Deadwood | Mt. Rushmore | Custer State Park

Monday - 23 September 2002: Wall, South Dakota - Another big driving day. I am so sorry to say, the only time we have driven the Honda was through Yellowstone - the poor car has been dragged along the rest of the way! We slept in this morning until 8 a.m. I took Snickers for a long walk and then we headed out on Interstate 90 again. We decided, since we were in the area, to drive through Sturgis - home of Bike Week - the largest motorcycle rally in the world. Sturgis seems like a sleepy little town, but for 10 days in August each year, so many bikers flock here that the population of South Dakota (700,000) is doubled!

Then we decided to drive up to Deadwood - famed Black Hills mining and gambling town - the town where Wild Bill Hickok was shot in the back. Along the roadside, we saw a flock of wild turkeys! Deadwood now has over 80 "gaming parlors", most of them being a few slot machines with a bar. Deadwood offers cheap and ample RV parking. The entire town is designated a National Historic District and over 85-million dollars has been spent in the past few years in restoration. The Gold Dust Hotel is sponsoring an archeological dig of the "China Town" area and fascinating 'discovered objects' are on display - coins, opium pipes, porcelain shards. We walked down the main street, enjoying the old-time signs, brick streets and historical plaques.

We had lunch (breakfast, actually for us) at the Franklin Hotel, in the 1903 Dining Room. The hotel opened in 1903 and still has a hand-operated Otis elevator. Presidents and Royalty, Film Stars and Politicians have all stayed at The Franklin. A group of local (little old) ladies arrived as we were leaving. They were "Ladies who Lunch" and after lunch, were moving to three tables set-up in the dining room to play Bridge all afternoon. They were most interested in having my husband join them! DT put a quarter in a slot machine as we were walking out the door and left with ten bucks!

Downtown Deadwood, South Dakota


The 1903 Dining Room at the Franklin Hotel

After lunch, we headed out to view one of America's most sacred landmarks - Mount Rushmore.

On the way to Mount Rushmore, you pass through Rapid City, South Dakota - and then head up into the Black Hills. You also have the opportunity to see: Mystery Caves, Mystery Forest ("Feel the Force"), Mystery Area, Reptile World, Bear Country USA, amusement parks, Black Hills Gold factory stores, fast food or country cookin', Parade of Presidents ("From George Washington to George W"), President Rushmore Slide, Everything Prehistoric, Beautiful Rushmore Cave ("Open rain or shine") (?), Glass blowers, "hoss" rides, gold mines, historical centers, Indian tacos, trading posts, wax museums, Holy Terror Mini Golf and helicopter tours. Then, after all this tacky junk, you see Mt. Rushmore and its dignified, elegant presence.

Mt. Rushmore


Mount Rushmore

I am so happy we came here! I just loved Mount Rushmore. Okay, so I am a known Thomas Jefferson nut - but still... Mount Rushmore is awesome, even if those other three guys are up there too. It is interesting (to me) that the artist chose to depict Jefferson as a young man, aged 33, the age he wrote the Declaration of Independence - to show him full of hope and vision. On our way back to the RV, we saw a mother and calf mountain goat walking across the road! Adorable!

We had talked to two couples at Mount Rushmore about the Crazy Horse Memorial. One said to not miss it, the other said forget it. We went, and should have listened to the second opinion. The owners have great plans, but after touring through the ($9 each) facility, neither of us believes the statue will be finished any time "soon". DT thought the museum was interesting though. The artist has plans to blast a statue of Crazy Horse on his horse on the side of a mountain. In the past 40 years, artist Korczak Ziolkowski  finished the face. He has now passed away and his family plans to continue his work. Will my Great-Great-Grandchildren see it completed? Will they see hundreds of statues blasted out of the Black Hills?

Crazy Horse

Our next stop was just to drive through Custer State Park - obviously taking the long way - back to I-90. We stopped at a turnout to let Snickers have a break. Across the meadow we could see ten or so Bison lying in the sun. So I walked the opposite way, down a path over a bridge. Snickers and I ran into two deer and a dozen turkeys! Snickers never did see the deer (boring, he sees deer at home every day) and was only slightly interested in the turkeys. Thank goodness I wasn't walking Bailey (Mary's black lab) - or I would be missing an arm! On the drive back to I-90 we must have seen 100 wild turkeys!

Wild turkey

We followed I-90 50 miles or so to Wall, South Dakota where we are camped for the evening. If you know anything about Wall, South Dakota, you will know what we are doing tomorrow.

RV Park: Sleepy Hollow RV Park in Wall, South Dakota (one block from Wall, Drug)