Rapid City South Dakota (Ellsworth AFB)

We arrived safely at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City SD on 18 Aug 2023. We usually try to take it easy the day after a long travel day and that Saturday (19th) was no different. We had a day of rest and recharging with anticipation building about seeing Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and more of the Bad Lands. The South Dakota Air and Space Museum is right outside the gate of the AFB, so we opted to see that on Sunday afternoon after attending mass at a beautiful cathedral that morning. The indoor portion of the museum was closed for renovations, so we just walked around the outdoor planes.

Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Rapid City South Dakota 20 Aug 2023

Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Rapid City South Dakota 20 Aug 2023

We walked around the church and read some of the accounts of Eucharistic Miracles through the ages. One stuck with Anita...in the 1600's a consecrated host had been dropped during communion, so the priest put it in water. After several hours, the host dissolved into a substance that looked like human tissue. A doctor was asked to identify the substance without knowing where it came from. The doctor said it was heart tissue.

South Dakota Air and Space Museum Ellsworth AFB 20 Aug 2023

South Dakota Air and Space Museum Ellsworth AFB 20 Aug 2023

South Dakota Air and Space Museum Ellsworth AFB 20 Aug 2023

South Dakota Air and Space Museum Ellsworth AFB 20 Aug 2023

South Dakota Air and Space Museum Ellsworth AFB 20 Aug 2023

South Dakota Air and Space Museum Ellsworth AFB 20 Aug 2023

South Dakota Air and Space Museum Ellsworth AFB 20 Aug 2023

South Dakota Air and Space Museum Ellsworth AFB 20 Aug 2023

We could hear the B1's powering up and taking off on the weekday mornings we were at Ellsworth AFB. That was certainly memorable! (B1B bombers pictured above and stationed at Ellsworth AFB have retractable wings.)

On Monday 21 Aug 2023 we ventured out to see Mount Rushmore. Little did we know what a long day that would become as we kept driving to see Custer State Park by way of the Needles Scenic Highway outside of the NW entrance to Custer State Park. We had heard about the Needles Highway and how narrow it is and we had not planned to drive it so early in our stay in Rapid City, but there it was..., so we took it. To say it was a little stressful would be an understatement. We couldn't believe we saw a tour bus approaching one of the tunnels, so we had to take a picture! The Needles Highway was very narrow and winding and hugging rock walls. We stopped at a couple of the pull outs to take pictures, but for the most part, we (Anita) just wanted to be off that road! We drove through three tunnels on the Needles Highway: Hood Tunnel (8'9" Wide and 9'8" Tall); Needles Eye Tunnel (8'0" Wide and 9'9" Tall and scariest of all); and Iron Creek Tunnel (8'9" Wide and 10'10" Tall). Our truck height is 7' 2" and 7' 6" wide. We drove the Wildlife Loop Road in the southern portion of Custer State Park and we saw wild burros, pronghorn and many bison!

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

Mount Rushmore 21 Aug 2023

This isn't us, but it's a truck like ours. Needles Scenic Highway Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Needles Scenic Highway Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Needles Scenic Highway Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Needles Scenic Highway Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Needles Scenic Highway Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Pullout on Needles Scenic Highway Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Needles Scenic Highway Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Needles Scenic Highway Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Needles Scenic Highway Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Needles Scenic Highway Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Needles Scenic Highway Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Bison in Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Wild Burros in Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Wild Burros in Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Wild Burro in Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Pronghorn Antelope in Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Herd of Bison in Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Bison in Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

Pronghorn Antelope in Custer State Park 21 Aug 2023

We were planning to sight see around Rapid City for two weeks, but sadly we got a call at 3am on

22 Aug 2023 that Steve's dad and health had taken a turn for the worst. We decided to drive 600 + miles, 5th wheel in tow to Waterloo, Iowa in hopes of seeing him and helping Steve's sister Janice to care for their dad, but Janice called when we were still about 100 miles out to let us know he had passed away. Gene Schneider was 91 years old and at home where he wanted to be when he passed.