June 3,4, 2013

Monday, June 3, 2013

Wow, what a day we had!!   Left this morning in the car (Dennis really wanted to take the motorcycle, but it was a little too chilly for me) and headed for the Crazy Horse Memorial.   I know you are tired of hearing of how beautiful the scenery is, but I can't help it.   It really is a site to see!!  The Lakota Indians asked noted sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski to create the Crazy Horse Memorial to honor Native Americans.  They started working on the monument in 1948!!!    The reason it's taking so long is that it is privately funded by visitor admissions and contributions.

 

The white out line is the ear of the horse. A scheduled blast is set for tomorrow June 4 at 11 am.

 

The model that they go by for the stone blasting.

 Besides seeing the carving, there is a wonderful visitors center which includes a movie, museum and viewing deck for the memorial.   In addition, you can see part the sculptors home and studio.

  Also, ate lunch at the Laughing Waters Restaurant.   Dennis had Buffalo stew with fry bread and I had the Native American Taco salad which included fry bread.   Very tasty!!  Also saw some Native American dancing on the viewing deck.  

After seeing Crazy Horse we headed towards the little town of Custer towards Custer State Park.   Again, beautiful scenery on the along the way.

   Wasn't long after getting to the park that we were treated to some buffalo along roadway on the Wildlife Loop.   Was just amazing to see!!

 Saw other wildlife along the way.

 

 

 

                                           This one headed for the car, had to move quickly.

After touring the park we jumped on the Needles Highway!.   Talk about a thrilling scenic highway!!!   The pictures will have to tell the story!!

Don't think Buttercup would have made it through this tunnel!!

Definitely, a tight squeeze!!

 

The Needle in Needles Highway.

Another treat along the way after leaving the park was seeing the head of George Washington on Mount Rushmore from one of the pull offs on Hwy 244.   We just looked up and there he was!!   Unbelievable!!

Had dinner in the little town of Keystone at the Ruby House.  It was about a mile from Mount Rushmore.  

 

We did see a place we thought we might eat at just to remind us of home.

 

Traveled 20 miles north back to Rapid City where we were staying.   But before we went home, we drove into Rapid City to see the bronze statues of the US presidents and famous people on the corners.   Was most interesting!!

We were gone almost 12 hours.   Yes, we were a little tired by the time we got home, but had a great time!!   Another day to add to our Cross Country Adventures!!

Night, night,

Robin & Dennis


Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Left Rapid City about 9:30 this morning heading east on I-90.   Thanks to my brother, Butch, we stopped at the South Dakota Air and Space Museum at Ellsworth Air Force Base about 7 miles out of Rapid City.

 This museum displays Cold War-era artifacts and aircraft.   This was a treat for me as of the one aircraft we viewed was the EC-135.   This was like one of the planes that Butch flew on when he was on alert while serving in the air force back in the 60's.  He was in the Strategic Air Command out of Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts.   Some of his buddies actually flew on this plane.

This guy that was also visiting the base said he had flown in this plane, and said that this plane, 0262, was nicknamed

"too sick to fly" because it had many breakdowns in its career

 Also, took a bus tour of the base.  A real treat was the underground tour of the training launch facility of one of the Minuteman Missile silos.   Something I've always wanted to do!!!


                                                                 The way in!

 

This trailer carried the missile and tilted to lower  it in the silo.

The hatch to get in.

Locations of the silos

 

In the silo.

 

The way in and out. Robin did a great job climbing this. Yeah, right!

                                                                    The war head.

 

The missile.

                                                                    She made it.

 

Okay this is the way we really got in and out.

 

Here are some other pictures of planes we saw.

 

B-52 bomber

 

 

                                             This plane carried General Dwight Eisenhower

 

 While we were at the missile silo, two B1 bombers took off  for a training run. They were really loud and large.

On the road again, but this part of the blog is a special shout out to Cory who works for Fed/Ex. In previous blogs we had seen other truck companies and had given credit to others. Cory is married to my niece, Marianne and they live in Memphis. Fed/Ex services the air force base. What a great company!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Then it was on to the little town of Wall, South Dakota where the famous Wall Drug Store is!!   Started in 1931 and still going strong by the grandchildren of the founders!!   Not your typical drug store by any means as you can see by the pictures!!    Pulled into the Sleepy Hollow campground
or should I say we "blew" in.   Was really windy today, but at least the sun was shining.   Hopped in the car and went to all the shops in town.   Was quite a site to see!!

 

                                      Always a HARLEY dealership in the towns we stop in.

                                                  Dennis trying to help with the poker game.

 

On the wagon trail.

 

Digging for gold.

 

I made him do it.

 

Getting the free water.

                                       
                                                          Robin and the four guys.

                                                   Thought he was going to the saloon.

                                                       Only I think he was on drugs.

 

                                                  Now that is a nice stage coach driver.

  Then it was back home for a grilled chicken dinner.   Another great day!!!

Night, night.

Robin & Dennis