Again??

Dammit, Mother Nature, enough already!

We were having a fairly normal RVer kinda day: we lounged in a bit this morning; took Rufus outside for a while; cleaned up and went to Sam's and Wally World.  Late lunch out at Taco John's.  Through the drive up.

Back to the motorhome, with friendly puffy white clouds coming over the Hills.  The weather weasels were calling for a chance of thunderstorms... some possibly severe.

We were out on the patio, looking at the clouds and lightning.  There was plenty of both.

When the first rain drops hit, we went inside.  Nope, this doesn't look good...

And then, the first hail stone hit.  Sounded like someone whacked the top of the coach with a baseball bat.  All three of us said, "Aww, shit!"  Yes, even Rufus.  Nothing we could do except look out the window, hoping it would end quickly.  It didn't.

Just this afternoon, I had checked into a paintless dent repair place in Rapid City.  We may have a few more dents now than I told the guy.

The already wounded vent cover in the bathroom shattered further.  The plastic bag repair held, but water was blowing in around the sides of it.  As soon as the rain stopped, we got the ladder out and I went up to check the roof (again) and put more plastic and tape on what's left of the vent cover (again).  We are more experienced at this now, so it went a bit faster.  We got that done just before darkness set in.  Well, darkness because the sun has set, not more darkness from those scary clouds.

We like the Black Hills, but this crap is getting old.  That's 3 big hailstorms and one small hail storm in 5 days.  Enough already.

In the words of the philosopher Dolly Parton...

"Here we go again."

Round 2 with the hail pounding down again.  The hail on Thursday started small, but continued to grow until damage was inevitable.  Today's hail started bigger... we're in the middle of it right now, so it remains to be seen how nasty Mother Nature will be this time around.

As of now, nothing crashing through overhead vents, but I haven't been able to go outside to see how the car and motorhome did.

Looking at future radar for the next few hours: more of the same through tonight.  There are several more rounds on the wide range radar, coming our way.

So, that'll be fun.

Happy Birthday, America...

The big event in the Black Hills last night was fireworks at Mt Rushmore and the appearance of President Trump. Regardless of your political affiliation, seeing Air Force one do a fly-over at Mt Rushmore, then landing at Ellsworth Air Force Base was impressive (all covered by the local TV stations). The President and party then flew by helicopter from the base to Mt Rushmore (we could see them from our RV site while enroute)... two Marine 1 type helicopters with 4 Osprey aircraft as escorts.




Fly-overs by the Blue Angels and two B1B bombers from Ellsworth.  Speeches by the Governor, the Secretary of the Interior, and President Trump.

First time in 11 years that there have been fireworks at Rushmore (due to forest fire concerns), and it was a coordinated effort by South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, The Department of the Interior, and the President. Fire Departments from around the area were standing by near the Memorial. It was a lot of pomp and circumstance and quite the start to the holiday weekend locally.

We are about 20 miles from Mt Rushmore, so we couldn't see the fireworks from our site, but the viewing was good on TV... and we didn't have to fight the traffic and crowds.  The crowd at the amphitheater at Rushmore was 7,500, with no social distancing.  Those tickets were offered in a lottery.  The festivities started at 4:00 in the afternoon, and the fireworks ended at 10:00pm... I can only imagine the traffic going to and from the Memorial.

Protesters did block Highway 16 for a short time, but were dispersed by SD National Guard.  There are some Native Americans who feel the Black Hills were wrongfully taken from them when gold was discovered in the Black Hills in the 1870s.  Some of those think that the carvings at Mt Rushmore should be removed.  Governor Noem emphatically stated, "Not on my watch."

While we will probably be avoiding an up-close visit to Mt Rushmore this year, it is an impressive and patriotic memorial.  Sometime after this weekend, we will do a drive-by.

From last year...

There are 4th of July activities here at Hart Ranch - we plan to stay pretty close to home.  Do the patriotic thing: eat a hot dog and a hamburger.  Because... America!

