Badlands Natl Park and Custer State Park

For centuries humans have viewed South Dakota's Badlands with a mix of dread and fascination. The Lakota Tribe knew the place as "mako sica". Early French trappers called the area "les mauvaises terra a traverser". Both mean "Badlands.

A writer named Freeman Tilden described the region as "peaks and valleys of delicately banded colors - colors that shifts in the sunshine.

I personally think this writer is crazy or missing a few nuts !   Maybe he was from Portland, Oregon...lol  He might have seen the "pretty colors" but I bet he didn't have to make a life here.

A Scientist once said; "Fancy yourself on the hottest day in summer in the hottest spot of such a place without water-without an animal and scarce an insect astir-without a single flower to speak pleasant things to you and you will have some idea of the utter loneliness of the Bad Lands."

I think it is very pretty and extremely interesting this time of the year. I am so glad we didn't miss this great opportunity.

We stayed in the National Park Camp Grounds...for some reason it was fairly expensive for a National Park.  There is a place just to pull over and dry camp but the Ranger said the road was pretty bad to take our RV.

We found out later, after we set up and paid, the road was just fine.  Other RV owners were told the same thing and were upset when they checked out the road after they too set up and paid.  To be fair it wasn't the Federal National Park Ranger but a Federal Contract Agent that are hired to manage the RV Park.  No discount for Access Pass either.

As you enter the park from the East.

About a five minute ride from our RV Spot

Goes on forever !

I decided to do a walkabout at sunset..well not really a real walkabout...I drove some too!

Andy is a morning person not an evening person. I am an evening person not a morning person. Here was the plan "we" came with; I was going to take the sunset pictures and she was going to take care of the sunrise pictures.

Right by our RV spot !

Colors do come alive at sunset

Sunset on the plains of the Badlands

Here is Andy's sunrise pictures:


Blank        She didn't get up to take any !  Hey, I still love her anyway ! !   lol


A trip to the Badlands means a trip to Wall Drug !  What a tourist trap!  Back in 1978 I went through this area and there wasn't anything here!  Not even worth stopping for back then ! Now, you have to stop.  Just to see how they created a tourist trap out of nothing !

We stopped long enough so Andy could see what she never knew she didn't need to see !  lol

Andy just had to ride one of these !  Told you Reggie there were Jackolopes !!

We are now staying at Ellsworth AFB in Rapid City, South Dakota which is right outside of Mount Rushmore and Custer State Park.

Today we decided to take a drive along the Wildlife Loop in Custer State Park. Custer State Park is about 25 miles from the Air Force Base.

The number one reason to go to Custer State Park is to witness the large free roaming buffalo and the beauty.  Between 1300 and 1500 Bison roam throughout the park.  The park features 71,000 acres of rolling prairie, pine-studded mountains and granite spires.

The big boy !

Some of the other wildlife we saw in the Park

What a beautiful Pronghorn Antelope.  What a great photo! !

No they are not wild horses..wild mules.  How do you get a mule..donkey plus horse !

This place is so beautiful.  I took so many pictures, about 100 or so.

Wow !

Wow again !

Wow again... again !!

I wanted Andy to get in the flowers...she said "nope" ! So someone had to !

Andy decided she was going to pack us a picnic lunch.  I decided where we were going to have it ! Sue and Bud is this spot romantic enough... lol

We had our lunch here

The view from behind our picnic spot !

Surprise Surprise Surpise !  Look what we saw driving in the park !

Mount Rushmore from a distance

As we were leaving Custer State Park we got stuck in a traffic jam.  It was very slow going but for once I didn't care about the traffic.

When was the last time you had to stop in the street for a buffalo??

The baby did a little dance in front of our car!!

Ahhh...was amazing!  Andy said this of course !

Yea it's been a while ! I have been busy ...Really ? You Betcha !

