WEDNESDAY - We are only moving 13-miles to the south side of Custer State Park today, so a noon check-out and a noon check-in time will work out in our favor today.
Normally on these short moves we're having to think of creative ways to kill time between campsites. Today we left the Game Lodge Campground around 11:00AM. We dumped and filled our waste and fresh water tanks just outside of the campground before heading down the road to our next campsite.
Here we are saying goodbye to Game Lodge Campground at 11:00AM.
45-minutes later and we were all set up for another week long stay at Blue Bell Campground.
These sites have everything we need, electricity, a picnic table and a fire pit.
As a bonus this one has a fresh water spigot within reach of our 50' hose, in case we run out.
THURSDAY - Today it's time to get up early and go visit "up close and personal" with four of our greatest Presidents.
Sure, a few days ago we drove by and waved at them, but today we're going to splurge and spend the $5 to park and go inside the National Memorial property (BTW-save your parking pass, it's good for an entire year) and admittance to the park is FREE.
If you're planning a visit to Mount Rushmore I highly suggest you approach the Memorial from the south using the Iron Mountain route.
Along this route you'll pass through three tunnels, each offering a natually framed view of Mount Rushmore. The first and third tunnels offer this view heading north towards the memorial, while the middle tunnel offers the view while heading south away from the memorial.
TUNNEL #1 - Scovel Johnson Tunnel • 10'9" wide x 11'0" tall
TUNNEL #2 - C. C. Gideon Tunnel • 13'0" wide x 11'0" tall
This fourth video is called a "pigtail", the name given to a road when it makes a 270°+ continuous turn and then passes either over or under itself. This usually involves a very steep grade to the road and can be quite "dizzying" if driven too fast. 😂
MOUNT RUSHMORE NATIONAL MEMORIAL
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This is what the skies looked like at 6:30AM this morning, it's forecast to clear up quickly.
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Before we even left the campground we spotted about a dozen turkeys by the horse stables.
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We drove a short section of the Needles Highway and spotted the same bison from days ago.
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These were just the first of at least thirty deer we saw along the road today.
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This photo was taken from the same roadside pullout we stopped at before.
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We have finally arrived at the entrance to the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
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In case you didn't know (L to R) Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln.
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This is the gentleman who was tasked with carving the mountain.
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The "Avenue of Flags", all 50 states and the District of Columbia are represented here.
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Notice that the skies have cleared up nicely for our photos.
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Our 1st United States President, George Washington (1789 - 1797) [2 terms]
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Our 3rd United States President, Thomas Jefferson (1801 - 1809) [2 terms]
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Our 26th United States President, Theodore Roosevelt (1901 - 1909)
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Our 16th United States President, Abraham Lincoln (1861 - 1865) [2 terms]
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Anyone recognize this photo? It's Mount Rushmore, before the carving began.
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Next we started walking along the Presidential Trail that leads up to the base of the mountain.
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This is as close as you can get to the carving site.
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From this vantage point all you can really see is what's up the president's noses.
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It was at this point we turned around and headed back to the Visitor Cebnter.
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This is the amphitheater where the nighttime ceremony and lighting take place.
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With clouds forming overhead and the rain starting we cut our visit short...
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...deciding to go check out another cave in the area.
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Don't worry, we'll be back for the nighttime show, just maybe not tonight.
Nine miles away, on the east side of the town of Keystone, you'll find the Rush Mountain Adventure Park. We're not so interested in all the rides they currently offer here, we're more interested in the "original attraction" of the park.
Rushmore Cave will be the third cave we've visited in the last three weeks, we're hoping it's the best cave too. A fourth cave tour in the area was planned at Wind Cave National Park, but a few weeks ago their elevator into the cave broke down and it's currently closed for repairs.
Guess that means we'll be visiting South Dakota again in the coming years.
RUSHMORE CAVE
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We just missed the 1:00PM cave tour. Now we'll have to wait until 2:30PM for the next one.
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Looking towards the cave ceiling we were shown the original natural cave entrance.
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We now start our descent into the cave using very steep and shallow stairs.
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It wasn't long before we starting seeing all the cave formations we've become use to seeing.
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The previous two caves we just visited had virtually none of this.
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Here's me ducking around this large column formation.
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We've found our way to what they call "The Big Room".
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This large column formation snapped when the floor gave way under the excessive weight.
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Here's a complete column nearby that's still intact.
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A few broken stalactites is evidence of early explorers taking home souvenirs.
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I'm not usually a fan of "dramatic lighting", but this was done fairly well.
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Back to the task of negotiating the winding steep stairways.
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Soon we were in the long straight manmade exit of the cave.
FRIDAY - We spent all morning waiting around the campsite until we were notified that ALL of our Amazon packages had arrived in Rapid City, some 27-miles away, and were ready for pickup.
That happened around 4PM so we jumped into ROVER and headed north. After securing our packages it was time for dinner and I found a unique place to go and eat.
Well unique might not be the right word, it was just a McDonald's after all, maybe one-of-a-kind is more appropriate.
In February of 2020 it was the 50th Anniversary of "The Quarter Pounder".
