Rapid City Adventures

We recently spent a week in the Rapid City, SD area with our National Park Group. From a rented house situated on Rapid Creek about ten miles west of the city, we visited most of the well known attractions in the area. The terrain shifts from desert-like in the east, to rolling hills covered with evergreen trees, and encasing lovely meadows and massive outcrops of granite, in the west. Yes you can easily spend a week here and have a great time. Here is a summary of our activities, each of which will be subjects on my ongoing blog.

Day 1: Mt. Rushmore

There are three beautiful drives within Custer State Park. We drove up the Iron Mountain Drive, some 20 miles of curves, switchbacks, bridges, tunnels and forests to reach Mt. Rushmore National Monument. Several times along this road, one is able to glimpse the four faces of our famous presidents. We then spent two hours at the Monument, which is very impressive. The video is very good. Following that we headed to Hill City for a German lunch at the Alpine Inn.

Day 2: Mammoth Site and Wildlife Drive (Custer State Park)

We drove down to Hot Springs, SD to visit an unusual attraction called the mammoth Site. This site has excavated a very old pit containing the remains of a significant number of mammoth bones. We worth the visit. Next we drove through a meadowy area of Wind Cave NP, and then picked up the Wildlife Loop Drive, contained within Custer State Park. This is a paved road through 18 miles of open grasslands and speckled hills. The park’s resident herd of bison were seen, as were numerous pronghorn antelope, multitudes of prairie dogs and cute and carrot hungry wild burros.

Day 3: Badlands National Park

About 50 miles east of Rapid City, we toured Badlands National Park for several hours. The badlands are special for their striking eroded landscape of buttes, pinnacles and spires, a rich fossil record, and one of the largest protected mixed grass prairie lands where bison and prairie dogs thrive. The unique geology offers incredible views, hiking op[opportunities, and wildlife viewing. We finished the day with a brief stop in Wall, SD, home of the old and spread out Wall Drugs.

Day 4: Bear Country

Local Rapid City attraction, Bear Country is 200 acres of a variety of wildlife contained in subtle fenced areas that one can drive through at one’s own pace. Very well done and a recommended visit.

Day 5: Deadwood

No this is not Deadwood. It is Bridal Falls along the Spearfish Canyon Road, a recommended prelude to visiting the old western town of Deadwood. That town is famous among other things for the killing of Wild Bill Hickock, and the burial location of other western characters including Calamity Jane.

Day 6: Crazy Horse Monument and Needles Highway

One must visit the Crazy Horse Monument. Unfinished by awesome. Excellent museum of Indian history. Good entertainment. And the statue in the mountain will be stupendous if ever completed.

We followed this up with lunch in Custer (Custer Wolf 4.5), and an awesome drive on the Needles Highway. Pictures are impressive but the reality is incredible.

Elephant Havens Visit

We have been a supporter of this wonderful charity since the beginning. And we try to visit the facility annually. Our first visit was in May 2019, when they were caring for one elephant, MmaMotse, who is now about eight years old. The nursery was contained on less than 20 acres. On our visit this June, we were looking after 21 little elephants (all under five years) at the nursery, and another ten at the soft release. Many of the latter will be released to the wild in a couple of years. The nursery is now on about 140 acres, with another 900 at the soft release. Here are photos of the nursery elephants as of June 2025. Many thanks to Mayo, who guided me one morning to each one so I could take these images.They are all available to foster through the website at http://www.elephanthavens.org.

Bird Walk

While we were staying at Muchenje Safari Lodge, we had an opportunity to go on a two hour bird walk with a bird expert, Stone Muzila. He does regular walks in the treed area at Muchenje Campsite and Cottages in the town of Muchenje. Stone is very knowledgable and a delight to be with. This property is located along the Chobe River. We saw quite a few birds, along with an unusual sighting.

First, the birds.

And the unusual, Africa is home to the well known Big Five. But it also has the Ugly Five and the Little Five. The latter includes the elephant shrew, the ant lion, the rhinoceros beetle, the buffalo weaver and the leopard tortoise. On this walk we learned more about the ant lion.

The ant lion is the larval stage of the lacewing fly. They construct conical pits in soft sand and wail at the bottom for prey (typically small ants) to slide in. Prey are taken in strong jaws and sucked dry.

Where to Dine in Fairhaven

During our stay in Fairhaven we dined at a few local restaurants. Here are a few.

Bocca

A premier location for authentic Italian cuisine. Bocca combines modern eclectic ambiance with gourmet Italian flavors. We enjoyed a lovely lunch here.

