Sept 15   It's official, we decided to go ahead and declare residency in South Dakota.  Today we got our new drivers licenses.  Once our vehicle Titles catch up with us we will finish this process and register the vehicles.

Weather!  We had the most spectacular thunder storm last night, we watched lightening flash at all points around us, and fly across the sky horizontal and just go every which way.  The thunder boomers were very impressive.  We are very lucky that Butter doesn't care about any of it.  She raised her head once during the storm, looked at us, then went back to sleep.  Today we went by the Lake House and picked up a few more bottles of wine to enjoy and talk to the service manager.  Yeah the tanks are in, well one tank is in and the other is running around Rapid City in a UPS truck, so it will arrive later.  Yippee, this means the real repairs can start.  It will be so good to get back into our home.

We stopped at the Camping World west of town on our way home.  We had purchased a 2 step stair for butter to get into the truck.   We have been impressed with it ad Butter took to using it really easily but one day Dan used it when fueling up the truck and it wasn't fully open and it collapsed on, well under him.  We had seen one at Camping World and decided to just replace it and be more careful.  So that is how we arrived at the store, and it was just a quick run in and out, we really didn't need umbrellas....hahaha. First it was rain, then really hard rain, then rain that turned to hail, and more hail, we were really grateful it stayed at about pea sized, and the other side of the building had about an inch by the time it stopped and we bolted for the truck with several purchases we didn't plan on, you know how that happens when your stuck in a store with nothing to do but shop.





Sept 16  We wanted to spend more time in Custer State Park and today seems like the best time.  The weather is clearing and we had a plan for the day.  We had a slow start to the day and headed to Hill City for lunch, we had been told to have a great german lunch at the Alpine Inn in Hill City.  Well the guy at the Social Security office was right, it was a terrific lunch! and the best bread pudding ever for dessert.  That being said, I had wanted to pick up a Fairborn Agate while we were in South Dakota, so a quick (?) stop at a rock shop.  Me and rock shops aren't ever quick.  We did make it back up the road to Prairie Berry Winery after about an hour and weren't sure about this stop.  Dan and I both enjoy pretty heavy red wines and something called Prairie Berry was sounding a little lite and fruity, and it was, and we enjoyed it and left with 6 bottles to enjoy on down the road.   We wound our way over to Custer State Park, and asked where the buffalo were hanging out to.  The ranger told us they were all the way south almost to Wind Cave so we hd a nice long drive ahead of us.  We hadn't taken the needle highway on our first day in the park so that was the plan today.  There are several very tight tunnels, short, but tight, especially for a dually and when we arrived at the first one I wan't to see the "eye of the needle" but when I turned around, I came eye to eye with a mountain goat.  WOW just magnificent, and I was in a position where I just needed to squat down and let people shot pictures over my head, but after about 10 minutes I needed to climb down and take a chance that he would hang around for the rest of the crowd trying to get pictures, he didn't.  But just as we finally took our turn through the tunnel he popped out again over head, just wanted to say goodbye I'm sure.

We found the buffalo and we found pronghorn and we found lots of prairie dogs and we just had a lovely day driving all around Custer State Park and it was well after dark before we wound our way back to Elk Creek and our little cabin.

Sept 17 and Sept 18  We just took it easy over the weekend and did laundry, went grocery shopping.  We had some really entertaining wildlife out at Elk Creek.  Numerous Turkey act as our alarm clocks most mornings, they come right up to the edge of the front patio and start making a lot of noise.  The deer tend to be very quiet as they wander into the meadow out front each morning and each evening.  The rabbits are just funny to watch and on a few occasions gave Butter a good run for her money. Silly dog thinking she could catch a rabbit. 

Sept 19 We decided to head out to Ellsworth AirForce Base and tour the museum.  This was really a good museum, the planes outside kept us busy for quite awhile and just as we headed in there was an amazing sound and off to the left we saw a B1 taking off, headed north and it was gone, WOW.  The exhibits in the museum brought back lots of memories of jets and rockets and news cast that peppered our growing up years. 

After the Air Force base we grabbed some lunch and decided to take advantage of the pass to return to the reptile gardens and take in the shows and see the areas we couldn't take Butter to the last time.

They had a really cute bird show and alligator show, and even a snake show.  Dan got to pet a baby alligator, and we checked out all the snakes.

Sept 20  Just a few errands to run today, first off to Americas Mailbox, pick up mail, fill out the forms to register to vote and apply for absentee ballots as we really hope to be on the road before November.  Then to Safeway for a prescription pickup and we ran up the hill to see the Dinosaur Park.  Built by the WPA there are 7 dinosaur sculptures.  I have to admit seeing a duckbilled dinosaur brought back lots of childhood memories playing with plastic dinos.  And the views of Rapid City were really spectacular as it was a year crisp day.  After that we did a little shopping and took in a movie.

