks like the top of a water tower but it’s actually the moon!!

We make a pit stop at Wall Drug because of the dozens of billboards along the highway. Supposedly, this is the largest roadside tourist location in the US. It started as just a small drug store offering free cold water to people who would stop in. Now it's a collection of stores, all with a western theme. I had never heard of it, but it’s really famous and people take t-shirt pictures from all over the world. If you like knickknacks, this is your kind of store! Regardless, it is worth a stop, if you're driving by. To make sure we stay on schedule to be at the Badlands Park, we only have 10 minutes! Shockingly, we each get a memento and are back at the truck exactly 10 minutes later.

The drive to the park is another ½ hour thru flat, gentle, windy roads. There are no lights; it’s pitch black and barely another car. Luckily, we don’t see any wildlife crossing the road. Our speed goes from 25-50 mph, depending. The visitor's center almost comes out of the darkness and you can barely see the Badland hills. Fortunately, I have seen more than my fair share in North Dakota. It’s so dark, but we can see a few cars in the parking lot. A trail of small lights leads us to the amphitheater where the Night Sky program has just started at 9:15pm. The moon is full and so bright, but it’s partly cloudy and you can't really seethe stars. You also can't also see the mosquitos; they're relentless and so very annoying. (Note to self, always pack the mosquito spray. Also, don’t try and view stars on a night light this, there’s not much to see.)

We drive back another route. It’s now about 10:30 pm and the sky is starting to light up, literally. We don’t hear any thunder or rain yet, but it's coming. Quick scare. A deer appears in the road, I stop in time – a great reminder to drive cautiously.

It’s now about 11:30 pm, and we stop for gas. Christina was eaten alive by mosquitos and picked up some Benadryl and repellent. It begins to rain. Severe thunderstorm updates are lighting up my phone. The sky is amazing! Huge, thick, bolts are just north of us. Can’t tell how far but guessing 25-50 miles away. Thankfully, the eye of the storm is not directly in our path. We try and take pictures of the lightening but aren’t quick enough. The lightning is magnificent. We get home about midnight, exhausted. The thunder and lightning are closer together now, but just missing us.

Day 5 – Slept in because of the late night. First stop today is Mt Rushmore! I visited here almost 30 years ago with my friend Terry (see Idaho) and especially remembered the visitor’s center, built by the WPA. Turns out the center is closed to fix the roof. Honestly, I am a little let down, but we make the most of it. It’s pretty crowded. They've made a lot of improvements since the last time I was here, including a multi-level parking garage, additional buildings and a food court. Ah, tourism. Went to the “artist’s studio” and listened to a Ranger talk about the history of the build by Gutzon Borglum (who also did Stone Mt in Georgia). Like most attractions on this trip, it started out as a tourist idea. The financier got the US government involved thru WPA to help pay for it. Originally the statues were supposed to go their waists, but they ran out of money and stopped at the shoulders. Also, Teddy Roosevelt’s original location had to be moved because of the crumbling rock.

Stopped in Keystone on the way to Crazy Horse. Very touristy and not worth returning except for a train ride that’s supposed to be worth taking (dogs are not allowed). We skip and move on.

When I went to Crazy Horse 30 years ago, you could barely make out the face. Now the face is done, and it looks amazing! The story behind the project is very touching. The visitor’s center video is worth seeing (and dogs are allowed on your lap!). Henry Standing Bear had been sent to American schools to become less Indian. He had a vision to do a statue that Indians could look up to; so he recruited and commissioned Polish-American sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski, who was the #2 on Mt Rushmore, to head up the project. (Korczak was actually fired by Borglum, because his son Lincoln, and Korczak, had a fight about who was #2.) The project would be done without any federal monies so that they'd have complete control, and the project couldn't be sidelined by government. They came up with the plan in 1948. Korczak passed away in 1982 before the face was completed. He had 10 kids, all have worked on the project, but just 3 are involved today. They have been offered monies from the US government again, but have declined it because they don’t want to be beholden. So, this project is funded only by donations and admissions. It's come along way in 30 years. Before here was just a rough image on the hill with no gift shop or restaurant. Now there's a museum, gift shop, bus tour up the hill and food. It's worth the stop.

From there, we went to Custer. It’s a working-class town with some tourist shops and restaurants. They have a small visitor's center/art gallery that's worth a stop if you're passing thru. I didn't find any tiny artwork for me, but they had some nice and affordable local works. They gave us a flyer of their citywide rummage sale this Saturday - over 35 homes have registered! Sounds interesting, I hope to make it back this weekend after dropping Christina off at the airport.

Finally, we get into Custer State Park. This was on Christina's must see list and it did not disappoint. It's a state park, but feels like a national one. The lady from the visitor's center in the town Custer said to take Road 6 (dirt) towards Wind Cave, off Wildlife Loop. She says it looks like Ireland right now because of all the rain; it will be really beautiful. Immediately the park seems nice, and the roads are in great condition. Things really get interesting when we turn on Road 6, go a mile or two down a dirt road, to a large herd of buffalo. Maybe 150 or more. We're on a one lane, dirt road with no cell service. The bison are barely moving, and some are blocking the road. They seem uninterested in moving for us, almost like they are annoyed we're there. After waiting a few minutes for them to move, I decide to turn around. I just didn’t feel safe driving thru the herd; they could really do some damage to the truck or worse. Glad we made this detour though, it’s gorgeous.

