Theodore Roosevelt National Park

On Saturday, June 18, we drove the 36 mile scenic drive at the south unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  Along the drive in the park, we saw pronghorn antelope, bison, wild horses, and prairie dogs.  Jesse was disappointed we didn't see any elk.  We still enjoyed the drive.

Roosevelt's Maltese Cross Cabin

 

Feral Horses

bison

We went for a short hike at Wind Canyon.  All of the pictures below are from around Wind Canyon.  It was definitely windy while we were out walking.

Little Missouri River

 

Black Hills, SD/Medora, ND

On Friday, June 17, we packed up our tent and left the campground.  We drove the Needles Highway to exit Custer State Park.  The road was very narrow with lots of curves.  Jesse said he was more nervous driving this road than bear tooth pass because of the closeness to oncoming cars on the narrow road with no shoulders.   

Standing in front of a small cave/hole in the rock. 

Cathedral Spires

Needles Eye Tunnel - we had just driven through it.

Needles Eye

We then drove through Hill City up to Deadwood.  We did not stop in Deadwood, since there was construction and a lot of people.  It was getting close to lunch, so we decided to go straight through and find a picnic area to stop to eat.  Then we drove to Medora, ND to see the Badlands.  We went to the Medora Musical that night.  The kids really enjoyed it.  Kora and Megan like the dancing and singing the best.  Kora especially loved the girls with their costumes.  Jason thought the ventriloquist was the best.  The comedian talked for his dog, Irvin.  



All the kids got to go onstage for the National Park

oath during the Medora Musical.

Day 3 of Black Hills

On Thursday, June 16 we went to the Jewel Cave.  We got there at 9:30 and stood in line to wait to buy tickets.  By the time we got to the ticket window, it was 10:15.  The next available tour was at 12:40.  So we went to the visitor center to look around for awhile.  Then we drove back to Custer to have lunch at a park and play on the playground until it was time for our tour to start.  We took the scenic tour which has 723 steps and was not recommended for children under 5.   Jesse and I figured Kora had walked up and down all the steps on the trail around Mount Rushmore without a problem, so she should be able to handle this.  She had no problem walking up and down the steps.  They weren't very steep and they were mostly down.  To start the tour, we took an elevator down over 200 feet.  At the lowest level, we were over 300 feet below the surface.  Everybody thought the cave was pretty cool to see.

stalactites

flowstone

draperies

cave bacon - ribbon drapery

flowstone and nailhead spar

Day 2 Black Hills

On Wednesday, we went to Crazy Horse.  Then Megan, Jason, and I went for a hike.  Since it was fairly strenuous, Jesse stayed with Kora at a playground.  In the afternoon, Megan, Jason, and I went on a trail ride.

Crazy Horse

Statue of Crazy Horse

Megan and Jason on top of hill during hike.

View of Lake and Mountains from our hike

Jason riding Deuce

My horse was named Whiskey.  We were at the back of the line.

Megan's horse liked to try to eat whenever he could.

 

Megan on Swallow Fork.  The name comes from a cut in his ear,

giving him two points, making his ear look like a fork.

Trip to the Black Hills and Badlands

We left on Monday, June 13 on our way to the Black Hills.  We stayed in Pierre, SD for the first night.  Then we drove to Rapid City on Tuesday, June 14.  Our first stop was the Reptile Gardens, followed by Mount Rushmore.  After those stops, we drove the Iron Mountain Road to Custer State Park.  We drove through 3 one-lane tunnels on the way.   

Python

Black Mamba

Crocodile

 Maniac - giant saltwater crocodile

Alligator

Aldabra Tortoise

Orville - 110 years old

    

Our next stop was Mount Rushmore.  Megan and Jason were

pretty excited to see it.  Jason wishes he could have rock

climbed up to their faces. 

A rare picture of just Jesse and I together.  Jason did a pretty

good job of  taking the picture.  Only cut off George

Washington's head. 

Horse Camp

Megan attended a horse day camp last Thursday.  She has only ridden one other time, but she was very excited to go.  They got to go on a trail ride, learn horsemanship skills, perform horse games, and learn vaulting (horse gymnastics).  They put on a mini-horse show at the end of the day showing what they had learned.  Megan loved it and wants to go back again.

Fishing

We went fishing near the dam on the river.  Kora caught a rock bass on her little princess fishing pole all by herself once it was casted out into the water.  Jason caught a walleye and Jesse caught this Northern that he let Kora reel up.  She really loves to fish. Megan was exploring around the rocks and over the bridge above the dam.  Kora didn't want to stop fishing to see what Megan was looking at.  She wanted to catch more fish.

The rock bass Kora caught on her princess pole.

5th Grade Graduation

Megan and Jason will be finishing 5th Grade on Friday, June 3.  They will be moving on to Middle School next year.  Where has the time gone!  They had a 5th Grade/DARE Graduation on May 27.  Their entire class sang a few songs, and they got to walk across the stage to get their 5th grade diploma from the principal.  There are 153 students in the 5th grade.  They are excited to be able to move on the Middle School.  Megan is more sad to leave elementary behind than Jason.  I know they will both do well in Middle School as in elementary.