Sept 21   Sams club  and Target for internet.  We discovered that there were days when the internet was so bad at the resort we just head into town, grab a tea at Starbucks and have really good internet for an hour or so.

Sept 22   Service the truck, Dan had gotten a recommendation from the RV place and wanted to get the regular oil and transmission service done on the truck and as we were starting to hope we might be on the road again soon this seemed like a good idea, for him.  Our resort had a wedding booked and we had to move out of the kitchenette and into a regular room and I was sitting around with little else to do, so I relocated all our belongings to another cabin down the way and when Dan came home we went into Piedmont and grabbed much at a little cafe.  Dan had his first hot roast beef sandwich, with mashed potatoes and gravy all over it.  I was really glad we opted for the half sandwich.

Sept 23   Lake house being worked on! We were headed into town to get breakfast as we no longer had a kitchenette and Green RV called to let us know what was going on.  We decided to just go by and see what they were talking about.  Seems the gray tank is fine!  great news, the black tank is a true puzzlement.  Why they ask do we have 2 black tank flushes?  We didn't know we did.  Best(WORST) RV told us we didn't have a black tank flush, but it was prepped for one.  Remember this place back in California, it seems we are still not done with them.  So when they told us we didn't have one, we said "install a black tank flush while you are doing the other work".  When we got fed up with them and took our home they pointed to the flush attachment they had attached to the side, under the skirting.  At the time we were too frustrated to question why they didn't use the prepped fitting in the water cabinet.  Now we know why, because that was a fully functioning black tank flush....fully functioning mind you.  They installed a second one and charged us for it.  Now if this is the time that the black tank got blown out we will never know.  But that is what had happened, the tank was pressured up and split all along the top edge.  and the supporting bar under it bowed down.  Now we could go on down the road dumping our tank  every 2-3 days and never know of the problem.  Until that day in Utah when every thing fell out.  We are still scratching our heads, and so are the techs now looking at this.  I ask them to please verify that the only thing going into that tank is the toilet, and they crawl up and trace the plumbing.  I still believe that at least the bathroom facet is going into that tank.  We will test it down the road.  The work will progress and we will probably get our home back on Monday late or Tuesday.  I decide it is time to start making plans to leave on Tuesday and make some reservations.
We go on over to Starbucks, sip tea and surf the net and decide its time to catch another movie...The magnificent 7.  So it is a late night and we have to move out of the cabin tomorrow again.



Sept 24  Load em up, head em out, and we are moving back to motel 6.  First we have a day to fill in Rapid City and I want to take in The Journey museum.  This is a great museum, they aren't real busy so we request to see a movie and they accommodate us.  Then another film with overhead shots of South Dakota.  Its like soaring over the whole state, and having  spent the better part of 4 weeks driving those roads it was really cool to see it all from the air.  Then we walked through the ancient history of the land, the dinosaurs, the geology of the black hills, the early indians and then the incursion of the white man.  We also learned about the great flood of 1972.  But we are burned out and need some food, and to get checked in at the motel.  They invite us back for another day.

Sept 25  We are up and at em again, because we are moving back to the Elk Creek Resort.  It sounds much more difficult then it really is.  The resort is about 12 miles out of town and we don't know for sure when we will be able to pick up the Lake House so it just seems wiser to move back rather then waiting it out at Motel 6.  So After we return to The Journey Museum, and have a relaxing time with the rest of the displays and sit in on the history of Prairie Berry Winery with samples and mustard and ketchup tastings.....you never know what is going to be going on at a museum.  We grab a burger and head to the resort.  Natalie hands me our keys and tells me to come in tomorrow and finish up.  Its like home.

Sept 26 We have a day and we will just wait to hear about the repairs.  We call in and can't make a connection, lousy cell service.  We are so conditioned to pick up our cell phones I hadn't even realized there was a phone on the night stand.  I use it to call in and learn that the work is done!  We can pick it up right now, and as tempting as that is, we decide to wait until Tuesday morning so we can get an early start and have an easier day.  So first we go do laundry, we won't have to worry about it again for a few weeks if we get it done today.  Then we head to Olive Garden for a late lunch and just try to relax.  A glass of wine to celebrate and a really good meal.  The weight and the wait have been hard on both of us and it is looking like the "sun will come out tomorrow"! Not that we haven't had lots of sunshine in South Dakota, but we would like to see some new vistas.  We'll miss our little cabin, and the hills we watched start to turn yellow.  But we will be very happy campers tomorrow.

