Casino Night

Sorry I don't have a picture to post of the Prairie Band Casino & Resort where we stayed last night. The Prairie Band has a great campground and is very reasonable. It even included wi-fi. And chauffuer service to and from the Casino.

We had eaten a big lunch at a Cracker Barrel about 2 PM, so we didn't partake of the dinner specials. We do plan on taking advantage of the breakfast buffet special in the morning.

As for the casino, I won enough to pay for camping and breakfast. I am not sure how Amye did. Seem like Joan is in a slump. She'll be out of it soon





Tomorrow the TTT's are homeward bound........ and I think we are ready for it!

The Corn Palace

We Did It Again!

Sometimes, especially without reservations, we have difficulty getting three camp sites together. Such was the case last night. We called ahead to the R&R Campground in Mitchell, South Dakota. They said to come on in and they would see what they could do for us. Yes, they could give us three sites, but they were not near each other. Since we share food, it would kind of pose a hardship. The staff was so accommodating, they said they would try to work something out. Sure enough they did! They had an 80 ft. site and the TTT's said " No Problem!" We are only 22 ft. each and we could piggy-back on electricity. Two of us were given a ride to the site prior to registering to make sure it was long enough. We would fit! We each even ended up with our own electricity as there was a 50 amp., a 30 amp. and 20 amp. Don't we look sharp?! The staff even had to come and take pictures. They said it was a "first" for them. What delightful people. They even told us about a pizza special, ordered it for us and hand-delivered it to our site. Of course we did pay for it! All you campers out there that are following our blog and ever in Mitchell, S.D, area, stop there! Nice clean place with a great staff!

Since the Corn Place, which by the way is the only one in the world, opened at 8 AM, we were almost the first visitors of the day.

The Corn Palace, Mitchell, S.D.

It is quite an amazing place. There have been three palaces. The first one was built in 1892, the second in 1905 and the current one in 1921. Photos of every Corn Palace since 1892 line the walls of the interior of the building. There are also permanent interior corn murals.

Display showing how a design comes to reality

To me the most amazing thing was how and what they used to decorate the outside of the Corn Palace yearly. Each year local artists submit their ideas and one is chosen. The outside of the Corn Palace is stripped and redecorated with new corn and grains.

The design is drawn on tar paper and the artist will note what color corn or grain goes where. In early summer the process of removing the "old" and "on with the new". After stripping away the old, the grains are first tied in bundles and attached. These grains, all 3,000 bushels, consist of milo, rye, oat heads and sour dock. The murals containing corn have to wait until late summer when the corn crop is ready. Over half million ears are sawed in half length-wise and nailed to the building following those tar paper patterns. What is the cost do to this annually? Around $130,000. This is quite a feat every year. So again, if you are near Mitchell, stop by and see the people working!

Outside Mural

And so our journey through South Dakota comes to an end. We are headed for a casino in Kansas for the night. Cheap entertainment, if we keep our money in the rigs!

Clock in a Park across from the Corn Palace.
Time to Leave.

The TTT's.....heading home.

More of South Dakota

Tuesday, August 11

We started out early this morning, not knowing what traffic we would encounter in the Badlands.
Our first stop was at the infamous Wall Drug, home of the nickel coffee and free cold water! Really a #1 tourist trap. They have changed it since I was last here. We spent little time here.

Wall Drug, Wall, S.D.

So off we headed to the Badlands National Park. As Joan said: "How could anyone have survived living here?" But people did! Both the Lakota Indians and the homesteaders shaped this land. The Park consists of three units. The North Unit is the best known and it includes 64,000 wilderness acres of the 240,000 total acres. There really is no way to describe it. So look at some of the pictures I have taken and enjoy!

Entrance Sign to the Badlands N.P.

The Badlands

Cedar Pass, Badlands N.P.

Yellow Mounds, Badlands N.P.

So tomorrow brings us to the last scheduled stop on our journey. One may continue on East ward to visit friends and family. One has a wedding to attend in the near future. And the third is just going home.

The TTT's .......hoping the rats don't eat the Corn Palace until we have seen it.

Custer State Park & Mount Rushmore

Mule Deer

We left our campsite around 10 in the morning headed for Custer State Park. A beautiful sunny day for a wonderful drive. Joan was the chauffeur this morning. Almost immediately after paying the entrance fee, a mule deer was standing right on the side of the road. Great photo opportunity.

Bison

Talk about being near the road, this big fellow thought it was the perfect place to sit and watch the humans go by. We were almost to the Wild Animal Loop when we spotted a big herd of buffalo off to our right. So we took that road and got to watch the bison in their daily activities.

