Here we are back in Minot, North Dakota.  Our trip from here and back has been great.  First to Glacier National Park, then to Rathdrum, Idaho and Twinlow Camp, a quick trip to Poulsbo, Washington to visit some friends, then to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, on to Cody, Wyoming to see Buffalo Bill, next to Custer, South Dakota to see four presidents with big heads, and one mighty Indian carved in stone then a drive through the Badlands National Park.  We left Custer Thursday morning headed back to Minot. 

The time we have spent in all of our stops has been really great.  We met a lot of really neat people along the way.  We even met some good ole southerners while traveling.  I think one of the neatest things we saw were all of the motorcyclist on the roads, and in the towns.  We had a chance to meet many of them and talk about their travels.  Most were in Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota for the many Rallies held in just about every little town.  Of course, the biggest in Sturges, South Dakota.  We did take a drive on what is called the Iron Mountain Highway on one outing.  Prior to getting on this 17 mile curvy highway, we stopped at a little place for some ice cream.  It was a gathering point for the bikers, prior to, and after their ride on the Iron Mountain.  Many were wearing T-shirts with wording about the highway having 311 curves in 17 miles.  I don't know what is so great about that, there is a highway from Tennessee into North Carolina, that has 318 curves in 11 miles.  Now that I have driven both, the one in Tennessee/North Carolina, called the Tail of the Dragon, is a much more challenging drive.  I drove a Mazda Miata across the Tail, what a drive that was.  The Iron Mountain did not compare, but I was just driving a Chevy Sonic, not the same.

Well, enough of that, let me take you on a trip from Hardin to Custer.

We made a side trip off of the interstate to see Devils Tower.  It is as awesome as this picture shows.  We had planned on stopping at the park, but the cars, and motorcycles, were lined up a mile long at the entrance gate.  So we got back on the road again, but we did get some good pictures.

We arrived in Custer a lot earlier that we had anticipated, so we took off to see the Crazy Horse Monument.  The picture below does not do the size of the carving justice. 
The carving of Crazy Horse's head is taller that the Statue of Liberty, the hole in the middle is ten stories high.  You can see the markings on the stone where the head of the horse will be.  Compare the size of the horse's ear with the hole in the mountain. 

This model is what the carving will look like when completed.  Lot of work to be done before it is completed.

The artist, sculpturer, Korczak Ziolkowski, wrote the poem below.  He used many of Crazy Horse's words about the land in his poem. 

This is smaller scale model of the horses head, and Crazy Horse's hand, pointing to the lands of the Indian.

On Tuesday we drove through the Custer State Park.  I have to apologize for just a few pictures of the park.  I took many pictures on my other camera of much of the beautiful scenery of the park, but when I put the SD card in the camera, it didn't go in all the way, thus no picture.  Oh well, you will like these.  There is a large herd of donkeys roaming part of the park.  They are supposed to be wild, but you can see that they are pretty tame, and spoiled by the visitors to the park.  Of course feeding them doesn't help keeping them wild.  Most parks tell you not to feed the animals, but you are allowed to feed these donkeys.

Sharon had this follow her everywhere she went.  No, it is not me, even though there is a little resemblance.  We both like Frito's.

We did make it to Mount Rushmore.  Again, this picture does not do the size justice.  Very impressive.

We spent our last full day just walking around Custer.  The pictures below are of painted buffalo statues.  These statues are made of fiberglass and painted by area artist.  Many of them will be auctioned off in September for a city fund raiser.   Even Col. Custer likes them.

This one is a table top model.  Pretty neat.

We found this clown behind a building in an alley way.  Sharon said he looked familiar, what do you think.

We ate lunch on the patio atop of a restaurant on the main street of Custer.  You can see some of the motorcycles parked along the street.  Some of the were being blocked off for more motorcycle parking for the weekend.

We left Custer on Thursday morning for Minot.  We took the long way so we could drive through the Badlands National Park.  The Indians referred to this land as the "land bad".  They saw it good for nothing.  Later when French explorers first saw the land they changed it to "bad land".

You can see from the following pictures that there is not much there than sand and rock, with a little grass.

We made a brief stop at the visitor center.

Some people climbing to the top of one of the rock formations.

Miles and miles of nothing but bad lands.

But, just like everything, there is always a little beauty in sight.

After driving on curvy, mountainous roads, for about a month, I had a hard time keeping the motorhome in the road on the straight, long, roads in northern South Dakota and North Dakota.  Also had our first rain in over a month.

We arrived in Minot yesterday, August 2nd, and will be here for four weeks.  We are well rested and looking forward to going back to work.

I hope that you have enjoyed our trip for the past three weeks, we have enjoyed having you along with us. 

I will let you all know what we are doing here in Minot later in the week.  In the meantime, you all take care, and remember,

God Loves You

Gary