Friday, July 31, 2009
Day 12: July 30, 2009
Badlands were on the itinerary today. After Katie and Stephen went on a horseback ride. Unfortunately, Ava was too young to go...the minimum age was 6.
Headed out of the Black Hills and to warmer temperatures. It's really chilly in the Black Hills!
Drove to the Badlands...about an hour and a half from the campground. The landscape changed dramatically. Gone were the ponderosa pines and mountains. Flatter land prevailed.
Took the southern entrance into the Badlands..basically drove along the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, but did not enter it.
Entering the Badlands was just spectacular! The rock formations are just amazing to look at...and they just seem to go on forever. Lumpy rocks, craggy spires. Wow. Katie and Ava couldn't get over the shapes and colors.
We drove along the main loop road in the park, stopping at lookouts and paths along the way. The weather couldn't have been more perfect for us! Blue skies, puffy clouds, and a high of 75 with a stiff cool breeze! Just great.
The loop road led us up and down the hills. Sometimes we were above the formations; sometimes below. Seeing the uniformity of the strata in the rocks was so striking. You could follow different veins of rock in almost a direct line...despite some of the rocks being miles away.
My favorite were the yellow rocks...a testament to the Badlands as an aquatic habitat. The rocks looked like rainbow sherbet.
How much time did we spend in the Badlands? About 4 hours. And, we still didn't finish the ride.
After Badlands, we drove to the infamous town of Wall, SD to visit Wall Drug. It's definitely worth a visit! HUGE. Tons of souvenirs and other stuff that Katie and Ava only wished we had room for in the car! We sampled the free ice water...although I didn't get to have the 5 cent coffee and donuts, since it was getting close to dinner time.
Speaking of dinner....we had a very hard time finding a McDonald's..which we promised Katie and Ava since we knew we'd be out all day. Finally came across one in Rapid City.
Drove back to the campground...among the thousands of motorcyclists who are descending upon this area for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally that starts this weekend.
What a great day. It was so nice to warm up!
Headed out of the Black Hills and to warmer temperatures. It's really chilly in the Black Hills!
Drove to the Badlands...about an hour and a half from the campground. The landscape changed dramatically. Gone were the ponderosa pines and mountains. Flatter land prevailed.
Took the southern entrance into the Badlands..basically drove along the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, but did not enter it.
Entering the Badlands was just spectacular! The rock formations are just amazing to look at...and they just seem to go on forever. Lumpy rocks, craggy spires. Wow. Katie and Ava couldn't get over the shapes and colors.
We drove along the main loop road in the park, stopping at lookouts and paths along the way. The weather couldn't have been more perfect for us! Blue skies, puffy clouds, and a high of 75 with a stiff cool breeze! Just great.
The loop road led us up and down the hills. Sometimes we were above the formations; sometimes below. Seeing the uniformity of the strata in the rocks was so striking. You could follow different veins of rock in almost a direct line...despite some of the rocks being miles away.
My favorite were the yellow rocks...a testament to the Badlands as an aquatic habitat. The rocks looked like rainbow sherbet.
How much time did we spend in the Badlands? About 4 hours. And, we still didn't finish the ride.
After Badlands, we drove to the infamous town of Wall, SD to visit Wall Drug. It's definitely worth a visit! HUGE. Tons of souvenirs and other stuff that Katie and Ava only wished we had room for in the car! We sampled the free ice water...although I didn't get to have the 5 cent coffee and donuts, since it was getting close to dinner time.
Speaking of dinner....we had a very hard time finding a McDonald's..which we promised Katie and Ava since we knew we'd be out all day. Finally came across one in Rapid City.
Drove back to the campground...among the thousands of motorcyclists who are descending upon this area for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally that starts this weekend.
What a great day. It was so nice to warm up!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Day 12: July 29, 2009
Whew...stinks!
Left the KOA next to the feedlot pretty quickly. Ate a quick breakfast in our cabin and made a fast getaway toward the interstate!
The clouds were beginning to really pack in...with some sprinkles and showers of rain. But, the clouds were high enough to make for some interesting picture taking. Left Colorado--headed for Wyoming. Talk about VAST! The landscape just went on and on forever. Endless. And a bit lonely, too! Miles and miles of nothingness.
We stopped at a grocery store in Cheyenne...not the most impressive of state capitals. Guess it serves its purpose, though. Didn't do much there except pick up some food to see us through the next 3 nights of camping.
Hopped back on the Interstate and drove and drove.
One tourist-y detour led us to the Oregon Trail. We stopped in Guernsey, Wyoming to view the wagon wheel ruts that were left behind by thousands of wagons traveling west. These wheels cut through the rock. See the photos for proof! Simply amazing. We wanted to stop by Register Cliff where pioneers carved their names, but it began to rain and the weather was just too cold.
Did I mention the cold? Yikes! Highs in the mid-50s. Meanwhile we packed for summer!