I know it has been a while since I posted a blog. I have been in the "Back 40" without cell service, which means no Internet.  I was going through communication withdrawals...16 days...THAT'S A RECORD !  

Yea, my brother lives in the middle of "No Where", Michigan.  It is really nice..except it is "NO WHERE". How can people live like this !!  lol

We spent a lot of time fishing and talking trash.  See ya next year brother !  Maybe, I can get you to stop thinking of me as 50/50 !  lol

He wouldn't take any pictures of my fish...maybe because they were bigger !  lol

My "older" brother Al...not bad bro ..not bad !

Very nice !

Spent a fair amount of time here at Foot Site Dam on the Ausable River

Poor Laura...she was helping her daughters boyfriend take a quad off a truck..if she wasn't helping she was just in the way.  Well, to make a long story short.  The quad fell off the truck smacked into her face and knocking her down.  She now has a broken face and hip.  She went into surgery a few days later and had screws placed into her hip and leg.

She didn't even cry !  I would have balled like a small baby !  She is fine and doing well now. Maybe next year,  if you don't hurt yourself, we can do some fun stuff.  LOL  Love you !

I know you are hating this picture and me right now...so what...you cant catch me !  lol Walker lady !!

On the way up north to see my brother and the rest of my family many memories came into my mind.  Some of you will know what I mean with this picture below.

THE FLOOD OF 2014

We stayed and visited Bud and Sue during the family reunion and after Andy's trip to Oregon and mine to Michigan...see our RV ?  This is what it looked like before the flood, a few weeks ago. Pretty !  The round building to the right is the gazebo.

Normal Water level..maybe a little high.

Bud getting his boat ready for the flood..only means of transportation during the flood

The river continued to rise until the water came into the gazebo.  Man, I feel so sad for Sue and Bud. They have been through this a "few times" and are such good sports about it.  I guess practice makes perfect !

Here comes the flood...as you can see...the RV is gone ! 

Two and a half years ago on our first RV Adventure we met Lauri and  Lewy at Gila Bend in AZ. They hosted the 4:01pm  Happy Hour, everyday!  So what was there not to like??? We've kept in contact with them all this time...well mostly Andy. Since they live in Sioux Falls SD and we were driving right by there, of course we had to stop for a short visit!

Lauri & Lewy  He even has a shirt on !

They were such gracious hosts and took us on a tour of their city Sioux Falls, yes they own it.  lol  We even had a few happy hours again !  lol. We will see you guys again down the road.

Sioux Falls...who knew it was this gorgeous!

Right in the middle of town!

 Learned a lot about the history of the area and it was a beautiful day to be a tourist!

Hey, where's our raft when we need it?

We even color coordinated for the occasion!

Hey Lewy are you hitting on my girl??

One with a gnome, one with out 

Hey that's better, now I've got two hot chicks!

In the park were many statues.  These two are my favorite.

Maybe in her Eyes !  lol   She is a cutie up there !

                                                             "FOR WHICH IT STANDS"

As they are facing the American Flag.  

                                                             THE SCULPTURE WALK

Sculpture Walk is an exhibit of sculptures displayed all year long throughout downtown Sioux Falls.

The Sculptures are owned by the artists and loaned to the exhibit for one year.  The public is invited to vote for the favorite sculpture from May-September, and the sculpture receiving the most votes is honored with the "People's Choice Award.  That sculpture is purchased by the city to become part of it's permanent collect.

Their names of the sculptures are listed below the picture.

"Yes"...No, that's its name..."Yes"  ..lol!  Andy's favorite and yes she voted!

Taking Attendance

Alter Ego

Serengeti

Red Raider

Egghead and Us

Really Preston !

I don't know...no...I don't know it's name !  lol

World"s Her Canvas

The following sculpture was in the Veteran Memorial Park.  I wish the sunlight was better for this picture. One of the most moving sculptures I have ever seen.  I don't need to write anything more !

Sneak peep of the up coming blog

Oh yes she did !