Yellowstone National Park

What a day we had at Yellowstone National Park today.  Rain, sleet, snow showers, and ice pellets separated by sunshine at times.

We saw Elk, three Bears, Antelope, Deer, a Gray Wolf, Bison, and an Osprey and her chick in a nest.  This was our third visit to the park but our first one into the far northern sections.  Enjoy the view:

Livingston, MT

The morning dawned in cold rain as we left Hardin, MT traveling west along I-90 toward Billings and Livingston, MT.  We joined the Yellowstone River and remained with it the rest of today.

Passing through Billings I remember the many times I have flown over Billings observing the airport high above the city on top of Rimrock Bluffs appearing like it was poised on an aircraft carrier.  The city itself contains three oil refineries as they enjoy increasing employment from the shale oil projects underway in Wyoming, Montana, and North Dakota.

After parking the bus today right on the Yellowstone River (see out picture below) we completed a trip to the local Laundromat and caught up on some housekeeping items.  As the rain let up, we took a drive up into the Gallatin National Forest south of Livingston.  More rain in the forecast but we are headed down to Yellowstone National Park tomorrow.  We have learned to take the weather as we find it traveling about the country.

Little Big Horn Battlefield, Montana

Departed the Black Hills this morning under beautiful skies and headed into Wyoming and eventually north into Montana on I-90.  Stopped for lunch along the highway looking over the snow-covered mountains to the west now with us.

We stopped again at Little Big Horn National Monument last visited in 1987.  Way back in 1874 President Grant gave the Lakota, Sioux, and Cheyenne tribes most of the Black Hills and a part of eastern Wyoming by Treaty.  When gold was discovered miners arrived by the thousands pushing the Indian tribes out.  Feeling cheated they moved west into Wyoming and southeastern Montana.

When the Bureau of Indian Affairs reported to Washington that Indians had left the reservation, not wanting to be embarrassed politically by the press, reported that only about 700 had headed west.  Along comes Colonel George Armstrong Custer under command of General Terry in the 7^th U.S. Cavalry.  They depart Fort Abraham Lincoln in Dakota Territory to round up the Indians.  On the morning of June 25, 1976 he finds this little group camped along the Little Big Horn River valley covered with thick Cottonwood trees (see the trees at the bottom of the cemetery picture looking east) and the battle was on.

Imagine his surprise to discover that the combined Lakota, Sioux, and Cheyenne nations numbered here approximately 13,000.  It is estimated that 221 US soldiers and less than 100 indians died here.  Of course, had the commissioner of Indian Affairs publically told the truth the War Department would have send a larger force or tried to negotiate with the Indians.  Kind of sounds like our government hasn’t changed much today when confronted with an embarrassing event, does it?

We are in Hayden, MT tonight on a brief stop-over as we will arrive at Yellowstone National Park tomorrow.  We did hear from our friend’s, the Relyea’s, who are in Colorado tonight coming out of Dallas to join us here in Montana.

Devil's Tower National Monument

We started out early this morning in fog and drizzle.  As we drove North to Belle Fourche, SD then West to the Devil’s Tower National Monument in Eastern Wyoming the sun soon came out.

Towering 867 feet above the valley floor the monolith is visible for many miles along the Belle Fourche River.  It has been a landmark and navigational fix for General Custer’s Cavalry, and wagon trains headed west.  Richard Dreyfus in Close Encounters of the Third Kind memorialized this place in the 70’s as the place where we (Earth people) met aliens.  We watched several climbers headed up the south face this morning.  Not to be outdone, Joy wanted to head up also but only got about 10 feet up the wall.  See the proof below.  One of the things we have loved to do is find a special place for a picnic lunch and today was no exception.  A baby prairie dog came near to see what might be for lunch.

After leaving the Park we headed back down toward Sundance, WY – picturesque little town that it is.  Joy was disappointed not to see Robert Redford living there.  It does share a bit of history though with the Sundance Kid.

After his release from the Sundance Jail in 1888, Harry Longabaugh acquired the moniker the Sundance Kid, which entered the popular imagination in the 1969 movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, which won several Academy Awards including Best Original Screenplay. Robert Redford, who portrayed Longabaugh in the movie, later named the Sundance Ski Resort, near Provo, Utah, and the Sundance Film Festival after this character. A sign visible from I-90 proclaims that Sundance is "where the kid got his name."

Well, we headed home early today for a little housecleaning and other details before our departure in the morning westward to Hardin, MT to visit the Little Big Horn Battlefield where George Armstrong Custer met his untimely end.

Wind Cave National Park

This morning we awoke unexpectedly to light rain, fog, and cool weather.  After attending the 9 AM services at Fountain Springs Community Church we drove South toward Wind Cave National Park in the Southern Black Hills.

