Cedar Pass Campground, Interior, South Dakota
When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben (means ‘See, a son’), for she said, “It is because the LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.” She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the LORD heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon (means ‘One who hears’). Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi (means ‘attached’). She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” So she named him Judah (means ‘praise). Then she stopped having children. ~ Genesis 29:31-35 According to my footnotes, the term ‘Leah was not loved’ is actually closer to ‘hated’. Now how you can have four children with a woman you ‘hate’ is beyond me. The important thing here is – – GOD loved her. And He honored the marriage covenant of one man and one woman (despite the circumstances that brought them together) and she continued to bear sons (which were of utmost importance in a family), until Judah was born. And from this tiny newborn, eventually came the Savior of the world! We never know what God has planned for us – or our children. Or their children, or their children’s children . . . God’s plan is sovereign and eternal. It is not for us to know the future, but He does. We are to but keep the faith, acknowledge and praise Him.
It’s been a week already, here in Badlands. We had no choice but to do two weeks’ worth of laundry in Wall, a couple of other errands (like buying two more donuts at Wall Drug!), and move our coach to the dump station at the campground. With no water or sewer hook ups, we have to go there to empty our black and gray tanks and take on water for bathing both ourselves and our dishes. We buy all our drinking water only when we don’t have water at the site.
Bet not too many laundry trips include views like that!
On the way home from errand running – and before we went tank-cleaning, we made a stop at the only intact nuclear missile silo in South Dakota. Remember the other day when Blaine went on a tour of the command center? Well, this is one of the actual missiles they left where it was for educational purposes. There’s also a museum at another location, but we’ll do that another day.
This too, is under the watch care of the National Park Service. There’s a sign that gives you a phone number to call, and then you can listen to ten different speeches about the site. It was narrated by a former security guy for the missile sites. I’m not sure if he was at this one in particular.
I circled the one we’re at today.
Here’s more snippets of information:
- In 1963 during the Cold War with Russia, and as deterrents to Russia’s own sites, the US began building what came to be known as one of the most significant strategic weapons in U.S. history. With the turn of a key, the missile could deliver its nuclear weapon to a Soviet target in 30 minutes or less. It was a weapon for which there was virtually no defense — for a war no one could win. (nps.gov)
- By the end of 1967, there were 1,000 active missile sites situated across the middle of the US
- There were 150 in South Dakota alone
- One missile – – just ONE – – was 80 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima
- They were 60’ tall
- Once launched, they could hit a target anywhere in the world within 30 minutes
- If detonated, they would vaporize everything within a one mile radius, and the area would remain radioactive for centuries, and it would cause blindness to everyone who looked at it for a radius of 8 miles
- In 1989, they installed a new security monitoring system because the old one was too sensitive; picking up movement causing security breach alarms from cows, and even birds
- In 1993, both countries agreed to decommission all their missiles, and dismantle most. This was under USA President George H. Bush, and Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev. This was precipitated by President Ronald Reagan’s demand for Russia to tear down the Berlin Wall in 1989.
Just kidding.
The gate’s unlocked nowadays. : )
It used to have a concrete cover that would fly off if the missile was activated.
They put this glass top on when they set this up for tourists.
You’ll see cows in a lot of these pictures. : )
It took over an hour to get through all the security measures.
Basically, how they could detect an above-ground breach in security.
Scary stuff! Reminds me of the 1980s movie “War Games” starring Matthew Broderick. Yikes!
My question? Where did they test these things? And how did they know what would happen?
Rain and strong winds swept through the campground about 3:15pm – shortly after we finished our chores. Just enough to make everything wet, and not nearly enough to make a difference in the parched, crusty earth. Before it stopped raining, the sun popped out. No rainbow, but the sun was shining through the rain drops, and that was really pretty!
We decided to walk to dinner tonight at the “lodge” which is just a collection of camping cabins. Anyway, they have a gift shop and restaurant, and they make Indian Fry Bread tacos! Yummy! Except . . . it wasn’t. The fry bread wasn’t nearly as tasty as what they sell at Crazy Horse, and the meat was only room temperature (how can they not keep hot??) I don’t know, maybe they don’t want it hot since they put lettuce on top of it? We also ordered two Cokes, which ended up being in 20oz. bottles, which is a lot for us. We’ve also noticed that, at least in this area of South Dakota (or maybe within the National Park?), the tax must be astronomical. Two $11.95 meals + $2.50 drinks + tip + tax, brought our total to just under $50! Yikes!! It was definitely not a $50 meal! We’re choosing to look at it as a donation to our National Parks System. 😊
I found the picture online.
At least there was a bit of an adventure as we walked home – it started raining again! LOL! We made it to an empty campsite picnic shelter, but the wind was blowing the rain through the cracks. Still, it was better than nothing. And we could see the coach, just a hop-skip-and-a-jump away. It let up before too long, and we walk/jogged the rest of the way, still unsuccessfully dodging the raindrops. It’s all my fault for wanting to wander through the gift shop before we headed home.
The rain won. : )