Limon, Colorado to Custer, South Dakota - Saturday, June 13, 2020

Today's drive was almost a straight shot north on Colorado-71, Nebraska-71, and South Dakota-71. The scenery didn't change much; it was mostly grasslands and prairies. In Colorado, we passed through Pawnee National Grassland. In Nebraska, we skirted around the west side of Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area, Nebraska National Forest, and Oglala National Grassland. We saw ranches and wind turbine farms. 

Wind turbine farms in Colorado.

Wind turbine farms.

Entering Nebraska on NE-17.

Only a few small towns dotted the landscape. The largest town we passed through on our seven-hour jaunt was Scottsbluff, Nebraska. We did not stop at Scotts Bluff National Monument on this trip.

Looking toward Scottsbluff
National Monument.

Entering Scottsbluff, Nebraska.

Time to put in more diesel fuel. Scottsbluff is the best spot for supplies and gas for miles!

Storage (in Scottsbluff) for sugar
made from sugar beets.

Once again, we headed north on NE-71. More grasslands and pronghorn were our points of interest. After we passed into South Dakota, it was a few miles until we arrived in Black Hills National Forest. Here the scenery changed to canyons, rocks, hills, and more trees than we had seen in the previous three days. 

Driving north near Hot Springs, South Dakota, we passed a sign and picnic area that said Cascade Falls. Many vehicles were in the parking lot. Popular place...we figured there must be a swimming hole. Farther on, we saw a sign for Cascade Springs. These two places piqued our interest and we decided we would come back to see what was there while we were based in Custer.

Upon arriving on the outskirts of Hot Springs, South Dakota, I suggested to Bob that we take our 5th wheel on the U.S. Hwy. 18 bypass to the west, and SD-89 and US 385 north. That would be a better option than taking our 5th wheel through the old downtown area of Hot Springs, South Dakota, with its narrow streets. (Doable, but more stressful.) We can visit Hot Springs when we come back to see Cascade Falls and Cascade Springs.

We made it to our campsite at Ft. Welikit in Custer at 4:00 p.m. The site assigned to us required directions from the owner to get our big rig into it. The owner asked Bob if our rig turned like an aircraft carrier or a PT boat. (I was amused by the question, but thought it was a good way to find out the size of a rig's turn radius!) Bob told him the turn radius is like an aircraft carrier. 

The owner had us come in from an unusual direction for that site so that we could use the natural lay of the land and gravity to back into our site. He said it would be a lot easier to back downhill than uphill. Amen to that! He also asked two other campers to move their big trucks temporarily. 

Bob got our 35' 5th wheel into the site around the trees on both sides of the road and on both sides in our site and made it look easy. Other campers watching Bob back into our site came over and told him they didn't think they could have gotten such a big rig into that site around the trees and bushes. Kudos to Bob and the park owner! That's one of the best experiences we've ever had going into a new-to-us RV park, especially one that is so tight to get into.

Our site at Ft. Welikit. Beautiful!

Campers across the road from us.

Campers up the road from us.

Ft. Welikit Family Campground.

Our 5th wheel is on the upper level.

By this time, we were hungry. After we were set up on our site, we went into Custer and had pizza and beer for dinner. That was so good!

1881 Courthouse Museum (next door to
Pizza Werks - where we had dinner).

Tomorrow, we will explore the town of Custer and Bob will check out where the George S. Mickelson Rails to Trails path is. He can't wait to ride his bike! My next blog will be more fun, I promise. 

Travel Bug out.