Miss Kitty's Social Club Explores Keystone, South Dakota

September 7-10, 2018

I'm off on another adventure flying into Rapid City, South Dakota (SD) where I board a shuttle with several other Red Hatters bound for Keystone, SD. There are 45 Red Hatters including Miss Kitty, our Queen and founder. Once checked in to the Ramada Mount Rushmore, we attend a Meet 'n Greet (members of this chapter are from all over the country from Maui, Hawaii to Indiana and Texas) to greet friends and make new friends. The original reason for this destination was to take part in their historic "Holy Terror Days" which did not happen this year due to not enough volunteers to make it happen. As you will see by the photos, we did not let this spoil our fun and excitement.

After the Meet 'n Greet, we had dinner wherever we chose and then boarded a bus to attend the Mt. Rushmore presentation and light show. If you ever have an opportunity to travel to this area, you absolutely must make every effort to see and attend the Mt. Rushmore presentation. It will restore your faith in our country and its people.

Janice Roberts from Texas and Nelle Athouquia

Sandi Goldbach and Linda Harris from Plano, Texas

Mary Story Stopa from Las Vegas, Nevada

Etta Hamilton from Las Vegas, Nevada and Gail Swineford from Alamogordo, New Mexico

Regina M. Goode from Arizona

On the right is Angie Pate from Las Vegas, Nevada

Rosie Seegmiller

Kimberly Gugliotta from Tucson, Arizona and Trudy Reese from Alamogordo, New Mexico

Sandi Goldbach and Charlotte Loontiens from Plano, Texas

Red Hatter (RH) on right is Linda Harris

The RH on the right is Kay Bohanon

RH on left is Marilyn from California

RH on right is Bobbi B Goode from Arizona

RH on left is Lise Thom from Texas

RH on left is Chana Varnado from Las Vegas, Nevada

Before we knew it, it was time to leave on the bus to go to Mount Rushmore. When we arrived, as I was walking to the entrance to Mt Rushmore, I was greeted by a little creature.

Such a nice pose for me too!

This is what we came to see and it truly is awe inspiring

Thanks, Kimberly for taking this shot of me

Someone in the crowd kindly offered to photograph the two of us

A sculpture of the sculptor of the presidents created by his son, Lincoln Borglum

The Hall of Flags

Myrna Parscal and Kathy Willis from Maui, Hawaii

They asked for all the veterans in the audience to join them on stage. We had two Red Hatters in this group.

The Forest Ranger asked for six volunteers to lower the flag and fold it. She gave instructions and they did a beautiful job demonstrating what can be accomplished by six strangers cooperating with one another!

Saturday morning after eating breakfast on our own, we all walked to the train station and boarded the train to Hill City, SD where we explored, shopped and attended a fabulous quilt show in the High School Gymnasium. Six of us went to a little Mexican restaurant for lunch and being in South Dakota, the food was surprisingly delicious. We decided their cook had to be from New Mexico!

The 1880 Train of the Black Hills Central Railroad follows the original route of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad laid down in the 1880s to service the mines and mills between Hill City and Keystone. It is a two hour and twenty minute round trip where one experiences the sights and sounds of riding on an actual steam train: The whistle. The billowing smoke. The chugging of the engine. We all rode in the Oreville car which has padded seats and glass windows that open. Our steam locomotive is #110.

These Red Hatters really get into the spirit of the era for riding the train!

 

Will that train ever get here??

A chance to do some visiting

Marilyn is always ready to go

Quite a crowd waiting for the train. We met people from the Netherlands, France and from all over the United States.

There she is, old #110 blowing smoke and whistling

I believe this is the "Chicago Four" retired police officers now living in Las Vegas, Nevada waiting to board the train

We are well on our way to Hill City

Kimberly sitting in front of one of the metalwork horses. It is exquisitely made.

Janice from Texas and Jan (Miss Kitty) from Colorado, Rhinestone Cowgirls for sure!

Lise Thom, Jan, Jan and Mary Story Stopa looking good!

Angie Pate posing with President Lincoln in Hill City

Back on the train to Keystone

This is our charming young conductor taking tickets

Omigosh! It's whole family and they weren't the least bit afraid of the train!

This is the train water tower at Hill City

Trudy who is a bit compromised entering the lift

The lift operator bringing Trudy down

Loved this sign on this beauty shop

Someone evidently purchased this Indian statue and they had to get a forklift to bring it to his truck

This is a smaller version made from assorted metal objects

If you look closely, you will see two deer dining on that lush green grass

The #110 taking on water

The whole chapter just off the train back in Keystone

It is now 5:00 pm and we must go to our rooms and refresh ourselves and dress in our Saloon Girl costumes to have dinner at the Ruby House. After dinner we make our way to the Red Garter Saloon where there is entertainment and dancing. The music was what I call eclectic and I wound up on the dance floor with another Red Hatter, Nora Sellards from Arizona, with her leading and we jitterbugged like we knew what we were doing! Fairly soon the dance floor was filled with Red Hatters. What great FUN!

