We had a full day on Saturday, putting 175 miles on the Fit. We started out from our campsite before 9:00 and headed toward Rapid City and I-90, which took us east to the Minutemen Missile National Historic Site. This was the thing Steven was most looking forward to after Mt. Rushmore, so we had to make it a priority. We spent about an hour at the Visitor's Center, and the boys even attended a movie called "
The Greatest Weapon Ever Used". I slipped out early to attend to Hanna, who was waiting in the car.
This site tells about the nuclear ballistic missile system and its role in the Cold War. Most people didn't even know the missiles existed right along the highway.
After we left the main site, we drove into the Badlands National Park.
We made a couple of stops at viewing overlooks and took short hikes to capture some awesome photos and listen to several rattlesnakes in the bushes, and then went on to the Visitor's Center. On the way, we were stopped by two bighorn sheep strolling down the shoulder of the road.
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| photo by Nathan |
The Visitor's Center was not one of the most interesting NPS sites for any of us, and we felt like we had seen enough of what the landscape was going to look like, and we made the decision not to drive any farther through the park, but to turn around and go back to I-90, so Steven could visit two more missile sites. These photos were taken at the missile silo.
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| Steven is listening to the audio tour on his phone. |
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| photo by Nathan |
On our way back toward Rapid City, we drove through Wall, SD. We had counted over 60 signs along the freeway for Wall Drug and decided to stop and see it. We read the story of the pharmacist and his wife who had started the store back in 1931, and by using signs along the road advertising "Free Ice Water", built their little drug store into a multi-million dollar business that now includes a small village of shops and attractions, but still offers Free Ice Water and a five cent cup of coffee. Plus they are dog friendly! Hanna enjoyed walking around the stores and got lots of attention from everyone. We had lunch and a treat before getting back on the road home.
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| photo by Nathan |
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| photo by Nathan |
As we neared our campground, we pulled into Crazy Horse entrance to see what the cost would be. We decided we might go up there on our final evening in the Black Hills and see the museum and laser show.
Sounds like you all are having lots of fun. When I was there part of the missle visitors center was closed so you got to see more than I did. Badlands National Park has a free campground on the back side of the park where buffalo came through every day. You must be getting lots of stamps in your book!
ReplyDeleteDon't forget there is one of 2 Titan missile silos down south of Tucson near San Xavier. You can go down in the control room and see the bottom of the missile.
ReplyDeleteBiggest difference between the Titan and Minuteman is the Titan used liquid fuel and the Minuteman uses solid fuel.
That's cool, Don. I didn't know about that. I just told Steven and he said, "Whoa, I want to go there!"
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