Rapid City

We moved the RVs over to Happy Holidays RV Park in Rapid City, SD.

Campsite at Happy Holidays RV Park

We drove into the Black Hills to see Mt Rushmore. Mike and Linda had never been here before. It has changed dramatically since we were here last. The road approaching the monument has a grand view of the sculpture. There are 4 parking garages now and they were full of vehicles from all over the world and every state. The over look has been completely redesigned. Cary Grant wouldn't recognize it. The lunch counter where Eva Marie Saint shot him is gone. The sculpture remains the same and is just as impressive.

Mt Rushmore

Linda wanted to see the Crazy Horse Monument so we went over there. We drove through Keystone and more of the beautiful Black Hills. It is still unfinished but a village of supposedly educational exhibits selling souvenirs have sprung up around it to try to provide funding in addition to the admission fee which they call a parking fee. John claims that it looks just the same as it did in 1970 when he was here the first time. I believe he may be exaggerating as usual but probably not by much.

Projected & Present Crazy Horse Sculpture

Then it was a lovely drive back to the campground. We came around the back side of Mt Rushmore and you could see the profile of Washington on top of a rock outcropping.

Black Hills Rock Formation

Badlands National Park

We traveled north through some beautiful country to Rapid City, SD and proceeded east to Badlands National Park. We will be staying for several days at the KOA just south of the entrance to the park. To make a phone call we have to go across the road and go 2 miles up a dirt road to the top of a butte. Even then the signal is pretty wimpy. There will only be campground wifi here.

Our friends from Maryland, Mike and Linda, caught up with us here.

We went through the park. It is an amazing landscape with subtle colours and weird shapes. This area is erosion's finest hour.

We eventually made our way up to the ultimate in tourist traps, Wall Drug. It just so reminds me of South of the Border in South Carolina. There are road signs from 100 miles in every direction heralding it's presence.

There's something for everyone

Through Colorado and Nebraska

Our last night in New Mexico was spent in Sugarlite Canyon State Park. It was a lovely spot but the road in was steep, narrow and tricky. The drive thru the campground was also steep and tight.

 Leaving in the morning we made the long climb up and through Raton Pass into Colorado.

There are about a dozen fires burning along the front range and a few are really bad. We headed farther east and then north. There was no cell phone coverage out here. Colorado and New Mexico are in the grip of a severe drought with no relief in sight. The prairie is bare and burned.

We made it to Limon where there was a Railroad Museum that John particularly wanted to see. It had a marvelous collection of old Indian pots in excellent condition and a beautiful 1930's Crystal Navajo rug.

Railroad Snow Plow

John in restored Dining Car

A couple of days later we headed for Chadron, NE. The drought does not extend into Nebraska. We did stop at a unique Stonehenge reproduction (you'd be surprised at how many there are in the strangest places). This one is titled Carhenge. It is a real hoot.

Next morning we headed out towards Rapid City and turned east towards Badlands National Park. The grass looks real good in South Dakota.

Up into the Mountains

We spent a couple of days in Flagstaff at Black Bart's cooling off. We drove out to see Walnut Canyon, Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monument. It has been a long time since we had been there. Walnut Canyon is such a beautiful place. There are very early cliff ruins that you can see from the rim or climb a steep staircase down to walk around in them.

Walnut Canyon Ruins

Sunset Crater is a large cinder cone situated in a large area surrounded by very active volcanoes which have been dated to about 1064 as the date of the last eruption.

Cinder Cone

Wupatki is the site of a large pueblo style ruin that has been well preserved. It dates to the time of the eruption. We spent our time at another ruin there, Wukoki. It is quite unusual in that it is built on top of a huge sandstone boulder.

Wukoki

On our way out Rt 40, we passed the largest visible meteor crater on the continent. I believe moon walking astronauts trained here.

We continued on and passed through Albuquerque, north to Bernalillo and the Coronado State Monument CG. This is a really nice campground right on the Rio Grande river. We have stayed here before when we attended the Balloon Fiesta. There is a pueblo ruin here and they have a special room with the paintings from an ancient kiva around the walls. It is beautiful.

Rio Grande before Sandia Peak

We are on our way

We are finally off on our summer adventure. It was a little frenzied so who knows what I have forgotten. It has been unusually hot in AZ since mid-May. I did not get a chance to completely load the trailer until this morning.

We made it up to Flagstaff and we are enjoying the coolness since a little rain shower blew through. The smell in the air is of juniper and pine instead of the dust we have left behind.