Jane and I, along with our blue eyed, Aussie Shepherd, Hula the Wonder Dog, are heading out this week end for the Dakotas by way of Iowa and Nebraska. Our interest is in visiting the Lakota Indian Reservation near Standing Rock, North Dakota, where there has been the largest gathering of tribes in decades to oppose an oil pipeline under the Missouri. I'm a former news photographer and Jane is an anthropologist, so our TC trips often reflect our life - long curiosities.But, we also plan on camping at the Merritt Reservoir in Nebraska, and traveling up to Custer State Park where we can observe the Buffalo roundup. We have reservations in Blue Bell for a campsite. Last one available, so it look like its crowded up there. Then its up to Crazy Horse and Mount Rushmore.If anyone has advice about the region we're visiting, we'd sure appreciate hearing from you.

Obviously there will not be much or any crowds, but if you go to Mt Rushmore I highly reccomend doing it at night. Super impressive all lit up. Also if they do the formal flag lowering and history presentation, it is worth doing, even if you've Been there during the day before.

I'm not sure who looks the happiest between the three of you, if your wonder dog is smiling! When we visited that area, we went to Rushmore Cave and Wind Cave. Fascinating.

If you can make your rig handle expansion joints better or have any pending suspension mods, do it. SD is thump-thump, thump-thump, etc. ;)

Advice? Keep smiling and enjoy the trip.

If you get close - Teddy Roosevelt National Park is spectacular. Wild horses, bison, and some very scenic sights. It's one not a lot of folks visit, but worth the trip if you are anywhere near it.

The Old Avion is heading for the Dakotas - advice?

24 Replies

GoinThisAway
Explorer
Sep 30, 2016
Now I feel lucky that when I lost one of my duals on a camping trip a couple years ago it only tore up the wheel well liner and fender. After limping down the road to where the tire could be changed I was back on my way again.

You paint a beautiful image of the bison roundup with your words. I look forward to seeing the pictures :)
67avion
Explorer II
Sep 29, 2016
We're camped tonight at Custer State Park, S.D. The weather has been spectacular with cobalt blue skies, 70 degrees during the day and light winds. It's on the edge of Fall with bright yellow leaves mixed with ruddy reds. We go to the buffalo round up at dawn tomorrow. What a sight that will be with whooping Cowboys and thousands of lumbering Bison...clouds of dust in the morning sun!
jimh406
Explorer III
Sep 26, 2016
I didn't have any inside knowledge of what the tire flat might involve. :) I hope you worked out the tire change. Sorry, you had an issue.
The_Mad_Norsky
Explorer
Sep 26, 2016
I'll give a resounding "ditto" to realter's Ponca State Park. Beautiful place, nice facilities.

Enjoy your trip.
realter
Explorer
Sep 26, 2016
My worst nightmare out on the road. I haven't changed a tire in over 40 years. Best wishes for a good trip the rest of the way.
67avion
Explorer II
Sep 26, 2016
Jim, thanks for the "good luck" on the tire repair. I'm not going to ask you how you know I needed good luck. Yes, the tire tore out the back wheel well and yes, it took us the rest of the day to go to town and buy a new tire because yes, the spare was jammed from the damage to the wheel well and yes, our running lights are knocked out.

But no, we are not worried. It's dawn and when the sun comes up and I can drive without running lights (careful with my lack of turning lights and brake lights) we'll be in the driveway of the nearest rv repair shop. Jane has taken Hula the Wonder Dog on some long walks, and I have been careful not to raid the fridge for adult beverages. Otherwise I'd be blotto at this stage of things.
jimh406
Explorer III
Sep 25, 2016
Good luck with the tire repair!
monkey44
Nomad II
Sep 25, 2016
GoinThisAway wrote:
My advice ... enjoy! And while you're in the area, it would be interesting to see how low fuel prices have affected the land and people in ND. It wasn't so long ago that we were hearing stories about how a "fracking" boom was affecting Williston and other parts of the area. I recall reading how the Theodore Roosevelt National Park was working to protect the viewscape and soundscape from well development just outside its border. I expect things have changed substantially there in recent years but we're not hearing this story in the press.

Yes, in June we saw some drilling on lands surrounding TRNP - but it did not seem particularly invasive visually. At least not any more than other states that operate in the oil industry. I'm not sure how it directly effects the underground water tables or the wilderness areas.

It happened so coincidentally it was hard to believe, but we sat next to a "retired legislator" for N Dakota at breakfast, and began chatting ... he explained the environmental impact, or lack of it, in such detail and with such enthusiasm that after about ten minutes or so I began to doubt him completely. In his view, there was no downside to it - that's what turned me off to it. There is always a mix of good and bad anytime we invade nature ... JMHO
67avion
Explorer II
Sep 25, 2016
Heh. We're on the side of the road with a blow out so Jane took Hula for a long walk. Beautiful fall day with the Illinois harvest going full blast on a Sunday. Amazingly road service is on its way within minutes. If we don't have issues dropping the spare tire, we'll be on our way shortly, it appears. Of course there's many a slip between the cup and the lip. So, we'll see.
GoinThisAway
Explorer
Sep 25, 2016
My advice ... enjoy! And while you're in the area, it would be interesting to see how low fuel prices have affected the land and people in ND. It wasn't so long ago that we were hearing stories about how a "fracking" boom was affecting Williston and other parts of the area. I recall reading how the Theodore Roosevelt National Park was working to protect the viewscape and soundscape from well development just outside its border. I expect things have changed substantially there in recent years but we're not hearing this story in the press.