Wed. July 28 Stops at Registry Wall where travelers on the Oregon Trail carved their names in the rock and Oregon Trail wheel ruts cut 3 -4 ft deep in the rock, and Ft. Laramie and on to Rushmore Shadows RV Park 9PM arrival
Th. July 29: Ellen did laundry & David took RV to Rapid City to get finger xrayed – not broken. Big thunder storm with golf ball sized hail at RV park so good thing RV wasn’t there! Chinese take out for dinner.
Fri. July 30 Went to Ft Hayes – set for “Dances with Wolves” – authentic even to the bullet hole in the major’s office window where he shot himself! Bought tickets for Mt Rushmore/Crazy Horse Memorial/ Custer State Park & Needles Highway tour tomorrow. Drove to Wall, SD to have lunch at Wall Drug- handing out “free ice water” since 1937 – what a tourist trap so kitschy it was fun! Drove back thru the Badlands – looked like huge sand castles, Flat grassy high plains interrupted by crevasses & valleys of jagged rocks and ridges. South to Hot Springs and the Mammoth Site: 58 different mammoths all young males, fell into a sinkhole so skeletons were preserved in silt. Excavations continue. Had left over Chinese food for dinner in parking lot and headed back to Rushmore Shadows. 10:45 arrival, good thing they provided a gate code!
Sat. July 31: Picked up by the tour bus at 9AM 1st stop – Mt Rushmore; very impressive with an avenue of state flags framing the walk up to the viewing area. Four presidents selected for their unique contributions to the nation: Washington for stabilizing the new nation, Jefferson for expansion and the Louisiana Purchase, Lincoln for preservation of the nation and Theodore Roosevelt for establishment of the National Parks. Next on to Custer State Park, through herds of buffalo to State Game Lodge for lunch – buffalo stew, of course! The Needles Highway had narrow tunnels each framing a view of Mt Rushmore and almost scraping the side mirrors on the bus. The Crazy Horse Memorial is bigger than Mt Rushmore and carved by one man & his family. Back to campground about 5:30 for Taco Bar dinner & talk & Demo of raptors birds. Soak in the hot tub and spend evening writing and getting organized .
Sun Aug 1:
Spent morning doing RV cleaning and maintenance tasks. Left Camp about 1:30 drove through Deadwood, Saw Wild Bill Hickock get killed for the 4th time that day. Had a drink in saloon #10. Drove on through Sundance to Devil’s Tower campground. Arrive at sunset with aspen trees “quaking and rattling in the wind.
Mon. Aug 2:
First to Devils Tower. Passed a guy who had parked his motorcycle there are lots of them around for the annual Sturgis Harley Davidson Rally) he was standing there playing the bagpipes! Astounding! Indian Myth: Seven maidens were fleeing a bear when they climbed on a magic stump which grew as tall as the heavens and flung them into the sky to become the Plieides. The angry bear clawed all around the stump trying to reach them and crated the deep grooves in the rock. Left about 11:30 for Moorcroft stop for groceries & had lunch and on to Ft. Phil Kearney, a fort with one horse! Got to 7th Ranch Campground about 8:45PM
Tues. Aug, 3: An “at home day” David worked on USServas finances & accounting audit. Catching up on Email and reorganizing storage for Mark’s visit. Ellen did laundry and read “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Washed the lower part of the RV and cleaned the tape off the window. Grilled the best pesto chicken ever for dinner, watched a spectacular sunset. Went to sleep to the sound of trains passing every 15 min. from 8 PM to 11PM. Good to turn off hearing aids!
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