Another long day in the books. It took us a while to get out the door after getting home late: we picked up pizza and groceries and got home right before a lightning storm.
We decided to leave Goat Dog in the trailer today and then brought the WIFI with us and had to turn around and put it in the trailer so we could get updated on the temperature in the tailer (TempStick makes sure GD is safe in there heat-wise). The winding roads and the fact that we were an hour away from the parts of the park we wanted to visit added about 2 hours.
Things we did:
- Went to Mt. Rushmore (got our Junior Ranger badges! –> I’m actually really enjoying these because we all go through the parks/exhibits with purpose: questions to answer and things to find. We visited the sculptor’s studio including the mock-up, listened to a Ranger’s presentation about how the mountain was sculpted (four steps: mock-up, dynamite, honeycomb, and fine-tuning), 400 people worked on Rushmore! And of course, saw the big heads of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln!
- Drove through and visited Custer State Park (Sylvan and Needles are in this park). It cost $20 to enter but it is very beautiful with fantastic rock formations.
- Had a picnic and swam in several different outlets in the cold Sylvan Lake (the sand kicked up from the bottom and all along the beach shines and glitters because of the “silver in the rocks (hence Sylvan) 🙂
- Saw some minnows
- Keith and the girls swam/walked out to a big rock and conquered it!
- Hiked along the perimeter of the lake through rocky rounded paths with waterfalls, dams, and creeks –> my favorite
- Complained that our water shoes were wet and had rocks in them and took them off (Anna)
- Put her water shoes back on after walking barefoot didn’t feel good either
- Changed in the car
- Drove across Needles Hwy (named for the big rocky spires, tiny roads, and caves EEK!
- Saw a mommy and baby goat on Needles
- Headed to Dinosaur Park the long way
- Went to Dinosaur Park because we promised the girls we would after a kid in Badlands told the girls about it (Leona was disappointed because she thought it was a playground with tetradactyl swings (not sure where she got that idea). Instead, it was 6 large cement dinos built in 1938 commemorating the remains found in SD. It was a quick stop ending with droopy shoulders to the car).
- We were surprised when Goat Dog didn’t mess in the camper! Good girl!
- Made mac n cheese for the girls
- Went swimming
- Ate dinner (Keith and I made grilled ham/turkey, cheese, and sprouts)
- Sleep…much needed (Bedtime for the girls is running around 9 or 10pm because that is when darkness happens…we are wearing them down slowly).
Whoa–that was a busy day! It does look like you are having fun.
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I’m tired just looking at the pictures. Looks wonderful!
We are tired anyway…this way it’s exciting lol ❤️??
Loving the travelogue and this day was especially full of gorgeous photos and information. 🙂 Not having ever done ANYTHING like this, I’m marveling at your organization…can’t picture how you are keeping things clean and cooking etc. GREAT JOB!!! xo
It took some getting used to but we are figuring it out lol! Thank you!