The Black Hills with pictures

Here we are parked at Ellsworth Air Force Base, reasonable rates and they don't jack the prices up for bike week at Sturgis like most of the other campgrounds around here.

Here is a pic of some of the surrounding area. Beautiful, but I can see how cold it can get here, so we will only be here during summer months.

One of our drives in the area we saw this unusual house so I had to get a pic to share with everyone.

One day we were going to Deadwood to make our donations to the casinos and had to stop and check out the petrified forest just north of Rapid City. It was well worth the stop and the $6.50 admission charge. We watched a short history video before a walk through the forest. I was amazed at how you could see the petrified logs laying where they fell many years ago. Some were still standing!

They have collected some of the pieces and stacked them up.

After walking through the petrified forest we made our donations to the casinos in Deadwood. On the drive back to the rig we had to pass through Sturgis, and with everyone gearing up for the largest biker event in the world at Sturgis South Dakota I had to get a few pictures.

The Full Throttle Saloon was featured on the travel channel, and after watching parts of the TV program I made the decision that I would not spend one red cent in the place, but I did want to get a picture of it.

Next week this street will be full of motorcycles.

One afternoon we took a tour to the South Dakota Air and Space Museum. I really think planes, jets, and rockets are awesome, but they really don't interest me too much.

Friday we decided to do the Bad Lands of South Dakota, and Wall Drug was on the way so we thought we would stop and see what all the rantings were about. Wall Drug is a lot more than just a drug store, they have free water, all kinds of displays to take your picture on or in. Here is Marcia taming the 6 foot jackalope, and she did an awesome job because the jackalope didn't even attempt to buck her off.

Wall Drug takes up the entire block plus some behind the store across the alley.

Next up was THE BAD LANDS, I am intrigued by the landscape of the bad lands, and I can see where they get their name.

Sunday we drove through Custer State Park. The needles hwy is one of the more interesting drives I've ever driven, and I have to say it was more impressive when we did it four years ago on the motorcycles.

Just some of the sites.

The camera on my phone is pretty good, but it isn't good for pictures like this one. Coming through this tunnel you see Mt Rushmore at the end of the trees. It is really impressive when you think about how they cut through the stone and trees just so you can have a beautiful sight of Mt Rushmore as you drive through the tunnel.

If you enlarge this picture you can see Mt Rushmore at the bottom of the v made by the trees.

For the animal lovers Custer State Park has Pronghorns,

Prairie Dogs

TATANKA's or buffalo, some elk, and all kinds of smaller animals and birds.

Our last stop was in Custer South Dakota, on our visit four years ago we stayed at a small cg in Custer and we wanted to stop in and say hi to Rock, the owner/operator. For some reason Rock made an impression on us 4 years ago, and it pleased him that we remembered him and stopped by. (I think he would have been more pleased if we had brought the rig and stayed a few days)

As we left Custer I took this picture.

I hope you enjoy the pictures, and wish everyone could see as much of the USA as we are getting to see.....