The big event in the Black Hills last night was fireworks at Mt Rushmore and the appearance of President Trump.  Regardless of your political affiliation, seeing Air Force one do a fly-over at Mt Rushmore, then landing at Ellsworth Air Force Base was impressive (all covered my the local TV stations).  The President and party then flew by helicopter from the base to Mt Rushmore (we could see them from our RV site while enroute).

First time in 11 years that there have been fireworks at Rushmore (due to forest fire concerns), and it was a coordinated effort by South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, The Department of the Interior, and the President.  Fire Departments from around the area were standing by near the Memorial.  It was a lot of pomp and circumstance and quite the start to the holiday weekend locally.

The big event in the Black Hills last night was fireworks at Mt Rushmore and the appearance of President Trump.  Regardless of your political affiliation, seeing Air Force one do a fly-over at Mt Rushmore, then landing at Ellsworth Air Force Base was impressive (all covered my the local TV stations).  The President and party then flew by helicopter from the base to Mt Rushmore (we could see them from our RV site while enroute).

First time in 11 years that there have been fireworks at Rushmore (due to forest fire concerns), and it was a coordinated effort by South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, The Department of the Interior, and the President.  Fire Departments from around the area were standing by near the Memorial.  It was a lot of pomp and circumstance and quite the start to the holiday weekend locally.

That was fast!

My Vespa?  Well, sure.  But, Joan's Xmax is faster.

Another hot one in the Black Hills, and the morning started with gusty winds again.  No, that wasn't forecast.  We had talked about getting out early for a ride, and going north.  We decided to wait out the wind (since the weather weasels missed the actual wind, they were now predicting it to ease up by early afternoon.  And then another chance of thunderstorms.

So, "the window" of getting in a ride is narrowing.  I got the scoots out and ready; it was already in the upper 80s; still breezy, but not where it would make riding unpleasant.  We decided to leave our mesh coats behind...

We didn't even get out of Hart Ranch when my phone rang.  I stopped, pulled off my helmet, and answered the call... it was from Doug, the RV service guy, and I was hoping to hear when the part for our toilet would be in.  "Hi, this is Doug from Travel Tyme - we have your pedestal in.  Can we come by this afternoon to pull your old one and install this one?"

"Absolutely!  I have been 'holding it' for 4 days (joke), so you tell me when works for you and we will be there waiting."

"Is 2:30 good for you?  I don't want to mess up your motorcycle ride."

"2:30 is perfect.  We'll see you then."

We decided to make this ride shorter so there was no issue with being back in time.  Leaving the Ranch...

The good riding starts immediately.  A few miles down the road is one of my favorite views here...

On with the ride...

That road sign ahead in the above photo lets you know there is a 15% grade ahead.  More on that in a bit.

We rode a few more miles, then turned around to take the same fun roads back.  This route is south, but not on the main roads to Keystone and Mt Rushmore.

And then, up that same 15% grade...

Yes, there is some vertical building in that cloud on the far side of the hilly horizon.  This hill is about a mile long pull... you get some idea of the power and torque of your vehicle.  We both started the climb at around 45mph.  Midway up the hill, I had the Vespa throttle pegged, and I was starting to lose speed; Joan's Xmax held 45 all the way up the hill, and she had throttle to spare.  At the top of the steepest part, I was down to about 40mph.

Yes, I am OK with the performance of my scoot.  Joan is OKer with hers.  ;-)

We were home in time to change out of long pants and get some ice water.  The temp was now 93º.  I took the ladder out and checked the top of the coach, now that it is dry and sunny... other than that one vent, everything on the roof looks OK.  We found a couple more pings on the car.  Back into the air conditioning, and I started to download the photos here.

At exactly 2:30, there was a knock on the door.  Doug and his son were here and ready to get the job done.  They removed the toilet, took it outside to take the pedestal off, put the new pedestal on, reinstalled it, and checked for water function and no leaks.

