Mt Rushmore Here We Come...

We left Yellowstone  on July 11th and spent a travel day of 8 hours to Buffalo Wyoming staying overnight at the KOA .  It was good for an overnight stop, but definitely not a resort. We were up early the next morning and on our way to Rapid City South Dakota.  We stayed at Ellsworth AFB Fam Camp / Military Campground and RV Park.   

Over Flow Campground, the yellow baracades are where the training exercise was happening. We are the rig second from the left by the  light pole

Our first night was in their "overflow campground" on another side of the Base.  Upon arrival we discoverd we were located in a black top parking lot adjacent to several open fields and airplane hangers.  The field in front of us was staged for training exercises which were in progress.  We had a front row seat.   Exercises ended about 6 pm,  the troops dissappered into their tents and barracks.  We had a quiet evening visiting with a neighbor from Indiana. Went to sleep and at 3:30 AM  sirens began and the training exercise resumed for about an hour:(      5:30 AM Georgia decided she needed to go out, so I stepped outside the motorhome.  Georgia begins to growl and her hair stands up on her back. I look up to  to see a very tall figure reminicent of a "Starwars Storm Trooper" standing in the field across the street,  I step back in the RV to get my glasses, and take another look.    Thank goodness it was not a storm trooper!  He was however a very tall fellow in his training gear.   I decided to wave hello and continued to walk my dog:)    At 7:30 AM  the bugle sounded and the exercise began again. 

  We were supposed to be able to move to the main park at noon,  so we prepared to leave, and wouldn't you know the gun fights started right when we were ready to pull out.    I looked at Bob and said please tell me those are blanks  they are shooting, that we are having to pass through!  The kind guards motioned us to go ahead and we left  through the battlefield and continued on to the main Fam Camp.  We had a beautiful shaded site.  Met the Camp Hosts (from North Carolina) and their beautiful Great Dane "Apollo".  Georgia and Apollo made friends immediately like all good RVer's do:)    The Base Exchange and Commissary were my first stop to replenish our groceries and supplies.   This is a beautiful base.  

Our Campsite at the Fam Camp

Grass area for tent campers and walking the dog

Our second day was our visit to Mt Rushmore...

We took the scenic drive up to Mt Rushmore National Park ,  and spent the afternoon looking at the exhibits.   The Park is beautiful and well worth the visit.  I don't think more than a few hours is needed to tour unless you are a heavy duty hiker and want to hike the entire park. Bob is not a hiker he says he did all his hiking when he was in the Infantry:)  

Beautiful Views  from the top of Mt Rushmore parking deck

Bob, with the Rushmore Faces in the background.

We topped off our tour with ice cream cones and headed back to Ellsworth AFB to enjoy our last evening in South Dakota.