From Rushmore and Custer
A quick update since we unexpectedly got internet today when we were freaking out about the flooding in VT, wondering if our moms and dads were OK. We were waiting for a cave tour to start at Wind Cave National Park when the ranger asked where we were from. When we said Vermont, this guy filled us in as we didn't know about what ended up happening with that hurricane. I guess my wishing didn't work! We were as shocked to find that the visitor's center actually had Wifi.
The finale for backpacking was Glacier and we're headed home. We stopped at Roosevelt National Park and spent a day, then felt like it was enough. We tried to hike a trail which sort of disappeared into a bison path and was a bit overgrown. But we got a good feel for the buttes and colorful rocks. Half of the park road was closed anyway due to a slump- a large section of land just slides forward and up without breaking apart, first we'd seen of these. The campground reminded me of the dreamy feel of Zion, but with bison among the cottonwoods. Then we drove from N Dakota to S Dakota on a narrow road filled with a million tractor trailer trucks, oil wells & construction to finally arrive at Mt Rushmore. We always get a chuckle when we think of the time we asked Jon's mom what things she'd always wanted to do in her life but hadn't yet and she named Mt Rushmore among them. While it didn't seem like it would be a destination in itself, it was really neat to see. Very patriotic and I hear Rapid City, the gateway, was voted most patriotic city in the country! They'd done a really nice job of making the walkways to see the memorial and there was a fancy visitor's center. We both agreed that for us, the carving is awesome but doesn't compare to what has been created in the natural world over millions of years. We are often just at a loss for words for the things we've seen this trip and know that the world is full of many more of them. Sure hope to knock a few more off our list.
From Rushmore and Custer
We next moved to Custer State Park which is larger than some National parks. It was quite a park! It used to be a game preserve. We hiked up Harney Peak which is I believe the highest mountain in S Dakota but just as we got to the top we encountered a hail storm so didn't get to enjoy the stone tower at the top. This is the very first rain we've had hiking this whole trip! The hail hurt our heads. Yesterday we did a little gold panning intro but since they wouldn't let you actually pan in the stream bottom for fear of disturbing the bottom, they'd brought in soil from a local lake bottom for you to use instead. That sort of made us lose interest. If we were horses, we could walk all over that stream bottom and no problem! We'd planned to backpack at Custer but didn't feel a big tug to do it. Then yesterday we went out to the trail that we'd be hiking on to see what it would be like and the creek that runs the length of the trail was dry. Well that did it, we changed our minds. Plus it rained all day today which is when we would have started.
From Rushmore and Custer
Custer has an impressive wildlife loop that is some 18 miles long. It was beautiful. We saw pronghorn, deer, prairie dogs, a zillion bison, many blocking the road, snakes, birds of prey and then I saw some of the cutest swallows getting ready to leave the protection of their nest under the eve of the visitor center. They also have very tame burros that will come over to your car window and poke their head inside.
Today we went to Wind Cave and we are camped in yet another beautiful campground with woods on one side with deer & a flock of little turkeys and an open field on the other side. Since it has rained all day, we couldn't have a campfire. Hopefully tomorrow. The cave tour was interesting and the vastness of the cave- something like 135 miles of cave only 5% discovered, was something new from others we've been to. It made me remember a very nice one we went to in Mexico but I was nervous the whole time since the guy who gave the tour smelled like a rum distillery. Wind cave is famous for its box work- a formation that at this hour I can't remember the details on but it was neat to see just the same. The rest of the park is mostly colorful prairie grasses which glowed on a cloudy day such as today. We put on our rain gear and walked some of the trails and the rain held off. We'd read about invasive plants that they are trying to get rid of within the park, mullein being one of them- sorry dad!

Tomorrow we're planning to head to the Badlands via an air museum on the base near here that Jon wants to visit. So Kim, we are indeed traveling in your footsteps! Meanwhile it is absolutely POURING outside right now, with hail. I do believe we are not out west anymore!