Close Encounters

Into Wyoming we go!

I count this the 16th state we've been in.

It was a little sad to leave South Dakota. We like it there a lot. But we need to continue towards home, and we have a couple more stops to look forward to.

The last couple of RV trips we have gone kinda near Wyoming's Devil's Tower but we haven't been able to stop because it was just a little too far out of our way. So this time we made a point to make it a destination.

The road is a fun place to meet friends, and it turns out a good friend from Seattle was in the area so he joined us for lunch.

The young girls haven't seen Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and to them this is just another rock, but I was excited to finally see it.

We were planning to make a few hours further down the road but I pooped out in Buffalo.

Dinner at the historic Occidental Saloon.

After the wind and rain waking us at 1 am, we're hoping for no storms tonight.

Black Hills Activities

Our second full day in the Black Hills was a full day.

Lily and I started off with a trip into Custer for an impromtu thank-you-for-squeezing-us-in visit to the groomers. It turns out as we were packing up to leave the Badlands, Lily got herself tangled in some sticky fly tape we had hanging near the dinette table. It was bad and Jessie had to cut some it out. The first groomer we called was booked full until November, so I was very grateful when someone offered to fit Lily into her already-full schedule.

After the quick morning of beauty with Lily the girls and I headed to the Cosmos Mystery Area. This is one of those places that promises to be in a special spot where people change in size and the laws of gravity don't apply. I've always wanted to go to see what it is like.

We started off cracking open Agates. Mysterious!

Water runs up hill!

Jessie is shorter, Jessie is taller. Wha?!

You stand in strange angles because of the mysterious gravitational force!

How?! What the?!!

Jessie felt really disoriented and sick. She said she nearly threw up.

Here's the shack where we viewed all the oddities. Notice that the gravitational pull here is so strong even the trees bend around it as they grow.

After lunch the girls went for a trail ride. The Mt. Rushmore KOA has a lot of activities for the family, you could spend all day in the campground and keep yourself plenty busy.

Jessie took this picture because at the top of the mountain ahead is Harney Peak. Important because...

Meanwhile, I went for a hike up to Harney Peak.

The mountain and its beautiful stone fire lookout sit prominently above the KOA camp so we have seen it many times and wanted to hike up to it. This was my time.

We had a big rain storm during dinner, after which the clouds in the sky got really interesting.

Then at 1 am the storm woke us up.

Black Hills Wildlife

South Dakota's Black Hills region is a spectacular place. This trip marks our third visit to one of our favorite places to visit. It is remarkably different from the flat prairie of eastern South Dakota we just drove through. The steepness of variety of hill sizes makes for interesting views as you drive around. Also makes towing the Jeep behind the RV trickier. However it is beautiful here. When you go visit the Badlands add a stop here.

After arriving at the Mt. Rushmore KOA we unpacked and relaxed and enjoyed our first smores in a few weeks.

The next morning we headed into Keystone for some touristy shopping and to ride the alpine slide.

Next up we drove into Custer State Park, one of Jessie's favorite places. The scenery is beautiful and there are a lot of opportunities to see wildlife. We entered the park via the famous Iron Mountain Road.

We saw a lot of animals, and had to negotiate a lot of other drivers too. There are signs throughout the park warning visitors not to approach the bison, however many people ignored this advice adding to the traffic jams.

You know how drivers in the park stop to see what other's are stopped to see? We decided to see if we could point to nothing and get a car to stop. It worked!

As we were pulling this prank Jessie actually saw some wildlife in the direction we were pointing.

This gave me another idea. What if we were stopped and pointing and taking pictures of something that was actually there, but a form of wildlife not native to the park?

I couldn't see the reactions of the people in the cars that drove by, but a motorcyclist drove by and shouted to his passenger, "There's a good one!"

That evening we went to Mt. Rushmore for their lighting ceremony. Jessie thought there was fireworks, but it was a history lesson consisting of a ten minute speech followed by a twenty minute video. Then the lights were turned on. It wasn't fireworks but it was cool.

The drive to the Mt. Rushmore memorial is spectacular. I took this picture just because it was a neat rock formation. I realized later I had inadvertently captured Clinton Rock.

Compare with what we looked like when we first visited in 2008. 

After the lights came on. A beautiful sight.

On the way back to the campsite we stopped to capture a shot of Washington's profile.

Bad Bad Land

We visited South Dakota's Badlands National Park for the first time last year and it immediately became one of the highlights of our trip. We were excited to have an opportunity to see it again.

Last time we rolled through this area we skipped one of the popular attractions in the nearby town of Wall. So this time we made a point to drive to the famous Wall Drug.

Wall Drug's story of success is good, we had never heard it before. Ted and his wife Dorothy were struggling to get customers into their recently-acquired store when Dorothy had the brainstorm to start offering free ice water. Within a year they were super busy. Today Wall Drug is an attraction all by itself.

Wall Drug is huge.

Food is adequate.

We were rather surprised to see that there is actually a drug store here!

As tourist traps go, this is a good one. At least for one visit. We enjoyed an adequate lunch then walked around the store a little and shopped. The place is entertaining, if only for the spectacle of the place. We're glad we went, but we may not need to go back.

Then we drove back into the Badlands.

Everyone I have met who has been agrees that the Badlands is amazing. Others have heard that it is amazing. Then there are people like Tessa who haven't heard of it and don't know anything about it. If you are in this third category I apologize, I will not be able to fully convey to you how cool Badlands National Park it. Every time I took a photo I looked at the screen with a frown because it doesn't do the park justice.

After lunch it was hot, so the girls went back to swim in the pool at the RV park. While Jessie brought them and the dogs back to camp, I ran along the Castle Trail from Saddle Pass to the Window and Door trails. It was hard. I am glad I did it, but more-spectacular views can be had on the road. Maybe I should have turned left instead?

Jessie met me at the end of the trail and after a look at the views we explored more of the park in the Jeep. I hope you enjoy the video.

I would like to come back again some day and spend more time here. There's much to see and explore.

Across South Dakota

I find that people like to make fun of South Dakota, thinking perhaps that it is a barren wasteland. Actually, I'm told that's North Dakota, which is why we've never been. South Dakota, on the other hand, is beautiful and has a lot to offer.

We visited South Dakota's Black Hills region for the first time in 2008 and again last year. In 2013 we also visited the Badlands. Both places are amazing and we are excited to return.

We drove many hours to get from the very bottom-rightest corner of the state to the KOA in the Badlands.

The views weren't exciting, but it is pretty. Visually peaceful.

BTW, Wes, why are you staying in so many KOAs? Aren't they the McDonalds of RV parks? Yes, they are. And like McDonalds there is a consistency and convenience that sometimes trumps potentially-nicer alternatives. Better the devil you know.

At the KOA we spent the afternoon generally trying to relax after a long drive. After dinner we walked to the nearby bridge to show Tessa the thousands of nests and the birds feeding above the river. At the same time the sun was performing an excellent set. Tessa saw the cliff above the river and saw her opportunity for a real Lion King moment. I followed a path down below the cliff, closer to the river for a better shot of the sunset and the birds.

Getting this shot was not an unperilous decision for me. After walking through the grass I felt something itching my legs. I looked down and there were three ticks climbing up! I quickly got them off but then wished I'd taken a picture of them. Amazingly I walked through the grass a second time and another tick appeared! What's the deal, am I a tick magnet or what? Must be the toenails.