 So Aug 26th we dropped the rig off for repairs and Sept 27th we pick it up....On the road again!

Sept 2   Labor Day weekend starts

Sept 3 Off to Sturgis.  We had been told there was a Mustang Rally in Sturgis over Labor Day weekend and that sounds like a good way to spend an afternoon.  Surges is a very small town and there were three blocks of Main street with mustangs parked side by side.  I know people who love this car and I can appreciate a lot of them, but there were some pretty homely mustangs through the years, especially the mid 70's and then there was the fastback, UGH (IMHO)

After a long block of checking out the cars we headed over to the motorcycle museum Hall of Fame,
Really interesting motorcycles, from the motorized bicycles to the enormous Harley

We headed home via the Vanocker Canyon,  this was a really nice drive.  We just pull over and let the speedsters pass as we enjoy the quiet and the scenery.


Sept 4  The biggest Camping world


Sept 5 Monday  Tonight as we lay in bed with the window open, we heard a new sound, coyotes.

Sept 6  Well we are moving to Hulett WY today.  Its just 80 miles westish and we get packed up and sorted out and headed off.  We'll be back to the deer and the turkeys and the coyote and the bunnies.

The drive is off the main highway most of the way and the scenery varies as we pass rolling hills and into forested hills and then as we round one corner we get our first peek at the tower.  It really is unique. We arrive a little too early to check-in so we go find a local eatery and have a very good pizza.  Then we go check-in to the Hulett Motel, our chalet isn't quite ready so we get a recommendation to go see the Crook County museum.  This is a terrific little museum, the history of the area, the artifacts range from dinosaur bones to rifles, Indian beadwork clothes to butter churns and pictures of all 15 of the forts that one time dotted Wyoming.

Sept 7 Devils Tower day.

 The really is an awesome site, from the first curve
of the road that presents you with the first view to the differing views as you walk around the base and see this tower from all angles, well almost all angles, we watch the climbers all over the tower and while I can appreciate what they are doing, I have NO interest in doing that.



Sept. 8  WE head on down to  Deadwood for the next 4 days, but first it is the drive, we cut off I-90 at Spearfish, have a nice breakfast and take the road through Spearfish canyon, another gorgeous drive.  Absolutely beautiful.  Our first 2 days in the area we are at a little campground called Fish n Fry and a little log cabin.  The cabin is really a cute little stay, it is cosy and the campground has a nice cafe where we can start the day off with breakfast and end it with dinner.

 We took off the first day and went up to Lead and stopped at the Sanford Research facility visitor Center.  This is (was) the Homestake Mine, and the open pit behind the visitors center is a huge hole in the ground.  They offered a tour and we signed up.  The history of the Mine is a very interesting story. After George Hearst bought the original claim and started the huge process off it had quite an impact of the area for over a hundred years.  Now it is all focused on research.

Sept 9  The next day we go back to Lead to go to the museum and get to go down in a simulated mine shaft and get a tiny feel for all the work that went on as they wrested billions of dollars in gold out of the ground.  There is a museum just beyond deadwood called Tanaka Story of the Bison.  This is another different Museum, but the bronze sculptures are amazing.  The life-sized sculptures depict a Bison jump, three indians on horseback driving the bison over the edge of a sinkhole.  The action is vivid.  Our cameras are all in the car.  We decide to go back to the campground and have a quiet dinner, and while we are sitting there the owner presented us with a space heater,  what a thoughtful act, we now knew that the temperature was going to drop that night and it did, we had frost on the pumpkin and we are not ready for this!

Sept 10  We move into Deadwood Proper, a little hotel on the edge of town, but on the way in we stop at Mt. Moriah Cemetery.  The graves of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane.  We wonder around the cemetery for awhile, it is interesting how the history of an area can be revealed in the headstones of a cemetery.

We stopped for a Chai Latte in town and then went over to the Days of 76 Museum.  Now this wasn't exactly what we expected for the days of 76.  The whole first floor of the museum is about the local celebration of the "days of 76"  sort of a museum to honor the celebration of the events that spawned the town.  But the basement!  be sure to take in the basement.  Here is where they store all the vehicles used in the parade every year, they are restored and it is really walking through history of transportation to and in the black Hills.  We were told that when they started looking for the historical vehicles they turned up in back yards and barns and all over the area.  One of my favorites was the beer wagon,  an early 5th wheel, designed to make the tight turns needed to deliver the barrels to the back doors.  Then we could see the same design used on the hearses. Having been up to the cemetery we knew they needed to make tight turns up on the hill also.  The admission price was worth the tour of the basement.

