FOLLOWING THE SETTING SUN IN SEPTEMBER

After a wonderful and fun summer in Michigan, we headed west through Illinois, Iowa and finally to our first destination.

The Badlands of Western South Dakota

It was almost a welcomed change after driving for hours through the grasslands of S.D. with nothing but a variety of fencing to keep one's interest.  However once arriving in the Bad Lands, the landscapes changed with every turn in the road.

 Different people who tried to inhabit the area had different sounding names for it, but they all agreed at one meaning....bad land!  Heat, wind, clay, scrub grass, a few hardy large animals, and about a million prairie dogs define this place.

The moon like features can morph into something totally different within a few miles.  Be sure to bring your groceries with you because there are no supplies for miles.

We had fine sunny days camping there, but we moved on as the rains came in which turned the clay ground into a slippery mess.

                               He was posing for the 15 cars that stopped to take his picture.


WALL,  SOUTH DEKOTA

Everyone has to make a stop at this little tourist town with a great beginning.  A pharmacist moved out here with his family in 1931 and bought the drug store.  His claim to fame and fortune was to offer free cold water to travelers on their way west.  The town is actually a little tacky but busloads of curious people stop every day.  They even have a special guest book for pharmacists to sign.

You can see what I mean by referring to the town as a little off the wall.  Finally I got Denny into the car and continued West.

Greener areas of  CUSTER STATE PARK and MOUNT RUSHMORE

At an altitude of 4700 feet hundred feet and 71,000 acres, Custer A.P. offers hikes, driving tours, and views of herds of bison, or buffalo.

This large herd is lead by the oldest female being lead to a watering hole.  Tourist are kept behind the fence but it is anything but secure.  Park rangers stand guard to watch for signs of agitated bulls and can quickly pull the guests back.  A bison can scale a 6 foot fence and run 35 miles an hour.  People have suffered injuries by getting too close to the animals.

                                       When the herd decides to cross the road, traffic stops.


Custer is a managed state park out side of Custer, S.D.  The abundance of wild animals are allowed to roam freely within the boundaries of the park, but they are cared for and their numbers are managed, unlike in a National Park.  Bison roundup is late in September and last year, 20,000 people traveled to see and hear the cowboys drive the herds into a corral.  Every bison is checked, taged and vaccinated as needed and some a auctioned off to keep the numbers around 900.

Only the old bulls who no longer mate are left alone.  They are referred to a bachelors or if a few stay together, bachelor's club.  They can be very mean and are not rounded up.

                                      Pronghorn antelope roam and can be easily spotted in the park.

Prairie dogs chirp like birds when they communicate.

The clowns of Custer are the panhandling donkeys.  They decend from a group who were used in the mining days but now stop even car which passes them looking for handouts.  And yes, we can feed the donkeys and every one will make you laugh as they stick their heads into open windows.

Wind Cave National Park, just south of Custer S.P. has beautiful grasslands, but they do not feel responsible for the health of area wildlife and take no part in disease management.  But Wind Cave was established to preserve the many miles of cave beneath the surface.

Caves are not of special interest to us, but since the tour was offered, we took it.



MOUNT RUSHMORE

Everyone knows of Rushmore, but I never realized until we visited the site that something was off a little.  There many exhibits devoted to the sculpture, the nature of the construction and how it originated.  We studied all the designs and then looked at the Monument itself.

Mount Rushmore design.  Go here and then look at our picture.

Gutzon Burglum, the artist, died in 1941 before his work was complete and his son was to finish the project.  But in 1941, with a new war on the horizon, Mount Rushmore, specifically Lincoln, was never finished!

Wondering in Wyoming

Driving to the TETONS through eastern Wyoming does not provide many beautiful views, but the city of Casper did offer a museum called NATIONAL TRAILS INTERPRETIVE CENTER.  Oregon, Mormon, California and Pony Express Trails all passed through Casper.  The Mormons, on their way to Salt Lake City, used the most interesting conveyance call the Pull Cart.  These were the most discipline groups and highly organized.

                                                         Seems almost impossible!

GRAND TETONS AND JACKSON, WY

It is hard to believe a state could be so diverse.  The Tetons are just south of Yellowstone at the western edge of Wyoming and are filled with elk, antelope and bears.  

                              Bull elk did a good job of stopping traffic and causing a backup!


                                                                               

A 6 mile hike around the lake below was gorgeous but also lasted 12 miles!

Fortunately, the crashing sound in the woods alerted us to the presence of a large animal.  Denny had the bear spray in his pack.  (People and visitors ware bear spray like a 6 shooter in the old west.)
Fortunately the startled elk was running for cover.

JACKSON, WYOMING

Skiing right downtown!!

We did visit Jackson, WY and found it to be more than just a tourist and skiing destination.  The town helped fund a hydroponic operation since the growing season is so short.  We were given a tour and were so impressed by their ability to grow a variety of greens, herbs and tomatoes downtown with so little space.  The 1/10th of an acre can grow as much as 5 acres of land space.

                                                       

A retired Special Educations teacher manages the work site and hired 15 of her former pupils. They are responsible for planting, crop rotation for sun light, watering and harvesting. The town get fresh greens and the workers have well paying job.

               

Leaving Wyoming for Colorado.