Back on the Wildlife Loop, we come across the famous Begging Burrows! Gave Christina some crackers to feed the burrows. They are so cute and friendly but truly are just interested in food. Further up the road, we come across a huge bison on the side of the road, cooling himself in the red dirt. Finally, we make it to the visitor’s center and watch the 20-minute video – worth the stop.

Back on the road, we see some deer. We finally make it back by 7:30 pm. I grill some lamb chops, make a raw Brussel sprout salad with herbs and enjoy some grilled nectarines and ice cream for dessert. Yum, and the company is really nice too.

Day 6 – Another busy day. Left camp around 8:30 am for Wind Cave National Park. We already knew that the cave tours, including nearby Jewel Cave, were cancelled. They're doing their "annual clean-up" and elevator maintenance. We did get to see the original cave location on the Ranger talk outside though. Christina and I both got to stick our heads in the small tunnel opening and our hair blew straight up. Wow! Hard to believe people used to crawl down this hole. The wind was so strong and cool! The wind is caused by the pressure in the cave. Wind Cave is the largest cave of its kind in the world with over 95% of boxwork formations found in the world and about 150 miles of caves. Jewel Cave, a National Monument nearby, is believed to be ultimately connected to Wind Cave, though they haven’t officially found the connection yet. Don't miss the video inside either.

From there, we decided to look for a lunch place and made the trek back to Custer. On the way there, we got a fantastic view of Crazy Horse from the highway. After lunch, we headed off to Deadwood.

Named for the dead wood found nearby, this was a town from the gold rush days that has been revived by legalized gambling. With larger casinos like Silverado, the town is bustling. There are several small casinos and lots of tourist stores. Still, the downtown looks quaint and is far more interesting than nearby Keystone. Wild BiIl Hickock lived here and was killed while playing poker. The term “deadman’s hand” (pair of aces and eights) was coined here; it’s said to be the hand Wild Bill held when he was murdered. Calamity Jane lived here too, and was in love with Wild Bill. But, Wild Bill was married and not interested in Jane. As a last laugh from those who knew him, Calamity Jane was buried next to Bill.

From there, we circled back a bit to take the scenic drive thru Lead, to the “Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway”. Just as we are leaving town, we see a funny site of a girl walking her tortoise on a leash. We stopped at Roughlock Falls. Misunderstanding the location sign, we drive about 5 miles (one way) down a dirt road, passing several remote campgrounds but more interestingly, a site marker for where some of “Dancing with Wolves” was filmed. We turn around, regain cell service and find that we passed the Falls at the beginning of the road. What these falls lack in height, they more than make up in charm. There are several levels of low falls that are easily enjoyed with decks and bridges. You can see why this a popular stop for romantic pictures.

Getting back on the road, we are really enjoying this beautiful canyon drive. Finally, we get into Spearfish. At first, it looks like a typical non-tourist town with a big main road with gas stations and businesses. But when we turn into downtown - it’s charming and adorable. Houses are in good shape, well maintained with nice yards. It’s now around 7pm. We are hungry and tired. It looks like there is a small festival going on, as the streets are blocked off. We decide to pass and continue to camp. This would be a great place to come back to.

On the way back to camp, we make another stop – really a drive thru – in Sturgis. Last weekend, their annual bike rally had 750,000 visitors. That is incredibly hard number to believe, but that’s what they say. Maybe they added up the attendance for all 9 days? Anyway, it’s HUGE. Most of the businesses we pass are contemporary and motorcycle related. Not interesting to us.

Our last stop is for groceries. We pick-up what looks like huckleberries but are ARONIA; which we have never heard of. We get home around 8:30 pm and grilled salmon. We try the aronia berries and spit them out. They're so bitter, astringent and tannic, but very intriguing. You can’t eat them raw, unless you like that “I just ate a fresh quince” kind of feeling. They probably would be great in a sauce, so I save them. After, we set-up the 500-piece Medora Musical puzzle and complete it in about 2 hours.

Day 7 – Took Christina to the airport around 9:30 am. It was so nice to have her visit. She and her soon to be husband like to camp, so hopefully I will meet up with them towards the end of my trip.

Sped my way over to Custer for the town rummage sale, about 45 minutes away. What a disappointment. Drove by most of them, got out of the truck for two. Mostly junk. I am sure the good stuff was picked over first thing. I decide to quit and go back into Custer State Park to find Sylvan Lake, the one with the giant smooth stones.

It’s a nice 1-mile walk around the lake, thru paths behind these huge stones. So glad I came here. The skies are getting very dark now, and I am getting cell phone alerts for thunderstorms near Deadwood, to the north. Got some great photos because of the strange sky. Hip is hurting, so I take a break at the visitor’s center and talk to some locals. Got to see my first marmot!! He came out of a hole by the fence to “talk” to me. Marmots are like wooly beavers. The locals say I must go to Needles, within this park. They showed me a picture they took earlier today of a mountain goat, on the needle stones above a tunnel. Awesome! I should have taken a picture, of their picture. My words can’t give it justice. This was a very rare picture. I haven’t seen the mountain goats yet and fear I won’t because I will be leaving the mountains soon.

The drive is to Needles is wonderful. The tall, slender, round rocks are very interesting. There are two, one lane narrow tunnels with barely a few inches to spare. The road is very windy. I see a large tour bus and wonder how did he get up here; the turns are so tight.

After that, we head off to Camping World to return the tire pressure monitors. They were the wrong size; I need the 80-psi size. Tired, we go home. I do laundry, snack and do some writing. Tomorrow we head out to Plankinton (Mitchell).