Narration here.
The heat was already cooking the RV at 8am when the first sign of life made an exit to assess the temperature. Over morning coffee the inside of the Smitanic was readied for the slides to be drawn in, so the jacks could be stowed for departure. The power was left on until the last possible moment to maintain any cooling the AC could provide. The guest, Cameron, had packed up his tent and was starting to meticulously load all his gear strategically on his bike. MJB gave him some juice and a hard-boiled egg while Theresa made a PB&J, apple and granola bar for a snack for Cameron down the road. Mom's do these things ya know! Cameron was ready to exit and noticed that is front tire was a bit flat. Off came all his belongings as well as the tire. The tube was examined with some water in the sink to find a small leak which was patched. The tire itself also had a non-trivial gouge in it that could easily let more debris in to cause another flat. The spot on the tire was patched using the universal repair tool known as Duct tape on the inside of the tire. Kevin pulled a spare tire from the bike parts he had brought. “Here Cameron”, “Take this spare tire just in case you need it before you can replace the bad one with a similar size and brand” Kevin demanded. “Thanks, it would help me get to a bike shop if this one comes totally unglued” replied Cameron. The now patched tube, and duct taped tire were replaced and ready for countless, yet limited, more miles into the adventure. Hugs were exchanged once again as well as an assurance to share the link to Cameron's donation site. The adventure is made very special by the people you meet!
The heat was already cooking the RV at 8am when the first sign of life made an exit to assess the temperature. Over morning coffee the inside of the Smitanic was readied for the slides to be drawn in, so the jacks could be stowed for departure. The power was left on until the last possible moment to maintain any cooling the AC could provide. The guest, Cameron, had packed up his tent and was starting to meticulously load all his gear strategically on his bike. MJB gave him some juice and a hard-boiled egg while Theresa made a PB&J, apple and granola bar for a snack for Cameron down the road. Mom's do these things ya know! Cameron was ready to exit and noticed that is front tire was a bit flat. Off came all his belongings as well as the tire. The tube was examined with some water in the sink to find a small leak which was patched. The tire itself also had a non-trivial gouge in it that could easily let more debris in to cause another flat. The spot on the tire was patched using the universal repair tool known as Duct tape on the inside of the tire. Kevin pulled a spare tire from the bike parts he had brought. “Here Cameron”, “Take this spare tire just in case you need it before you can replace the bad one with a similar size and brand” Kevin demanded. “Thanks, it would help me get to a bike shop if this one comes totally unglued” replied Cameron. The now patched tube, and duct taped tire were replaced and ready for countless, yet limited, more miles into the adventure. Hugs were exchanged once again as well as an assurance to share the link to Cameron's donation site. The adventure is made very special by the people you meet!
The exit from the Badlands was followed by the entrance to the Black Hills. The RV seemed to strain on even the most gradual climb and the engine temp approached the 'red zone' on the dash. As Kevin manually shifted up each grade he monitored the temp, tack ,and speed as he managed the curves and then applied the engine break on the descents. This was a short day mileage-wise but Kevin was exhausted once the destination of Horsethief Campground was reached. Weary from the drive and longing for some AC relief as well as a cold beverage all systems were hooked up so that the three voyagers would enjoy the next 3 nights in comfort.
After a brief rest and some lunch it was time to go explore one of the many local attractions, The Crazy Horse Memorial was a short drive from the park and would only take 1 hour to meander thru the displays and exhibits. This monument is a work in progress and has a huge plan for the construction of not only the mammoth rock sculpture but a medical school as well.
After a brief rest and some lunch it was time to go explore one of the many local attractions, The Crazy Horse Memorial was a short drive from the park and would only take 1 hour to meander thru the displays and exhibits. This monument is a work in progress and has a huge plan for the construction of not only the mammoth rock sculpture but a medical school as well.
This monument is an impressive landmark for miles in all directions!
Parker Farm steaks topped with grilled onions and mushrooms were enjoyed for dinner along with snap peas and mashed potatoes.
At last the team was rewarded with showers and a cool night of slumber.
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