Remnants from the Cold War

Our first stop of the day was the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site.  During the Cold War there were 450 Minuteman Missiles armed with a nuclear payload under the landscape of South Dakota.  If one of these missiles were to be launched, it could reach a target in the Soviet Union within 30 minutes and make a 1 1/2 mile  impact radius unrecognizable.   Fortunately, none were ever launched and when the cold war was declared over, the 450 missiles in South Dakota were deactivated and this site was established to preserve this part of history.

This site contains the above ground facility for the Air Force personnel who worked at this site.  There is also an underground Launch Control Center.  In the underground Launch Control Center two Air Force officers worked on 24-hour alert duty shifts, ready to launch missiles if there were a nuclear attack.  From this facility, ten missiles were monitored and controlled.  Tours of four people at a time are available but reservations must be made in advance.  I tried but the tours were all booked during the three days we were in the area.  One of the things you do on the tour is go down into the underground Launch Control Center.

This site contains a silo which held a missile for three decades.  Now it holds a training missile.

The missile site.  This rail moves the covering of the silo so the missile can be launched.

The Visitor's Center.

After seeing the Minuteman Missile sites we went back through the Badlands and stopped at some viewpoints that we had not been to on this trip.

I spotted this bird nest in the corner of an overlook building.  It was interesting to see that the bird had used the native grasses of this area along with some mud to build his nest in one of the few shady places available.  It can't be seen clearly from this picture, but the inside of the nest was covered with many feathers.  It made a cozy place for babies to be hatched.

We returned to camp about 2:00 and rested the rest of the afternoon until 6:30 when we returned to the Badlands for one final drive through before we leave tomorrow.  We were lucky enough to see five or six Big-horned Sheep.   Much as I tried I could only get a couple of pictures and both of them aren't the best.  

We sat on a bench and watched the sunset.  The sun was a glowing red ball in the sky.

Our final sunset over Badlands National Park.

As we were leaving the park, we spotted this pair of black-tailed deer along the road.  They didn't seem startled when my flash went off.  We really enjoyed the evening drives through the park.
We have really enjoyed our stay in this area.  The KOA at which we are camped was wonderful.  We were away from the interstate noises under tall cottonwood trees  We took advantage of the Kook Shack for supper twice while here.  The cook is a big burly man with tattoos covering both his arms; but, he can cook!   We would definitely stay here again if we were to ever get out this way.   It seems that we have had an abundance of interesting people camping next to us.  Tonight, there is no one beside us.  However, this morning when I was walking Sandy, I met a man walking three Basset Hounds and pushing a baby stroller with another Basset inside.  I asked about the one inside the stroller and he told me that the dog was 17 years old and not able to walk. What a kind man to deal with not only three dogs but one that can't walk.