Mom and Baby Burro

Back on the Wild Animal Loop we did see several species of animals. From prairie dogs, pronghorns (aka antelope), more bison, and the really traffic stoppers......the Burros! They are not native to the Black Hills. They were first used to transport people to the lodges in the area. After the invention of the automobile, the burros were turned loose in the park. These are descendents living here today.

Great Place to have Lunch!

People would feed them, although it is illegal according to the Park Regulations. They were so tame, one could pet them. In fact they would come up to your car windows. Amye said if one left the car door open, the burro would probably get into the car. I saw one follow a man to his van, and while the man was trying to get something from the van, the burro was pulling at his T-shirt. The best photo was when a baby decided to have lunch in the middle of the road! Cars were literally at a stand-still.

We had our lunch along the roadside before heading to Mount Rushmore. Do you want to drive a mountainous road with switchbacks (10 mph warning signs), three narrow one lane tunnels, and a section called the "Pig Tail"? Then drive Rt. 16A between Custer State Park and Rt. 244 going to Mount Rushmore! Almost better than a roller coaster!

If you look closely at the picture of Mount Rushmore, you will see two tiny figures standing on President Roosevelt's head. Don't know what was going on, but there was a rope from the top of his head to the ground below. We saw one guy climb up the President's face. This is a great Memorial to four great Presidents.

Mount Rushmore

And so, another great day comes to an end. On to the Badlands tomorrow.

The TTT's ......heading East!

Sturgis, South Dakota

It was raining when we left Devil's Tower KOA this morning. We kept our speed between 60-65mph on the I-90. For the past two weeks we have seen thousands of motorcycles. No wonder! It was Rally Week in Sturgis. We heard reports that there were 400,000 in attendance. We just had to go into Sturgis and see what it was all about. Amye's brother was there, but he had already left. MacDonald's lot was so full of motorcycles, we had to park across the street at a business.

Proof We Were There!

Sitting under cover from the rain were four motorcyclists. They told us they were from Houston, TX. We had a wonderful time exchanging stories. They wanted to see the inside of our rigs, so we invited them into the Happy Turtle and The Road Runner to have a peek at motor home living. One of the guys called his wife in Houston and was telling her all about us. She told him she wanted to join us! There were also two younger couples from Colorado sitting under cover also. The TTT's having fun with our Motorcycle Friends!

Vickie, and I am sorry to say I didn't get all your names, took the above picture. Wish she were in it, too. She was so cute! We wished them a safe and happy travels on their bikes as they head to Yellowstone National Park. We are headed for the KOA at Mt. Rushmore.

I did a dumb thing today. I charged the camera battery to make sure I could get some pictures at the Crazy Horse Monument. We signed up to take the shuttle bus from the campground to the monument to see the night laser show. Guess who forgot to put the battery in the camera? So I don't have any pictures to post. It was very cool sitting out on the viewing veranda! I can tell you there have been changes at the monument, but not so much on the carving since I last saw it 6 years ago. The changes are all in the buildings, entrance and parking lot. Since it is not support be neither the federal or state governments, all funds come from public donations, admission, sales in the gift shop and food concessions. The Memorial contains an orientation center with twin theaters, the Indian Museum of North America, Education & Conference Center, Tipi-Museum, Native American Culture Center, Sculptor's Log-Studio Home and Workshop, Crazy Horse 1/34th Model and a veranda for viewing the laser lighting show. Quite a place. The future plans include an Indian University of North America and Medical Training Center and Avenues of the Chiefs. It's a remarkable place.

They are currently working on the 22-story-high horse's head. The painted outline shows the 45-foot ear and the 16-foot-wide eye, some 260 feet below the head of Crazy Horse. When finished, it will be the world's largest sculpture. Mt. Rushmore would fit in Crazy Horse's head!

Tomorrow our plans include Custer State Park and Mount Rushmore.

To our motorcycle friends...Thanks for a fun morning!

The TTT's ...we keep on going.

Devil's Tower, Wyoming

We departed from Cody at 6:30 this morning as we have a good drive ahead of us. In spite of a mountain climb from 5016 feet to 9568 ft, the scenery was beautiful. Part way up the mountain we pulled into an overlook area to give our babies a breather and to cool down. I am positive I heard the Road Runner say: " I think I can, I think I can!" Under my breathe I could hear myself say: "I'll be glad to get over the mountains!" It seems like that is all we have been in since Joshua Tree National Park. Yes, that was sometime before the 4Th of July! We have done our share of mountains and are ready for the Plains. But first we have some good hills in the Black Hills of South Dakota!

