Black Hills, SD - July 2 - July 19, 2009

We left Devil's Tower, Wyoming and headed to South Dakota.  Bill needed to renew his South Dakota driver's license after August 6, so we planned to just hangout in the Dakotas for five weeks then head for Ottawa, Canada via Thunder Bay.

Mount Rushmore/Hill City
After driving through some rather frightening fog, rain and hail, we arrived safely at Horse Thief Campground and RV Park on July 2 for a four-day stay.  This rustic, wooded park is located about five miles south of Hill City and only about seven miles west of Mount Rushmore, as the crow flies.

We were drawn here by the spectacular Mount Rushmore fireworks scheduled for the following day.  As we checked in to Horse Thief we were advised to be at Mount Rushmore by 9:00 am if we wanted to park in the garage - a full 12 hours in advance of the pyrotechnics.  We were also told that we would encounter much less traffic accessing the monument from the west.  Well, as it turned out, we couldn't access Rushmore from the west at all - and 9:00 am was not nearly early enough to get into the garage.

The saga of the 2009 Mount Rushmore Fireworks could make a humorous essay, but this will be the short version.  We awoke on July 3rd to gray, drizzle and dense fog - but eager and optimistic, we headed for the monument. As we approached Rushmore we discovered that left turns weren't allowed so were forced to drive about five miles east then turn around and join the hordes inching their way up steep Highway 244 hoping to get into the park.  There was no traveler information available and the self-important 'officials' buzzing around on ATVs spoke to no one.  The parks advisory radio just kept repeating 'arrive early and expect crowds'. 

Susan hiked up to the park entrance to find out what was happening and discovered that the garage was full and attendants were allowing cars in, as others left.  At 9:30 am it seemed unlikely that an adequate number would vacate to accommodate the hundreds waiting on the road.  We, along with many others, headed west back down the mountain parking about 2 miles west of the entrance.  We then hiked back up the mountain in the rain - carrying our lawn chairs, books, camera and snacks.  On the way we put the camera to good use when we came upon a momma mountain goat and her kid.

After passing through security, we claimed an area we thought would offer a good view of the fireworks and then explored the park.  The place was packed with wet people and cranky kids.  We found the cafeteria and stretched out our lunch so we could stay inside out of the rain.  Finally around 3:00 pm, after getting a brief glimpse of the faces and figuring that the fireworks would be a bust, we wisely decided to leave.  We went home, dried off, went out to dinner then attempted to watch the fireworks on the Internet via the park's webcam.  'Attempted' being the operative word.

The fireworks went off as scheduled - but probably shouldn't have.  Apparently, the fog was so thick the spectators could only hear them.  The exhausted parents we talked with the next day said the pyrotechnics changed the color of the fog slightly, but that was all.

On July 5th some Greenpeace members draped a huge banner next to President Lincoln's head demanding President Obama focus more on climate change.  The Rapid City newspaper asked their readers what punishment the Greenpeace folks should receive.  17% said they should be made to sit in the rain for 12 hours to 'listen to' fireworks.

We realize that one can't control the weather, but providing real-time traveler information is certainly within our ability.  Also, this kind of crush happens every year so it would seem that a well-advertised, minimum cost shuttle service with multiple staging locations would go a long ways to relieve some of the traffic and frustration.

The following day dawned clear and sunny.  We took a lovely hike from Horsethief Lake to Mount Rushmore along forested streams and high rock outcroppings.  As we approached Mount Rushmore the president's faces shown like white marble against the bright blue sky.  What a difference a day can make.

Custer State Park - July 6 - 11, 2009

Four years ago we vowed to stay in Custer State Park when we returned to our home state.  On July 6 we made good on that vow.  This beautiful 71,000-acre state park is the crown jewel of South Dakota's park system and we highly recommend it for RVers as well as tenters and backcountry campers.  The park offers numerous stately lodges, cabins, fishing streams and lakes, hiking trails and scenic drives. 

