July 24

We had a great time in South Dakota (except for Walter’s eye surgery) and saw many things. It was now time to head out for a one-night stay in Nebraska so we could keep moving East.  The only thing we saw in Nebraska was a huge DING in the front windshield from what seemed like a boulder that hit it. Arrgh!

Nothing else much to say about Nebraska so Walter (aka one eyed Willie) and I pushed on to Wilson, KS.  This was a interesting stop, we planned on two days  in an attempt to locate the larges ball of twine but instead we found the largest Czech Egg in the US.  Just so happens that this week-end was Wilsons “After Harvest Czech Festival” the largest festival in Ellsworth and Russell County Kansas.  Hosted by the small rural community of Wilson, with a total population of 900.  The festival is known to bring in thousands from all over Kansas, neighboring states and us.  So why does this event happen in Wilson? Well, during the 1870’s a large migration of Bohemian and Moravian immigrants from Czechoslovakia settled in and around Wilson, Kansas.  Many Czech families still live in the area and carry-on Czech traditions.  The city of Wilson acknowledged its immense pride of its Czech heritage back in 1967, when the state of Kansas declared Wilson the Czech Capital of Kansas.  The egg in Wilson is the worlds largest Czech egg.

A Czech egg is a painted or embellished egg exchanged at holidays and celebrations between friends.  The painting of the egg is known as the art of kraslice in the Czech culture.  Although we found the largest egg there were many smaller ones in different parts of town.

During the festival we were also able to enjoy local children perform in traditional costumes.  Fun day.

Next day we drove to one of the neighboring towns to see about getting the windshield fixed out of fear the crack would spread, we still had a lot of miles to cover before getting home.  Lucky for us, we found a Safelight Auto glass repair shop that was able to get us in (same day).  They were pros, we were in and out in less than 30 minutes.  Although the cracks were so deep that you can still see them but it will not spider, we can replace the windshield when we get back to Charleston.

We had time for one more adventure in Kansas.  We went on a tour of Atlas Ad Astra Missile Silo.  We descended stairs into one of the most fortified underground structures ever built and marveled at the 176 foot deep silo that once housed a intercontinental Ballistic Missile. 

During the late 1950’s, the US Government spent billions of dollars on strengthening our military in defense against Soviet Communism.  Over 70 Atlas F Missile Silos were built in the United States, many of which were in the great plains.  This site was built in 1959 and was active until 1965.  Most of these facilities are now in private hands and closed to the public that’s what makes this one so unique.

Foot Note: On our way to the missile silo we drove on the John Herman Kuck memorial road.  Walter got so excited, he said that anyone with the last name spelled Kuck or Kueck are most likely related, so we researched the name. John H. Kuck was a olympic champion and set over 100 records in shotput, javeline and discus during his life time and won a gold in the 1928 olympics that took place in Amsterdam for shotput. 

 

 July 21,

You can’t keep adventurers down, even though Walter (aka one-eyed Willie "hey you guys") was wearing a eye patch and could only see out of one eye we still pushed on.  We found Jewel Cave National Monument.  The cave’s name was inspired by the crystals that line the cave walls.  It is the third longest cave in the world, with 220 miles of mapped and surveyed passages.  This cave is different than the Shoshone Ice Cave we explored in Idaho.  Jewel cave was primarily formed by slow dissolution of limestone by acidic groundwater. A process influenced by the geologic history of the Black Hills.  We took the scenic tour it, taking about an hour on pathways to include climbing or descending 734 stairs.

Next off and running we had three stops on our bucket list.  The Minuteman Missile National Historic site, Badlands National Park and the Wall Drug store.  With water bottles filled we headed out to the Missile site first where we landed in the middle of nowhere.  We landed in the middle of nowhere South Dakota, of course that was the whole idea that the missiles were stored in underground bunkers where there the population was very small. During the Cold War a large number of nuclear missiles were placed in the Great Plains.  Hidden in plain sight for 30 years, 1000 were kept on constant alert, only hundreds remain today.  The museum is co-located where a missile was stored but it has long been removed except for the chain link fence that surrounded the property.  The museum took you through the Cold War years how we got there and when it ended.  Does anyone remember Bert the turtle who had a short, animated film “Duck and Cover” some of us practiced this drill in elementary school. 

Just down the road was the Badlands National Park.  It would have been a great place to do some hiking but we figured it was best to take the Badland Loop Road and drive through the park, but we made sure that we pulled off for some awesome views and picture opportunities.  Another one of nature’s wonderful geological sites.  The Badlands National Park is a vast wilderness of jagged buttes, spires and pinnacles, mixed grass prairie and the world’s richest trove of fossils from the Oligocene epoch, estimated at 25-35 million years old. 

