Mount Rushmore
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I went to Mount Rushmore from Denver. it took 6 hour of driving. It showed north from Denver and then enter Nebraska south border and leave from north border to South Dakota through I80. I think within 2-3 hours from i left colorado state entered Wyoming,
There was big Road construction is going, so all I80 ramps are blocked at colorado north of Denver from I25. I travelled on I25 till 18 junction via Wyoming. Road is straight for miles at times, then small turn, then again straight. i can see 10 miles straight some times. I drove on 80mph roads, I saw a internal road side to HWY i was driving, its speed limit is 65mph most of CA HWYs speed. I drove through many small villages downtowns, small crowds, they are really actively enjoying. I reached South Dakota border by around 12.
Then set my GPS towards Wind Cave NP. As its name tells, it is cave and lot of wind will be blowing inside cave. Some times wind speed can touch 70mphs also. I thought there might be tour with specific timing. if i go early might not miss the day. I reached Wind cave by 1. there was 1:20 PM tour available. i took fairground tour. it is 1 1/2 hour tour with 450 steps inside. What i understand from park ranger description. it is the biggest cave in planet earth. still more than 3/4 part of the cave un explored fully. only part of 1/4(explored) is open to public. They are 6 or 7 floor inside the cave, the last two floors contains water it seems. Now few Bio Chemical engineers are doing lot of experiment with water content. After results , under water exploration might start. Still many Cave explorers are trying to find places described by the founder of Wind cave. Still many parts of description could not find. one such description, in one of the cave lot of crystal formations are made, they shines a lot it seems. still it is puzzling today cave explorer where it is in the cave.
I reached Mt Rushmore, spent more than an hour watching presidential faces on hills. went to museum to see how they are carved. and how big sculpture face is. i walked om presidential trail it for 1/2 mile i guess. i saw faces from many different angles. they are visible from surrounding hills too. I enjoyed to talking to americans there. i helped many families to take their family pictures. when i offered help, not a single family rejected the offer. i think it is first place, everyone is so happy when i offered.
After that i decided to drive to all 3 scenic drives in Custer Satte park, i spent many hours driving scenic drives very slowly. at lunch time, i stopped at one restaurant inside park, where Wifi is available, i need to adjust and replan my next section of trip because of North Cascades wild fire, it seems most of the park is closed. it took me more than 3 hours to get a sort of plan for next 3-4 days of trip. after that 4days trip seems to continue as i planned.. once i have sorted out rest of trip, i drove rest of the scenic drives.
Custer state parks has many tunnels. it is worth mentioning when i watched tunnels crossing videos in youtube. i watched one video, one bus crossed the tunnel of size exact bus size with extra space of few inches thats it, bus driver drives so carefully and passes the tunnel. when i crossed one of the tunnel, i released indeed the same tunnel i crossed. I really recommends to all to visit custer state park. it is really beautiful. park is closed in winter.
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I went to Mount Rushmore from Denver. it took 6 hour of driving. It showed north from Denver and then enter Nebraska south border and leave from north border to South Dakota through I80. I think within 2-3 hours from i left colorado state entered Wyoming,
There was big Road construction is going, so all I80 ramps are blocked at colorado north of Denver from I25. I travelled on I25 till 18 junction via Wyoming. Road is straight for miles at times, then small turn, then again straight. i can see 10 miles straight some times. I drove on 80mph roads, I saw a internal road side to HWY i was driving, its speed limit is 65mph most of CA HWYs speed. I drove through many small villages downtowns, small crowds, they are really actively enjoying. I reached South Dakota border by around 12.
