Author Archives: Kent Jarrett

Day 5: (Saturday 9/13/25)

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Day 5: (Saturday 9/13/25), Badlands, Rapid City, and Spearfish Canyon.

The forecast was rain so decided best use of time was to do the 2-hour trip over to the Badlands National Park.  Weather ended up perfect all day.  I knew it was going a long day, so we took the dogs.  They did great!  I really enjoyed the drive over and the Badlands were very interesting.  Saw and photographed more big Bison bulls, Prong horns, and tons of Prairie Dogs.  Took the interstate back to Rapid City for a Wal-Mart run.  Then headed to Spearfish Canyon to try and find the white long haired Mountain Goats.  Mission accomplished.  Ran dogs back to camper around 6 pm, super quick bite to eat, and headed back up the mountain to observe the Mount Rushmore flag ceremony.  It was really well done.

Super long day!  Thirteen hours + 410 miles = Priceless memories!  

I am a wildlife photographer and help my son with people.  Not very good at landscapes, but working on trying to improve.

My first North American Mountain Goat and baby.  I am guessing this to be a female as both the males and females have antlers.

Even the little guys have the start of their antlers.

I love my Canon R5mk2 + Canon 600mm f4, but sometimes it is just too much lens.

I really liked this pose, but he was WAY up there.  This was shot at 840mm and a 50% crop.

Crazy Horse Mountain tomorrow morning and who knows what will end up on the agenda for the afternoon and evening.

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Life is good and I am blessed!

Kent

Day 4: (Friday 9/12/25)

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Day 4: (Friday 9/12/25), Slept great last night.  The camper bed with the mattress topper sleeps better than our bed at home.  Guess it is time to be looking for a new mattress yet again.  Seem to only get about 8 years out of them.  Anybody have a brand a model they love?

We did Mount Rushmore in the morning, got some required photos, did the tour and looked around a little.  We headed into the quaint little town of Custer SD for lunch and to give Sharon some much needed retail therapy. Then we headed back to camper to give the dogs a break. 

We headed back out at 4:00, we did the Custer State Park wildlife loop again, I say we because Sharon stayed home yesterday.  She is my good luck charm.  Large bison herd.  Even saw a couple nursing.  Couple more big bulls.  Sharon even spotted and found a mature prong horn buck laying down, I never saw it.  We then left the loop and headed to do the Needles highway for Sharon to experience it.  That is when the real magic happened.  We found 20 big horn sheep, with one alpha male.  (Yeah!). Still looking for the white goats, maybe tomorrow or Sunday.

Next up, then Badlands National Parks, and a supply run in Rapid City, SD.

Mount Rushmore in morning light.  I really enjoyed this!

Bison herd.  North America has NO Buffalo, we have Bison.

Red Dog, this springs calf.

One year old still nursing.

Juvenile Prong horn buck.  North America does not have Antelope, we have Prong Horn 

Not a huge buck, but he was the alpha male in a herd of about 20-25.

The family jewels. 

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Life is good and I am blessed!

Kent

Day 3: (Thursday 9/11/25)

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Day 3: (Thursday 9/11/25), Today we drove from Mitchell, SD to Custer SD.  Charlie Kirk was assassinated today, what a shame and waste!  We stopped along the way at Wall Drug.  It was pretty overhyped and super touristy.  The truck had been getting 11.5 – 12 mpg.  Today we were driving into a 18-25 headwind, but climbing upwards the entire trip.  Truck got 10 – 10.5.  We are staying at the Buffalo Ridge Campground (Super nice, plus great location.  No more than 30 minutes to anything.  After we got the camper unhooked and everything setup, Sharon was tired so she stayed at the camper with the dogs, and I went adventure seeking to see what might wonder in front of my lens.  Found a few mammals in Custer State Park, and even ended up driving my truck through the eye of the needle on the Needles highway.  It is starting to rain as I work on this post and editing photos.  Tomorrow morning is Mount Rushmore and exploring the little town of Custer.  The afternoon will either be Crazy Horse, or back to Custer State Park to try and find white sheep and big horn rams.

Well I didn’t pet the fluffy cow yet.

This guy hasn’t missed any meals!

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Life is good and I am blessed!

Kent

Day 2: 9/10/25 Wednesday

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Day 2: (Wednesday 9/10/25), So last night StarLink and YouTube TV worked exactly like I had hope.  Was able to watch live network TV while uploading photos.  Yeah! 

Today was our second travel day.  We went from outside Des Moines to Mitchell, SD.  We are setup in R&R Campground.  Didn’t even unhook the truck, walked across the highway to a truck stop for dinner.  Sorry no photos were captured today.  Up early in the morning to hit Custer SD tomorrow afternoon, for our first 4 day location.

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Life is good and I am blessed!

Kent

Day 1: 9/9/25 Tuesday

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Day 1: (Tuesday 9/9/25) I heard head WEST young man, and the mountains are calling!  Today is a travel day.

Normal IL, to Jester Park Campground outside of Des Moines, IA.  Uneventful, just the way I want all travel days to go.

Stopped at the “World’s Largest Truck” stop on I80 West in Iowa.  Another travel day tomorrow before the real adventure begins.  We stopped at Jester Park Campground. It was cute and super clean with power only.  But hey, $25 a night for AC, Better than a Walmart of Cracker Barrel with no power since we don’t have a generator yet.

Blast Off!

Pretty cool tire pressure sensors came with the new camper.  Tells each tire temp and pressure.  Hopefully catch a problem before it becomes a problem.

Dog driving the semi next to our rig in the parking lot.  I found it funny.

Campground for night one.

Our campsite, no rug, no sign, no lights,, just a crash and burn to sleep.

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Life is good and I am blessed!

Kent