In article ,
says...

On Thu, 27 Dec 2012 16:40:46 -0500, iBoaterer wrote:

In article ,
says...

On Thu, 27 Dec 2012 14:34:28 -0500, wrote:

On Thu, 27 Dec 2012 12:51:11 -0500, GuzzisRule
wrote:

My first real job was with the US Coast and Geodetic Survey, working the Minuteman sites in Sidney,
NE and Minot, ND. Neither place was very exciting.

I rode through the Badlands with some Guzzi friends from Holland. Very beautiful country. But, I
wouldn't want to live there. I kept imagining a couple thousand Indians coming down and attacking
our little motorcycle train.

I agree the Dakotas are mostly a lot of nothing but we had a good time
at the Minot state fair. We rented a boat in Beulah at the dam, toured
the synfuel plant and took the Air Force tour in Minot.
http://gfretwell.com/ftp/dakota/Silo%20hatch.jpg
http://gfretwell.com/ftp/dakota/minute%20man.jpg
http://gfretwell.com/ftp/dakota/B52.jpg

We also checked out Wall Drug and went to the rodeo
http://gfretwell.com/ftp/dakota/Wall%20rodeo.jpg

My favorite area is the Black Hills and on out through Wyoming. There
are hundreds of miles of logging roads you can drive with nice hikes
along the way.
http://gfretwell.com/ftp/dakota/sylvan%20lake.jpg
http://gfretwell.com/ftp/dakota/Danc...h%20wolves.jpg

They have real convenience stores in Sturgis
http://gfretwell.com/ftp/dakota/convenience%20store.jpg

Of course they have this
http://gfretwell.com/ftp/dakota/Rushmore%20profile.jpg

We saw most of those, including Sturgis, on the motorcycle trip through the area. We arrived at
Sturgis the week before the Harley Rally. All the vendors, or at least a huge number, had their
tents up and their wares on display, so we had a nice couple days looking around. My headlight had
gone out, and I was shopping for a bulb. Couldn't find one to fit the Guzzi in any of the places.

Mt. Rushmore was a letdown. I don't know what I was expecting, but maybe it had to do with the
distance from the mountain to the visitors' center. We didn't go on a mule ride or anything. It just
seemed small after seeing all the telephoto shots everywhere.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is VERY scenic. Nice campgrounds too.

I would find it hard to plan for a place that won't take reservations.

"General Information

Juniper Campground and Cottonwood Campground accommodate tents, trailers and recreational vehicles.
No hook-ups are available. Individual sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis."

Sure would hate to get there in the evening and find them full.

I've only been once, and didn't have a problem. But then again, I was in
a tent, didn't need a drive-thru type site or anything.