The drive from North Dakota was very pleasant and all the roads have been suprisingly nice. We stopped mid-way down at a roadside stop and chatted with a couple from MN. They were pretty much sightseeing around the upper states as well, but they were riding their motorcycle. The heat was bad on us and they said for them it was like being in an oven. We were all making the best of the heat and enjoying all there was to see; we even shared a couple of stories about our different travel adventures and they offered some great tips on things to see in WA, OR and CA - all were on the "do list". When we arrived at Heartland RV Park in Hermosa, SD, we set up camp and picked out the next three days of adventure. We chose to see Mount Rushmore National Park, Crazy Horse National Monument and Wind Cave National Park. The first on our list, Mount Rushmore. Getting to the Park was a beautiful scenic drive through Custer State Park. Wildlife was plentiful; we saw buffalo, white tail and mule deer, bighorn sheep and turkeys. We had been told to have the cameras out and ready to snap when we exited the tunnels as Mount Rushmore would be very visible. Snap away I did; I took over nearly one hundred pictures. The rock formations, canyons and tree-lines were all just too beautiful to pass up. When we stopped to take pictures of the faces we were at every angle and each was as spectacular as the first. On the way down the mountain, we pulled over and got a great shot of Washington's profile. After doing all of the oooing and awwing we headed on to see the Crazy Horse monument. Once we got to Crazy Horse visitor's center, we found we had just missed the afternoon show and we were way too early for the light show. The monument is still work in progress but is amazing to see. There were workers in and around the area blasting and smoothing and you could see where they had marked for the next round of blasting. They have cut a hole for either his arm or the area around his horse. The finished monument will be even greater and I hope to be around to see it. We took a few pictures before heading on to Wind Cave National Park. Wind Cave is one of a kind; we have been in many caves across the country but none are like this one. It is called a dry cave meaning that it has no water in it. It was formed when the forces of nature uplifted the Black Hills, producing large fractures in the limestone and when shallow waters that once existed went away, it left the narrow passages dry and waiting to be explored. Is currently the fifth longest cave system in the country having 130+ miles mapped. The caves contain a rare formation called boxwork...a must see formation. The cave is a breathing cave meaning it has winds as high as 70 mph blowing from it - based on the barometric pressure. The day we were there, the winds were just over 10mph. It was definitely worth the time to see and learn of the history. The second day of adventure started with my much anticipated trip to the Badlands National Park about 70 miles East of Rapid City. The words can not express the beauty of this area. The first thing I noticed was the sign warning tourist of rattlesnakes; yep, sign after sign... no need to tell me more than once. I hope the pictures show how colorful and incredible this place is. We drove the scenic route from west to east (recommeded), saving the Grasslands for last. There are many places to pull off and take pictures and several good hiking trails...just beware of the rattlesnakes! As we headed out of the badlands we stopped at exit 110 off of I-90W to see what the big deal was about Wall Drug in the town of Wall. This, too is a must see stop. It has so much for everyone, great prices on novelties, and nice prices for lunch. There is quiet a bit of history there and well worth the time to look around. Oh, yeah, the funniest thing we want to make note of is in the men's restroom, they had a baby changing area but instead of saying "Baby Changing", it said, "Baby hanging" area. It is still funny even as I write this (forgive me for my sick humor). For the last full day of sighseeing in SD, we went to Hill City to board the 1880 Train to Keystone. The ride was about 2 hours round trip and took you through the winding passages on a steam engine train. We opted for the open-air car since none had airconditioning. On the way we saw even more beautiful scenery and got snippits of historical information about the area and sights we passed. When we returned to Hill City, we took the advice of the campground manager and went for dinner at The Alpine Inn, just two blocks from the train station. Dinner is served European style and only offers filet mignon (2 sizes), baked potato and salad wedge with their homemade ranch dressing (YUMMY). The secret to getting a table when the doors first opens at 5pm is to go to the bar about 4:15pm, sit to the left of the room nearer to the restaurant so when they open, you are one of the first to get in. If you don't make the first cut, you will be waiting. As we headed back to Hermosa to start packing, we noticed a huge plume of smoke on the horizon; sadly, a forest fire had started. Knowing that everything here is crisp, they have banned all outdoor fires - it is even illegal to smoke outside of your vehicle. We will be watching the news for more information on this fire as we travel to Wyoming.