South Dakota – Page 2 – Geeky Girl Engineer

Deadwood

Posted on August 24, 2017 by geek

After visiting Devil’s Tower, I decided to visit Deadwood just because. I took the scenic route through Spearfish Canyon. If you ever in the area, I highly recommend this scenic drive. It is lovely. I then arrived in Deadwood and had only been there for a short time before a gun fight broke out. No worries, it was on schedule. They have a gun fight several times a day, every day, although this may only be in the summer. There is a fight over a card game, and then a dual on the street. Of course all I was thinking was wondering if these actors wore ear protection because that’s the type of person I am. In any event, many of buildings in Deadwood have been restored to their original design. The buildings are kind of neat. The old train station is now the visitor’s center. Much of downtown though is casinos and tourist shops, so if you are not into those activities, and I am not, Deadwood only needs to be a short visit. Unless you just like watching fake gun fights.

Deadwood train station that is now the visitor’s center

Franklin Hotel in Deadwood where a gun fight constantly breaks out

downtown Deadwood

Spearfish Canyon scenic drive, worth the drive

Wall Drug

Posted on August 24, 2017 by geek

If you are ever in South Dakota on I-90, probably for the entire distance of I-90, you will see signs for Wall Drug. Many of the advertisements were for coffee for five cents or free ice water. While driving from Rapid City to Minuteman Missile National Historic Site (about 70 miles), I saw a sign for Wall Drug at least every mile, probably more often than that. I went to Devil’s Tower today, and I saw a sign for Wall Drug while leaving Devil’s Tower before even getting on the interstate, a good 150 miles away from Wall. Clearly Wall Drug is a tourist trap, but if you try that hard to trap the tourists, I will give it to you. After visiting Badlands, I went to Wall Drug just to see what was so special that they would advertise that far away.

Wall Drug

Wall Drug is note really describable. There are several different stores within its complex, and the complex is so complex, they actually have maps of the store. There is the classic drug store, and many different stores to sell stuff to tourists. There is a cafe and a soda shop. Then there is all the other stuff. If you enter from one of the doors that doesn’t lead directly to a store, you enter a hallway of sorts that somewhat resembles a mall.

Wall Drug entrance hallway

The hallway is full of stuff I would expect an old amusement park. As well as other stuff that I don’t really know where I would expect to find such stuff.

Entrance hallway has all the classic amusement park stuff

It also has a chapel.

A somewhat out of place chapel

Then you can go out to the new back courtyard, where you are promised among other things, deluxe bathrooms. [The bathrooms were not especially deluxe, but they were big.] The courtyard has a jumping water fountain that children can play in and a tiny replica of Mt. Rushmore. Then, past the courtyard is another building with more stores and another soda shop. There is also a dinosaur for unknown reasons. In this building though, they do have an amazing collection of old photographs and historical information on the area.

Backyard building with more stores

Wall Drug is a tourist trap. However, it is a magnificent, somewhat confusing, overwhelming, trap that would surely win an award for tacky and kitchy if such as award existed. Also, they do believe in truth an advertising. You can buy a cup of coffee for five cents, and there is evidently free ice water.

Badlands National Park

Posted on August 23, 2017 by geek

After visiting Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, I then drove on to Badlands National Park, which is right across the freeway. Badlands is just gorgeous. The formations are dramatic. In many places you can clearly see the different sedimentation layers, including different coloring of the layers. The different coloring layers adds to the drama and beauty of the landscape. When I was there, it was a clear blue sky, which contrasted with the landscape coloring. It was fun to photograph. There were no bad angles, only trying to figure out the best way to capture the beauty, even though no photograph can.

Badlands National Park

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

Posted on August 23, 2017 by geek

Today started with a trip to a bit of a hidden site, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. National Park Service offers tours of one of the launch control facilities that could launch the missiles sitting in underground silos. Above ground are the support facilities, which on the outside look a bit like a pre-fabricated house or some small commercial building. The underground launch control center was connected by cable to ten missile in underground silos that it could launch. The control center was also connected to other launch control centers that could launch its own missiles. I found the tour rather interesting, but I also found it somewhat unnerving. The visitor’s center has a nice exhibit about not only the site but also the arms race and the members of the military who worked at these sites. The visitor’s center also has information about close calls during the Cold War. I found it all scary. I also consider current events, and it still scares me.

Layout of facility

Inside, the above ground facilities pretty much resemble a dormitory. About the only way it differs from a dormitory is the security room, which is far more equipped than any college campus.

Above ground dormitory like rooms

Through the security room is an elevator and ladder to the underground portion.

Stairwell down to control bunker

The underground portion consists of a small locker area that then leads to a giant steel door to the launch control center.

Giant door to launch control center

The launch control center is enclosed in a giant steel cylindrical container.

Photograph of steel-covered control center being installed underground

There are numerous support utilities connected to the launch control center. The center was made to withstand a nuclear blast, although not a direct hit. Numerous cables connects the center to the missiles it could launch as well as the command centers. It has support utilities like electricity and air.

Support utilities connecting to control center

Inside is rather antiquated looking equipment that could have been used to start World War III.

Launch control desk

Launch control facilities