Day 17. Morning. Sturgis, SD

It's a nice sunny day with a high of 84 forecasted for the area.

We'll be heading out about 9:15, stopping at a RV service place in Rapid City to have the tires rotated and maybe fix the water line leak. Also need to get groceries and stop at the bank to get cash and quarters for laundry machines.

There was a wild turkey roaming the campground at first light this morning. At least, I think it was a turkey, difficult to ID in low light and fog. Could have been a little kid with spindly legs and a severe back problem and a speech impediment. I'm kidding about the speech impediment: the alleged turkey did not a gobble make.

Gotta find a place to wash the rigs soon cuz they're filthy from the rain and sanded roads coming out of CO, and short stretches of gravel roads here and there. We need a pressure wash place with a high ceiling bay for the RV, couldn't find one in Sturgis but Rapid City should have one.

Day 16. Evening. Sturgis, SD

What is Devil's Tower? I was thinking maybe a mesa or butte. Uh uh. It's an igneous intrusion. This is new to me. I've been the victim of several intrusions over the years and some of them were quite embarassing, but as near as I can recall, none acheived igneousity. But there you have it.

The Tower looks better in rock than in mashed potatoes. Actually there was no mention of Close Encounters in the brochure or anywhere else in the visitor center, which was mildly disappointing. Regardless, I bet the visitor count increased dramatically after the movie.

Anyway, it's a fine piece of sculpture and I compliment mother nature and the Belle Fourche River on their accomplishments.

We're staying at the Rush-No-More (gag me) RV Park outside of Sturgis, SD and it's a great campground with lots of grass and pine trees and good wifi. Tomorrow, we're off to the Badlands where we'll meet up with old friends from Spokane, Dave and Verna.