Less than a half hour.  They know what they are doing.  The price was reasonable.  They are both friendly and professional.  A very positive service experience.  Two in a row!  (This one and the service on the Vespa in Austin.)

We can poop with convenience once again.  Not to be taken for granted.

When the vent cover comes (due Wednesday), we'll replace that and get on with enjoying our time away.

I spoke too soon...

On my last post, I said the worst of the weather had passed north of us.  I was wrong.  It started as rain.  Then, BIG rain drops.  Not a good sign.  Pea size hail.  Then, marble size hail.  Then, golf ball size hail.  Then... oh, shit!

It sounded like someone was walking around the coach, hitting it with a hammer.  Well, a bunch of hammers.  The bathroom vent broke: pieces of it were laying inside the screen...

Nothing we could do about it in the middle of the rain and hail.  I told Joan to grab a towel and put it over a darkening pad we have that fits inside that opening, and shove it in there... that will keep the rain from pouring in.

Nothing we can do but grimace at the pounding sound.  Rufus handled it well.  Joan and I both paced, looking out the windows.  When it finally let up, I went outside to survey... I was expecting the Honda and the hood of the coach to be peppered with dents.  There is a lot of water standing on them, but I don't see anything obvious.  I got out our ladder and went to check on that broken bathroom vent.  Yeah, it's a goner.  I told Joan to get another one ordered from Amazon now, because every local RV parts supply place is going to have a run on those covers.

I went to work with duct tape and a heavy plastic bag that Joan cut to make a "slip cover" for the vent.  Hopefully, that will hold until the new vent cover arrives.  While I was working on that, Joan picked up some hail stones...

"There are bigger than any hail I've seen before - look!"

"Kinda busy here, Hon."  Looking over my shoulder, I could see another dark cloud moving in.

I can't say for certain, but I think she was just trying to look up my shorts on those photos... "Hey, my eyes are up here!"

As I put the finishing touches on the tape job, the next round of sprinkles started.  Well, that's fun: lightning and I'm standing on a metal ladder.  I think this is a good time to get down.

We got back inside and had the opportunity to see how the plastic bag and duct tape would fare against the rain... seems to be keeping the water out.  Not pretty, but only rigs taller than ours will see it.  ;-)  And then, I shit you not: more hail.  This round wasn't as big, as plentiful, or long-lasting.

I told Joan I wasn't sure if the car or cargo trailer had any damage, but I didn't see anything obvious; she said, "I looked them over while you were up on the ladder, and I didn't see anything either."  We'll check again when this (if this) weather passes.  I didn't see any other damage to stuff on the roof of the coach, but I will look that over closer, as well.  On the bright side, we're in one place for a while... yeah, that is the place that just got hammered, but better here than while going down the road.

You don't see stuff like this in the ads selling RVs.  ;-)

Ever have a business you don't want to give your money to?

Yeah, me too.  The particular business I am referring to is Cotton Lane RV & Gold Resort.  It is a 55+ park that we have stayed in over the past decade while in Arizona.  The management and office workers are unpleasant; I don't like to spend my money with any business that acts like it is just too much effort to be nice.  There have been some years where we've stayed at other parks, but we come back to this one because it is the most convenient to Steph and Dan's home.

While there have been all kinds of really asinine rules over the year (like requiring every RV to line up at the same place in relation to the street - making it nearly impossible to reach the utilities with a shorter RV), but the thing that pisses me off the most is their on and off policy of allowing cargo trailers.  Yes, this one affects me directly, because the cargo trailer is our "portable garage" for the scoots.  I don't want to leave my scoot out in the weather with their sand/gravel sites.

Well, the last two years, a cargo trailer has been fine.  Now this year, it isn't.  I know I won't be the only one not giving them my money next year, and the policy makes no sense.  It is a decent enough park, but you can have a shed.  Or a fridge outside your rig.  You can park an eye-sore of a vehicle that doesn't run there, but somehow a white cargo trailer, that goes with our white and black coach and our white SUV, is offensive.

