Rand's Web Page
Fall 2022 RV Trip
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After working jobs all September and half of October, we packed up the camper and headed west. We had no fixed itinerary so the stops are just what we came across. |
| Our first stop was in Pierre SD. It is the second least populated state capitol in the US. |
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We took a self guided tour. This is the rotunda. |
| As we crossed South Dakota we encountered Wall Drug so we had to stop. |
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We made it as far as Rapid City in one day (Saturday October 22nd). The next day we toured the area. This is downtown Sturgis when there isn't a motorcycle rally. |
| We went to Spearfish and then took a very scenic drive on the Spearfish Canyon Highway. We took in Bridal Veil Falls but they were just a trickle this time of year. This is the Devil's Bathtub. |
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We continued our drive to Custer State Park. This is near the Needle's Eye. Yes, I drove this big giant truck through that tiny tunnel. There is only room for one vehicle at a time (and barely that). |
| The top of the trail was at the Cathedral Spires. This was the same kind of rock that was used to carve Mount Rushmore. In fact, this area was considered first but wasn't as conducive to blasting and carving. |
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This was a panorama photo I took. |
| Next stop was the Crazy Horse monument. We were last here in 1993 and the face wasn't finished. Now they are working on his fingers. It takes a long time because of the sheer scale of the project. All 4 president's heads from Mount Rushmore could fit in the head of Crazy Horse. |
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We were so close we had to visit Rushmore again. |
| On Monday we headed south. We found this Mammoth Site in Hot Springs SD. |
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A sink hole filled with water in the pleistocene era. The edeges were lined with slate so as mammoths approached for a drink they slipped in and couldn't get out. Years of sediment protected the bones from the elements (but not fossilized). |
| Further south in Guernsey we found these wagon wheel ruts on the Oregon Trail. The metal wheels cut into the rock and left a permanent mark here. No surprise that there was a gravestone nearby for a girl that died on the route. |
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As we passed through Cheyenne we stopped by the state capitol. |
| We spent the night in Boulder. This is the university that Kendra did her undergraduate degree. |
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On Tuesday we drove over Vail Pass to Utah. We stayed in a town just north of Arches National Park called Thompson Springs. |
| It was evening already but we decided to do a little exploring. This is Dead Horse Point State Park. |
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It is like a little Grand Canyon but in Utah. It sure has all the beauty of the Grand Canyon. |
| We stayed until sunset and the view got even better. |
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The picture below is a panorama. |
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