Continued the long drive through Wyoming toward South Dakota. Passed some fascinating rock formations. It was nice to see real honest to goodness running water...the Platte River. Big river.
Happily, the clouds finally began to thin as we got closer to our destination. Lots of puffy clouds mixed with blue sky. It all just made the landscape look wonderful.
Finally, we got a glimpse of the Black Hills. From the high plains, seeing big mountains was quite dramatic! And, they are dark in color! We began our ascent...and the vegetation changed almost immediately. Nothing but ponderosa pines. The gtrasses disappeared.
Drove through some twisty bits..and then through the town of Custer, which was swamped by tourists and bikers. Did I mention that the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was taking place this Saturday about 50 miles north of here in Sturgis? :-)
Stopped outside of Crazy Horse Monument...but did not go in. We just couldn't justify paying the $28 for all of us to drive in when the highway offered a nice photo opportunity! I mean, $28 is half our food budget for one day!
Got to our campground. I shouldn't say campground, though. It is a full service resort. Apparently it is the LARGEST KOA in existence! Waterslides, pools, horseback riding, breakfast, Starbucks coffee, restaurant, hotel, shuttle buses, rental cars! We're paying $75 dollars a night...totally worth it!
There are hundreds of RVs and campers here. Enormous place! But, for the first time...STELLAR INTERNET ACCESS!
After dinner, we headed over to Mt. Rushmore for the night lighting ceremony. Very patriotic. What was really nice was that at the end of the ceremony, anyone among the thousand or more people who were watching who served in the armed forces were invited up to the stage for a special recognition ceremony. At this ceremony each person said their name and what branch of the service they served in, or are currently serving in. Big applause. A Kleenex moment.
Also, a boy scout troop from Iowa led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance and they also took the flag down.
Just really nice.
But COLD! I think the gift shop made a killing on selling sweatshirts and blankets! I know I blew $40 on a sweatshirt!
Good thing we didn't go to Crazy Horse!
Left the KOA next to the feedlot pretty quickly. Ate a quick breakfast in our cabin and made a fast getaway toward the interstate!
The clouds were beginning to really pack in...with some sprinkles and showers of rain. But, the clouds were high enough to make for some interesting picture taking. Left Colorado--headed for Wyoming. Talk about VAST! The landscape just went on and on forever. Endless. And a bit lonely, too! Miles and miles of nothingness.
We stopped at a grocery store in Cheyenne...not the most impressive of state capitals. Guess it serves its purpose, though. Didn't do much there except pick up some food to see us through the next 3 nights of camping.
Hopped back on the Interstate and drove and drove.
One tourist-y detour led us to the Oregon Trail. We stopped in Guernsey, Wyoming to view the wagon wheel ruts that were left behind by thousands of wagons traveling west. These wheels cut through the rock. See the photos for proof! Simply amazing. We wanted to stop by Register Cliff where pioneers carved their names, but it began to rain and the weather was just too cold.
Did I mention the cold? Yikes! Highs in the mid-50s. Meanwhile we packed for summer!
Continued the long drive through Wyoming toward South Dakota. Passed some fascinating rock formations. It was nice to see real honest to goodness running water...the Platte River. Big river.
Happily, the clouds finally began to thin as we got closer to our destination. Lots of puffy clouds mixed with blue sky. It all just made the landscape look wonderful.
Finally, we got a glimpse of the Black Hills. From the high plains, seeing big mountains was quite dramatic! And, they are dark in color! We began our ascent...and the vegetation changed almost immediately. Nothing but ponderosa pines. The gtrasses disappeared.
Drove through some twisty bits..and then through the town of Custer, which was swamped by tourists and bikers. Did I mention that the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was taking place this Saturday about 50 miles north of here in Sturgis? :-)
Stopped outside of Crazy Horse Monument...but did not go in. We just couldn't justify paying the $28 for all of us to drive in when the highway offered a nice photo opportunity! I mean, $28 is half our food budget for one day!
Got to our campground. I shouldn't say campground, though. It is a full service resort. Apparently it is the LARGEST KOA in existence! Waterslides, pools, horseback riding, breakfast, Starbucks coffee, restaurant, hotel, shuttle buses, rental cars! We're paying $75 dollars a night...totally worth it!
There are hundreds of RVs and campers here. Enormous place! But, for the first time...STELLAR INTERNET ACCESS!
After dinner, we headed over to Mt. Rushmore for the night lighting ceremony. Very patriotic. What was really nice was that at the end of the ceremony, anyone among the thousand or more people who were watching who served in the armed forces were invited up to the stage for a special recognition ceremony. At this ceremony each person said their name and what branch of the service they served in, or are currently serving in. Big applause. A Kleenex moment.
Also, a boy scout troop from Iowa led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance and they also took the flag down.
Just really nice.
But COLD! I think the gift shop made a killing on selling sweatshirts and blankets! I know I blew $40 on a sweatshirt!
Good thing we didn't go to Crazy Horse!
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