Custer State Park - Custer, South Dakota

Our campground is in Custer, South Dakota because we wanted to be on the south side of the Black Hills since we had already been to the Badlands, Mount Rushmore, and Wall Drugs which are north and east of Custer.

One day we took a drive through the wildlife loop of Custer State Park ($15).  We probably would have seen more wildlife if we had gone early in the morning, but I still got some nice photos.

Pronghorns - no zoom used.  They were right beside the road.

Safety Info for RV'ers

I am interrupting this blog to relay a real story from an RV'er (Nan) from our RV Women's group.  Nan drives a Class A motor home alone.  In this particular situation her daughter was also with her.  At 2:00 a.m. They heard a knock on the bedroom window (like a shave and a haircut type knock).  Nan got up and peeked out to see if she saw anyone.  There was a girl standing on the steps pulling on the locked door handle trying to get in.  Nan asked her (from inside) what her problem was.  The girl said she had been dropped off and needed help.  Nan remained inside and said she would call 911.  By the time she got her phone and dialed 911 the girl was gone.  The police found no one when they arrived.  

The police said that Nan and her daughter had probably been watched and if Nan had opened the door to the girl a man would have been waiting to also come in and rob them.  The next morning Nan and a neighbor spotted car tracks in front of her motor home that looked like a car had turned and sped away.

She was in a private campground.  Nan is a smart cookie and knew not to open the door and had it locked.  We sometimes forget to lock our door but are now being sure the door is locked along with the deadbolt.  Always good to have Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson along too.

Stay safe.

Wind Cave National Park - Hot Springs, South Dakota

Friday, August 1,  2014
Sunny

This National Park was on my bucket list for quite awhile.

Wind Cave National Park is a United States national park 10 miles (16 km) north of the town of Hot Springs in western South Dakota. Established in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt, it was the seventh U.S. National Park and the first cave to be designated a national park anywhere in the world. The cave is notable for its displays of the calcite formation known as boxwork. Approximately 95 percent of the world's discovered boxwork formations are found in Wind Cave. Wind Cave is also known for its frostwork. The cave is also considered a three-dimensional maze cave, recognized as the densest (most passage volume per mi3) cave system in the world. The cave passed Hölloch cave in Switzerland on February 11, 2006 to become fourth-longest in the world with 119.58 miles (192.45 km) of explored cave passageways. The cave's current length is 131.04 miles (210.89 km), with an average of four new miles of cave being discovered each year. Above ground, the park includes the largest remaining natural mixed-grass prairie in the United States.     Taken from Chimani National Parks App.

We passed through this park on our way to Custer, SD where we will be staying for a week in Broken Arrow campground.  The prairie landscape is beautiful along with the Black Hills.  We planned to take the cave tour but decided against it because we have been through four caves previously and no cave could compare to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico.  Also, the 700 steps sounded too strenuous.  However, the scenery in the park was well worth the trip.

This is one of my favorite photos.

Imagine our surprise when we came across these buffalo on US 385 which passes through the park.  No entrance fee is charged.  

Nebraska Alliance - Rest Area - Carhenge North Platte - Lakeside Camping

Thursday, July 31, 2014
Sunny - 70 to 80 degrees

This is definitely the funniest thing we have seen on the trip.  This is a "Nebraska Rest Area". near Alliance, Nebraska. It seems to have everything a traveler needs - a recliner, toilet, and wi-fi.  This farmer has a sense of humor!  I missed it, but Roger made a U- turn so I could get this photo.  (Another reason to have a small motor home that can make U-turns).

After visiting the Hastings Museum we continued across Nebraska.  Sometimes I have a plan of what I want to see and other times we will be riding along and either spot something interesting or I'll check Roadside America for what might be in the area.  This time I spotted "Carhenge" on the map and it was along our route.  We've been to Cadillac Ranch and seen the "planted" Airstreams on I-4 in Florida so this will be another quirky thing that will go on my completed "bucket list".

This is considered "art".  Guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Free - No admission.

We spent the night in North Platte, Nebraska at Lakeside Camping.  We were on site 19, $18 Passport America, easy off-on I-80, level, site on a small lake, nice shower. Great overnight spot.

North Platte River 

Hastings Museum - Kool Aid - Nebraska

Thursday, July 31, 2014
Sunny 70-80 degrees

Our next stop on Thursday was the Hastings Museum to see the Kool Aid Museum.  It turned out to be a very nice museum in addition to the Kool Aid section.  They also had a planetarium - first time for me.

I don't remember Kool Aid in a bottle.

I didn't know Kool Aid was originally Kool-Ade

We didn't stop at the Arch in Kearney on I -80 because we have been there before.  It is definitely worth a stop though.

We both agree that we love both Kansas and Nebraska.  We wonder why some farms have round bales and others have the rectangular bales.  We also saw one farm where the hay was just piled up without baling.

We see so many trains out here.  This one was hauling coal.  In Grand Platte there is a place where 10,000 cars pass thru each day.  We decided to save that for another trip.

Kansas Continued

Thursday, July 30, 2014

Sunny, 80 degrees

Hate to repeat myself, but it was another beautiful day for traveling.  We left early from Glen Elder Campground so we would have time to make three stops.

Stop number one was in Cawker City, Kansas to see the World's Largest Ball of Twine.  There isn't much else in Cawker City except some very friendly people that gave us directions.  The ball of twine is pretty neat (we like quirky stuff).  You can even add a bit of twine if you see Lottie.

Next stop was another quick one to Lebanon, Kansas to see the Geographical Center of the 48 United States.  It's out in the middle of Kansas farm land.

A very tiny chapel.

I'm still a kid at heart.  Yes, my knees are where feet should be.

More Kansas thru the windshield

One propeller for a future wind mill to create electricity

Our third stop will be my next post.