#WhereAreTheUbryTerrells ... Leg 19: South Dakota (part 1)
Of all the states we were planning to travel to in our 4 months of wandering, South Dakota was the only one I had never been to. So obviously I was most excited about this one! I had always wanted to see Mt Rushmore, and even though I've heard people say it is disappointing, I didn't care. It was still tops on my bucket list!
After visiting Devil's Tower, Wyoming, we once again started heading east, making the short drive to South Dakota. We stopped at the rest stop/visitor's center on the border of the two states and asked for a recommendation of an RV park. The woman suggested we go to Wyatt's Hideaway in her hometown of Belle Fourche (pronounced "bell foosh"). We had already been to Belle Fourche -- it was the geologic center of the United States that we had passed through earlier in the day -- but we were all about taking recommendations from locals, so back to the center we went! And we were so glad we did.
The plan had only been to spend one night at Wyatt's Hideaway, but we enjoyed the location, the atmosphere, the company so much that we ended up staying 3 nights! I was able to get some work done while Randy and Van swam in the river and placed pennies on the train tracks. We visited the museum at the geological center of the U.S., and took a road trip out to a guy's field where a cross marked the "actual" geological center.
We took day trips to Sturgiss and Deadwood, taking in reenactments of gun fights, touring the motorcycle museum, and sampling local desserts from a chocolatier who provides goodies for the swag bags at awards shows like the Emmys.
We went to the Green Bean Coffee House where I had the best latte I've ever tasted.
Randy and I stayed up late with the owners of the RV park one night, talking about life and religion and politics and all the things you aren't supposed to say to strangers (or family for that matter). We were so engrossed in our grown-up time that we forgot to feed Van that night (sorry Danielle!). Though I'm sure he raided the snacks while he read quietly in the RV while we were sitting outside on picnic tables, imagining owning our own RV park. The place was quiet, with seemingly very few campers for a place so large, but I'm sure the majority of their annual sales come during bike week in nearby Sturgiss!
It was the 3rd of July, so we asked around about where to watch fireworks. Every year Belle Fourche hosts a rodeo, followed by fireworks at the fairgrounds. One woman told us to go to the watertower, and so we did. There, on the hill, we watched neighbors shoot spectacular fireworks while the rain poured down on us, and the wind and lightning put on just as good of a show. Van decided to sit outside in the cold rain, in his shorts and my jacket, while Randy and I laughed about how this would probably be one of his strongest memories of the trip. I turned on the hot water heater so that when he did decide to come in he could warm up quickly in our shower rather than catch pneumonia (more benefits to owning an RV!). When the fairgrounds finally did set off their fireworks, we didn't think they were nearly as spectacular as the neighbors and the sunset and the lightning, but we were so thankful we'd listened to the lady who recommend we come to the water tower!
We woke up on the 4th of July with plans to attend the big Belle Fourche parade. The B-1 bomber was supposed to do a low fly-by to kick off the parade, but it never showed. I was actually glad for the disappointment. We'd fallen so in love with Belle Fourche that I think we would have stayed forever if it kept exceeding our expectations. But it was clearly time to move on.
Heading south, we took the scenic drive through beautiful Spearfish Canyon, where we stopped to have lunch. (It really was beautiful, even though I failed to take any photos!) We were told to take another scenic drive through "Needles" in order to approach Mt Rushmore from a certain viewpoint, but the road had height limits that not even our small RV could manage. So we made our way to the monumet the "less dramatic" way. And was I disappointed with the busts of our presidents carved into stone? Not at all! We ended up spending the rest of the day here, marvelling at the fact that we were at Mt. Rushmore on the 4th of July!
Van participated in the Junior Ranger program. He and I took a short hike. We relaxed over dinner, and even though we really wanted ice cream we saved our $14 a cone and bought souveniers instead.
We toured the visitors center and watched the free movie.
We attended the evening program, where veterans from the crowd lowered the flag and the lights came on the monument (the first part brought tears to my eyes, but that last part was pretty anti-climactic).
It was fun to see all the flags of our nation, and to finally lay eyes on this national treasure.
As in all of the places we have visited, I think the key to not being disappointed is to take your time. Of course you could see Mt. Rushmore in 10-minutes flat and check it off your bucket list.