Sept 11   Our full day in deadwood.  We wander on downtown and get advice for a cafe to have breakfast and it was a good breakfast, then we start the walking tour of the town at the Adams house museum.  This museum tells the tail of Deadwood and we spend several hours reading and looking at pictures, and paraphernalia.  We aren't much into gambling so Deadwood isn't really our cup of tea.  We have a nice dinner at a hotel restaurant and head back to the hotel to pack for tomorrow.

Sept 12  On to the Badlands.  We head out to Wall, SD and thought about having lunch, until we saw the lines, oh my!  so a quick stop at DQ took care of lunch.   We decide to cut south from here and head on into the badlands and take a full drive through on our way to interior.  The wildlife is out as well as the rainclouds.

We get checked in and get this gorgeous rainbow.  The scenery out here is so very different from what we have been seeing in South Dakota and we just keep taking it in.

Sept 13  We are up early and take a full circle drive through the Badlands again, this time we cut off on a dirt rad and go out to several overlooks, then just continue driving around the park and out the south side, make another circle and head back to our hotel.  The weather has stayed overcast and dark the whole day, but it gives a different quality to the colors here.

Sept 14 We head back to Elk Creek today, but first we stop at the Minuteman Missile National
Historic Site on I-90.  They have saved 1 command center and 1 missile silo from demolition.  So first we stop at park headquarters to get our tickets.  The tickets are free but very limited.  We arrived at 7:30 and the doors open at 8, and there are already 10 people ahead of us.  We get tickets for the 9:15 tour so we have about an hour to tour the exhibits all about the cold war and the use of missiles as deterrents.  When you actually see the number of missiles that the US and the USSR had to blow each other up it staggers the mind.  An hour later we are sitting at the gate to Delta-01 Launch Control Facility and we get to see how the personnel who manned and maintained these facilities lived, on alert 24 hrs a day.  A security crew at ground level to secure the facility and a launch crew underground controlling 10 missile silos.  An hour later we were another 10 miles west looking at Delta-09 missile Silo.  This is a self guided tour.  You call a number on your cell phone and then push numbers to hear the explanation of what you are looking at.  After a quick and underwhelming lunch at Wall Drug we head on back to Americas mailbox to pick up our mail and then back to Elk Creek to check back into our little cabin on the hill....It almost feels like home.

Paused again

Aug 26  Its up and at em early this morning, we only have 55 miles to go, but it is 55 miles to a service center to get the gray tank repaired, we think.   So CaptDan emptied the black tank and we got a rank odor....Don't borrow trouble.  We arrived at Green Star, dropped off the Lake House and headed over to check on a new latch for the "ramp door"  Seems that close encounter with a highway pole caught it and popped it right off.  as well as a mark down the side of the rig which he says he can buff out.   The one new rule of driving has emerged from this, when medication says "don't operate heavy machinery" it means 5th wheels too.  So the Capt will not drive for at least 48 hrs after taking any of those meds, ever. and for that matter neither will I.

We followed the shopping up with a really great breakfast at the Campbell Street Cafe in Rapid City, I mean really good food!  Then off to find a laudramat  and catch up on the clothes.  About the time I got the washers going the phone rings and it is the Service center calling to say the news is bad and worse.  We have lost both the gray and the black tank, and they both need replacement.  So CaptDan heads over to the center and I stay with the clothes.  About an hour later he is back and we are staying at least 4 weeks in Rapid City for a full replacement of the tanks.  We'll keep you posted on this escapade as it unfolds.  So I make the reservations for 2 nights at motel 6 and start looking for pet friendly places we can spend the next 4 weeks.

Aug 27  Its hard to focus on this project but Saturday in the day to get the accommodations handled.  After about 20 phones calls, and 50 internet searches, I succeed.  We have 9 nights at the Elk Creek Resort, in a cabin.  Then 2 nights in Hulett, 2 nights at Fish & Fry, 2 nights at Deadwood Station, 2 nights at Badlands Inn, then back to Elk Creek for 10 more nights.  It sounds crazier then it is, really. We will get to tour all around this part of the State and while here we will establish residency in South Dakota.  Making these kind of reservations is really exhausting and I really am glad to finish.  We may still need a day or two ate the end but we can handle anything after this.

Aug 28  We move out of Motel 6 and into the Elk Creek Resort in Piedmont SD.  This place is great! Little cabin up on a hillside above a green meadow where the deer and the turkeys wander.  We get settled in for 9 days and line out the schedule for the week.  First order, get CaptDan a passport, get duplicate titles coming from Oregon. Actually first we make one more trip to the Lake House and try to locate those papers.  No luck on the document hunt.  Well almost no luck, I did find Dans birth certificate and a few other important papers.  Did I mention that we purchased a small safe for all the important papers?  Well we did.  Just a few months too late but we will be better about this.  So tomorrow we will get forms printed and filled out.

