Time	Event	Range Remaining
9:31 am	Departed Gillette	228
10:47 am	Arrived Devil's Tower Parking	150

Range/Distance ratio: 1.18

It was a one-hour drive to Devil's Tower National Monument, an unmistakable portruding geologic feature enhancing the allure of stories since prehistoric times through to the famous Steven Spielberg movie, which we made a point of watching before we left home. We picked up Junior Ranger booklets and took the loop hike to circumnavigate the Tower and take pictures. From below we could see people climbing the Tower. We looked for but couldn't find the landing strip that welcomed the aliens. Upon our return we attended a Ranger talk about the geology of Devil's Tower so the children can earn their Junior Ranger badges.

The predominant wildlife we saw were prairie dogs perched in their little holes surveying their surroundings, collectively called a Prairie Dog Town. The girls in the car were fascinated.

After leaving the Monument boundary, we had lunch at Devil's Tower Gulch where we could see the Tower out the window while eating.

Throwback Thursday August 8, 2016: That isn't a picture hanging in the dining room where we ate; that's the real thing through a window. So awesome! #TBT

Rather than continue on the highway (and visit the Supercharger in Rapid City), I drove my family south into Spearfish Canyon as our entry into the Black Hills National Forest.

Bridalveil Falls

Considering that only yesterday we were in arid Wyoming, it was surprising and refreshing to see lush thick forest flush with water.

Time Event Range Remaining 4:14 pm Departed Spearfish 163 6:12 pm Arrive Pactola Dam 82 Range/Distance ratio: 1.07 Conditions: 73°F We explored southward through winding roads surrounded by green hills and farms. After we crossed Nahant, we discovered the Tesla navigation began to take us to dirt roads.

White Peacock crossing our path Rereading the map we picked up at the Phillips, we figured out we had to turn back north and head to Deadwood, then turn south on US 385. Fortunately it was clear I still had enough range remaining. Then we continued on the Black Hills Parkway, a designated Blue Star Memorial Highway.

Useful Superchargers We Didn't Use

We never visited the Rapid City Supercharger, and I don't even know what it looks like. The usefulness of Superchargers is not only when we actually use them to charge, and the presumption that fast-charging is all about speed loses sight of the first purpose of having such an expansive network of chargers: the ability to explore freely. The whole way through Black Hills I knew we could leave the Forest and head out to the Rapid City Supercharger. It was visible on my car's Navigation the whole time. Rapid City was a safety-net, just in case I got so lost in Black Hills Forest, or we ran out of time exploring the Forest, I had the option of jumping east to use that Supercharger then get back on the highway for Custer. I'm glad Tesla provides more than enough Superchargers because it allows us to be ready for such contingencies. Today, Plan A worked just fine.

A quick drive and we arrived at the Bavarian Mountain Inn. Also on the Tesla Destination Network, it was one of the loveliest places we've stayed, with such charm and grace. We checked in, unpacked, then drove down the road to dinner in Custer.

Time Event Range Remaining 7:05 pm Departed Crazy Horse 48 7:14 pm Arrive Bavarian Inn 46 Range/Distance ratio: 0.5

After dinner we returned to the room and settled for the night while the car charged. Cost to Charge: $0