Pullin' Chocks: South Dakota Summer 2019

This is a special summer for us as we venture into our 7th year of living in our fifth wheel trailer Penelope. This year we traveled back east to the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia. On our way back west we stopped through North Carolina and met up with best friends Michelle & Jim. They are outfitted in a brand new Grand Design Reflection fifth wheel trailer and were ready for some big adventure seeing our magnificent country. We traveled together in a two rig convoy through West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and finally into South Dakota where we will spend a month camping together just north of Rapid City.

Jim captured a shot of Penelope from behind as we blew across the South Dakota plains.

We passed what is advertised to be the largest truck stop in the country as we rolled through Iowa.

This is a shot as Gari passed driver Michelle in the Tundra-Reflection rig. We used our smartphone Doppler radar apps to dodge severe weather as soon as we entered Illinois. The strategy worked very well as we avoided all of the worst storms by altering our planned routes and/or adjusting our departure times each day. The total trip from North Carolina to South Dakota covered about 1,700 miles in four days.

We arrived to a fuller RV park than we expected, but we were still able to find two adjacent lots where we could park our rigs door-to-door or Camping Buddies configuration. You can see Romeo the Ram in front of the tan New Horizons trailer Penelope; Jim & Michelle's Reflection and Tundra are parked to Romeo's left in the picture below.

A closer look at our camps as Jim and Gari continue with set ups.

We saw some hail in camp the first week and hope that will be it for the season! Luckily no damage for either of us.

A walking tour through downtown Rapid City, Jim, Michelle and Gari stop in front of one of the graffiti murals in Art Alley..

Michelle and Gari inspect all the fascinating art... we think the no painting sign is an art parody.

Michelle and Jim pause to visit with the Father of our Nation George Washington. The first 43 Presidents are found along Main Street in life-size bronze sculptures.

Steve strikes the same pose as... can you tell who?

On the way up to Keystone and Hill City, SD, little mining towns up in the Black Hills, we cruised past the Mt. Rushmore Monument and paused at the profile pull off for a better look. You can see George Washington in profile there.

Jim admires the chainsaw carved bears in Keystone, SD.

Gari & Michelle consider the various wine selections available at the Naked Winery in Hill City. This looks like serious business...

The whole gang lines up on a great day for a 6.1 mile walk up to the Crazy Horse mountain sculpture near Custer, SD. L to R: Michelle, Gari, Jim & Steve.

A traffic jam builds at a slippery drop; Jim helps Michelle get down safely.

The mountain sculpture we came to climb.

Steve gets his profile with Crazy Horse.

Check Point 4 and last WooHoo! Near the top now!

On Crazy Horse's arm...

Jim & Michelle capture a memorable moment.

The finished model at the Visitor's Center; you can see the mountain sculpture progress in the background.

Hero shot for Steve & Michelle on top of the mountain.

Steve chats with Adam who has worked at the mountain since 7 years old. We didn't ask how he lost his finger, but we have a good guess considering the rock carving work he has done most of his life.

We made it back!

Gari checks the water temperature in Spearfish Canyon. She says it's c-c-c-cold!

Spearfish Falls, Spearfish Canyon.

Roughlock Falls, Spearfish Canyon.

Jim & Michelle at Bridal Veil Falls, Spearfish Canyon.

The whole gang at Bridal Veil Falls.

Michelle demonstrates excellent form while feeding the whopper Trout at D.C. Booth Historic Fish Hatchery; oldest fish hatchery in the west, Spearfish, South Dakota.