Thunderbird Lodge Rapid City

Having somehow survived the past couple of nights, despite my debilitating disease, I decided to choose life and see a doctor. Very nice chap he was too. He confirmed my fears when he told me that I had indeed picked up a little known virus more commonly associated with lost cities of gold and temples of doom. For the benefit of the nurse in the room, he used layman's terms and called it an ear ...

... other customers were getting. We should have been more assertive and complained...Still this is what we came for, both the good, bad and just plain quirky. Funny how no one seems remotely interested in asking where we're from &#8211; except the Jehovah's Witness I met yesterday!! Maybe we should start saying 'Kia Ora' or 'Gidday' more.... :0)<br><br>Drove straight to Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, arriving just after 3 so it wasn't too sunny and very few tourists ...

... Highway so we can finish our drive and get back to Mt Rushmore for the night show. On our way there we pass another bunch of turkeys and a pack of jackasses. Babies, moms and dads walking down the side of the hill together. Our guess is they were wild from the days the Indians and Anglos were transient through this area. Wild animals are so cool!<br><br>We made it back down to Keystone 3-4 hours after we ...

... monument is completed but the Crazy Horse monument is not. Korczak turned down government assistance as he felt they monument would not get built. Korczak has passed away but his family carries on the construction. <br><br>At the Crazy Horse Monument, there is a museum to the project. Educational snipets about the Indian peoples and Indian art displays and vendors. I enjoyed visiting the ...

... of the trails (and we didn't want her to get accidentally bitten by a rattlesnake). It was also 90+ deg. outside. We took Sage Creek Rim Road (an unpaved road) in the park in the hopes of seeing some Bison. We saw 2 Bison and many many prairie dogs, which made my day! Since we entered South Dakota yesterday, we've seen several billboards between each exit on I-90 reminding us to visit Wall Drugs in Wall, SD. That subtle ...

... say about the same temp as Auckland. Then cause we could do nothing else today we drove out to Mt Rushmore and through Custer State Park. Just delightful. Saw some BIG Buffalo and then got back to Rapid City about 8pm in time for a pizza and beer at the local sports bar. When we returned Brents bag had arrived after an extended excursion to what looks like Chicago and JFK. Some bags have all the fun.

... everything in beautiful rays of yellows and pinks and we all basked in this glorious sight that God had laid before us. Prairie Dogs ran round from hole to hole and majestic rams graced the side of the highway. People often say that things are breath taking, but this truly was a breathtaking experience. We had to pull over at the end of the path to just take a breath and pray to thank God for this amazing experience!

... project is being done without government help and runs on admission plus donations. The man who started it died in 1992 but seven of his ten children are carrying on the work. The father had started the work in 1948.. We broke camp Sunday morning after another hardy Suki breakfast.. This was our first full week on the road and we both feel we've done well.. Four nights in motels and three in the tent and we haven't wanted to kill each as of this date (Ha!)..

... of the road for probably about another mile. Then starts accelerating onto the highway all the sudden he sees his face on the ground. He drives right over the wallet. We stop pick it up he also finds a receipt for a meal and in the center median finds a 20 and a 5 i think (hey it was 12 years ago). Now his drivers license is intact and so is one credit card but the other cards in the wallet are all destroyed in many ...

... area before I ran out. I would be hitting Rapid City soon so I figured I would get gas there cheaper. Gas was my major expense so I always kept close of it as I went along. <br> The Badlands National Park was my main destination for the day and at Cactus Flat I headed south and entered the northeast entrance. I stopped at the first scenic overlook by the gate and then the Big Badlands Overlook where I took the first ...