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It may not seem like it, but I love my life, even if it is here. Sadly and honestly, I can't say the same for 98% of the people I meet here, so good for you guys who like it.
Ouch. That tongue-lashing gave me a headache.
Seems pretty much to me like we just have different likes, dislikes and priorities. Imagine that. Different people having differences of opinion.
Thanks for the education, though. Now we understand EXACTLY why you don't like living here. You are completely out of your comfort zone. Your comfort zone requires sand, heat, beaches, prime shopping, massive interstate driving, populations in excess of 200,000, non-agriculture based economies, and a few other things I won't bore everyone by listing. We know we don't have those things here. I would guess none of us who have moved here by choice expected to have those things here.
You mentioned a few places you have been, but you didn't mention a lot of others - I wonder if you have explored the Badlands? Amazing in all seasons, if you appreciate that type of thing. And the hunting? Hmmm...dare I guess that you have not been to the northwest corner of our state - with the best deer (both types) and antelope hunting around - don't take my word for it, ask the locals. One of the guys in my office bagged a 13 point whitey this fall...if the deer we have are too tame for you, why don't you try the elk, or the lions? Oh, I forgot, you don't like snow, and both of those seasons require snow for successful hunting...
Can't vouch for those you've met, but of those I've met , we all CHOSE to live here, and luckily for us, we've made an educated decision based on what we wanted in a home/community/state, etc. 98% of us are happy with our choice. With any luck, the 2% that aren't (including yourself) will hopefully find a new home where they are much happier - after all, we don't want you to make yourself miserable for our sake!
I lived in Rapid City (well onto Sheridan Lake Rd) and Ellsworth AFB (Centennial housing) from 91-93, during my later middle school/freshman high school years, so it was a less complete picture but it was largely a mixed experience.
I'm a city kid (New York) so to be fair there wasn't a lot that Rapid could offer, but of all the base locations, it was among my most preferable.
The people are largely polite, Rapid City lacks for things to do, but hiking and driving through the Black Hills and a few trips to the Badlands kept me pretty entertained during my stay. There are several touristy stops and even with limited funds, a weekend trip around the Black Hills never disappoints.
The economy is largely driven by tourism in summer and the base, and the services from the large base population stationed there, along with smaller industries. A similar military base in upstate New York had a population of about 55,000 before the base closure left that city with about 38,000 over the course of 15 years, so there's no question what a military installation like Ellsworth means to a community the size of Rapid City.
The positives were the scenery and the people. Being so far from a city of any size was a major downfall for me personally, Denver and Minneapolis are too far to drive for a day trip and Cheyenne and Sioux Falls are really not that much more urban than Rapid City and still some four hours or so away. So it's a very isolated corner of the US. I don't hunt and wasn't very enamored by a Western lifestyle which was a bit more prevalent in the early 90s. And the lack of a sports team (I think there was a CBA basketball team then, probably still is) anywhere near was felt.
Since returning a few times over the last few years for my current job (sales/training on a national + Canada basis) the place has largely remained unchanged, which was nostalgic and nice to return to. There are new developments, most parts of town remained very livable, there seems to be less Western-wear, and the area around Rushmore Mall is much more retail than I remember when ShopKo and Target were about the only main stand-alone retailers outside of the mall. The Black Hills are still scenic, downtown Rapid still quiet, Box Elder still depressing, Spearfish and Lead/Deadwood picturesque little communities an hour north. I didn't mind the Sturgis rally, it's just for one short period in August, and every once in a while one of the more-disrobed women isn't always such a nuisance
I think I may always enjoy coming back to this community for a short visit - happy that this is home for somebody, and definitely worth visiting if you never have, just not for everyone.
I was stationed at Offutt AFB in Nebraska. I made a few vacation trips to the Black Hills and absolutely fell in in love with it. Had to make a stop at Ellsworth once in 1987 as our tent was missing a pole.
BTW, don't get suckered into going to Wall Drug. Geeze that was a waste of time. The Badlands and Custer Park were awesome as well.
I love all the comments everyone is posting back to me. Guess the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, and the 1880 Train didn't last long....everyone is back on the computer, already filling 2 and 1/2 pages of this forum replying to only 2 posts I made! Hahahaha, classic!
I love all the comments everyone is posting back to me. Guess the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, and the 1880 Train didn't last long....everyone is back on the computer, already filling 2 and 1/2 pages of this forum replying to only 2 posts I made! Hahahaha, classic!
If you want to know what I'm talking about, just go back a couple pages and read all the comments. What I was basically saying is, SD obviously doesn't have a damn thing going in it's state like everyone replying to my posts says it does, because if it did, all of you wouldn't be on here every day or every other day wasting your time commenting back to me. You'd be living your lives doing all the "many" things SD has to offer....or even working and taking care of your children or home, for that matter. Heck, I can't find anything worth doing around here and even I'm not on this forum as much as all of you are. In fact, this is my first time on here from my last post, but I'm sure you replied back to me a long time ago, didn't you? Like I said....classic! So before you reply back to me about something I've said, make sure you know what YOU are saying.
"Limited information." Hmmm......Nah, I'm pretty sure if you go back a couple pages, all the comments are still posted unless the users have deleted them, so therefore, the information is not limited. It's very much public and open for anyone to read.
If you want to know what I'm talking about, just go back a couple pages and read all the comments. What I was basically saying is, SD obviously doesn't have a damn thing going in it's state like everyone replying to my posts says it does, because if it did, all of you wouldn't be on here every day or every other day wasting your time commenting back to me. You'd be living your lives doing all the "many" things SD has to offer....or even working and taking care of your children or home, for that matter. Heck, I can't find anything worth doing around here and even I'm not on this forum as much as all of you are. In fact, this is my first time on here from my last post, but I'm sure you replied back to me a long time ago, didn't you? Like I said....classic! So before you reply back to me about something I've said, make sure you know what YOU are saying.
"Limited information." Hmmm......Nah, I'm pretty sure if you go back a couple pages, all the comments are still posted unless the users have deleted them, so therefore, the information is not limited. It's very much public and open for anyone to read.
Well nice self diagnosis of limited intelligence. Furthermore you have proven my point. Thank you for dragging up an old thread. Furthermore you have not added any statements to validate your point.
According to the Web site Military.com, Rapid City is the third best area for families serving in the military, right behind No. 1 Camp Pendelton, Calif., and No. 2 Radcliff, Ky., the home of Fort Knox.
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