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This is still Josh, for you viewing pleasure.So, the above picture looks like a semi normal room. Now, this room is in a ranch, a somewhat regular 60's ranch. Except for the barbed wire around it and this sign:


Note the "Deadly force authorized". Yeah. This is the former control center for ten minuteman-two missiles, known as Delta-01. It was one of 5 control centers in South Dakota, meaning that there were 50 missiles in SD that could be launched anywhere in the world in a matter of minutes. And that's just in South Dakota.

We arrived outside the ranch to find a line waiting outside, and although it we were told it would be a quick wait it still was about 40 minutes or so before we made it inside. Only 5 of us went in as Eliz thought this was a "boy toy" and preferred to wait outside with Miriam and Madeline. The rest of us made it through the tour. The upstairs really did almost look normal, it really wasn't until you made it downstairs that things started looking really strange.


This was the sign painted on the blast door to get into the firing vault. It's a chilling thought, but very true. All in all it seemed to be worth the wait to get inside, because how often are you going to be able to see a real live missile launch center in person.

And now a nice thought to keep you awake at night: There are still over 300 live and active minuteman missiles throughout the United States right now (10 per control center, 40 some odd control centers). The president still carries around a briefcase with the firing codes with him at all times (or someone near by him has it). The last thought: these control centers are expected to be active until at least 2040 or so.

After seeing this sight, we drove for a few hundred miles and made it to the Nebraska state line (or very close). We are currently sitting on the South Dakota side by 2 miles. Tomorrow is another driving day, and we should make it back to Ft. Wayne on Saturday (time dependent on how far we go tomorrow).

Alternate post name: Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.