Stop Over in the Black Hills

Rafter J Bar Ranch Campground

One of the original bldgs of the stage coach stop

We've traveled a couple of days further west since last week. I wanted to stop in one evening (Saturday) at Badlands Nat'l Park - and we did - but the rain,  low lying clouds, and fog made it impossible to enjoy being there.  We drove through the rain Sunday to get to Hill City, SD for a much needed, 4-day rest stop.  Suffice it to say that we were continuing our tour of the various types of mud of the west.

We felt is was unusual weather for the Dakota territory and the locals even complained of the weather.  What it did do for us was keep us cool and - after the rain - cut down significantly on the dust that we're so use to experiencing out here.

We're staying at the Rafter J Bar Ranch Campgound just south of Hill City.  It's a historical area having been a stage coach station, a mining company, a ranch

Flume Trail

(who'd guessed that from the name), and beginning 1964, a campground. It's our favorite  campground in the area being it's wide open with good areas to walk.

The rain and thunderstorms have stopped though an afternoon thunderstorm is always possible.  We've gotten out to see Custer, SD; walked the Flume Trail near Rockerville, SD; and visited Custer State Park.  We move to 

Flume Trail

Devil's Tower Nat'l Monument tomorrow.  The weather forecast predict's another stop I wanted to make will be rained out just like Badlands NP.  Maybe I can get a couple of pictures before it gets fogged in.

As history has always demonstrated to us, appliance failures and poor build quality by DRV has returned since last Thursday.

Flume Trail

First the fridge crispers started filling with water.  Towels placed at the bottom of one of the crispers would become soaked with water in about six hours.  Sunday evening we cooked our second Spendide 2100XC combo washer dryer.  It failed at the 40th month of ownership - same period of time to failure as our first one.  And arriving at Badlands, the rear trim had 

Flume Trail

- one again, came off the rear of the trailer and was dangling underneath the rear, door-side of the trailer.  There's nothing to attach the fasteners to.  New trim fasteners won't last a day's drive.  There's no physical structure to screw the fasteners into.  They're just filling a hole in the fiberglass.  Once that hole gets too big - say an hour down the highway - the holes enlarge, the fasterner falls out & the trim comes off.

We did solve the fridge issue. 

Custer, SD

Apparently, Samsung fridges are known for filling the crispers with water (condensate).  The condensate drain freezes as the condensate passes behind the freezer.  The blockage forces the condensate to backup and eventually flows into the crispers. 

Stockdale Lake, Custer State Park

There are several youtube videos on how to take the fridge apart and clear the blockage.  One even has a makeshift repair part you can make to help solve the issue.We gave it a shot.  We got a tool we needed, the wire to create the makeshift repair, crossed our fingers and went to work taking the inside back of the fridge apart.  With Donna's patience we were done in less than two hours.  We're currently on our third day with dry crispers.  It'll probably be several years before we know if we solved the issue or not. 

Unfortunately, we're gonna need help to determine if the Splendide can be repaired or just go ahead and replace it plus add money in the budget for a new one in 2022, 2026, 2030, etc

We've decided to let the trim just hang down underneath the trailer as a testament to others on the build quality of the DRV Luxury 5th Wheel Trailers.  We'll see what else happens tomorrow.

So that's our week.  Nobody died.  We've enjoyed our visit to the Black Hills, but it's time to move on to Jackson, WY.  Even I'm interested to see what I'll post on our first day in Jackson!  Thanks for dropping in and letting me vent.  David