Then set my GPS towards Wind Cave NP. As its name tells, it is cave and lot of wind will be blowing inside cave. Some times wind speed can touch 70mphs also. I thought there might be tour with specific timing. if i go early might not miss the day. I reached Wind cave by 1. there was 1:20 PM tour available. i took fairground tour. it is 1 1/2 hour tour with 450 steps inside. What i understand from park ranger description. it is the biggest cave in planet earth. still more than 3/4 part of the cave un explored fully. only part of 1/4(explored) is open to public. They are 6 or 7 floor inside the cave, the last two floors contains water it seems. Now few Bio Chemical engineers are doing lot of experiment with water content. After results , under water exploration might start. Still many Cave explorers are trying to find places described by the founder of Wind cave. Still many parts of description could not find. one such description, in one of the cave lot of crystal formations are made, they shines a lot it seems. still it is puzzling today cave explorer where it is in the cave.
I came out of form Wind cave Np by 3.
Then, instead of going to Badlands NP, straight. i checked in to custer state park, then i drove towards Badlands. from Wind River NP i drove to Rapid City, then i joined i90. i drove 45 miles in i90. then i took right at wall-drug. I see lot of big poster holdings along the i90. after seeing so many posters, i got curisorty to know what is Wall-Drug? It seems #1 attraction in SD it seems. i reached Badlands Np by 5:45PM. at the gate i decided to spent only 1 hour inside the park. i stopped at almost all vista/viewpoints. keep on taking pictures mean while few pronghorns welcomed me. i stopped there for them to cross the roads. after spending more than 1:30 hours inside, i decided to drive to my campground(sylvan lake in Custer State park) it is almost more than 3 hours from middle of Badlands NP.
while exited form south entrance instead of north entrance(in entered from north) then i drove toward west in middle of badlands. it was my most beautiful sun set drive i ever drive. almost for more than 1 hour i enjoyed sunset. by the time it was sun is fully set, i reached Rapid City. at the joining of the road, Cop welcomed me. followed for more than 10 mins behind me. then he left. I was lucky, until then i was driving way to fast(more than 15 miles than posted). when i entered i was behind one car, he was driving actual speed, i was forced to follow his speed. after sometime when i see behind one car is followiing, when i see carefully it was cop car. he might have followed becuause of my CA license plate.
From Rapid it took more than 45 mins to get to Custer State Park, from then it took more than 40 mins to reach Sylvan lake campground. i reached campground by 9:20. i pitched tent, prepared dinner and had dinner by 10:15 I was in my sleeping bag inside tent. i thought past about my camping experiences, my ammature activities.
Today it proved to me i am not a beginner any more. I really enjoyed myself camping in national parks. I think i am ready to explore backpacking. it is very big step, needs lot more preparation. i need to consider to do one 2-3 backpacking next year in some really nice places. One thing i understand clearly, to do backpacking 80% work and preparation is done even before we drive first mile. After first mile everything should be simple and easy, should not spend hours and hours for basic things like pitching tent, preparing dinners..etc. Then, it is not a back packing.
And, the camping gear also matter a lot, thats what i experienced this time, i ordered all the camping gear brand new they are very different from my old gear. these new gear are lot lighter, i got the list from one of my Cymer colleague Tim Umstead, he is doing Pacific Crust Trail with family of 4, including daughter and son, daugther is of 8 and son is of 13. The gear they are using , the brands they are using i never heard of, they are ultra light. when i did my own R&D i understand i am doing camping wrong way. I consider this trip as my first experimental trip to see how to it looks like and to learn some of basic bask packing skills.
Then, instead of going to Badlands NP, straight. i checked in to custer state park, then i drove towards Badlands. from Wind River NP i drove to Rapid City, then i joined i90. i drove 45 miles in i90. then i took right at wall-drug. I see lot of big poster holdings along the i90. after seeing so many posters, i got curisorty to know what is Wall-Drug? It seems #1 attraction in SD it seems. i reached Badlands Np by 5:45PM. at the gate i decided to spent only 1 hour inside the park. i stopped at almost all vista/viewpoints. keep on taking pictures mean while few pronghorns welcomed me. i stopped there for them to cross the roads. after spending more than 1:30 hours inside, i decided to drive to my campground(sylvan lake in Custer State park) it is almost more than 3 hours from middle of Badlands NP.