A wedding had taken place and the wedding party came into the Red Garter Saloon. We all moved off the dance floor for the bride and groom to have their first dance. Then, one by one (with some help of the men in crowd) we danced with the bride and groom handing them a dollar for every dance. It was so much FUN and completely unexpected.

The bride and groom dancing their first dance

Doesn't Georgean make a flirty saloon girl!

Carla at dinner before heading to the Red Garter Saloon

These Red Hatters are very proud of their Red Garters

An adorable Saloon Girl

What a great souvenir!

Red Hatters can never resist riding one of these ponies!

Why, it's Carla taking a ride!

The lovely Kimberly on her steed!

Sunday morning, September 9, 2018, we are up early for our Bloomers Breakfast and Mimosas at Miss Kitty's jewelry show. There is all manner of bloomers, pajamas and such.

Gail Swineford saluting with her mimosa

Trudy Reese in her Red Hat pajamas

Georgean Kruger and Rosie Seegmiller looking adorable

Terrie Basie-Love and Angie Pate looking lovely

Mary Stopa had some beautiful clothes to sell. Aren't her pantaloons cute?

Lise Thom and Kay Bohanon from Las Vegas, Nevada

Our fearless leader "Miss Kitty' in her bloomer costume. Looking good Miss Kitty!

Donna and friend, The Money Changers and Collectors

Bobbi B Goode looking adorable. What a trooper she is coming from Arizona with a mending broken knee!

It is time to get on the bus and head to the Chief Crazy Horse Monument and museums. This is an amazing area with Indians dancing, so much to see and absorb with a short time to do so. Kimberly and Carla headed to the last building which houses the Indian artisans with their creations for sale. We both purchased jewelry from a Dine Navajo lady who was quite friendly. She asked me where I was from and I replied Alamogordo, New Mexico. Then she told Kimberly, "I know you are from Arizona." Kimberly asked, "How did you know this?" She made a motion with her hand on her chest and said, "I can feel it right here." We were impressed until we got back to the room and Kimberly took her hat off discovering her name tag with Tucson, Arizona printed on it. We had a good laugh over this one! We also watched a movie about the construction thus far.

The sculptor who started this was Korczak Ziolkowski (1908-1982) was born in Boston of Polish descent. He was a self-taught sculptor, gaining recognition at the 1939 World's Fair which attracted the attention of Chief Henry Standing Bear who invited Korczak to the Black Hills to carve Crazy Horse. He finally accepted and Ruth Ross (1926-2014) followed Korczak, they were married and had ten children who took part in the Dream of Crazy Horse as they were growing up. Dedicated staff, including some Ziolkowski children and grandchildren, carry on the project today.

Chief Crazy Horse Monument with much work left to complete it. They are currently lacking funds to continue.

This is what the monument will look like when it is finished

There are two walls of important Indian figures from history

Tipi in museum

An Indian Wedding Horse

All too soon it was time to board the bus and head back to Keystone to don our Victorian attire before we again boarded the bus to go to Rapid City for dinner at the historic Alex Johnson Hotel which was built about the same time as work began on Mount Rushmore. Many famous people have stayed at the hotel and it is said to have several haunted rooms.

L to R: Carla Kerr, Kathy Willis and Myrna Parscal

Miss Kitty looking smashing!

Lovely looking Red Hatters

L to R: Linda Harris, Sandi Goldbach, Charlotte Loontiens and ? all from Texas

Trudy Reese and Gail Swineford from New Mexico

Kathy Willis and Myrna Parscal from Hawaii and Etta Hamilton from Nevada

Gail Swineford looking very Victorian

Bobbi B Goode

L to R: Donna, Miss Kitty and ?

Miss Kitty and Mary Stopa looking beautiful

L to R: Jan Roberts, Linda Harris and Lise Thom from Texas

Carla Kerr and Linda Harris

Kimberly Gugliotta

On the right is Nora Sellards from Arizona. She was my jitterbug partner!

I can't remember her name, but doesn't she look elegant?

L to R: Debbie Utrecht, ?, Geogean Kruger and Carla Kerr

Marilyn from California

Name escapes me, but isn't she beautiful?

Isn't Etta Hamilton adorable?

Carla Kerr wielding her camera

One of the beautiful quilts at the quilt show in Hill City

This is a beer bar on the main street in Keystone with interesting bar stools. I don't recognize this Red Hatter from the back, but doesn't she look cute!

My apologies to all of you for not being able to remember your names. You do realize I'm copping to the Octogenarian label since I am 80 so therefore memory of names should be excused. What a fabulous group of women I was so privileged to meet and have FUN with. Can't wait to see all of you again. Oh, and if I gave someone the wrong name, I do hereby apologize!

I copied some photos off of Facebook pages for this report. Thank you to Georgean Kruger, Kimberly Gugliotta, Angie Pate and anyone else who recognizes one or more of their photographs in this report. Thank you to my sweet husband for processing all the photos for me.

This is all I have to say for now.