Divine Dakotas

When we left Wisconsin, we crossed through the entire state of Minnesota and only stopped for the night to get some rest. Our second day of traveling we decided to push through and make our way to our next destination spot of Heartland RV and Cabin Park, Hermosa, SD. The reason for the adjustment was due to needing to take the RV and car into the local Camping World to get a buddy brake system installed. The major reason we opted to make this purchase was due to the impending 10% steep declines in grade we would be encountering as we move through the Westcoast. This $1,000 investment will help better tow the car and eliminate the potential for burning up our brakes and/or losing them altogether.

We were greeted by South Dakota and their abundance of billboard signs and pungent smells of cow dung that burned the inside of our nostrils. Even using the A/C recirculation did not reduce the smell and we wondered if the odor would stay with us for the next 400 miles we still had to go. Luckily, the scent dissipated and only reappeared near the larger cow farms. Along the way, one of the more interesting sites we observed for over 250 miles was marketing billboards for Firehouse Brewery located in Rapid City, SD. At each billboard (about 20-25 in total) there were authentic old firetrucks which we guessed cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase. We later found out that each truck only cost anywhere from $100-$1300 and that the company pays each landowner a stipend for allowing the billboards and truck to be placed on their property.



Once settled at the RV park, we planned our itinerary for the next 3 days of activities. Priority one…hair coloring and cut. I like most people in the world love YouTube due to its entertainment and educational purposes. I knew it would be difficult trying to locate a hair stylist every 6-8 weeks in various parts of the US, so I made the commitment that I would color my own hair. However, I hadn't thought about the whole cutting thing. Since I am growing my hair out, I only needed to trim my bangs. Well, it's a little more complicated than that, I needed to fringe my bangs. And so, I looked to all the experts on YouTube to help me out and eventually found out I had another skill I was unaware of. Problem solved and a total savings of $80.

The following morning, we decided we would make our first visit of the trip to Mount Rushmore. All I can really say about this monument is WOW! Unlike Niagara Falls, this national treasure was exactly as I had imagined. Magnificent, impressive in size and beautifully designed. It was breathtaking, and we enjoyed the Presidential trail that shared the history of the presidents, artist, and sculptor. Since the tour only took about an hour, we decided to drive through Black Hills Forest to see Custer State Park.

We have both loved going to state parks while we lived in Florida. They are typically less expensive, full on nature, have limited amenities, and are very relaxing and peaceful. This is the exact opposite of RV camps and parks since they are mostly filled with vacationers who are often traveling with kids and seek out things to keep their kids busy/entertained (i.e., pool, spa, playgrounds, horseshoes, game rooms, etc.) However, Custer State Park offered opportunities we never had in Florida. They came in the form of being able to see buffalo, bison, burros, mountain lions, bighorn sheep and various species of the deer family. This 71,000-acre nature playground was named after Gen. George A. Custer and later a lodge

onsite served as President Coolidge’s “Summer White House.” You know like, Trumps Mar-a-Largo Summer White House. (wink, wink)

While we didn’t see all the noted wildlife, we did see some buffalo, mice, and pronghorns. One of the requests made in the informational brochure was not to get too close to the buffalo’s, for fear they would charge. And as you can see by the picture, Darryl decided to leave the vehicle to capture a close up of one. I did my part to support him by keeping the car running and door open in the event he had to make a run for it, yet as we continued to drive through the park, the buffalo roamed very close to the roadway making it unnecessary to risk your life for a photo op.

After Darryl’s harrowing life and death buffalo experience, we thought it was an appropriate time to check out the nearby famous Firehouse Brewery. The décor and vibe of this place made you feel like you stepped into a working firehouse. Well except for the fact that there were multiple brewery kettles located throughout the establishment. We opted for a red ale to go along with our artichoke and cheese dip and later added some amazing mushroom caps. Another place I’d recommend if in the area.

In the morning we drove to the Badlands National Park which has striking geologic deposits and are said to contain one of the world's richest fossil beds. Ancient mammals such as the rhino, horse, and saber-toothed cat once roamed here. The park's 244,000 acres protect an expanse of the mixed-grass prairie where bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets live today. The minute we drove onto the park grounds I was mesmerized by the never-ending array and shapes of the various formations. I could have stayed there for days watching the prairie dogs play and climbing the maze of buttes and canyons. As an important public service announcement, I would suggest if anyone is considering visiting this historical gem, you better hurry since it is expected to be gone within the next 500,000 years.

After enjoying our packed lunch at one of the scenic outlooks, we headed to our next destination place of the original prairie dog homestead. Since the homestead center was closed for the season, we jumped the fence and took a personal tour. The story is that this areas homestead was first established in 1909 and since wood was scarce settlers first built homes made of prairie sod. These "soddies" had earth roofs, dirt floors and blocks of prairie sod as walls and included an outhouse, chicken coop, and barn. In 1862, Congress passed The Homestead Act which provided for the initial settlement of present-day South Dakota. A typical 160-acre farm cost about $18 and the settler had to homestead the land for five years. It is said that it was a great bet for the government since families would likely starve or leave before the five years expired.

Upon leaving homestead, we drove to the Minuteman Missile National Historical site. The quaint, modern building was filled with amazing stories, facts, videos and wall presentations about the Cold War. It included the narrative about how in the 1960's, a total of 1,000 nuclear missiles were placed in the Great Plains – 150 in western South Dakota alone. The missiles were placed in this region due to the short distance to the Soviet Union, extended warning time if submarines launched off the U.S. coasts and sparse population centers providing fewer lives at risk from nuclear attack. The Minuteman Missile National Historic Site includes a Minuteman II nuclear missile fully operational from 1963-1991. With a range of up to 7,500 miles, this generation of nuclear missiles could cause destruction almost anywhere on earth with placement near 900 yards of its intended target. It was so powerful that the missile's warhead could create sixty-six times more technological terror than

the atomic bomb that crippled Hiroshima, Japan before the end of World War II.

Prior to this visit, I had thought that the destruction of the Minuteman Missile II meant we maintained a smaller inventory of warheads, yet to my surprise, there are now new and improved Minuteman III's. Of course, don't forget the 5,800 land, air, and sea missiles we have at our disposal. “My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before,” Trump tweeted. “Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!” Enough said.

Feeling the need for an alcoholic beverage, we headed to the Prairie Berry Brewery in Black Hills, SD. We have tried to make the effort to either try a craft beer or local wine in the areas we visit to increase our knowledge and tastes for new drinks. Out of the 20 different wines, we opted for the Buffaloberry Fusion, which was made with South Dakota buffaloberries, with notes of honey and white grapes. Once home, we opened a bottle of their infamous Red Ass Rhubarb and it was delish!!

North Dakota was one of two destination points we were really looking forward to. It wasn’t because of any monument, historical site or special activity, it was the fact we got to spend 4 nights in a hotel. Separate beds, hot baths and dining out are always a luxury while traveling in an RV.

Much of North Dakota’s landscape resembled South Dakota and the area we stayed in had limited local attractions. We initially elected to spend a day at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park yet with an entrance fee of $25, we decided to visit free hot spots which included Surry State Park, the City of Medora and Patterson Lake Recreation Park.

After a few days of seeing the local sights, enjoying the balmy weather and basking in the immense amount of rest and relaxation, we forged on to Montana.