Home - from South Dakota
Arrived home late last night, after driving through some horrific weather. We (actually the Hobbled Wife) drove through some of the worst rain we'd ever seen. At one point we pulled off the road to "let it pass" - but it just kept coming.
South Dakota was great. Lots of activity - and I mean LOTS of activity. We pushed the kids to the limit, and they responded very well to the busy schedule.
(The kids and I pose in front of a petroglyph - hard to see during mid-day, and impossible to capture on camera. If you look carefully over M's left elbow, you see an image of a buffalo - I think.)
On the way out we stopped by the Jeffers site, combining business with pleasure. As we drove away, the Hobbled Wife got on the cell phone to colleagues back at MNHS World Headquarters to suggest cool things that had to be added to the Jeffers' web site.
(There was a spot where this very large, rough rock was rubbed as smooth as glass. It was a bison rub, where bison came each spring to rub off their winter coats. Of course, being the tourists we are, we posed right in front of the smooth rubbed part, pretending to take advantage of the rub itself to relieve out itchy backs.)
Later that day, we stopped by the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD. It's not as odd (notice I didn't say "corny") as you might think. Yes, it's constructed out of corn-cobs, and the design changes yearly, but it's free. Inside the palace was an interesting history of the palace, with lots of cool art - oh and souvenirs.
Day 3 we were in the Badlands. (Day 1 was a short trip to Windom, MN; Day 2 was Jeffers and the Corn Palace)
The Badlands are a place unlike any other. I'd been there three times before, but it was the first for the rest of the Hobbled Family.
The end of Day 3 found us at Palmer Gulch Lodge where we spent the next three days. Lots of fun visiting Mount Rushmore, the Wind Cave National Park, and Custer State Park.
Mount Rushmore was more fun than I recall from my youth. Lots to do, and lots of historical interpretation. We took the audio tour of the Presidential Trail, which took us right up under the faces themselves. The close up of George was taken by the Dude.
Very sore bottoms!
The Dude has a "thing" for horses so we signed on for a ride leaving Palmer Gulch and winding up the hills in the forest. Stunning scenery, etc. - but I've never had such a sore butt! One and a half hours on horseback! My horse was named "Rat-Boy" - sheesh! The last time I went riding (20 years ago), I rode a nag named "Fonzi". Just once I'd like a "King" or "Scout" or something a little more horse-like.
Rock-Climbing
(The kids help clear the trail.)
In addition to being a horseman, the Dude believes he's quite a rock climber. A relatively "easy" hike at Sylvan Lake allowed him to test his skills.
Note - to do the entire loop you have to get down on your hands-and-knees at points, and it helps to have someone above to help you up, or below to catch you as you descend one of the "enormous granite formations".
He's actually quite good at scurrying up rocks and boulders. When he saw the "real" climbers on the Needles - ropes, full gear, etc. - he asked why we couldn't do that?
Blah, Blah, . . .
("Wild" burro - or member of the horse family scratching an itch on our side-view mirror.)
OK - I could go on for hours, and I will post more pictures in coming days. But I'll leave you with this great shot of one of the "wild-life" spotted on the Wildlife Trail.
(Some real "wild" life.)
South Dakota was great. Lots of activity - and I mean LOTS of activity. We pushed the kids to the limit, and they responded very well to the busy schedule.
(The kids and I pose in front of a petroglyph - hard to see during mid-day, and impossible to capture on camera. If you look carefully over M's left elbow, you see an image of a buffalo - I think.)On the way out we stopped by the Jeffers site, combining business with pleasure. As we drove away, the Hobbled Wife got on the cell phone to colleagues back at MNHS World Headquarters to suggest cool things that had to be added to the Jeffers' web site.
(There was a spot where this very large, rough rock was rubbed as smooth as glass. It was a bison rub, where bison came each spring to rub off their winter coats. Of course, being the tourists we are, we posed right in front of the smooth rubbed part, pretending to take advantage of the rub itself to relieve out itchy backs.)
Later that day, we stopped by the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD. It's not as odd (notice I didn't say "corny") as you might think. Yes, it's constructed out of corn-cobs, and the design changes yearly, but it's free. Inside the palace was an interesting history of the palace, with lots of cool art - oh and souvenirs.
Day 3 we were in the Badlands. (Day 1 was a short trip to Windom, MN; Day 2 was Jeffers and the Corn Palace)
The Badlands are a place unlike any other. I'd been there three times before, but it was the first for the rest of the Hobbled Family.
The end of Day 3 found us at Palmer Gulch Lodge where we spent the next three days. Lots of fun visiting Mount Rushmore, the Wind Cave National Park, and Custer State Park.
Mount Rushmore was more fun than I recall from my youth. Lots to do, and lots of historical interpretation. We took the audio tour of the Presidential Trail, which took us right up under the faces themselves. The close up of George was taken by the Dude.
Very sore bottoms!
The Dude has a "thing" for horses so we signed on for a ride leaving Palmer Gulch and winding up the hills in the forest. Stunning scenery, etc. - but I've never had such a sore butt! One and a half hours on horseback! My horse was named "Rat-Boy" - sheesh! The last time I went riding (20 years ago), I rode a nag named "Fonzi". Just once I'd like a "King" or "Scout" or something a little more horse-like.
Rock-Climbing
(The kids help clear the trail.)In addition to being a horseman, the Dude believes he's quite a rock climber. A relatively "easy" hike at Sylvan Lake allowed him to test his skills.
This trail makes a complete loop around Sylvan Lake, and is one of the easiest trails in Custer State Park. Enormous granite formations line portions of the lake making it one of the most picturesque in the Black Hills. This trail offers passing motorists an opportunity to stretch their legs on a leisurely walk the whole family will enjoy.(Sylvan Lake Trail description.)
Note - to do the entire loop you have to get down on your hands-and-knees at points, and it helps to have someone above to help you up, or below to catch you as you descend one of the "enormous granite formations".
He's actually quite good at scurrying up rocks and boulders. When he saw the "real" climbers on the Needles - ropes, full gear, etc. - he asked why we couldn't do that?
Blah, Blah, . . .
("Wild" burro - or member of the horse family scratching an itch on our side-view mirror.)OK - I could go on for hours, and I will post more pictures in coming days. But I'll leave you with this great shot of one of the "wild-life" spotted on the Wildlife Trail.
(Some real "wild" life.)
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