The Montana Trip

In November 2021, I scheduled a pick up of my Go Fast Camper in Montana. I took this as an opportunity to go explore some national parks on the way.

If you have any reason to drive I-90 in South Dakota, take, do not bypass, the badlands scenic bypass. These photos do not do the place justice.

The land is active in the sense that the badlands are ever changing, and are slowly eating away at the viewing locations that have been established.

And it's not all dirt and rocks:

Wind Cave National park is amazing. Take the cave tours:

The cave is being actively explored. thus the replaceable paper sign. They find more cave almost every week,

My opinion is to not bother visiting Mount Rushmore.

But do drive US Route 16A to Mount Rushmore.

My travel advice may be tainted by the fact that I was basically out there alone. The perks of traveling in the off season. Mount Rushmore was the busiest place I was at all day.

Traveling during the second week of November is a mixed experience. On one hand, crowds are not a problem, but sometimes places are just closed when I show up on a Tuesday.

The South Dakota Air and Space Museum is one such place, located right on the edge of Ellsworth Air Force Base. Thankfully, a lot of the exhibits are parked outside and they are open enough for you to go do the self guided walking tour of the aircraft. And it's not a bad selection at all.

I do hope to return when the interior exhibits are open to enjoy the rest of the museum. The outdoor tour was still worth the visit.

I don't have many photos of the Crazy Horse memorial. It's under active, but very slow, construction. A very ambitious project and it was worth the trip to go see that level of ambition in person. The story of the memorial's process is worth hearing and understanding, and I will not attempt to summarize it here.

Devil's Tower is a natural wonder that is best experienced in person. can give you a vague idea of what you are getting into, but they can not provide the sense of scale that happens in person.

Again, traveling in November leads to some interesting experiences. entered and exited the monument before staff had arrived for the day.

I both

I am an infrastructure nerd. deemed most important.

For me, it's interesting to see what signage was

Okay, that is an obviously useful sign. rather than turning back. A sign that it's time to press forward

Viewing tubes? I have to admire the simplicity. No, I did not pick out the wooden stake ladder.

This was a dead end trail spur, that leads to a great picture spot. A spot so good the sign, guard rail, bench or something has been cut down and removed.

From 30 years ago, I remember the National Parks did a passport book. Even with everything closed, that's still a thing, but a little more DIY than I remember it from my youth.

And with that, I departed and finished the drive to Montana.