8-9-17 ( Day 9 - Badlands)

                                                                     Hwy 44 to Interior

It was a strong northerly crosswind as we headed east this morning on this beautiful day.  It wasn't too bad of a ride, as long as you are comfortable with feeling like your lips are blowing to the other side of your face.

After we got to the Badlands National Park, we rode up to a couple of overlooks  then came back and had a picnic lunch at the Visitor's Center with a great view.

We really enjoyed the scenery throughout The Badlands among the many Big Horn Sheep and the Prairie Dogs. We checked out some boondocking places outside the entrance that were really nice. We probably won't be boondocking there this trip as we are headed North in a few days.

We took a ride to Wall, strolled down the street, bought some tee shirts and watched T Rex at Wall Drug.  We just couldn't miss a trip to Wall Drug.

We made the loop back on I 90, with the wind HOWLING.  I thought it was going to blow my eardrum out the other side of my ear.  Thankfully, I can still hear.

Even with the wind, it was another day of fantastic riding, looking at the scenery, and enjoying life with a gorgeous sunset.


More Pictures:

8-8-17 (Day 8 - Sturgis Day)

We changed all our clocks to Mountain time yesterday, except for Fernykat's.  She started trying to get Lauren up at 5:00 am and was more persistent than a snooze button on the alarm clock, coming back over and over until he got up.  Too bad when we were changing all our clocks yesterday to Mountain time, there wasn't a button to change Ferny Kat's.

                                                         Hair twirlin in the wind...Sturgis or bust...

This is our first ever Sturgis  Bike Rally.  We traveled the Nemo Highway this morning to get there.  When we first got on the highway, it was a nice peaceful, curvy ride through the Black Hills.  When we reached Nemo, it changed.  We were bumper to bumper with motorcycles in both lanes.  A very unique riding experience.

                                                                     Nemo

When we arrived and parked on Main Street around 10:30 am.  It was busy, but not that busy and then the motorcycles kept pouring in.  We walked up and down the street, visited the shops and vendors, biker watching, walking shoulder to shoulder with fellow bikers, ate lunch, bought tee shirts,  got the HOG member pin, and headed out. A very enjoyable experience.

Main Street

We rode through Deadwood, Keystone, went by Mt. Rushmore, and rode Iron Mountain Road.  It was some beautiful riding in the switchbacks, with a few one lane tunnels, plenty of bikers, with on and off  rain showers. 

We were very fortunate with the weather.  It came a flood at the campground while we were gone. 

   I checked out the restroom/showers at the campground, which by the way are super clean and nice.  This is painted on the wall, says it all!!

Da Pictures are here:

8-7-17 (Day 7 - Southern Hills RV Park, Hermosa, South Dakota)

                                                             getting closer to Sturgis

We moved 272 miles and have set up camp for a few days at Southern Hills RV Park in Hermosa, S.D.  The entrance of the campground is a miniature Mount Rushmore, without the Mount, cause its in a field and not nearly as big. It is called Big President Heads.  It is  3 different 15 foot bust of Presidents George Bush, Ronald Reagan, and JFK.

We have been seeing frequent corn fields along the interstate for the last few days.  Today, it was sunflower fields.  I always loved to plant sunflowers growing up.  I just had a few plants, not a field of them. The sunflower fields were very pretty.

We got into more hills today, saw a lot of cattle, and a bunch of Wall Drug Store signs.  We had stopped at Wall's in 2009 and did not want to stop there today, but we were very entertained by their persistent signs along the interstate.

One of our best stops today was the Dignity sculpture at the Louis and Clark Information Center in Chamberlain, South Dakota. This Native American statue wears a quilt that has 128 stainless steel blue diamonds that glitter in the sun overlooking the Missouri River. The quilt she wears represents respect, honor, and admiration in Native America Culture.  She is a 50 foot beauty!!

We grilled a late supper, thought we were in for the night, until I saw this gorgeous orange moon out the window.  Mother Nature has some beautiful art!

