"Welcome Home", Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse & The Badlands

August 23

It was a great week visiting family & friends, but it's always nice to be "back home".  Before we left Montana Jim and Sandie of Where are the Dixon's Today? met us for a yummy lunch at Cracker Barrel in Billings.  I have followed their blog for over a year and have so enjoyed reading it.  The picture of their adorable wiener dogs, Skittlez and Scooter greets you.  Never fails to put a big smile on my face.  When I found out they were in the town right down from us, I couldn't wait to meet them (Jim & Sandie too ;-)   Well, the weather was quite cold so the little cuties had to stay home.  I was a little disappointed that I wasn't going to get a picture with them, so I told Sandie I was going to do a little photo shopping!  Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out how to do it.  Maybe in a late post.  Perhaps we'll have another chance if we see them in Arizona in April.




Jim & Sandie of Where are the Dixons Now?

We had intended to stop into Sturgis for a look at where all the fun happened recently.  To think thousands and thousands of motorcycles roared through this quiet little town just a few weeks ago.  But no time for a Bloody Mary at the  Knuckle Saloon or a looksee at the Motorcycle Museum.

 

Today we see our new "home" in Box Elder, South Dakota.  But first some beautiful scenery.

Americas Mailbox is the mail service we use and our domicile. We had quite a few packages and mail waiting for us to pick up.  There were some things we ordered for the trailer and lots of mail.  We spent the night in one of their campsites before heading off to nearby Custer State Park.

They were very nice and even gave us a tour and showed us where we "live".

The sign that greets you when you walk in.

Here's where all the sorting goes on.

Here is a look at our rental property!  Quite small ;-) 

August 25

We enjoyed a few days back in Custer State Park.  It's a very pretty park and not too many people.  Last time we'll be in any mountains for a while.  We stayed in the Stockade North campground.  Site #28.  Beautiful little campground that can accommodate larger rigs.  There is electric, and a nice selection of long sites with nice spacing, trees, lots of grass and great Verizon 4G without a booster.  Sorry I forgot to get a picture.  It's too bad  it rained so much.  We were never able to do any kayaking on the pretty lakes.

 There was so much algae in the lake that we wouldn't have
 put the kayak in anyway. Oh well.

You'd think by now we'd tire of buffalo.  Not.  Magnificent creatures.  Especially up close.  It was nice to see a large herd with several young ones. 

They loved scratching up against the rails.

This big guy was shaking off the early morning dust from his wallow.

 

We also saw some deer, Pronghorn and prairie dogs.



There were lots of these little guys with holes all over their colony.
Best picture I could get of them.  They are very fast!



The scenery is beautiful.  One nice thing about all this rain, is it really brings out the color in the surroundings.

 

 

 

 

While driving around the wildlife loop, there were a few burros.  This little guy wasn't too sure about what to do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mt. Rushmore, SD 

 

Of all the monument/memorials I've seen, I don't know why, but I really love Mt. Rushmore.  The flags, the view, the area.  I just like it.  Either way you arrive, there are very small tunnels cut through the rock you drive through.  There are warnings on the width and height.  NO RVs!  It's amazing to see Mt. Rushmore from the distance as you drive.

 

Just beautiful!!

 

 



On the way out you see the famous profile.


Crazy Horse Memorial, SD

It's been about 10 years since we've been here last, but there has been more progress.  Amazing that this all happens with no state or federal funding.  It is non-profit and started in 1948.

You can see the face, top of the arm and top of the
horses head which have been carved so far.

This is the original generator used which the sculptor said
would always die just about when he made his way up
several steep ladders with a dying, kaput, kaput sound.

The Badlands, SD

 

Finally, we're seeing something that is new to both of us.  We've camped in almost every state with the kids, so it's fun when we have a first.  We didn't have enough time to really go through the entire area, but we were happy with the popular loop drive.  The views were just unbelievable.  Again, blue skies would've been nice, but the recent rain and overcast skies did make the colors more vibrant!

 

 

 

 

Some of my favorite pictures were:

 



 



It's time to head to Minneapolis.  But first we stop in Wall, SD for a break and a slice of pie.  A tourist trap for sure, but sometimes ya just gotta see these things once and stretch your legs.

 

An amusing sign inside one of the stores.

A nice little church.

I just found this amigo amusing!
 

 Leaving Wall and on our way to Minneapolis.

