B1B Homestead and Black Hills

We left the Badlands looking back.  We both had tumbled the idea around in our minds of staying another day.  But, onward and upward.  It took a 2 hour leisurely drive to get to Ellsworth AFB, home of the B1B bomber.  We found the FamCamp easily and got settled in quickly.  It's a nice clean secure campground.  We're in site #6 just inside the entrance and backed up to the doggie walk.  Handy.  These are full service sites with water, electricity and sewer.  Just across the circle is the shower house and laundry.  Since we plan on staying here 4 nights, the laundry might come in handy.  The shower...for sure.

We were settled and ready to do something by 2 pm.  We did not waste the day.  Off we went, not sure just where to.  We wound up in Custer State Park and heading up the Needles Highway, where else?

One of Joyce's items on her "must see" list came true in the first mile or so past the Game Lodge.  Laying in the trees were several big horn sheep - big horns and all.  We managed a shot through the trees.

Continuing on up the highway, the aspen and birch had begun to shift to fall colors.

The photo doesn't quite do it justice.  Neither does Ditto's ear.

We stopped to enjoy Sylvan Lake.  It's a beautiful place.

Unfortunately, we were now racing the sunset and kept peddling.  We ran up by the Crazy Horse monument then past Mt. Rushmore.  Only Crazy Horse looked different from our last visit 41 years ago.  Crazy Horse now has a recognizable face.  Other than that, George and the boys haven't aged a bit - not even grayer hair.

We headed back to Rapid City for a bite to eat.  It got dark on us about then so we had to go back to the base in the dark.  We found the way we had come in earlier today.  Rats!  That gate was closed.  It was then we noticed the sign that read 6 am - 6 pm Monday thru Friday.  We had to go to the main gate, but the only other gate we'd seen marked was called the "Commercial" gate.  As the name implies, it wasn't the main gate and was also closed.  After some circling and fighting off the urge to stop and ask someone, we finally found it.  Now we're "home" and thinking about bed.  We have 3 more days so maybe we'll get back to Custer and snap a picture or two of those fantastic tunnels.  But, there is so much to see, so much to do around here.  Let's see what happens tomorrow.