Aug 29  Its always fun to deal with intermittent internet.  The frustration level rises and we finally head into town.  We go to Office Depot and get the forms we need for Oregon titles printed out.  Get a few other errands run and decide to take a breath, relax, we're retired!  Sometimes I need to be reminded.

Aug 30  We head into Rapid City and make a big circle getting passport pictures, then by the post office to pick up passport application, then go get a Chai while we fill out the application, we did find Dans birth certificate (yippee).  Then back to the post office to file for a passport, with expediting.
The picture from Walgreens was bad, they won't except it so he gets another one taken at the P.O.  Then we have a little confusion about zip codes and I have to correct all the forms and get the right zip code put down, thank goodness we caught that before everything went in the mail.  So we have ordered replacements for the vehicle titles from Oregon and a passport.

Now we decide it is time to get up to the Petrified Forest right beyond our little cabin on the hill.  Its time to relax and enjoy where we are.   The Petrified forest is really very interesting and Butter gets to walk along with us.  They have an introduction video, a self guided tour, and then a stop at the rock shop.  The sky is clouding over and we are not anxious to get caught in a thunder storm.  As we are talking to a guy at the rock shop he goes to chase a turkey, its a big turkey and its standing on the hood of our truck, nervy bird!  Now its dinner time and we head home and get out the gas bar-b-q that we borrowed from the owners here.  We have this beautiful tri-tip that has thawed out from the rig and we grill that up along with several packs of links.  We open a bottle of wine and have a really nice dinner, added some grilled zucchini and a baked potato, this is as it should be.  A neighbor is walking by and stops to visit, we end up sharing the wine and talking quite awhile.  She highly recommends going out to Box Elder to Americas Mailbox and they will guide us through all the paper work to get domiciled here.  That sounds like a great idea for tomorrow.

Aug 31  Off to Box Elder, which is literally just the next exit east of Rapid City.  We meet Carla and get started setting up an address and talk about what else we need to do.  We can go get our drivers licenses, except we need Dans birth Certificate, which we just sent off with the Passport application.  Yep, we got things just a little backward.  Now we will order another (2) birth certificates from Minnesota and then get the Drivers Licenses.  Meanwhile we can go down to the SSA office and get copies of 1099.  Seems South Dakota DMV does require a few pieces of identification.  BUT, its Wednesday and the Social Security Administration office is closed on Wednesday.  Okay we can deal with this,  after all we have weeks in South Dakota to take care of all this.  I do get the form to order birth certs filled out but we need to get it notorized.  Now tomorrows rounds are shaping up.  Social Security, then the bank, the post office...walk the dog.

Hello September.  And we head back to Rapid City, first to the bank, get our address changed, get the notary done on the birth certificate request.  Then to the SSA office.  What a nice easy experience, we had a minimal wait and the gentleman that helped us got our addresses updated, got copies of our 1099s.  And I explained that I had been having trouble getting a Medicare card with my married name on it, he even figured out why that was happening.  And he gave us a great lunch recommendation for when we are in Hill City in a week. So now our SS cards are going to be coming in a week or two and I might get my Medicare Card with the right name on it, and I got a letter of coverage for the mean time.  We have met the nicest people in South Dakota!  After a lunch at the Firehouse Brewery we are ready to go find the Museum of Geology at the SD School of Mines and Technology.  We follow the GPS and end up in a parking lot with permits required, so I stop a young lady and she directs us where to go and it was very easy to find, as we pull into a parking space, the young woman pulls in next to us.  She just wanted to make sure we got where we wanted to go.  Did I say we have met the nicest people in South Dakota!.  The museum is terrific, great Plesiosaur skeleton, fantastic T-Rex skull, and more rocks and bones and stuff.....Really a nice look, and its free.

We wanted to take in a movie this afternoon, but we discover that as most smaller towns, the theaters don't have a lot of weekday matinees so we need another activity and its time to go to the Reptile Gardens.  This tourist attraction is just South of town and when we start in we see signs that dogs are welcome, in most of the gardens.  So while I think $15 each is pretty steep, the lady tells me that if we are staying in the area the admission can include a pass to come back.  So now I have a pass to visit again, until Sept 25th.  We take our time, check out about half of the place, got to pet a ball python,  and then call it a day.  The movie was really very good and so was the popcorn.  Hell or High Water, if you want to know.