Black Hills to Glacier NP
August 24 to 29, 2013

After updating the blog at the Hill City Visitor Center we went into town and enjoyed browsing through some shops and getting some beer and bbq at the Mangy Moose.  No, we aren't in Jackson WY.  Yes, it is another Mangy Moose.

Mangy Moose, Hill City, SD

More of Hill City
After that we went back to the campground and hiked half way around Lake Sheridan to the dam and back to the campground and then had a nice campfire that evening.

Black Hills camping and hiking.

Sunday (Aug.25) we headed north to Teddy Roosevelt National Park passing a great amount of sunflowers, wheat, and pastures, all flat as can be.  Then when we turned west for a few miles the land changed completely to the North Dakota badlands and we reached Teddy Roosevelt NP.  We saw bison driving into our campground.  Found a great site and spent the next two nights there.

Campsite along the Little Missouri River

 TR's cabin at the Maltese Cross Ranch

 Yes, these are wild horses, this little colt was feeling his oats.

Bison

August 27 we had buffalo walking through our campsite.  We packed up and headed north again to Ft. Union where we spent the night at a state historic site called Fort Buford.
The next day we headed west to the Missouri Breaks, but the mosquitoes were so bad there we only stayed one night and then headed to Glacier.  Arrived this evening Thursday, August 29, and found a nice campsite at Rising Sun Campground in the park.  Came up to Johnson's Campground to do laundry so had a chance to catch up on blog.  Wifi here is really slow loading photos so will cut it a little short.

 Ft. Union

 North Dakota sunset

 Missouri Breaks (Can't you just see Lewis and Clark paddling up the river here?)

Glacier, yay.

Badlands NP
August 22, 2013

Wednesday we headed north to Badlands NP.  We made it there in time to get a campsite and visit the Visitor's center.

 Campsite at Badlands

Thursday we headed out to explore the park.  Saw lots of animals including prairie dogs, buffalo, antelope, big horned sheep, hmmmm, we must be out west.  This evening Carol stayed at the camper and I got in a 4 mile hike on the Medicine Root trail.

 Cool morning

 Warmer afternoon

 The infamous Wall Drugs

 I must be home on the range

 Showoff

 Whoa buddy, don't get any closer

 Get the gun ma

 On the Medicine Root Trail

Badlands backdrop.  Watch your step.

Friday we drove west on Hiway 44 toward Rapid City.  Skirted the town and found a beautiful national forest campground at Sheridan Lake near Hill City.  I'm at the visitor center in Hill City now using their wifi.  We went to Mt. Rushmore yesterday.  Very impressive.  It had been 30 years since we had been there.  The last time we were there was when the kids were 11 and 12 and we really didn't get to see much since we were so busy keeping track of them.  It has been updated considerably and is well done.  It apparently gets fantastic crowds.

 Mt. Rushmore

 Avenue of flags

 Up close and personal

Sculptor's studio

We drove down to see the Chief Crazy Horse project but didn't go in, just viewed from the road.  There is still a lot to do there with that project.  From there we went to Custer City, SD and Carol did some shopping in 'A Walk in the Woods' shop while I went to the Gold Pan saloon and wet my wistle with a cold beer.  Wish Bob, Dave, Donnie and Mikey could have had one with me.

 Going into the Gold Pan Saloon

 Coming out of the Gold Pan Saloon

 Would you put your money in this bank?

A Walk in the Woods shop.  Had to take the bike photo for Shelby.

This morning, Saturday, August 24, we had breakfast at our campsite and are going to visit Hill City and just hang out.  No specifics planned.

 Campsite at Sheridan Lake

Breakfast.

That's all folks.

On The Road Again
August 18 to 24, 2013

I finally got Carol to do some more traveling.  We left home on Sunday, Aug. 18 and made it to Seward, NE just west of Lincoln, NE, where we found a small inexpensive city campground for the night.

We stopped at a covered bridge in north Missouri and at Squaw Creek National Wildlife preserve near St. Joe on our way.

We left Seward and headed for North Platte NE with stops at Kearney NE to see Cabela's and the Great Platte River Road Archway.  We saw an earthen lodge typical of the northern plains Indians at the Archway and bought a couple of items at Cabela's (for those who don't know Cabela's is similar to Bass Pro Shops)

We arrived at North Platte and found a campsite at the Buffalo Bill State Historic Park on the north side of North Platte.  I got some great sunset and moonrise shots this evening.

 Sunset on the Platte River, Nebraska, August 19, 2013

 Moon rise on the Platte River, Nebraska Aug. 19, 2013

The next day Tuesday August 20, we toured Buffalo Bill Cody's ranch (Scout's Rest Ranch).  The lady at the ranch told us about something called the Golden Spike, a eight story building that overlooked the largest rail yard in the world there at North Platte.  It is called Bailey Yard and I had to take a look at it so my brother Mike would know I was thinking of him.  Bailey yard is where Union Pacific sorts their cars to go to different locations and where their diesel engine repair takes place.

 Buffalo Bill's ranch house

 Kitchen

 Grounds

 Bailey yard

 More

 Diesel repair services

The red and black engine is an ex KATY engine.

Sunset photo taken by Carol on Tuesday night.