We stayed the night in Caspar, WY in another Walmart parking lot and on Tuesday, the 22nd, we pulled into Rapid City, SD. We had tried getting into Hart Ranch with our RPI, but, was told they were booked until Aug 9th. That was because of the big Sturgis motorcycle rally coming into town. So, we had decided that we'd try the Elks lodge first and if we couldn't get in there, we'd go to Ellsworth AFB.

We had come to visit a fellow Boomer, John Oliver, and when he found out our dilemma, he offered to try and get us in with his membership. He was successful and we stayed at Hart Ranch for a week. This RV resort has everything you can imagine, a nice pool, three hot tubs, geared to different ages, an adult golf course, a mini golf course, restaurant, activities and other things. We were mainly there to visit with John and other Boomers who were in the area and to see Mt Rushmore & Crazy Horse. We had last been in that area in Sept of 1995 and my, how things have changed!

When we were there last, Crazy Horse's head was not completely done and there also wasn't the museum, gift shop and restaurant or any fees to get into the area. The last time we were at Mt Rushmore, we got right into the parking lot and again, there were no fees to get in at all. What a difference a few years makes. I think if we ever came back to the area it would be before kids got out of school or after they went back. Too many people in a confined spot, that's for sure.

The one thing we did do, that we hadn't before, was go see the towns of Lead, Deadfoot and Sturgis. Now, as I mentioned the motorcycle rally was coming up, and when we finally made it into town there were already event merchandise tents being set up all around the area, but, other than that, it was pretty dead around there. The following pictures are of the areas around the Rapid City area we visited within our week there.