Month: September 2024

Today Spearfish & Belle Fourche, South Dakota There is one thing in common of small-town USA; almost nothing is open on a Sunday!  We go and explore anyways.

This is a “Make the world spin”.  There is a crank you turn, spin, spin.  It’s not that easy Allan decided he was done before I could do a video  🙂

The weather is so wacked! Winds are crazy from Helene, just fortunate we are not in the middle of the storm.   

Wind gusts up to 50+mph

Next stop!  Center of the Nation

Allan has been the centre of my universe for almost ever.  Now he is also the center of the nation’s universe We need to buy some produce stuff, back to Sturgis and a quick stop for a brewsky,  Their logo and mascot

Back at Bailey super hot and oh so windy2nd day we have our slides pulled in to protect our toppers. It is cozy! Pass the time  playing King Cribbage 🙂 Our favourite game, still.

My chef!  Always stepping up!!

2nd night I had to wake my Sweetie who sleeps through everything to close the bedroom slide.

We are sleeping sideways again tonight!  Meaning our bed slide is closed, Hopefully our nex stop will be less windy.

Because of Brenda’s recommendation today we head to Deadwood.

Lunch at Mustang Sally’s  They claim to have the best burgers, spoiler alert-they don’t.  At least the drinks were good.More sight seeing.  Saloon 10: Where Wild Bill Hickok met his demise

What’s that on top of the house?

A stage coach!

  Well it’s not really on top but behind

Buddies!

And don’t forget to take care of your honey!

Next stop – Downtown Sturgis, it’s a quiet little town this time of year with a population of 7,067; hard to believe they annually host the motorcycle rally

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is sponsored by Harley-Davidson, and it’s one of the biggest rallies in the world. It’s held annually in Sturgis, South Dakota and the Black Hills region, and the event takes place over 10 days.+

Crazy amount of people

Part 2:     Mount Rushmore!

There they are yonder way taken from the drive in!   

Getting closer

We’re here

Hey!  Where’s the 5th president??  I thought there were 5!

Is there a fifth face on Mount Rushmore?

There is no secret fifth face carved into Mount Rushmore. However, for over 20 years, visitors were greeted by Ben Black Elk, unofficially called the fifth face of Mount Rushmore. Ben Black Elk “was a successful rancher, traveled extensively, and testified before Congress on the importance of teaching Indian history to Indians.” Historians estimate that 5,000 photos were taken of him a day for his 27 years at Mount Rushmore.

7 things you didn’t know about Rushmore. Click here

Happy we were able to make it here 🙂

Part 1:     Let’s go see some bears, we hope.    Bear Country USA

   Waiting for us at the entrance

The park is drive though to see some animals then walk to see more animals

Rocky Mountain Elk

          That tongue!                                                  That yawn!

Drive part done, on to the walk section

Next up these guys

The gift store is calling, we didn’t get the spice as we’re spice rich but thought it was cute  We got Allan this mug; Allan loves bears.  I got a T-Shirt 🙂

Stay tuned for part 2…

Good bye tree I’m not ready to see change.  As seen on the side of the highway; a horse and a bullOur first back/rest stop, one of the nicest yet

The view 

Thanks for the hug   

The drive was good, the cities we drove through were not too busy. Lots of reduced to one lane but still OK.

Then bam!  An hour out of Black Hills the dreaded   

It is very warm a “red Flag” warning issued, poor Bailey is overheating.

Allan slowed down a bit and the temperature came down a bit and the light went out.

We made it 

  Being led to our site

What’s missing?

Other campers!  There are 4 rvs here, Sturgis is not busy this time of the year.

Our view from the captain’s seats

The grounds are all gravel, no trees

Trees are on the perimeter

We’re here till September 30th, the day the park closes for the season.

KOA Sioux Falls, we’re here! 

09/24:  Today is Visit Downtown Day

A little chilly waking up, our first in Bailey fire on this trip, temp is c

As we’re driving we wonder if Sioux Falls has any falls.  Then we see a sign, turn here for Fall Park, let’s detour to the parkIt’s a beautiful park with falls 🙂

Satisfied with the falls we head downtown

First we walk to the Arc of Dreams “The Arc of Dreams is a tribute to the dreamers of the past and present and an inspiration to the dreamers of the future. The iconic sculpture is the signature piece of art for the city of Sioux Falls, helping to illustrate this unique and thriving modern city on the prairie.”