Hwy 240 aka the Badland Loop Road also took us to the town of Wall this is the home of the famous Wall Drug Store.  The store is a 76,000 square foot drug store , gift shop, restaurant and so much mor.  Wall Drug has grown from its humble beginnings in 1931 to a thriving oasis.  The story of Wall Drug was a success because one simple idea took root, offering road weary travelers free ice water. Soon travelers would make a point to stop (like we did) at Wall Drug to enjoy a refreshing break and they haven’t stopped since.  Just like in the stores early years you can also get a cup of coffee for 5 cents, just put your nickel in the money jar on the counter.  The place was hopping, we had a grand time soaking it all in.  Of course we bought Wall T-shirts too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 17

On our way to Mt. Rushmore, we stopped at Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, what a fantastic site.    The tower is an astounding geologic feature that protrudes out of the prairie surrounded by the Black Hills.  Hundreds of parallel cracks make it one of the finest crack climbing areas in North America. This 870-foot stone monument is thought to have been created from the remains of a volcano and the center of many Indian religious ceremonies.  We did the 2-mile hike around the base of the tower all the time staring at it in total amazement.  Being able to see it in person was a real thrill.

And of course, we all know it as a place where the aliens arrived in the movie Close Encounters of a Third Kind.

We arrived at the Rafter J Campground in Hill City, South Dakota which is 10 miles from Mt. Rushmore.  With it being a evening arrival because of our stop in Wyoming it was to late to be check out the area so we made plans to go to Mt. Rushmore first thing in the morning to catch it with the morning sun.  (google says that is the best time to take pictures of the four dudes, google is always right, right?)

This time google was spot on.  We arrived about 8am, the crowds were moderate and the view was amazing.   You walk up the grand terrace which is lined with flags from every state then “Tada” there they are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, bigger than life.  We of course snapped all sorts of pictures and then headed for the Presidents trail.  The trail is a .6-mile trail with 422 steps that provides changing views of Mt. Rushmore as you walk among the granite outcrops and through the ponderosa pines.  There is also a museum and theater that gives you the entire Mt. Rushmore story.  So glad we did this!!!!

Crazy Horse Memorial was just another 17 miles down the road so of course we leave no stone unturned and head over to see it.  It’s construction began in 1948, 77 years ago and is projected to be completed in 2037.  Come to find out, Crazy Horse is not a National Park or Memorial, and I believe has not received or would except any federal funds.  It is being supported by its non-profit foundation (Guess that is why it is taking so long to complete)

The monument once completed will be amazing but right now it is a construction zone so you can’t get close to it, you are only able to see it from the terrace of the Indian museum co-located on the property.  It troubles us to say but we were very disappointed considering all the hype.  Who knows maybe in 12 years when it is completed it will be a totally different experience.

With disappointment we figured a hardy lunch was in order.  We found a café in the town of Custer.  Just as we started looking at the menu, Walter says “I can see or read anything out of my left eye” Me, say what?  A panic started to set in and I began to look for a Ophthalmologist that would take a same day or walk in patient.  It took 4 phone calls to finally get a clinic in Rapid City that would see him.  What a blessing, the doctor did all the normal optical exams but when she took images of his retina we were able to figure out what was causing his loss of sight.  He had a macular separation (hole) happening and it was progressing quickly.  The doctor was able to get us referred to the Black Hills Eye Institute that day, a Friday at 5pm.  We dashed over to the Institute and were greeted right away.  Enter Dr. Abraham, our angel.  She did some diagnosing and told us that Walter needed emergency (outpatient) eye surgery to be able to save his vision before his retina totally detached.  Surgery went well and Walter should regain his full vision but we wont know for sure till all the healing is done.  We will know more in 8-10 weeks but there is a long-term healing process of 12 months.  Asked the doctor how and why this happened.  There is no answer, it happens to about 2% of the population, many are seniors.  We came home that night with a pirate patch and very specific instructions on how Walter was to be positioning his head both during the day and at night to help with the healing process.  We did a follow up the next morning and will do another before we leave South Dakota, then a follow up in South Carolina when we get home.  Walter feels fine just can’t see worth a crap. this changes a few things that we might see on our journey and I will be doing all the driving at least for now. We are counting our blessings that we reacted so quickly instead of rubbing dirt in it and calling it a day.  We were told that if we waited until the following morning Walter more than likely would of completely lost vision on the left eye.

Day two of living with a pirate (ha-ha).  We decided to experience a drive on the Needles Highway, a 14-mile scenic drive through Custer State Park.  Known for its unique granite spires and winding roads.  The highway features narrow tunnels and hairpin turns, requiring careful driving (I drove).  Well, this was a little bit of a white-knuckle drive, especially in a GMC truck!  I survived and even got a T-shirt that says so.  Once we were off the needles highway and on a somewhat normal road in the park we got to see some of the parks wildlife.  All Walter wanted to see since we were in Yellowstone was a heard of Bison (aka fluffy cows) up close, well he got his wish.  There were so many Bison that they were crossing the road right next to us.  

Eureka, we found the largest Bison.

 

 July 9

News update, Grandson is on the road to recovery although a long road he will be fine.  We were able to spend quality time with him and the entire family even got to celebrate other grandson’s  Ryder 9^th birthday  with him.  Knowing all is going to be ok we decided to hit the road again and head for Idaho.

