We have been van owners for four months, but because our summer was pretty much planned out ahead of time, we haven't really had the total "van living" experience yet. You know ... boon-docking in the middle of nowhere, going a few days without a shower, scrounging for our next meal. We have enjoyed being "spoiled" by family and friends who allowed us to park in front of their houses and opened their homes, showers and kitchens to us ... Thanks!
Being planned out for the summer meant that we haven't yet experienced the "foot loose and fancy free" lifestyle that van dwellers talk about. But that is about to change as we start our southwesterly migration. We are ready to embrace the "no RV park reservations needed" philosophy and adapt to the "wing it" mentality ... we hope!
At this point as we head west, our only "commitment" is to avoid cold temps and be in Albuquerque for the Balloon Fiesta on October 10. So many areas to explore in between Minnesota and New Mexico ... Where do we begin?? The Black Hills has always intrigued us when we drove past them on our way to ski vacations in Colorado and Montana. Time to explore the beauty of the Black Hills!
No trip on I-90 across South Dakota is complete without the obligatory stop at the World's Only Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota. After a boon-docking night at Cabala's, we buzzed into town and paid our respect to the agricultural wonder. Each year a theme is chosen, and the new corn murals are created using 325,000+ ears of dried corn. Twelve different types of corn is used in order to produce the different color hues needed for the murals.
All the corn cobs are cut in half lengthwise so that they have a flat surface in which to nail them to the building. 1.5 million nails are used in the decorating process. The newly decorated palace is ready for the public in early November of each year. Area birds also eagerly await the new designs as they enjoy eating the corn. Thus, the Corn Palace is often referred to as "the world's largest bird feeder".
As we continue down I-90, the "Wall Drug" billboards keep us quite entertained. There are lots of "tourist traps" in the vacation mecca that we are heading to, but we try to avoid the "not so legit" ones. I'm glad that Doug found a "little known and totally worth it" stop at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site just east of Wall, South Dakota.
The free museum is located on the north side of I-90 near the Badlands National Park. Inside videos and displays tell the story of the Cold War years and how the South Dakota prairie became "hiding places" for hundreds of nuclear missiles always on alert to protect our nation from Russia's nuclear missiles.
Our advice ... skip Wall Drug and instead treat yourself to a history lesson where it becomes clear that "the only value in our two nations possessing nuclear weapons is to make sure they will never be used." President Ronald Reagan
Next stop ... Baby Beest's first National Park, the Badlands. After driving along the Badlands Loop Road, hiking a little, and taking in the amazing views of the peaks and valleys, it was time to try out some rougher roads.
Herds of bison greeted us as we made our way along a 12 mile washboard gravel road leading to our first "dry camping" experience at Sage Creek campground. This free campground has no water, no electricity, and only a vault toilet, but the beauty and solace that surrounded us made it all worthwhile.
This prairie dog was just "slightly" annoyed that we used one of his mounds to help level our van!
The next day, twisty roads and upward climbs greeted us as we made our way into Rapid City to seek out a craft brewery after our night in the wilderness. But first it was time to take our folding bikes out and explore the city.
As we biked along the trail that runs alongside Rapid Creek, we had another amazing find.
Here in the middle of small town America are two 12 feet tall sections of the Berlin Wall ... another sobering reminder of the difficulties of the Cold War.
As we continued our ride down the trail, I was amazed to see the vast stretches of gardens and green spaces ... and then I remembered. In June of 1972, a devastating flood wiped out a large portion of Rapid City. Modest homes, trailers, and businesses that sat close to the banks of Rapid Creek were demolished when the flood waters rushed out of the Black Hills in the middle of the night. 238 people lost their lives, and the city was forever changed.
A cross on the hillside ensures that people never forget. And the beauty of the parks, golf courses, ball fields, and bike paths help the citizens to see the beauty that can come out of tragedy.
Our next stop was Custer State Park which is a famous "home" for bison and other wildlife. We knew we were in the right place when we encountered a traffic jam of the more natural type.
Alas, the bison would not be greeting us, because they were being corralled in preparation for the upcoming "Buffalo Roundup". Each autumn the roughly 1300 bison in the park are gathered up and examined, and the herds are thinned out in order to keep a healthy balance of the wild animals in the park. The weekend festival attracts thousands of visitors, so we spent only one day at the campground and got out before the "herd" of tourists arrived.
Getting out meant a ride on the famous Needles Highway complete with massive granite spikes along the road, twists and turns ...
... and tight maneuvers through the three tunnels cut through the rocks. When this highway was designed and built in the 1920s, I am sure that they never envisioned tiny "homes on wheels" trying to fit through the tunnels. Doug did his research the evening before, and when he saw that another Hymer Aktiv owner had successfully made it through the smallest of the tunnels (8 feet 4 inches wide and 12 feet high), he knew that he needed to try it also.
I was grateful that we arrived relatively unscathed at Sylvan Lake which we were able to hike around and take in the beauty of more massive granite rock formations.
Instead we visited the Crazy Horse Memorial. Started in 1939 by sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski, the carving on the mountain continues to progress at a very slow pace. The $12 admission to the memorial not only supports the mountain carving, but also helps with the advancement of the Indian culture by supporting the Indian Museum of North America and the Indian University of North America.
The mission of the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation is to protect and preserve the art, culture, and traditions of all North American Indians.
The promise of a brighter future shines in the faces of Lakota Indians like Starr Chief Eagle who shared with us the stories of her culture and performed a traditional hoop dance using 25 hoops.
Korczak's sculpture may be far from complete, but his motto, to "never forget your dreams" lives on with the help of the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation.
As any good tour guide should do, I need to fill you in on the craft beer status in the Black Hills area.
Sick-N-Twisted Brewery and Naked Winery in Hill City combine a number of culinary delights under one roof. Here beer and wine lovers unite and celebrate their new common ground as they feast on some amazingly good pizza. It is a winning place for all ... including those who collect coasters (Doug snagged one) and those who need a place to sleep (we had a quiet boon-docking spot afterwards in their parking lot).
I was faced with a big dilemma when we walked into Lost Cabin Beer Company in Rapid City. I love my Scotch Ales ... but I love "barrel aged" even more. I knew a flight of four was in my future as soon as I walked in the door. Doug "took one for the team" when he declared himself the designated driver and let me enjoy all four teeny, tiny and oh-so-good beers ;-)
