Well after planning for about 2 hours and using up my Frontier Airlines FF miles I made it to Rapid City, SD on Monday July 14th @ 11am. I had to drive to Dayton from Columbus early that morning to catch my F9 flight @ 645am, it took off and landed on time in Denver where I connected to Lynx Aviation (Frontier Commuter) I departed on time and landed on time.
My car rental was from Dollar where I earn FF on NWA (DL) I quickly drove across town and dropped off my bags at my sleeze ball Super 8 motel. I took I-90 east almost 60 miles to the town of Wall, SD you know Wall Drug. I drove through town and said WTF I'm skipping this and drove south to the Badlands National Park. I paid my $15 entry fee and drove the 25 mile loop through the park took several hundred pics and then headed back west on I-90 to the Ellsworth AFB exit where I stopped at the SD Air and Space Museum. I took some shots of the retired planes and then proceeded back into town.
I was told by fellow SF.com member Lunde to stop at First Stop Guns and well I did and wow nice place great location and good prices. I was shown the basement tour, wow to many Cooper Rifles. I exchanged a few emails with Lunde thanking him again and headed across the street to "Firehouse Brewing." Great beer, good food, and nice place.
The next day I got up and drove the 30 minutes south to Mt. Rushmore, paid my $10 to get in and walked around took a bunch of photos and enjoyed it. I then drove over to Iron Mountain Rd, wow hardest road I've ever driven on. I proceeded to pay the entrance fee for Custer State Park and drive the "Wildlife Loop" 20 miles later and several mules and a herd of buffalo, I entered the Needles Highway, and then on to Sylvan Lake area. Great place.
After exiting the highway I drove NW to Deadwood and Lead, SD and then south to the Spearfish Canyon. I drove the Spearfish Canyon and then headed east on I-90 to Sturgis, a quick stop in Sturgis and back to Rapid I went. Stopping at the Rapid City Fire Department to chat up with them and learn some stuff. I then drove back to "Firehouse Brewery" and ate.
The next day I departed via the airport back to Denver and then on to Dayton. Overall I love the area.
Posted below are links to area's I visited.
Needles Highway, Spearfish Canyon, and Iron Mountain Rd.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kcmh/sets/72157606226762780/detail/Mt. Rushmore
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kcmh/sets/72157606229090519/detail/Custer State Park
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kcmh/sets/72157606228155529/detail/Badlands National Park
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kcmh/sets/72157606226427677/detail/South Dakota Air and Space Museum. Ellsworth AFB Museum
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kcmh/sets/72157606221679658/detail/Rapid City and other town photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kcmh/sets/72157606224897347/detail/Frontier Airlines Photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kcmh/sets/72157606220629936/detail/Rapid City Fire Department & Spearfish SD VFD
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kcmh/sets/72157606221052220/detail/Misc Highway Photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kcmh/sets/72157606222087862/detail/
