Hmm, that would be pretty interesting from someone who grew up and spent most of his life in Cleveland with time out for stints in Illinois and Iowa. AND, I've lived in Sioux Falls for all of 4 weeks.
But I have enough years to remember an incident during our family vacation to Yellowstone.
So let's go back to 1970 and see if any of this rings a bell.
On the way back from Yellowstone, we stopped at Mt. Rushmore, natch. None of the current structures were there. It seemed like we were much closer to the monument then than you can get now. It seemed like there was just a observation deck on a ledge. Again, I was all of seven so who knows.
So on the way back we went to Reptile Gardens. The main attraction at that time (other than the reptiles) was a staged Wild West shootout which was kinda neat to see. I wonder if they do that sort of thing now. I bet not. The outside of the attraction looks sleek and modern compared to what I remember in 1970. It looked pretty rustic (although busy) to me back then.
So here's where the adventure begins. Mom, dad, my sister and myself are travelling the west in a 1969 VW Van. Yep, a hippie mobile (without the trappings, of course). Pretty ironic when you consider my dad was VERY conservative and straightlaced.
So we pull out of the Reptile Gardens parking lot and, as dad, shifts into second gear, he pulls the gearshift RIGHT OUT OF THE FLOOR. 39 years later and I stood on almost the exact spot it happened.
My mom never heard such language coming from my dad! It was mid July, sunny and hot and dad had no idea what to do. We were saved by a state trooper who came along and told my dad he would put his rollers on and lead us into Rapid City - in second gear. Luckily, at that time, RC had the only VW repair/dealership in the state at that time - so we were told.
So we rolled down Mt. Rushmore Road doing about 20-25 mph. We went to the VW shop (anyone remember where it might have been in 1970?) and then after dropping the car, the trooper drove our whole family to this motel:
Our room was in the corner facing the camera. There is a pool by the street in the lower left of this picture which is out of the camera lens. The side of the buiding says "Sands." This photo was taken last week. I was amazed that this motel was still here. Does anyone remember what it was named in 1970? Was it the Sands as well?
Mt. Rusmore Road was a lot quieter then and we swam a lot in the pool and observed an occasional car go by. The pool was unheated. I do remember us going to the drive in with the carhops the few days we had to spend there. Dad had to have his folks wire money so we could pay the repair and get home.
The thing is the more I drove around last week, I noticed there were MANY old style motels still standing in the city. I can't recall seeing so many of the motels from the 50s and 60s in one place, some with the original signage.
I stood there and it felt so ironic thinking that 39 years ago I was staying in the motel in a town we never planned on spending the night in, actually working my job in this town that had been the punchline of a long running family story. What stayed with my dad is what the cop did for us and how nice the people were to us stranded Ohioans.
BTW, I stayed last week in the Best Western Town and Country which also looks like it was constructed in phases in the early-mid 1950. Am I right?
Thanks for letting me share that.
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those were the days
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