while exited form south entrance instead of north entrance(in entered from north) then i drove toward west in middle of badlands. it was my most beautiful sun set drive i ever drive. almost for more than 1 hour i enjoyed sunset. by the time it was sun is fully set, i reached Rapid City. at the joining of the road, Cop welcomed me. followed for more than 10 mins behind me. then he left. I was lucky, until then i was driving way to fast(more than 15 miles than posted). when i entered i was behind one car, he was driving actual speed, i was forced to follow his speed. after sometime when i see behind one car is followiing, when i see carefully it was cop car. he might have followed becuause of my CA license plate.
From Rapid it took more than 45 mins to get to Custer State Park, from then it took more than 40 mins to reach Sylvan lake campground. i reached campground by 9:20. i pitched tent, prepared dinner and had dinner by 10:15 I was in my sleeping bag inside tent. i thought past about my camping experiences, my ammature activities.
Today it proved to me i am not a beginner any more. I really enjoyed myself camping in national parks. I think i am ready to explore backpacking. it is very big step, needs lot more preparation. i need to consider to do one 2-3 backpacking next year in some really nice places. One thing i understand clearly, to do backpacking 80% work and preparation is done even before we drive first mile. After first mile everything should be simple and easy, should not spend hours and hours for basic things like pitching tent, preparing dinners..etc. Then, it is not a back packing.
And, the camping gear also matter a lot, thats what i experienced this time, i ordered all the camping gear brand new they are very different from my old gear. these new gear are lot lighter, i got the list from one of my Cymer colleague Tim Umstead, he is doing Pacific Crust Trail with family of 4, including daughter and son, daugther is of 8 and son is of 13. The gear they are using , the brands they are using i never heard of, they are ultra light. when i did my own R&D i understand i am doing camping wrong way. I consider this trip as my first experimental trip to see how to it looks like and to learn some of basic bask packing skills.
Next Day, i got up very late, than my iusual timing 6Am. i brushed my teeth. had breakfast.. Started my adventure driving towards to Mt Rishmore as my first spot. Mt Rushmore is built in Black Hills of South Dakota, one of the beautiful locations i have seen. when i see surronding hills, it seems like i am driving in th middle of golf course, it is like that the whole custer state park. i saw a mountain goat on hills near rushmore.. i watched for some time to see how it climbs vertical hills. I was puzlled when i see discovery videos. today is the first time i saw with my own naked eyes. Man, they are so good and expert at climbing. it looks so easy when goat climbs and just jumps top like monkey,
I reached Mt Rushmore, spent more than an hour watching presidential faces on hills. went to museum to see how they are carved. and how big sculpture face is. i walked om presidential trail it for 1/2 mile i guess. i saw faces from many different angles. they are visible from surrounding hills too. I enjoyed to talking to americans there. i helped many families to take their family pictures. when i offered help, not a single family rejected the offer. i think it is first place, everyone is so happy when i offered.
After that i decided to drive to all 3 scenic drives in Custer Satte park, i spent many hours driving scenic drives very slowly. at lunch time, i stopped at one restaurant inside park, where Wifi is available, i need to adjust and replan my next section of trip because of North Cascades wild fire, it seems most of the park is closed. it took me more than 3 hours to get a sort of plan for next 3-4 days of trip. after that 4days trip seems to continue as i planned.. once i have sorted out rest of trip, i drove rest of the scenic drives.
Custer state parks has many tunnels. it is worth mentioning when i watched tunnels crossing videos in youtube. i watched one video, one bus crossed the tunnel of size exact bus size with extra space of few inches thats it, bus driver drives so carefully and passes the tunnel. when i crossed one of the tunnel, i released indeed the same tunnel i crossed. I really recommends to all to visit custer state park. it is really beautiful. park is closed in winter.
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