Leaving South Dakota

We took a day trip from Spearfish, S.D. to Devils Tower, Wyoming. The legend is that seven little Indian girls were being chased by a bear, and they ran on the rock and the rock saved them by growing upward. /The bear clawed and jumped but fell..thus the marks on the tower.

In Spearfish, where we are camped, there is a fish hatchery that we visited.

We are leaving South Dakota today, and will stay somewhere in Wyoming tonight. On Monday, we have reservations in the middle of Yellowstone National Park and will be there until Friday. We won't have internet or cell phone service, so will update when we get back in to civilation.

Belle Fourche, Spearfish Canyon, & Deadwood

Next day we went to Spearfish Canyon and hiked to the falls...finally used our hiking boots, walking sticks, and camelbax...real hikers!

Wild Bill Hickok was shot and killed at Saloon 10 in Deadwood holding Aces & 8's..dead man's hand. We had dinner here, and visited the cemetary where he is buried. Also Calamity Jane is there. A real cowboy...well, maybe an actor

Next day we went to Devil's Tower

Wall, Missile, Fair

Wednesday was a combination of activities..the Fair, Wall Drugs, the Minuteman Missile site, and ended the evening at Mt. Rushmore for the lighting ceremony. The ceremony included a 10 minute ranger talk and a video about the 4 Presidents, and then all military were invited on the stage of the amphitheatre as we sang Star Spangled Banner..quite moving as about 60 people came forward to be recognized for their service.

Watched the pig catching contest at the Fair..what fun! We missed the Wisconsin State Fair by a few days, so didn't get to try their famous Cream Puffs. We got to try one here..with fresh berries..it was such a great supper!

Minuteman Missile historic site commemorates the cold war. The missiles were placed in South Dakota so they could travel over the North Pole to Russia in 30 minutes. In 1991 a treaty was signed that reduced the stockpiles of nuclear arms.

Wall Drugs became famous over the years as they gave free ice water to travelers in the old western days. Now they have expanded to 76,000 square feet of art, tourist items for sale, a cafe and museum.

Custer State Park in Black Hills

We traveled the road around Custer and sites included rock formations, bridges, curvy roads, one car tunnels, Bison, and Burro's.

Mt. Rushmore, SD

Between 1927 and 1941, workers sculpted the colossal faces of 4 U.S. Presidents. We've seen pictures of the faces all our lives, but what an amazing site to view personally.

There are flags for each State as you walk up to the Grand Terrace

and on the Presidential trail, you can see them from different vantage points

About 10 miles away, we viewed Crazy Horse, and inside a Tee Pee

Wooden bridge is really cool






Elk with big antlers!

Mountain Goat

The Badlands in South Dakota

As we left the Mitchell area, we stopped to watch this crop duster, and he gave us quite a show..even one of the farmers came out to watch with us. In the plains of the area, you can see for miles and miles

We took Highway 44, off the beaten path, and picked up bunches of grasshoppers...a problem in these states as they are eating crops

The animals of the Badlands...prairie dogs, sheep, the big horn sheep, buffaloes, and the white prairie dog

Really wonderful views..we spent the night at the campground in the park, and attended a ranger talk on the constellations as he pointed them out with a giant lazer beam..awesome!