Road Trip

This narrow, winding, scenic road with overlooks of the Black Hills and narrow, low tunnels  opening to unique views of Mount Rushmore Memorial was a great little road trip. Scovel Johnson Tunnel -  the narrowest and lowest - 10' 9" Wide x 11' 0" tall according to the Custer State Park Newspaper (vol 40 2019) View of Mount Rushmore Memorial on exiting a tunnel (I forget which one). The entire road travelling east to west is designed to dramatize the approach to the Memorial. That is the direction I took and would recommend. Center Lake - Custer State Park "Pigtail Bridge" in the rear view mirror of the RV The RV could just about fit through the first tunnel and care had to be taken on some of the switchbacks. I was the largest vehicle on the road but a somewhat larger vehicle could make it as well. I understand full size buses have done so - probably with some grease and a shoehorn and a better driver than I am. The Lazy Daze is 10...

Crazy Horse is representative of many of the plains and other North American Indian tribes some warriors as young as 14 or 15 who took part in the battles for this land. Model and Monument https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_Horse_Memorial Since actually going there and paying the $12 entrance fee (single person) I have a much more positive attitude about all of this. Controversy surrounds all of History, even the history we are living and writing about right now. The Wikipedia article I linked to above will not read the same in a few years. History repeats itself in that fashion at least. Opinions about facts change, they evolve to fit the image of the world we live in today. When I learned and later practiced law I would sculpt the facts into opinions favorable to whichever side of the controversy was paying me to do so. That's the job and everyone knows it. Within the limited confines of Court and Case it produces Decisions from which we can move on. I ...

Begging Burros Buffalo Bath Chipmunk (This is at my RV site outside the park - on 20.aug A pair of shikes made a pass at him - several passes, - they missed) White Tail or Mule Deer? Turkey Vulture - I think, they were gathering. But some white on the wings - may be something else/.  There was a Pronghorn as well but too far for a good pic.

Minuteman II in Silo (Unarmed) Site Delta 9 The simplicity of the football sized fenced in silo and the simple road in is startling when you think of the Weapon of Mass Destruction within and the reality of life in today's world. _________________________________________________________________ The Pinnacles Overlook, Badlands National Park - I-90 Exit 109, Route 240 and about 8 miles south. I think its the best view of what the Badlands are.You see the Upper Prairie and the Lower and this "Wall" of fast eroding fantastically shaped soft sediment in between. The Loop Road is about 40 miles or so to Exit 131 with lots more scenery, and some camping options - including some RV sites - reserve ahead it was full. Be prepared for the wildlife including mousqutoes and flies as well as Bighorn Sheep, Birds, etc.

The town of Wall is named for the Geological Formation that is the Badlands Most Iconic Scenery.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall,_South_Dakota Its Exit 109 on the I-90, the same road in the opposite direction will take you to the Pinnacles Overlook in the Badlands in about 8 miles. Park fee was $25 - so be ready for that Wall Drug and Wall Crawl MC Rally Wall Drug is one of South Dakota's premier tourist destinations. Its location is perfect and its just a huge store and restaurant, kind of fun to walk around in with some good stuff, good food, and some tourist trinkets. The family owns the town pretty much and probably a whole lot more by now The MC Rally I just saw signs about and a lot of Bikes driving through the Loop Road through the Park. It seems to extend the Sturgis Rally and there is a Badlands Harley Dealership in Wall. Minuteman Missle National Site This is something of a museum of the cold war. There is a movie and exhibits showng the st...

Bighorn Sheep Western Meadowlark

From the Northeast to the Pinnacles Entrance about 40 miles: Will fill in discussion later: Nimravid - False Saber-Tooth Cat 34million yrs

Don't know how I erased the original post, but to re-post: Here are the girls: And here are the bikes: And here are some more girls: 9.aug.19 - The Badlands Soft sediment rapidly eroding loaded with fossils also called the White Hills located about 100 miles east of the Black Hills (Granite covered with dark Ponderosa Pine) Unique shapes are formed from the erosion of the sediment. Hadn't seen anything else quite like it. Awe inspiring, even if "Badly So" There is a 50 mile "Wall" you can drive along on the "Loop" Apparently, the nearby town of Wall derives its name from this feature. Prarie Dog - I was about 8 years old when "The Vanishing Prarie" came out. Still remember the family outing. - Just found out... apparently it was at first banned in New York because it had footage of a buffalo giving birth. The ban was removed in short order but it gives some idea of the moral order of my upbringing.