On Oct. 4th, 2013, we were headed west on the freeway and had just turned off to get gas at this intersection. The pumps were on but not operating and the oncoming blizzard was getting worse. We had already received a "weather warning" on our cell phones to "SHELTER IN PLACE". If we had been able to get gas, we would have headed to Keystone, SD, but I doubt we would ever got there in our rental car. We decided to spend the afternoon/night at the Baymont in Rapid City, and head out the next day. We felt so lucky to have chosen The Baymont, due to the fact that when the blizzard did hit in full force that evening, we had food from the pizza & sub place that is attached to the Baymont. The blizzard blew at near 70 MPH for 48 hours and then started to taper off. The electricity did fail for all the buildings in that north-east quadrant about 4 PM, and later that evening all buildings as far as you could see were without electricity. The hotel manager Chris did everything humanly possible to make us comfortable and keep our minds off the dire situation we were in. The emergency lights did go dead sometime that night, but lets be real, they are battery powered and really only designed to provide light for people to see to get out of a building in case...On Oct. 4th, 2013, we were headed west on the freeway and had just turned off to get gas at this intersection. The pumps were on but not operating and the oncoming blizzard was getting worse. We had already received a "weather warning" on our cell phones to "SHELTER IN PLACE". If we had been able to get gas, we would have headed to Keystone, SD, but I doubt we would ever got there in our rental car. We decided to spend the afternoon/night at the Baymont in Rapid City, and head out the next day. We felt so lucky to have chosen The Baymont, due to the fact that when the blizzard did hit in full force that evening, we had food from the pizza & sub place that is attached to the Baymont. The blizzard blew at near 70 MPH for 48 hours and then started to taper off. The electricity did fail for all the buildings in that north-east quadrant about 4 PM, and later that evening all buildings as far as you could see were without electricity. The hotel manager Chris did everything humanly possible to make us comfortable and keep our minds off the dire situation we were in. The emergency lights did go dead sometime that night, but lets be real, they are battery powered and really only designed to provide light for people to see to get out of a building in case of an emergency. I did not see anyone that wanted out into the blizzard. I would have traded rooms with the gentleman who was in a wheelchair on the second floor, but his attitude irked me. I did help some folks get up & down the dark staircases with my cell phone display turned up to as bright as it would go. All those folks were very appreciative. After the second day of the blizzard I went outside to dig my car out of a 10 foot snow-drift that had captured the back half of the car. I could hear some chatter coming from the main road a good block away. I walked around the south west end of the snow drift just to see a bus load of elderly people trying to walk thru the snow and snow drifts toward me and the Baymont. Some of them were lugging two large suitcases and slipping & falling. Chris was out there with his employees trying to help them all, but he and his crew was no match for the onslaught of seniors coming his way. So a bunch of us macho guest got out there and started to help the seniors navigate the slippery snow trails. Chris had someone commandeer a track laying Gator that could carry the driver & barely two people, and about 4 large suitcases. At least it was better than having someone slip & break a hip. Chris went way above the call of duty as a hotel manager to take in more people & continue to do daily room cleaning. We took care of our own room maint' and did not bother the house keeping personnel. I feel bad for anyone who was miserable or put out because nature decided to whip us with the worst blizzard they had seen in 50 years. We were so happy to be inside of a hotel with other people, and not on the side of the road freezing to death. I say a big thanks to Chris, his mom, and certainly to his staff. HT of San Diego, CA.More
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