McDonald's Corporation chose this location to install an 8' round bronze Quarter Pounder with Cheese sculpture because according to their statistics, Rapid City residents consume the most Quarter Pounders with Cheese per capita in the nation.
I helped those statistics today by ordering a "hot and deliciously juicy" Quarter Pounder with Cheese for myself. If you're wondering where I got that phrase, it's right there in the photo, etched on the base of the sculpture in Latin, "Calidum et Deliciose Succosum".
If we hurry we can just make it back to Mount Rushmore in time for the 8:00PM presentation of the lighting ceremony.
Approaching the memorial with 20-minutes to spare before things get started at 8:00PM.
The crowd leaving the memorial after the 45-minute presentation.
As impressive as the memorial is in the daytime, I prefer this nighttime look even better.
Now for the 31.5-mile drive home in the dark. WATCH OUT wildlife, here we come!
TUESDAY - After three days of less than perfect weather we finally got a chance to get out of THE POD and see some more of Custer State Park before we leave tomorrow.
We didn't get out until after lunch because Tricia had a Zoom Call scheduled with her brother at 11:00AM and we both had a Zoom Call with our financial advisor at 1:00PM.
With those two tasks taken care of we were free to go and we didn't waste any time heading over to Sylvan Lake to hike the easy 1-mile trail that circles around the lake.
SYLVAN LAKE HIKE
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Today won't have any reflective mirror-image pictures like we took 11 days ago.
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But today it's 70°F with a nice 10-12MPH breeze, not 88°F with no breeze like last time.
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I'm beginning to wonder how this trail circles the lake when that bridge is a dead end.
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A view of the bridge over the dam that creates Sylvan Lake.
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That's a fair distance down to the other side of the dam.
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This passage is how we got to the back side of the granite blocks along the lakeshore.
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Here's a view of the down-river side on the dam.
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Looks like we're in for a climb back to the top of the rocks.
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Yep, here's a peek through the rocks out onto the lake.
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This is th top of the trail and the halfway point.
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This corner of the lakeshore is covered with reedy grasses.
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On the drive back to the campground we passed by these Texas Longhorn steers.
This is what the skies looked like at 6:30AM this morning, it's forecast to clear up quickly.
Before we even left the campground we spotted about a dozen turkeys by the horse stables.
We drove a short section of the Needles Highway and spotted the same bison from days ago.
These were just the first of at least thirty deer we saw along the road today.
This photo was taken from the same roadside pullout we stopped at before.
We have finally arrived at the entrance to the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
In case you didn't know (L to R) Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln.
This is the gentleman who was tasked with carving the mountain.
The "Avenue of Flags", all 50 states and the District of Columbia are represented here.
Notice that the skies have cleared up nicely for our photos.
Our 1st United States President, George Washington (1789 - 1797) [2 terms]
Our 3rd United States President, Thomas Jefferson (1801 - 1809) [2 terms]
Our 26th United States President, Theodore Roosevelt (1901 - 1909)
Our 16th United States President, Abraham Lincoln (1861 - 1865) [2 terms]
Anyone recognize this photo? It's Mount Rushmore, before the carving began.
Next we started walking along the Presidential Trail that leads up to the base of the mountain.
This is as close as you can get to the carving site.
From this vantage point all you can really see is what's up the president's noses.
It was at this point we turned around and headed back to the Visitor Cebnter.
This is the amphitheater where the nighttime ceremony and lighting take place.
With clouds forming overhead and the rain starting we cut our visit short...
...deciding to go check out another cave in the area.
Don't worry, we'll be back for the nighttime show, just maybe not tonight.
We just missed the 1:00PM cave tour. Now we'll have to wait until 2:30PM for the next one.
Looking towards the cave ceiling we were shown the original natural cave entrance.
We now start our descent into the cave using very steep and shallow stairs.
It wasn't long before we starting seeing all the cave formations we've become use to seeing.
The previous two caves we just visited had virtually none of this.
Here's me ducking around this large column formation.
We've found our way to what they call "The Big Room".
This large column formation snapped when the floor gave way under the excessive weight.
Here's a complete column nearby that's still intact.
A few broken stalactites is evidence of early explorers taking home souvenirs.
I'm not usually a fan of "dramatic lighting", but this was done fairly well.
Back to the task of negotiating the winding steep stairways.
Soon we were in the long straight manmade exit of the cave.
Today won't have any reflective mirror-image pictures like we took 11 days ago.
But today it's 70°F with a nice 10-12MPH breeze, not 88°F with no breeze like last time.
I'm beginning to wonder how this trail circles the lake when that bridge is a dead end.
A view of the bridge over the dam that creates Sylvan Lake.
That's a fair distance down to the other side of the dam.
This passage is how we got to the back side of the granite blocks along the lakeshore.
Here's a view of the down-river side on the dam.
Looks like we're in for a climb back to the top of the rocks.
Yep, here's a peek through the rocks out onto the lake.
This is th top of the trail and the halfway point.
This corner of the lakeshore is covered with reedy grasses.
On the drive back to the campground we passed by these Texas Longhorn steers.