But if you want to appreciate it, you need to linger. Be amazed at this art, created out of dynamite, in dedication to our first presidents.
After visiting Devil's Tower, Wyoming, we once again started heading east, making the short drive to South Dakota. We stopped at the rest stop/visitor's center on the border of the two states and asked for a recommendation of an RV park. The woman suggested we go to Wyatt's Hideaway in her hometown of Belle Fourche (pronounced "bell foosh"). We had already been to Belle Fourche -- it was the geologic center of the United States that we had passed through earlier in the day -- but we were all about taking recommendations from locals, so back to the center we went! And we were so glad we did.
The plan had only been to spend one night at Wyatt's Hideaway, but we enjoyed the location, the atmosphere, the company so much that we ended up staying 3 nights! I was able to get some work done while Randy and Van swam in the river and placed pennies on the train tracks. We visited the museum at the geological center of the U.S., and took a road trip out to a guy's field where a cross marked the "actual" geological center.
We took day trips to Sturgiss and Deadwood, taking in reenactments of gun fights, touring the motorcycle museum, and sampling local desserts from a chocolatier who provides goodies for the swag bags at awards shows like the Emmys.
We went to the Green Bean Coffee House where I had the best latte I've ever tasted.
Randy and I stayed up late with the owners of the RV park one night, talking about life and religion and politics and all the things you aren't supposed to say to strangers (or family for that matter). We were so engrossed in our grown-up time that we forgot to feed Van that night (sorry Danielle!). Though I'm sure he raided the snacks while he read quietly in the RV while we were sitting outside on picnic tables, imagining owning our own RV park. The place was quiet, with seemingly very few campers for a place so large, but I'm sure the majority of their annual sales come during bike week in nearby Sturgiss!
It was the 3rd of July, so we asked around about where to watch fireworks. Every year Belle Fourche hosts a rodeo, followed by fireworks at the fairgrounds. One woman told us to go to the watertower, and so we did. There, on the hill, we watched neighbors shoot spectacular fireworks while the rain poured down on us, and the wind and lightning put on just as good of a show. Van decided to sit outside in the cold rain, in his shorts and my jacket, while Randy and I laughed about how this would probably be one of his strongest memories of the trip. I turned on the hot water heater so that when he did decide to come in he could warm up quickly in our shower rather than catch pneumonia (more benefits to owning an RV!). When the fairgrounds finally did set off their fireworks, we didn't think they were nearly as spectacular as the neighbors and the sunset and the lightning, but we were so thankful we'd listened to the lady who recommend we come to the water tower!
We woke up on the 4th of July with plans to attend the big Belle Fourche parade. The B-1 bomber was supposed to do a low fly-by to kick off the parade, but it never showed. I was actually glad for the disappointment. We'd fallen so in love with Belle Fourche that I think we would have stayed forever if it kept exceeding our expectations. But it was clearly time to move on.
Heading south, we took the scenic drive through beautiful Spearfish Canyon, where we stopped to have lunch. (It really was beautiful, even though I failed to take any photos!) We were told to take another scenic drive through "Needles" in order to approach Mt Rushmore from a certain viewpoint, but the road had height limits that not even our small RV could manage. So we made our way to the monumet the "less dramatic" way. And was I disappointed with the busts of our presidents carved into stone? Not at all! We ended up spending the rest of the day here, marvelling at the fact that we were at Mt. Rushmore on the 4th of July!
Van participated in the Junior Ranger program. He and I took a short hike. We relaxed over dinner, and even though we really wanted ice cream we saved our $14 a cone and bought souveniers instead.
We toured the visitors center and watched the free movie.
We attended the evening program, where veterans from the crowd lowered the flag and the lights came on the monument (the first part brought tears to my eyes, but that last part was pretty anti-climactic).
It was fun to see all the flags of our nation, and to finally lay eyes on this national treasure.
As in all of the places we have visited, I think the key to not being disappointed is to take your time. Of course you could see Mt. Rushmore in 10-minutes flat and check it off your bucket list.
But if you want to appreciate it, you need to linger. Be amazed at this art, created out of dynamite, in dedication to our first presidents.
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