We had heard of Shoshone Falls, it is supposed to be the Niagara of the west.  Let’s just say that it did not disappoint, absolutely beautiful.  The Falls are fed from the Snake River. The Snake River starts on the southern border of Yellowstone National Park at about 9200 ft above sea level in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming where it flows all the way to the Columbia River in Washington state.

Found a off the beaten path landmark, the Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon Jump Site.  Even though his jump was not successful in 1974 he has a small monument to honor him and his attempt.

No matter where you go you see parts of the Snake River in Twin Falls so we seeked out a restaurant for dinner that had a perfect view of the river and the Perrine Bridge.  Come to find out the Perrine Bridge is a popular destination for BASE jumpers from all over the world.  It is one of the few structure’s jumpers can use without a special permit from the city.  Next day we crossed over the Perrine Bridge a few times and decided to stop at it’s viewpoint and walked a path under the bridge.  Our timing was perfect as we were snapping pictures of the bridge we noticed 2 Base Jumpers getting ready to leap off, caught one in midair.  In case you were wondering, they successfully landed on the ground.

Next day we visited the Shoshone Ice Caves.  Thank goodness we still had warm jackets with us. The tour starts on a path to a depth of 90 feet under the lava cave into a world of volcanic wonder and ice.  The cave is three blocks long, 30 feet wide and 40 feet high.  The Ice Cave is a natural refrigerator, creating a living glacier in an arid lava desert.  Over 20,000 tons of ice stretch 1000 feet long and varies from eight to 30 feet in depth.  No matter the temperature outside the inside of the cave is always freezing.  Temperatures vary from 28 to 33 degrees.  The cave is an expansion compression of its airflow.  Making it work on the same principles that a modern refrigerator does.  In the late 1930’s the cave was used as a source of ice for the surrounding towns in the area. 

The tunnels where the ice was forming were the result of lava tubes from a volcanic eruptions from about 2 thousand years ago.  It was a chilly experience but so cool (ha-ha) at the same time.

On the Ice cave property, they had a 30 foot high, 10 ton statue of Chief Washakie, Chief of the Shoshone Tribe.  Finding him is like finding the larges ball of twine. 

After the caves we headed for the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve.  The ancestral lands of the Shoshonean people encompasses the vast lava fields of Craters of the Moon.  Craters of the Moon is a vast ocean of lava flows with scattered islands of cinder cones and sagebrush.  These eruptions occurred in eight major periods between 15,000 and 2000 years ago.  We spent hours walking the paths in awe, it felt as if we were on another planet.

The last stop of the day was to the Minidoka National Historic Site, a Japanese internment camp.  In 1942 President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed executive order 9066, ultimately depriving over 120,000 Japanese Americans of their civil rights.  Two thirds were American citizens.  Despite never being charged with a crime, many were forcibly removed from their homes and excluded from the West Coast.  They boarded trains  and buses first to temporary detention centers and later to incarceration centers .  For the remainder of WWII, most Nikkei people of Japanese ancestry, would remain behind barbed wire.  Over 13,000 people were incarcerated in Idaho at Minidoka Relocation Center, known locally as Hunt Camp.  Now it is a historic site to ensure this never happens again.

Few of the buildings remain of the center but the stories of those incarcerated have been preserved in the museum at the site.  Touring this historic site was a somber visit, reminds you that we have many lessons to learn from our past.  We are glad we got to have this experience. 

July 12

Yellowstone here we come, but not before we make a stop at the Idaho Potato Museum in Blackfoot Idaho, yes potato museum, it has been on my list since day one of our trip.  As soon as you pull up you know you have arrived by the huge baked potato out in from of the building.  When you enter you are greeted with a package of instant potatoes as your souvenir (free taters for out of staters).   We learned about the life of the potato, did you know that they originally came from Peru (and we thought potatoes were a American delicacy).  This was a fun stop, at the end of the tour there is a potato café, were we had potato fries, potato soup and a baked potato with the works.  With full bellies we resumed the trek to Yellowstone.

We arrived early enough in the day that we were able to drop the trailer and head for the park.  With so many miles to cover in the park we wanted to get started.  There are so tons of Hot Springs, Geysers, Travertine Terraces, Fumaroles, water falls, lakes and rivers and Mud pots that we just started in one direction in the park adn pulled in at every site we came across.  On day one of course we found ourselves at one of the most famous geysers “Old Faithful” who erupts every 90 minutes, give or take 10 minutes they say. We pulled up a bench and waited. She spit, spattered and blow smoke until it totally erupted (about 10 minutes early).  Amazing to think that all this chaotic activity is going on under our feet all the time deep in the earth.  We spent the next three days driving the nearly 370 miles of paved road seeing everything we could from the volcanic activity to all the wild life.  We had planned to hike some of the 1000 miles of trails but just not enough time, we will have to venture back one day. 

 

Note: Yellowstone National Park was established by the U.S. Congress, with the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872.   This act designated the area as a public park, the first of its kind in the United States and the world.