At a gas station, this buck was made of old car parts
and stood about 20 ft tall.

This was a very large wrought iron sculpture in a pasture on the side

of the interstate.  My favorite so far!

Lots and lots of fields of sunflowers.

Good Night South Dakota!

 



New RV Friends, Jackson WY, an Earthquake, Virginia City, MT & a Graduation

August 16 - August 23

While at Bakers Hole Campground in Yellowstone, we met some very nice people.  Bob & Janet have been full timing for 4 years.  It was nice comparing notes and gleaning full timing gems from someone currently on the road.  We spent a few nights at each others campfires and rigs.  They have a beautiful Class A.  We went to the Grizzly Bear/Wolf Habitat Center and enjoyed watching the bears and wolves find food and fish in the river.  Quite interesting to see up close without having to worry about getting eaten ;-)  





Bob & Janet

Another day the 4 of us took a drive to back through Yellowstone and into Jackson.  It was a bit of a cloudy day.  Just before we got to Jackson a heavy rain and some good sized hail came down.  By time we got into the Jackson area it there way another very dark storm approaching.  We pulled over to get some photos of the gorgeous peaks and watched the thunder in the distance.  I've never been to the Jackson Lodge.  It was beautiful.  We took more pictures and decided to head back and have some dinner.

The Grand Tetons, WY

We were really bummed that the sun was already behind the mountains and the storm that was supposed to be long gone was still hanging around.  Not the pictures I had in mind.  I actually love the Tetons more than Yellowstone.  It's quieter, less people and more raw.  Up close on a clear day, the jagged peaks just jump right out at you.  Very, very impressive.  I'm a mountain girl and I LOVE these mountains (almost more than I love the Sierra Nevada back in CA).

We ate dinner at Leek's Marina just as the sun was chasing the clouds away.  The pizza and salads were great and the views even better.

Leeks Marina

We left Jackson and Yellowstone behind and drove up towards Bozeman, MT.  Not that far away we spotted a visitor center called Earthquake Lake.  Too interesting not to stop.  Plenty of parking for large rigs, so that is what we did.  Growing up in California I'm quite used to earthquakes.  What I found interesting is that this event happened in 1959 and I'd never heard of it.

This is a view of the newly created lake which will eventually return to a river once the
riverbed cuts deeper and deeper each year with rainfall and water current.

The scar left behind where the mountain side gave way and dammed up the river.


This tragic event was very interesting and they do a very nice job of showing what happened to those poor people who live in that area and those whose lives were lost while camping.  The sadly ironic part is that of those killed, two families were vacationing from Coalinga, CA.  That area is right on a fault and has many earthquakes.  You can still see remnants of homes and businesses that were suddenly under water and later abandoned.

On the way we drove through the beautiful little town of Ennis.  Sure wish we would've stopped.  It was very charming.  Great place for an ice cream and a stroll.  But we wanted to get to Virginia City before our final destination of Bozeman.  Virginia City is another quaint old cowboy town.  Again, lots of parking for large rigs.  We walked up one side and down the other enjoying the old buildings and lunch at the Outlaws Café.  Great food and lots of memorabilia to keep you occupied while the food was cooking.

 

It's like Dean is saying, "This guy!!"

 

 

The E.L. Smith Store

 

About a mile down the road is another ghost town, Nevada City.  Not as impressed with this one.  They moved a lot of old buildings to one location and for a small fee you can walk through.  The really interesting part was their collection of Automated Music Machines (they reminded me of calliopes).  Very intricate and old.

 

 

Beautiful horse!  Dappled Appy?

A nice little train museum too.

August 17 - 23
Placerville & San Jose, CA

We have good friends whose daughter is going to Montana State and would be staying with us.  As it turned out, it was the exact dates I would be flying back to CA for our oldest sons second college graduation.  Dental Hygiene School.  So while I didn't get to spend any time with our friends in Montana, Steve had some company!

Congratulations Grace!  Go Wildcats!

My week was a busy one with regular doctor checkups, checking in on the house, graduation and lots of visiting with our kids, my parents, siblings, friends and celebrating my grammas 94th birthday!!

Our boys Brennan, Ryan & Shane (sorry Kaylee couldn't be there)

We thought this made an appropriate snack for a Dental Hygienist graduate.



Proud Momma!

Time to fly back to Montana!!