Nevermind the fact that they don't keep regular office hours and don't return your messages.  Or the fact that you can't make a reservation for next year until July 1st.  Yes, this is July 2nd, and the assholes gave away the site we requested, even though Joan left a message with them first thing yesterday.

We called around and found another park where the office person answered their phone AND was very pleasant while we talked.  It is another 10 miles further away from Steph and Dan's, but it is all Interstate.  We booked it on the spot.  Oh, and when I described our rig, including the cargo trailer, she said, "That sounds very nice."  That is a bit more pleasant than: "Well, you weren't supposed to have a cargo trailer here last year."  Even though there were others there with a cargo trailer.

We are just trying to get everything arranged as far out as we can.  When I let Steph know about it, she and Dan drove out to this other park and took photos (doing some "recon" for us), and said it looks to be very similar in amenities as the asshole park.  OK, she didn't say, "Asshole," that was my input.

----------

We had originally planned to get out on the scoots today.  The weather report was for very similar to yesterday.  Not even close.  By 8:00am, the wind was already gusting above 30mph.  The 10% chance of precip morphed to 50%.  The wind was unrelenting.  I went out and put away all the stuff on our patio to keep it from getting blown away or torn in the wind.  No, I won't be out scooting in that.

By 3:00 this afternoon, the sky took on an ominous look...

Oh, and you can see a bit of my offensive cargo trailer in that photo, too.  Shortly after I took that photo (while taking Rufus for a walk), the rain started coming down.  Looking at radar, it looks like the really bad stuff connected with this storm will pass north of us; the weather alert is calling for "damaging hail and wind gusts to 60mph"... I think we lucked out - the wind died down just before the rain started.

We may have to try for a scooter ride tomorrow - not going south from here, or anywhere towards Mt Rushmore.

That's what it's all about...

Did you say, "The Hokey-Pokey"?

So did everyone else - no bonus points.

One of the big reasons we are here in the Black Hills: the great riding... 'cause that's what it's all about.  Generally, when I do these posts, I keep everything in chronological order.  Today, I am featuring my "Shot of the Day": a photo of Joan cruising through one of the hair-pin curves on Iron Mountain Road, with Mt Rushmore way in the background...

I kinda remembered that we could see a glimpse of Mt Rushmore in this vicinity.  I shot this from my scoot, knowing I'd only get one chance and one second too soon or too late would lose the shot.  Yeah, I can still do this photography stuff when I have too.  ;-)  OK, I didn't have to, but this is a cool shot.

OK, back to the chronological stuff: gearing up...

The breeze was starting to kick up - you can see it in the flags at Hart Ranch...

We found out later that the wind was gusting to 30.  Joan said her Xmax felt solid and planted, but still fun through the curves.  Yes, there are curves coming.

We stopped for a bit in Keystone so Joan could call back a place where we are trying to make a reservation for next winter.

If you aren't familiar, Keystone is the town that is closest to Mt Rushmore.  Rushmore is having fireworks on the 3rd for the first time in over a decade (due to concerns about forest fires).  Trump is coming for the celebration and fireworks at Mt Rushmore.  Yeah, there is plenty of controversy about this; but someone put a "pop up" store between two buildings - I'm guessing they will have plenty of sales...

As we got close to the intersection where one way takes you to Iron Mountain Road (our choice today) and the other takes you to Mt Rushmore.  You can see they are getting barricades positioned so they can put them out for Friday...

Mt Rushmore will be closed on Friday - the only way you will be admitted is if you have a ticket for this celebration...

No, we do not have tickets.  My political influence is limited to being friends with one of the Directors on the Board for our Village.  ;-)  The expectations are for long traffic waits getting to and leaving Mt Rushmore on Friday.  We have seen military helicopters flying over the Black Hills in formation - my guess is they are practicing for moving the President from Ellsworth Air Force Base to the helipad near Rushmore.  They are flying right over Hart Ranch.  You can be sure that Trump won't be waiting in any bumper to bumper traffic.