The Black Whale

Serves fresh, bold and innovative food that reflects the history of New Bedford and celebrates the New Bedford fishermen, their catch and their culture. The menu focuses on local fisher-men’s catch of the day, old seafood favorites and a sprinkling of modern seafood dishes. Located on the New Redford waterfront.

Fathom’s Bar and Grill

Located right next to the harbor, Fathoms has become an integral part of New Bedford’s diverse collection of eateries. Also heavily focused on seafood.

Danny’s Seafood

A family owned and operated restaurant which has been in business in the north end of New Bedford since 1971. Serves quality food at affordable prices, including the best clam boils in the area.

Gene’s Famous Seafood

Gene’s is known for its fresh and delicious food. They offer a wide range of seafood dishes, including the renowned seafood platter and fish and chips. Portions are large.The nautical themed seating area adds to the charm.

Tia Maria

Tia Maria’s European Cafe is a charming eatery located in New Bedford, around the corner from the Whaling Museum. Their focus is on Portuguese cuisine. The cafe offers an inviting atmosphere where tourists can enjoy a leisurely breakfast or brunch while sampling authentic dishes crafted from traditional recipes. Their menu is extensive, featuring an array of options from fluffy omelets to freshly baked pastries and artisanal coffee blends.

New Bedford/Fairhaven

We recently visited the two cities/towns of Fairhaven and New Bedford, MA to inter Karen’s parents and to visit old friends. Her parents have plots in Riverside Cemetery in Fairhaven, in an absolutely lovely resting place. The graveside service was touching, and attended by ten old friends of Karen’s. She followed this up with a lovely seafood lunch for all at the The Black Whale.

During our visit we had an opportunity to visit several interesting sites and to dine at a few local restaurants. In this blog I will cover the sites, and in the next blog, the restaurants.

Fort Phoenix

Fort Phoenix is a former American Revolutionary War-era fort located at the entrance to the Fairhaven-New Bedford harbor in Fairhaven.The fort was originally built in 1775 without a name, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Just off the fort, in Buzzards Bay, was the first naval engagement of the American Revolution, the Battle of Fairhaven on 14 May 1775.

In 1778 the fort was destroyed by the British after a harbor raid. A force under Major Israel Fearing drove off the British, both at the fort and when they attempted an attack on the town the next day. The fort was renamed Fort Fearing, but renamed Fort Phoenix after the mythical bird.

The fort was bombarded by the HMS Nimrod during the War of 1812. After an exchange of gunfire the Nimrod sailed away.

The fort currently has five iron cannons, model 1819 24-pounders, mounted on reproduction wooden carriages. These came from the West Point Foundry in Cold Spring, NY.

The fort was purchased for the town in 1926 by Mrs. Urban Broughton, a daughter of the town’s benefactor Henry Huttleston Rogers. Since then it has been maintained by the town as a public park.

Adjacent to the Fort is a walkable hurricane barrier across the moth of the harbor, designed to protect both towns from aggressive hurricanes.

Unitarian Church

The Unitarian Memorial Church was built, financed and donated to the Unitarians in 1904 by Henry H. rogers in memory of his mother. The church was designed by Brigham, Coveney and Bisbee of Boston in the 15th Century Gothic perpendicular style.

The church is 114 feet in height, 100 feet long in body and 53 feet wide, The nave is 32 feet wide and 71 feet long. The main aisle is 62 feet long. The church, parish house and parsonage are so placed to form three sides of a quadrangle, set among well kept lawns and shrubbery.

Granite locally quarried with Indiana limestone decorative carvings dominate the exterior. All stonework artistry was created by forty-five Italian craftsmen brought to Fairhaven by Rogers.

Fairhaven High School

The school building was donated in 1906 by Henry Huddleston Rogers, who was one of the key men in John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Trust. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1081. The original octagonal gymnasium became home to the first indoor basketball court in an American high school.

Mattapoisett

This is a seaside community near New Bedford with stunning views and lovely beaches.

New Bedford Whaling Museum

The New Bedford Whaling Museum focuses on the history, science, art and culture of the international whaling industry, and the colonial region of Old Dartmouth in the south coast of Massachusetts. Founded in 1903, the Museum’s rich history reveals an intimate relationship with the communities it serves.

Riverside Cemetery

Karen’s parents are now interred at Riverside, just down the street from where she grew up. This is one of the most beautiful cemeteries I have ever seen. It is literally a park, where locals come to walk, exercise their dogs and so on. Lots of old large trees and extensive flowering shrubbery, and located beside the harbor. Well worth a visit.