Lake View from Mountain Overpass

Coming through Buffalo, WY we had a small detour. Seems they were having a parade. We did see some fancy horse units that had already finished the route. We are now in Devil's Tower, WY in a KOA. Shortly after the Tilton Hilton and The Happy Turtle were hooked up to landlines (electricity that is), we took the Road Runner up to Devil's Tower National Monument.

For those followers who have never seen Devil's Tower, let me give you some statistics. The Tower rises 867 feet from its base and stands 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River and is 5,112 feet above sea level. The area of its teardrop-shaped top is 1.5 acres. The diameter of its base is 1,000 ft. It is also the first national monument, so designated by President Teddy Roosevelt in 1906. That's your history lesson for today.

Devil's Tower -West Side

Several Indian nations of the Great Plains share similar legends on the origin of this prominent butte. The Kiowa Indians say: "Eight children were there at play, seven sisters and their brother. Suddenly the lad was stuck dumb, he trembled and began to run upon his hands and feet. His fingers became claws, and his body was covered with fur. Where the boy had stood was now standing a bear. The sisters were terrified; they ran and the bear ran after them. They came to a stump of a great tree and the tree spoke to them. It told the sisters to climb upon it, and as they did so, the stump began to rise into the air. The bear came to kill them, but they were just beyond it's reach. It reared against the tree and scored the bark all around with it's claws. The seven sisters were borne into the sky and they became the stars of the Big Dipper.

If one saw the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", directed by Steven Speilberg and starring Richard Dreyfus and Teri Carr, right away one would remember Devil's Tower played a big part in the movie.

Devil's Tower -South side

Located in the park is a Prairie Dog Town. A sign says "DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS". Well to look at them, I would say they eat very well. Chubby little fellows. If one comes too close, they start this chattering to warn other prairie dogs , and down in their burrows they go.

I'll sit and pose if you take my picture, but don't come too close.

So back to camp, Our chef made spaghetti and sausage with garlic bread for dinner and just as we were about to sit down to eat, a rain storm with hail chased us indoors. We are heading for the Black Hills of South Dakota tomorrow. I hope they are hills, and NOT mountains.

The Terrific Threesome....rolling down the roads.

Buffalo Bill Historical Center - Part 2

Friday, August 7. After showers and laundry, Joan fixed us an egg and sausage omelet for breakfast, along with strawberries. Amye toasted the bread. Me, I showed up to eat! Then it was off in the Tilton Hilton for a second day at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. We had three more museums on the schedule as well as two gardens.

Sacagawea Statute

We started in the CODY FIREARMS MUSEUM. I have never seen such a collection of firearms! I didn't know there were so many manufacturers of guns. And after walking through the museum, if one didn't have enough, they could take an elevator to the floor below were there was an additional exhibit of 1200 more!

From there we went into the WHITNEY GALLERY OF WESTERN ART. This area even had a replica of Remington's art studio. I'm sure you are familiar with the bronze statutes that Remington created of horses and cowboys. Again, the museum was very child friendly. From a drawing area to an area where they could create postcards to send to family and friends.

We saw the Cashman Greever Garden that contained several statutes including Sacagawea and the boyhood home of Buffalo Bill Cody. It had been moved to Cody from Iowa where he was born. The Braun Garden also had statutes, but it also had bird houses and a play area for children.

The last museum, PLAINS INDIAN MUSEUM, was fascinating!

Young Indian Maiden with Dog

For thousands of years, dogs served as guardians, hunters and companions to Native people of the Plains. A large dog could drag a load of about 75 pounds of family belongings on a travois. After horses came to the plains, dogs continued to carry lighter loads.

As one might expect, the Plains Indians were very crafty. The picture below addresses this with the beaded Child's Vest and Pants.

Child's beaded vest and pants.

After our tour was over, we headed to the museum restaurant for a light lunch. From there, Amye drove us out to the Old Trail Town. This area contains historic buildings and artifacts that were preserved from old Cody and moved out by the Stampede Grounds, which by the way there is a nightly rodeo from June through August.

Old Trail Town

Across the road from the Old Trail Town, we checked on another museum...Tecumseh's Miniature Village and Museum. They boasted of having the West's largest model train layout, amazing western diorama and a museum.

Bar and Dining Room - Irma Hotel, Cody, WY

And last but certainly least, we visited the Irma Hotel. It has to be oldest in Wyoming. It was from the porch that we watch the Cody Gunfighter win a street gunfight two nights ago.

And so it goes.....We leave wonderful Cody, WY in the morning for Devil's Tower, WY. We have a 9585 ft mountain pass to cross tomorrow. Not looking forward to it!

The Terrific Threesome...living the good life!