We signed up for the 2 PM tour, had a picnic lunch outside and went into the cave for the tour conducted by a Park Ranger.  Teddy Roosevelt established Wind Cave Park in 1902.  It is the third longest cave in the world, measured out at this point at 140 miles in total length.  The passageways are small and quite monochromatic but the wind moves through the cave as a result of barometric pressure changes on the surface.  I’m told winds up the 43 MPH have been recorded at the entrance to the cave.  After we exited the elevator at the bottom you pass thorough a airlock to keep wind pressure equalized in the cave.

Joy and I then enjoyed another drive through the southern-most parts of the park stopping at Jewel Cave National Monument.  We could see the results of the Jasper fire of August, 2000 caused by lightning that destroyed 83,000 acres.  Then traveling briefly into Wyoming before reentering South Dakota passing through historic Deadwood where Wild Bill Hickok lost his life in a gunfight in the 1880’s.  He once broke his tradition of playing cards with his back to a wall and it cost him dearly.

Tomorrow we plan our last day in the Black Hills going out to Devil’s Tower National Monument.  I have passed over it on my way flying to Seattle many time and look forward to seeing from the ground.

Badlands National Park

Our day started with a drive about 50 miles Southeast of Rapid City to Badlands National Park.  I had waited so long (63 years) to purchase my first (and only) Senior National Park Lifetime Pass for only $ 10.00.  Joy and I have been in all the parks in the Lower 48 with the 8 remaining in Alaska on the trip ahead.  Today there are 67 National Parks and each one is truly worth the visit.

Badlands had a reputation in the old West of containing only bad men, Indians, and rattlesnakes.   Not much has changed.  This land was established in 1929 but did not obtain National Park status until 1978.  It contains 242,600 acres of stark contrast and vistas.  Lack of facilities had us enjoying a picnic lunch in the Jeep as you can see.

The afternoon had us on several back roads on the way home including a stop in Scenic, S.D.  Let us save you a trip – it doesn’t live up to its name.  We plan to attend services in Rapid City in the morning before heading down to Wind Cave National Park and perhaps a trip by the Crazy Horse monument that has been under construction since 1947.

Mt. Rushmore and Black Hills

What a day it was!  Perfect weather today as we visited Mt. Rushmore National Memorial.  You can't help feel a bit patriotic when you're here.  We discovered that a vault exists here carved into the granite.  This 70 foot long chamber houses many engineering items, busts of famous Americans, and other artifacts about the United States placed here by the stone carver Gutzon Borglum.  It is not open to the public.  If you will recall the movie National Treasure II, Nicholas Cage found such a room at the end containing unspeakable riches belonging to America.  

After hiking up close to the President's "feet" we traveled on to Hill City for lunch at Alpine Inn.  Joy enjoyed her first and last glass of Rhubarb wine.  Following a great German lunch we headed down to the Needles Highway (SD87).  What a scenic ride with the tops off the Jeep.  My family came here more than once in my childhood.

After touring around Custer State Park we headed up several more quite scenic roads enjoying the wildlife.  At one point, Joy thought she saw a Bigfoot in the woods.  Turned out to be a trout fisherman.  We observed Big Horn Sheep, Buffalo, and a lone Antelope today.

Tomorrow we are headed for the Badlands National Park out East of Rapid City.

Yankton, S.D. - Lewis & Clark Recreational Area

May 21-22

Arrived Tuesday evening in Yankton, S.D. at the Lewis and Clark Recreational Area.  Spent the past two days under rainy and cool weather.  We toured the Visitor’s Center on the bluffs overlooking the Dam and power plant near where Lewis and Clark first met the Sioux Indians in 1804.  Did see lots of Lilac in bloom across the state as you see Joy stopping to enjoy it on a morning walk.

We enjoyed lunch at Minerva’s here in Yankton.  Our Ozark friends will fondly remember the original Minerva’s in Sioux Falls.  Took in a movie this afternoon (Star Trek) and a quiet evening at home readying for our trip tomorrow to the Black Hills.  Down along the river we did not have wi-fi or very good phone service so we're posting a day late.  It will happen again.

May 23

Departing Yankton this morning under sunny skies.  We enjoyed a quiet and uneventful trip across farm country through smaller roads until we rejoined I-90 west of Mitchell, S.D.  Joy had to stop at Wall Drug Store in Wall after seeing hundreds of signs.  Their claim to fame was free ice water back as far as 1931.  And yes there was a pharmacy but no Mr. Wall.  Across South Dakota we saw many Little Houses on the Prairie like the last picture here.  Always wonder about the story that house has of life lived, children raised, broken dreams, and life fulfilled.

We are now parked at the Rush No More RV Park in beautiful Sturgis, S. D.  Mountain Time is now the rule as we continue West.  We will be here until Tuesday morning to enjoy Memorial Day.  Watch our blog the next few days as we sightsee Mt. Rushmore tomorrow, then head out to see Wind Cave and Jewel Cave National Parks, followed by a trip to the Badlands.  And we might just through in a side trip out the Devil’s Tower, WY where that cult classic movie “Close Encounters” was filmed in part.