Custer State Park was established in 1912 and serves as wildlife preserve for bison.  Today over 1,500 bison roam freely throughout the park, as well as elk, deer, bighorn sheep, wild turkeys and some wily little burros. 

During our stay at Custer we visited the Crazy Horse Memorial, the world's largest mountain carving.  Korczak Ziolkowski started the carving in 1948, and his wife and children continue the work today.  Until we saw the mountain we couldn't comprehend the size and grandeur of this endeavor.  Since the carving is only about 20% complete we will likely not live long enough to see this ambitious sculpture finished.

Another 'high' point of our stay in Custer was our hike to Harney Peak and Lookout.  At 7,242' Harney Peak is the highest point east of the Rockies and west of the Alps and the Lookout, built in 1939, is on the National Register of Historic Places.  On a clear day (like the day we visited it) one can see four states from this beautiful stone structure.

Nearly every night while at Custer State Park we experienced violent thunderstorms and one evening we actually had a tornado warning.  Recognizing that we live in a tornado magnet we chose to head up the road to the historic Coolidge State Game Lodge.  We had cocktails on the veranda and watched the storm go by (without incident) - very civilized.

One evening as we were taking our after dinner stroll we were stopped by a couple on bikes asking, "Are you Susan and Bill from CoolJourney?  We recognized Kermit."  How cool is that?  Mike and Cathy, from Newcastle, WY, follow our website. They plan to start full timing in a year and we hope to cross paths with them in the future. 

Spearfish - July 12 - 19, 2009

On July 12 we headed to Elkhorn Ridge RV Resort just east of Spearfish on the north edge of the Black Hills.  Elkhorn Ridge is a new park and was designed with big rigs in mind.  The park itself is beautiful with large sites, tennis and basketball courts, a pool, a kiddy pool and two spas, separate dog parks for big and small dogs, several cabins with kitchenettes and lofts, and numerous bronze sculptures.  One thing Elkhorn Ridge doesn't have is a storm shelter, as we discovered when our weather radio informed us of an impending tornado.

While in the area we checked out the Spearfish City Park Campground adjacent to the park, Spearfish Creek and a five-mile bike/ped path.  It is a beautiful, conveniently located, wooded park, but with limited access for rigs in the 40'+ category.

Across the street from the campground is DC Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery and Museum.  Included on the grounds is a Fisheries Railcar Exhibit that tells the story of an era when railroad cars were used to transport fish across the country.  Crews lived and worked on the cars delivering broodstock for stocking lakes and streams.  The 1910 car with its berths and kitchen was beautiful and we found the job and lifestyle intriguing.

We spent a full day touring Badlands National Monument about 90 miles southeast of Spearfish.  Upon entering the park we encountered a herd of Bighorn sheep grazing alongside the road.  After eating their fill (or getting annoyed by the tourists), the sheep confidently descended the Badland's steep, jagged cliffs.  It was quite a sight.

Speaking of sights.  The Badlands with its barren, banded cliffs and mounds giving way to expansive grasslands are quite a sight and well worth a diversion from I-90.

After months of moving our bikes back and forth between the car rack and the RV hitch, we decided to dust them off, lube them up and get back on the saddle.  The George S. Mickelson Trail follows the historic Deadwood to Edgemont Burlington Northern rail line through the heart of Black Hills.  We selected a 10-mile section between Mystic and Rochford for our ride on this beautiful path.  After not riding for such a long time, 20 miles on the seat was just a couple of miles too long.

On the way back we drove through Spearfish Canyon and checked out a few promising fishing spots.  The next day we returned to the Canyon with Bill's fishing gear and Susan's book for a lazy balmy afternoon.  Bill had some success, but the fish were rather puny.

On our last weekend in Spearfish we attended the annual Festival in the Park.  We were amazed by how many attendees, vendors and musicians participated in the Festival.  We had a great time in the small town atmosphere, people watching and listening to funky music.

On the morning of July 20 we headed north to Dickinson, ND, but our itinerary would bring us back our home state on the 27th.