It’s hard to tell because of the clouds but the 2 arc sides do not meet in the middle.  

This is a cool guitar

The downtown street that looks like fun

This doesn’t sound tasty at all.  Would you try it?We learn the main street is filled with sculptures.  It is an organized SculptureWalk They have been doing the walks for 21 years with new sculptures every year. I only took this photo, to see them all click the above link.

Lunch was divine!  Best shrimp ever at Blarney Irish Pub.   Drunkin Spicy Shrimp: Succulent shrimp sautéed with white wine and Cajun spice. Served with lemon and a rustic roll.

Mini waterfall 

On our way back we went to a Walmart for a few supplies. This is in their entrance.

Allan tried a new recipe for dinner.  Burrito shells topped with a smash burger, mac sauce, lettuce & cheese.  Spiced to perfection. 

Today’s trip

This delayed us about 20 minutes, didn’t figure out what was wrong.

Left at 834a, arrived at 333p

Set up, Allan is slacking!  No flags out!!

There are many little lakes on the grounds

Allan’s amber beer find in Mexico is available in many places.  This is the fanciest bottles we’ve had.

Fridays & Saturdays the campground opens their Pizza Shack and they deliver to your site.  Of course we had to give it a try.  Pizza and wings were very good.The airport is really close by!We bought firewood from the campground as we normally do at every park that allows fires.  Allan’s a great fire builder but just can’t get this wood to burn.  We gave up on Thursday night, Friday we went to the store to ask about the wood.  She said they just changed their supplier and this is hard oak.  Well it doesn’t burn, what’s the trick?  Charcoal lighter fluid is the answer.

Here’s the fire using fluid

606pm

608pm

609pm

612pm

614pm

Have a few more of these photos but they all end up the same.  Allan’s no quitter but enough is enough.  In we go to continue watching Netflix’s 19-2

Bubba’ J’s RV Park in Nason here we come! 

The road in was sketchy as in, can Bailey fit? Super tight in spots, not sure what to do if a vehicle comes the other way.  Was too busy watching to take photos.

We often wonder how we find this spots… “The current population of Nason, Illinois is 198 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates (released May 2024). The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 201.”

Made it!                                                            Our site #2

All settled in

View from the captains seats

   Neighbour’s lot

This is a bar steps away “Bubba Too”.  May be hard to believe but we didn’t go, Bailey bar has better stuff!

Fire time

September 17th – Wake up to a visit from “Rosie”, looks like Rosie followed us from Mexico

Rosie loved Bob’s running board.  “She” spent time looking at himself in Bob’s reflection.

A trip to check out Mount Vernon, this is what we encounter

 

Race day!!!   

Here’s Josef still signing even after the driver’s autograph session has ended.  What a guy!  Notice the guy getting the autograph is a Pato fan but since smartened up and bought a Josef shirt for him to sign.

First Race is the IndyNXT

Caio Collet 3rd    Good job but I still win the overall standing and breakfast!

Jacob 8th

Final Standings:  Jacob 517; Caio 436

Jacob got me my breakfast win!

Track entertainment, wish the clouds looked happier

We get one water fill & one sewer dump.  They’re here doing the sewer; we missed out on the water fill

Back in our seats…almost start time   

Parachuters arrive 🙂  Notice the clouds 🙁

We’re green!!

The winner is…Colton Herta.

Pato 2nd;                                                          Josef 3rd

The rain stayed away.   Many vehicles still in the parking lotCan’t put it off any longer, time to     

2024 Season Winner:  Allan & Pato at 460 points

                                                              Me & Josef the losers 401 point

Allan winds his dinner, so far he is thinking it will be at the Keg.

This is a summer to remember attending 8 races, our most by far in a season

Can’t wait to figure out what our next adventure will be.

They are still calling for rain off/on, can only hope the qualifying for both series works out as well as the NXT race.  Sunrise gives me hope

753a:  Here comes the helicopter!         200p Quite the crowd.  For a second Josef is #1 Clouds are rolling inSpoiler alert:  Josef got bumped and will be starting 2nd 338p rain rain 🙁

536p Trying to dry the track   

724p Final practice, yes they got it in!  Thank you Mother Nature 🙂

Races tomorrow:  NXT  My Jacob starts 2nd; Allan’s Caio starts 3rd.

NTT:  My Josef starts 2nd; Allan’s Pato starts 8th.

Sad part I win the NXT and Allan wins the NTT without the running of tomorrow’s race but it’s still fun>