On to Iron Mountain Road.  This is the approach to one of the pig-tail bridges that do more than a 360º turn...

Coming off that bridge, we got behind something we haven't seen on this road before: a pickup pulling a travel trailer...

While it will barely fit through this tunnel, there is no way they can stay in their own lane on some of the extremely tight curves.  We followed this to the first split.  "The splits" are two sections of this road where the lanes separate and there are some great curves on one way lanes.  We stopped at the start of the split to let the travel trailer get far enough ahead of us that we could rip through this split...

And then behind it again at the next tunnel...

There is no safe place to pass on this part of Iron Mountain Road, but the guy pulling the trailer did get to the side of the road where we could see to get around him.  Nice on his part.  Back to enjoying the ride...

No, that image above is not the same as my opening shot; it's another hair-pin curve, though.  10mph speed limit - I was glad to be in front of that travel trailer because this is one of those curves where it is impossible for that rig to stay contained in their lane.  The opening shot was taken after this one.  Another tunnel...

Another split...

No, I did not ride behind Joan all day.  Most of the time, I ride in front, but it is easier for me to get photos when riding behind.  Plus, it is fun for me to watch her - Joan is a great rider, very fluid in how she handles the bike.  I enjoy watching her pick a line and then effortlessly guide the bike through it.  I tend to ride a bit more aggressively: come into the curve fast, brake while picking a line, accelerate out of the curve.  Her style isn't any slower than mine... and since her bike has more horsepower than mine, I have to really get on it as she accelerates out of the curve.  I can tell that she has become very comfortable with her Xmax.

Leaving the Black Hills National Forest and coming into Custer State Park...

Yes, we wave...

We came up on this "buffalo jam"...

That is a traffic slow down (in this case, it was a complete stop), so gawkers can look at some buffalo that were near the road.

Custer State Park is home to a large buffalo population.  They are big, and they go where they want.  It is a treat to see them, but this stop put us behind that smelly bus when they finally started moving.

We are able to talk with our helmet communicators.  Joan suggested we get take-out from Black Hills Burger and Bun Co in Custer.  Best burgers we have had anywhere, so she didn't have to convince me.  Not knowing what their in-restaurant dining situation might be, Joan ordered take out on line, with a pick up scheduled 30 minutes later...

We knew it would take that amount of time to get through the rest of the park and into the town of Custer.

We found a parking spot not far from the restaurant.  Joan went to find a picnic table across the street in front of the Custer County Courthouse, while I went to pick up our food - right on schedule.  Good thing we chose to not eat in there: the place was packed.  If there was any distancing, I didn't see it.  They do, however, have tall partial walls around their booths (part of their decor), but nothing between tables.  A bit too close for my preference.

It was a picnic of sorts... well, we were at a picnic table, we had food, but the wind was blowing and gusting to where you had to hold everything down to keep it from blowing away.  I have arrived with our food...

After lunch, we stopped for fuel (Custer has a station that sells non-ethanol fuel), then had to decide what route to take back... yeah, we decided to do the curves again.  Driving through Custer, I took this photo of one of their "art buffaloes"...

Kinda like we have our "art dolphins" at home, these buffalo are located all around town.

Back through Custer State Park...

We didn't see any turtles at this turtle crossing.

The license plates here say "Great Faces (Mt Rushmore), Great Places."  In this part of the Black Hills, they should also add "Great Roads"...

We made a stop about mid-way for a re-hydrating break...

It started off cool this morning - the local morning weather weasels said it got down to 48º overnight... I don't think so, but it was 60º in the coach when I got up.  In the 70s when we left this morning, but back to the mid to upper 80s by the time we were headed back.  A stop in the shade is a nice break.

Another fun ride today.  It is supposed to be warm and windy again tomorrow... and Friday will probably be a good day to stay off the roads.  We'll see what tomorrow brings.