WOW! What sights to behold

Monday

Wow is about all I can say about the day.  We started off with a slow morning as we did not need to leave Wall until 11am.  Bonnie and I went to ACE hardware and got bags for the vacuum and belts.  Then next door to pick up a gallon of milk.

We got on the road just after 11 and had a short 65 mile run to Rapid City, SD.  We pulled into the visitors center and went in there for a while and gathered some local info.  Then had a slow lunch in the parking lot.  Finally we headed for Rushmore Shadows for our 2pm check-in.  This is a membership park and when I called to check on staying here they offered us 3 nights for $31.60 including tax.  The catch is we have to take a 90 minute tour.  We lucked out and our appointment is for 9am tomorrow so it should not mess up our day.

We got set up and jumped in the car to tour the area.  What a day we had.  First we drove past Mount Rushford and snapped a few pictures.

Washington in profile.

Then we entered Custer State Park and drove the Needles Highway, what great things to see.

Got this pretty lady to pose for me

Went thru 6 of these today

The Needles Eye formation

I finally got in a photo

Then we took the wildlife loop thru Custer State Park.  We saw deer, prong horns and finally the Bison.

The famous donkeys

This was a big fellow who got pretty close

Then back to Mount Rushmore, to attend the evening program.

View thru one of the tunnels 

At the entrance

It was a neat program and I was able to join about 100 Vets on stage at the end of the night for the flag lowering ceremony.   It was a neat experience.  It was after 10 when we got back to the coach and everyone else is in bed, and I am headed there also.

All lit up at night

More tomorrow.

Tuesday

Bonnie and I attended our 90 minute tour which turned in to 3 hours.  It of course was a sales pitch to try to sell us a membership.  I stepped out and called Don a friend of ours who knows all about Coast to Coast and he advised this was not a good deal.  We said no and they still gave us 2 tickets for a chuck wagon dinner show in addition to the 3 nights of camping here for $31, thanks Don.

After lunch we are headed to see the Crazy Horse memorial.

First view

I must admit I was a bit disappointed at first.  There is so much more to do.  However after awhile you realize how much rock they have already moved.  I think they have a few more years to go.

The view with a little bigger lens

What it should look like some day

Huge museum on site several buildings with lots to look at and Native crafts

I got a hand woven jacket to keep me warm.

This is all beadwork, did not really say what it was for maybe for a bride at a wedding

Scale model of the face 1in = 1 ft

We had som Sioux indians dancing for us

 Then we headed to Jewel Cave, the second longer cave in the USA.  When we got there all the tickets were gone for the day.  We watched the video and looked around the visitors center.

Mom tried to pick up a Ranger in his fire fighting gear.

From there we headed back to Mount Rushmore to see the videos and other displays that we missed yesterday.

And I figured out why the soldiers were all around the Memorial.  They are musicians and play throughout the day, they are very good.

Good duty

Thats about it for today.  We are calling it a day.  Oh I caught another mouse this morning in the wet bay, I believe that makes 7.

Wednesday

Todays is Women's Day.  We are going shopping.  First to where they make Black Hills Gold, which is a design that features grapes and grape leaves.

Lots of Gold here

 Then over to the Sioux Pottery to look at the pottery.  Boy its another hot one today.

Well we were able to take tours at both places.  The first at the gold factory was guided and they kept  a close eye on you while we were in there.  Yes the ladies both made purchases.  Then on to the pottery where they just allowed us to walk through and talk to the workers.  I really enjoyed that and several of the workers took time to talk to us and show us what they did.

This was quite a big facility

This is the dirt the native pottery is made from

Taking wedding pitchers out of the molds, we watchers others being poured

Opening the molds

Cutting off the extra

Then we headed to WalMart to restock the pantry.  Its in the 90s again here today so we are taking it easy for a few hours in the MH with the AC going.  Later this afternoon we are heading to a ChuckWagon Supper and show.

Several of the buildings were used on the set for the filming of Dances with Wolves and purchased and moved here.  There were a lot of little shops around and we enjoyed visiting with the folks working in them.  The supper was really good I had the chicken, Bonnie had the beef, plus a baked potato, beans, a biscuit, and spice cake for dessert.  We were all full.  There were a lot of people but the lines for food moved quickly.

Then the Wranglers put on a great and varied musical show that lasted well over an hour.  Other people at our table were from Minnesota and Alberta, Canada.  We all had a good time and we were treated to a lightening show on the way back to the coach.  Now a line of storms is going past and so far a few rain drops and lots of wind.

Fort Hayes Supply House

We met Earl and he made us two plates and engraved them.  He has a toy hauler with a hot tub in the back.

Making a rope the old fashioned way

Fort Hayes HQ Building

The line for food

Ready for the show after a great meal

The Wranglers have been together for over 17 years

Even Elvis (aka Earl) made an appearance

Well its raining now the first rain we have had on this trip.  I will get this published and head to bed.
Tomorrow we head to Devils Tower and by Sunday we should be in Yellowstone NP after a brief stop in Cody, WY.

Thanks for Checking In.