The pictures are here:

8-6-17 (Day 6 - Hill RV Park again)

We slept in this morning and eased into the day.  We had been at the Corn Palace several years ago with Lisa and George, thought we had been there and done that, until the lady at the rest area yesterday told us Willie and Elvis were the murals this year.  We had to go!!

We walked in and smelled that popcorn. Guess who had to have popcorn ?????.  As I walked around,  I remembered the 4 of us there in 2009.   I almost cried, then I  remembered how much fun we had. Can't cry about that!!

I did the laundry while Lauren and Ferny Kat rested up.  We will be on the move tomorrow.

Here da pics:

8-5-17 (Day 5 - Hills RV Park, Plankinton, South Dakota)

                                                       unusual scenery along the highway

We had a nice cool night without the need for a/c. It was a quiet night until  2 Hoot Owls started taking to each other, It bought back memories of us waiting for Daddy to run his trout lines on the Pearl River.  Momma always said every time a Hoot Owl hoots, Daddy was catching a fish.  I was always counting a bunch of Hoots and Daddy was always catching a bunch of fish.  ( Just got to say it ..... It was a Hoot.!!).

We had to put our jackets on when we ate lunch at the rest area.  We weren't expecting to wear jackets in August, considering the temperature last week in this area was about a hundred.

                                                                 home for 2 nights

After 222 miles of traveling west with a lot of motorcycles, toy haulers, utility trailers, etc.  We are at a nice quiet cg, Hills RV Park in Plankinton, South Dakota, wearing sweat shirts and sweat pants.  When we checked in, Lauren told the owner of the campground,  that he saw the temps had been in the 100's in the area and was hoping for cooler weather when we got here.  She told him it's all his fault that it is this cold.

We grilled the delicious fresh Mayview corn and ate a hamburger tonight.  You can't beat that Mayview corn!

We had a nice long hot shower/bath and have 2 heaters on, we will stay here another night to rest up and plot our next move.

The Pics:

8-4-17 (Day 4 Blackbird Bend Casino, Onawa, Iowa)

                                                                 Breakfast

I was so excited to have a breakfast date this morning.  Ferny Kat must have known.  She made sure Lauren didn't sleep late.  Once she got him up, and left me alone, I rested another hour.

We walked a couple of blocks and ate breakfast at Michelle's Place in downtown Mayview, Missouri, There is a fuel station, a cafe, and a campground in this small town with a population of 212. It has been over 40 years since the town has had a cafe. I must say, it was awesome.

The motorcycle traffic has definitely picked up.  A few Hell's Angels passed us on the interstate.  Wasn't long, we passed them, they were pulled over by 2 cops.  I hope it didn't spoil their trip.

We had all kinds of plans when we left this morning, didn't know where we would stop,  After 303 miles, we ended up at the Blackbird Bend Casino  RV park with free hookup.  It is us and another camper in this parking lot.  We are at the end where there are trees and grass.  It is nice and peaceful here.

Ferny Kat couldn't wait to go outside.  She looked like a cow grazing eating grass.  This mid west grass must be mighty good.  Another Ferny Kat approval in the books.

We donated a little bit of money at the casino to repay them for our free RV site then came back and enjoyed the beautiful cool night, watching the sunset, listening to the pheasants and killdeer, and having to go get a jacket cause it's cold.

Pictures are here:

8-3-17 (Day 3 Mayview Campground, Mayview, Missouri)

 If the trains came by last night, it didn’t wake us.  We slept good.  When we got up around 7 o’clock, I opened the door to the camper and heard a little bit of clanging, and then the train was upon us!  The engineer saw my enthusiasm and gave an extra honk on the horn as he passed by.  I bet our camper neighbors were not as enthusiastic as I was.

We must be getting closer to Sturgis because we have seen a lot more motorcycles today.  I bet the count goes up the closer we get.

We drove 325 miles to a very quaint, Mayview Campground.  It has full hookups in a gravel parking lot, and a nice view of the cornfields.  The owner met us a few blocks out and escorted us in.  He came back a few hours later with fresh corn.  You can’t beat this hospitality,

We are enjoying a nice cool night with the locust serenading us!  It is supposed to be in the mid 50’s tonight.  Bring it on!!

Da Pictures are here: