Category Archives: National Parks

The First Place to See the Sun

September 17, 2011 Troy 1 Comment

Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park is the first place in the United States to see the sun rise during the winter months. This is because this location is far enough east in Maine and high enough to see the sun rise before areas that are further east. People like to be the first to do many things or experience something for the first time. Here is a place that anyone can do something before anyone else in the United States – watch the sun pierce the horizon. Unfortunately we did not make it to Cadillac Mountain to witness the sun rising but we still enjoyed setting foot in the beautiful Mountain. Even if we had it was during the summer so the first place to see the sun rise would have been Mars Hill, Maine.

My first impression of Cadillac Mountain was looking at it on a map while looking for the highlights of Acadia National Park. It was puzzling how this could be considered a mountain at only 1530 feet above sea level. I’m use to mountains being several thousand feet above sea level. After getting there and learning more about this place, I now understand why it’s considered a mountain. First of all the steep ascent from sea level to the top suggests a mountain. Also, according to geologists, what is currently the top of Cadillac Mountain was the center of the volcano which helped to shape this area. Apparently the mountain use to be considerably taller until the glaciers moved through and cut it down giving us the scenery available today.

After watching the sunset in other areas of the park we headed back to the top of Cadillac Mountain to witness a beautiful star filled sky. Most impressive was seeing the Milky Way. I have not seen it in a number of years so it was nice to be reminded of its’ spectacular display. Also, fewer and fewer people are able to see the Milky Way so it was nice to show our children what it looks like. Unfortunately I need to work on my photography skills capturing stars so I don’t have a picture that shows the milky way in all its glory. I was able to get a nice photo of the big dipper.

National Parks, Troy's Blog

Discovering Paul Revere

August 27, 2011 Troy 2 Comments

Exploring the Freedom Trail in Boston, Massachusetts provided several experiences that led to a greater appreciation for our Independence and freedom. Witnessing the sights of the Boston Massacre and Bunker Hill where the first battle of the Revolution took place to the Old North Church made famous for the ‘one if by land and two if by sea’ begins to make you realize some of the things involved in bringing about our Independence. History classes teach of Paul Revere warning about the British by signaling which direction they were coming from and his famous ride through Boston shouting “the British are coming, the British are coming!” Apparently he was involved in many planning sessions leading up to the Revolutionary War and was integral during the war as well. But what else did Paul Revere do?

I was surprised to learn that he was a metal smith working with copper, gold, and silver. Many of his works were put into a number of building which can be seen on the Freedom Trail such as the Massachusetts State House and the USS Constitution. We visited Paul Revere’s gravesite along with other recognizable names from that time including John Hancock and Samuel Adams. Seeing all of these places brought a further appreciation for the freedoms I enjoy every day and also a few questions. There are people often saying the government is getting to much control. What conditions did the people of the 1770’s have to contend with that war was justified? What conditions would cause the American people today to revolt against the government? I believe we would have to lose a lot more freedoms to justify severe actions like the colonists took. When I compare what those colonists lived with to what we deal with today, we are very fortunate. Staying involved in our government is still very important to prevent those conditions from every becoming reality.

Another interesting occurrence surprised me while visiting these places. I continued to have difficulty in believing that I was seeing these historic landmarks. I kept saying that even though I was physically at a location, it didn’t make the events that occurred there any more real. Trying to believe that what happened over 300 years ago was in that exact place was difficult. I know buildings have been re-furbished and updated making them less
realistic to me. Also, the surrounding buildings make it hard to imagine what people such as Paul Revere lived like and the difficulties in coordinating revolutionary activities. Even visiting the grave site didn’t help to bring me to the 1770’s. Some of the issues were many of the building being brick. Looking at renderings of these building when they were originally built show them mainly built out of wood. Also, Paul Revere’s house is still standing and that was made out of wood. Historical buildings being remodeled along with the skyscrapers that exist next to them now give a very different perspective. Even so, what a great learning experience!

Adventure, Rocky Moutain National Park, Troy's Blog

Climbing the Rockies (part IV)

July 2, 2011 Troy 1 Comment

Once reaching the visitor center for a second time it was off in search of moose. We were informed that moose were spotted more frequently on the other side of Rocky Mountain National Park so we continued on Trail Ridge Road towards the Continental Divide and Milner Pass. As we reached Milner Pass there were no signs of Moose. Stopping to take the requisite photo of the Continental Divided (where the water from one side of this divide heads towards the Atlantic Ocean and water from the other side goes to the Pacific Ocean) the question of how much further do we want to explore as the day was growing long and the trip back to our lodge would take some time. We decided to press on and fortunately we did because soon we came upon another area with a lot of cars which usually means there is something in the area to see.

Sure enough, there were two moose lying in the grass allowing us to take photos and just watch for awhile. Satisfied we turned back for the journey to Alpine Visitor Center and on to Estes Park. Along the way a cow moose was spotted. We turned the vehicle around quickly for another look and then turned our vehicle around again for another chance to observe this moose. We quickly came upon a parking area and quietly exited the vehicle in hopes of getting a closer look. This moose wasn’t willing to stand still as we crept closer to it but it didn’t move very far or fast away from us either. We got a few photos and it was gone. Retreating back to the vehicle satisfied with yet another moose spotting I realized we were standing in the middle of another colony of wild orchids. What a great, unexpected discovery as there were hundreds of orchids around us, many not yet in bloom but others that were allowing us the opportunity for another experience. Daylight would be waning soon so time to keep going.

There still was the matter of spotting a big horn sheep. This continued to be an elusive animal however the last ranger we spoke with mentioned the best location was near the entrance close to Estes Park. Perfect! As we neared this entrance there still were no big horn sheep to be seen. At the entrance station they post the last sighting of big horn sheep. It turned out that the sheep had not been sighted for a couple of days so we ended up not being able to see them. We were all tired from another long day of exploring so getting back to the lodge was acceptable and welcomed.

This adventure was an amazing experience of which I could do again. Another time I would like to be more prepared for long hikes into the mountains as there are numerous trails to explore. For those who are really adventurous, camping in the back country is an option allowing for hiking even further into the mountains and witnessing sights very few get to see. For two days we traveled and hiked a lot of miles and enjoyed many of the sites of RMNP. There is so much more to do and experience in this vast park that a couple of weeks would be quickly used up and provide a lifetime of memories. Rocky Mountain National Park has 3 webcams that update approximately every 10 minutes. I often will check out these webcams for a reminder of our visit and to see the changes throughout a day and throughout a month. There have been some great sunrises, sunsets, snowstorms, and rain as the weather at each of these camera locations can be different all at the same time. I have yet to see an animal caught on camera though. As much as I would like to go back to RMNP, I look forward to seeing some other great National Parks that we will enjoy just as much.

P.S. We did eventually find some big horn sheep near Mount Rushmore.

Exploring, National Parks, Rocky Moutain National Park, Troy's Blog

Climbing the Rockies (part III)

June 25, 2011 Troy

For the second day in Rocky Mountain National Park there were two ranger programs of interest and a few animals that had eluded us of which we wanted to find if possible – moose and big horn sheep. The first ranger program was at Lily Lake and highlighted wildflowers that were in bloom around the park. It was great to find out what some of these beautiful flowers where that we had been seeing while exploring different areas. Towards the end of the program our ranger mentioned where a few orchids could be found in bloom sending us off on a minor expedition to see if we could find one. After a short time walking there they were! These orchids were only visible to those that were looking and had an idea of where they were otherwise they are well adapted to the environment and somewhat difficult to spot. This stop at Lily Lake provided a great view of Longs Peak, the tallest peak in RMNP. Our next program of interest was again a 30 mile drive to another area in the park so off we went with enough time to stop for lunch.

This program highlighted elk and the habit necessary for them to survive. More great information about elk and their seasonal migrations along with what is being done at RMNP to keep the herd sizes at manageable sizes. Some of the controls included adding fencing to certain areas to allow plants re-grow and establish while keeping elk out reducing some of the food available. A short hike going through areas that elk like to feed and drink where a part of this program. This hike meandered into the fenced off area allowing us to see plants re-growing and how much grazing by the elk has diminished available food. After the program we inquired about the best places to see moose and big horn sheep allowing us to focus on certain places to provide the best chances at achieving this goal. With that information in hand we were off. Along the way there were a few waterfalls that we wanted to see which were somewhat larger than those we had already viewed.

One of these waterfalls was located on Old Fall River Road which is a one way gravel road that winds narrowly up the mountainside. There were times I was uncertain if this was a good idea as the road winds back and forth with the edge not far away. Drive carefully or you could be going over the side and taking a ride you were not prepared for. Just before this road there is a picnic area with a small trail that heads towards a very tall waterfall hidden deep in the trees. It is difficult to see the entire fall but still very beautiful for the parts that you can see. Continuing on to Old Fall River Road towards Chasm Falls, you begin to feel like you are in a secluded area as the road is gravel and narrow with trees sheltering much of the passageway. The only reminders of civilization are the number of other adventures traveling this road and paved trails at certain overlooks. This waterfall reminds of the power that water has as it moves and carves large boulders to shape the river. It can almost be imagined the millions of years it takes to really change this landscape just by the size and placement of certain boulders as you explore along this waterfall. As you continue this drive you wind up one side of the mountain and then cutback heading towards the other side of the mountain meandering slowly higher while catching a quick view of a snowfield higher up or a larger stream created from melting snow. Eventually this drive brings you above the tree line allowing you to see how far you have climbed on this winding old road and how close you have moved towards the top. Shortly after reaching the tree line, Alpine Visitor Center is back in view. This drive takes awhile but is well worth it if you can overcome the fear of driving so close to the edge of the road where the drop off could be 100’s of feet below and take in all that is around you.

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Exploring, National Parks, Troy's Blog

Climbing the Rockies (part II)

June 19, 2011 Troy 1 Comment

While exploring the displays in Alpine Visitro Center, some other explorers entered telling park rangers that a Wolverine was spotted not that far away. I rushed outside in hopes of catching a glimpse of this rarely seen animal in RMNP without success. Not really knowing what a wolverine looks like I perused the displays until I spotted a photo of one. Listening to park rangers tell about wolverines was interesting and hearing their thoughts on why this one was wandering around proved fascinating. Their theory was this wolverine was looking for a mate and that if one was not found soon it would head further north out of Rocky Mountain National Park. While keeping an eye out in the area where the wolverine had recently been spotted we scanned the scenery where deep snow fields blended with areas of brown indicating where the snow had just retreated from a day or two earlier. Areas where the snow had melted several days before where already green as plants had begun there quick summer season with other plants not far away blooming. It was interesting to see this summer progression of the snow receding and giving way as life returned to the hillsides.

We decided to grab something to eat at the cafeteria located near the Alpine Visitor Center before proceeding on with our adventure. After a few moments of rest and eating we headed off to climb the Alpine Ridge Trail which would end up being the highest elevation we would reach during our time in RMNP. This was a short trail with a lot of climbing requiring us to move slowly as the elevation provides less oxygen making breathing more difficult. Park recommendations are to reach your summit by early afternoon as lighting becomes more likely later in the day so we were in a little bit of a hurry in order to avoid being at the top of this trail during the mid and late afternoon. Another great view of the mountains which surrounded us! From here you can see where the Colorado River begins its journey towards the Grand Canyon along with so many other mountain peaks. Heading back down towards our vehicle we spotted several dark clouds heading our way but we managed to get to the top and back down without experiencing lightning first hand at the top of a mountain.

On to find the trail that takes a spot on our National Parks Edition Monopoly Board – Flattop Mountain Trail. This required driving over 30 miles to Bear Lake to reach the trailhead leading to our targeted destination. During this drive there was once again incredible scenery from all of the flowers blooming along the roadside to rapidly flowing rivers. I found several types of flowers I would like to add to my yard someday. It is a little more difficult to create all of the snow melting into rivers in my yard so I just need to enjoy the photos and memories for now. Once Bear Lake was reached we headed for the trails and began ascending towards our objective. This was a short 2 mile hike with the intention of staying below the tree line so as to avoid any possible threat of lightning. As we reached Flattop Trail we took a few moments to rest and take in the surrounding of stones, trees, and the occasional critter wandering in the forest. It was starting to get late in the day and we were tired after all of our hiking and exploring so the decision was made to descend back to the car and return to the lodge for food and a good nights sleep.

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Adventures, National Parks, Rocky Moutain National Park, Troy's Blog

Climbing the Rockies

June 15, 2011 Troy 3 Comments

There are a couple of National Parks on our Monopoly board that stand out to me as the places I am most eager to see. One of them was Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). I have enjoyed all of the national parks we have visited to this date but RMNP is so far my favorite national park. There are some great places yet to come so I expect this may not remain my top pick in the end but for now this is the park I think of first when talking about national parks. What makes this my favorite national park? The elk, moose, marmots, the tundra in bloom, picturesque snowcapped mountains, wild orchids, waterfalls, beautiful lakes and rivers, intriguing trails, and on and on and on… Does it appear as though I enjoyed our time here?

We entered Colorado from the plains of the Mid-west. The mountains continued to grow larger in the background until we were at the base of the Rocky Mountains beginning our ascension towards the top. Our climb towards the top started slowly at first and then quickly became steeper and steeper as we drove higher towards RMNP. Watching the trees and rocks all around us was mesmerizing complimented by the raging rapids from the snow melting higher in the mountains. After a short time we entered Estes Park where one of the entrances to Rocky Mountain National Park resides. We settled in at our lodging for the next couple of days and prepared to go exploring in the mountains for the next couple of days.

The next morning we grabbed some breakfast and headed out to continue our adventure. Upon entrance to RMNP we browsed over the activities available for the day and began our drive towards the Alpine Visitor Center. As we meandered along we came upon a traffic jam. Further inquiries declared there were a few elk rested in the area. Driving along a little further we spotted an elk. This one happened to be a bull with horns towering above his head completely covered in velvet indicating they were still developing. For us this was exciting as we have never seen a bull elk before. While visiting Wind Cave National Park we watched a heard of elk in the distance but there were no bulls visible in that heard. Spending a few moments we snapped a few pictures of the elk and enjoyed the surrounding landscape and then off towards the visitor center once again.

Our road trip to Alpine Visitor Center would have been much faster had there not been so many places to pull over and gaze in amazement and the snow covered peaks where the snow was melting. Streams of melted snow turned into rivers with beautiful waterfalls and violent rapids allowing us to get lost in these scenic moments and lose track of time. There were at least 4 stops off of Trail Ridge Road on the way to the visitor center each one capturing our interest and providing a unique look at these mountains. Along the way we encounter snow drifts that had covered this road weeks before. Some of them were at least 10 feet tall reminding us of the harsher times of year and the amazing feat required of animals and plants in order to survive this environment. At our last stop before reaching our destination a marmot appeared in and out of rocks while crawling around on the tundra which was full of plants displaying their beautiful flowers showing the attraction of this alpine terrain. Eventually we arrived at the visitor center where Lysa and Kristy began their journey towards another Junior Ranger Badge.

To Continue to Part II Click Here…

Adventure, Badlands National Park, Fiction, Lysa's Blog

Climb to Badlands Mountain…part III

May 28, 2011 Lysa 1 Comment

The top had a spring and… there it was five treasure chests full of 5,000,000 pieces of gold. There was only one thing that startled the girls… a skeleton staring straight at them. *This is my master, the ghost* the dragon thought to Mellisa. “Oooooooooooh” The skeleton moaned. Suddenly, a faded man was lying in the skeleton. I’m the ghost of Badlands Mountain, my name is not important but I will tell you anyway. I am Charles Goff the 3^rd.” A jolt of energy ran through Mellisa’s body. Why did she recognize that name! “Wait, are you Charles Henry Goff?” asked Mellisa. “So, you’ve heard of me.” “You’re… Ana’s dad!” “Yes, I am. I came searching for this treasure right after she was born . I’ve wanted to see my little darling since but have been unable to. I’ve only seen her once.” “What if we bring her to you instead?” asked Mellisa “would you!? You can use the dragon to get there and back!” replied the ghost. “Yes we will. See you in a little while with your wife and your daughter.” said Kristiana. The girls climbed back on the dragon to go to Wall in search of Ana and her mother.

It took about twenty minutes to fly from the Mountain. The whole town was alarmed at the sight of the blue dragon. “Wait! We’ve come in safety” shouted Mellisa. “We’re looking for Ana and her Mom.” Ana and her mom made it to the front. “What do you want?” “We have a surprise. Get on!” answered Kristiana. Ana and her mom climbed on and they immediately took off. “I can see the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation! It’s much bigger than I thought it was!” exclaimed Ana. “Wow!” said Ana when they got to the top. “What is that!?” she exclaimed as she noticed the skeleton. “That’s what we needed to show you” said Mellisa. “Just wait and watch it” Ana and her mom’s eyes widened when they saw Charles. “Charles!?” asked her Mom. “It’s me Sandy.” “Daddy!” yelled Ana when she saw him. Both Ana and her mom ran over to hug him. “Thank you girls!” Charles told Mellisa and Kristiana. When Ana and her mom were finished talking with Charles, they returned home to Wall. Mellisa had just one last thing to say: “So that’s the whole secret of Badlands Mountain. The mystery is solved!” An adventure of a lifetime for Kristiana and Mellisa.

Adventure, Badlands National Park, Fiction, Lysa's Blog

Climb to Badlands Mountain…part II

May 21, 2011 Lysa

The next morning, Kristiana couldn’t wait to begin their adventure up Badlands Moutain. Finally it was 6:00 a.m. the agreed upon meeting time so she went to meet Mellisa at the Yellow Mounds. Mellisa was already there. “Well, Good Morning. Are you ready?” “As ready as I’ll ever be!” Kristiana said excitedly. “Well let’s start our journey then. I hope we live to tell about this someday, even if we don’t make it to the top. We would have at least tried.”

Mellisa lead them on their way on the trail to the top of Badlands Mountain. The first boulder came crashing down just five minutes after they started climbing. “That was fast! I wasn’t prepared for boulders this soon. Oww! I caught a bone in my foot. Give me a few minutes to get up… Ok let’s go!” “That was faster than I had predicted.” commented Kristiana. “It must have not been to bad an injury.” “I brought some herbal medicine from Ancient Hunters overlook that we collected yesterday” replied Mellisa. “The Ancient hunters used this same remedy when they were wounded. Now let’s move a little faster to try and avoid some of these boulders. Just let me know if you get tired!” “Ok.” Kristiana said.

Shortly after the first boulders they saw the first trap.”Watch out!” screamed Mellisa. “That’s the first trap. It’s a very small pit though so I think we can just jump over it. I’ll go first.” Mellisa jumped and got to the other side easily. “Now you jump over it.” Kristiana jumped but this time, a giant plant leaped out of the pit and ate her. “No! I will kill you plant!” Using her strength, Mellisa snapped the plant at the base and raised the head up so she could get Kristiana back. She pried opened the mouth and pulled Kristiana out. Fortunately Kristiana was fine, just a little slimy. “That’s just the first trap, and the easiest. So try to be a little more careful next time” said Mellisa. The girls continued on with their journey.

Finally, after hours of avoiding traps and boulders, the girls got to the middle of the mountain. Mellisa was the first to sense the dragon was coming and wasn’t very far away. “Here comes the hardest part, making friends with a dragon…”Sure enough, a blue dragon came zipping around the corner. Using her powers of persuasion, Mellisa started to communicate with the dragon. *We are not your enemies, we just want to become friends* The dragon slowed to a stop in front of them. *You can communicate with me!? Very well then, I may like you, and we can be friends* *Can you take us to the top please, we just want to see it, even if there is a treasure we don’t care about it. We just want to see what the top looks like* *Well, you could be trying to trick me, but you seem like very nice girls I could trust. I guess I could fly you up to the top. Climb up on to my back* *Oh, Thank you sooo much!* The girls got onto the dragons back and took off for the top. They felt the nice breeze in their faces as the dragon gliding up the mountain. ”I can see the White River Valley from here!” Shouted Kristiana “And I can see Castle trail, that’s the trail we took to the mountain!” They zipped around corners, into tunnels, and then finally they flew towards the top of the mountain. The dragon made a jolt upward towards the top.

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Adventures, Badlands National Park, Fiction, Lysa's Blog

Climb of Badlands Mountain

May 14, 2011 Lysa 4 Comments

It was a wonderful day in Badlands National Park. Two girls, Mellisa and Kristiana were racing to Ben Reifel Visiter Center when Mellisa spotted the eerie peaks of Badlands Mountain! Sliding to a stop Mellisa said “Hey! Kristiana, have you ever seen that big mountain before?” “No!” she exclaimed, “It’s called Badlands Mountain. Have you heard the stories about that place?” asked Mellisa. “No, should I know about them?” responded Kristiana. “Are you kidding me?! I’ve talked about the tales of Badlands Mountain with some of my friends! Ok, I have to explain the rumors of this place.” “How many stories are there?” asked Kristiana. “There are four stories in all but I’ll just tell you the main one for now” Replied Mellisa. “Ok” Kristiana said.

Mellisa started: “So, there are rumored to be 5,000,000 pieces of gold at the top put there by ancient mammoth hunters who mysteriously disappeared on top of Badlands Mountain. Many have attempted to climb to the top in search of this gold but only one is said to have made it – Charles Goff the 3^rd.” “You mean Ana’s dad?” Kristiana asked. Ana was one of their friends back in the little town of Wall. Mellisa continued “Yes, that’s the one and he has never returned. Many people believe he found the gold and headed for California. Others believe he was killed by a ghost that watches over this treasure waiting for the mammoth hunters to return. Do you want to know why it’s called Badlands Mountain?” asked Mellisa. “Of Course!” Responded Kristiana with a puzzled look. “Boulders fall suddenly on top of anyone who even tries to climb the mountain. People say the ghost pushes them. If the boulders are not successful in keeping away an intruder, he summons the big dragon to help guard his treasure. Anyone who gets even close to the middle is said to be carried off by the dragon and never seen again.” “Wait, what dragon?” asked Kristiana.

“Have you heard any growling at night or even a flash of golden light?” Mellisa responded. “Yes but I was always told it’s just my imagination?” said Kristiana. “It’s not your imagination!” exclaimed Mellisa. “It’s the dragon warning people during the night.” “Well that dragon did a good job, it sure scared me!” replied Kristiana. Mellisa continued, “Yes, anyway every year at least one person attempts to find that treasure and never returns. It is assumed they die because they are never seen again. There is another person that almost made it to the top but just as he reached the peak the dragon swooped down and knocked him down all the way to the bottom. The poor man lost most of his memory so we still don’t know what it looks like up there! I just wish I could see it. Anyway, besides the boulders and dragon, there are secret traps such as poisonous snake pits, and hidden caves. So it’s impossible to get to the top alive!” announced Mellisa. So, do you get the main point, if you even try to do it, you’ll fail and never be heard from again. So don’t get any ideas!”

“But you’re not a normal person” said Kristiana “you have abilities that I have not seen in anyone else. What if you use your powers to protect us, and to become friends with the dragon and the ghost, you could use the dragon to fly up…” “NO! My powers are limited. We could die trying!” replied Mellisa. “But if anybody has a chance to get to the top you do” said Kristiana. Mellisa responded “You do have a good point… If we spend the rest of this day gather the necessary items we could climb Badlands Mountain tomorrow. Fine we’ll leave in the morning. But if I need help you have to do exactly what I tell you, do you understand?” asked Mellisa “Yes I do! Thank you sooooooooo much! I’ve wanted to go on an adventure my whole life, especially a dangerous one!” Kristiana replied “You want to die!?” Mellisa asked. “No! I just want a really cool adventure!” said Kristiana “Oh, I see. Well we better get started on packing our supplies” Said Mellisa and off they went.

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Adventures, National Parks, Troy's Blog

Going Underground in Wind Cave (part III)

May 8, 2011 Troy 3 Comments

Getting back to the visitor’s center it was time to determine how we would spend the rest of this day. It was early afternoon and time for something to eat. We traveled to a nearby town and enjoyed a small town restaurant before continuing our explorations of Wind Cave National Park. Returning to the visitor’s center once again it was decided to spend the rest of our time as surface dwellers since there are thousands of acres to explore. A trip to this cave would not be complete without experiencing the natural entrance which was amazingly small with a lot of air movement which is how it was first discovered. Apparently two brothers were passing by and heard a loud whistling. Upon further investigation they found the vast network of caves below that caused this sound due to the attempt at equalizing atmospheric pressure. Since then over a hundred miles of this cave have been discovered. It is estimated that this accounts for only 5% of the entire cave. Try to imagine over 2,500 miles of caves and passageways beneath the surface. That’s the equivalent of driving from Buffalo, NY to Los Angeles, CA!

Once the natural entrance was found we decided to get in the car and drive some of the unpaved roads in an effort to explore some of the prairie protected by this national park. Early on we encountered a pronghorn deer that wanted to play for a short time. We would stop the car and this deer would run ahead of us for a distance staying next to the road and then stop and watch to see what we were doing. We continued forward as this deer decided to wait until we were again next to it. Once we pulled alongside it ran ahead again, stopped, and waited anxiously. Again we drove ahead to meet it only to have this deer run further along the road. This went on a few times before the pronghorn grew tired of the game and left. Our next encounter was single buffalo standing near the road allowing birds to perch on its back. We found this entertaining for a few moments and then continued on. The top of a hill was reached and below waited a breathtaking sight of this never ending prairie. Looking over the grass as it waved in the breeze along with the occasional stand of trees appeared as though out of a painting from a century ago. Over on the hillside rested some animals. They turned out to be a herd of elk resting in the mid-afternoon sun while darker clouds began to roll in indicating a potential storm. There were a couple of hundred elk comprising this herd allowing us to watch from a distance as they lazily meandered about. There were no horns on any of these elk causing us to wonder where the bulls could be. Our day was growing long and we had to return to our hotel in time to catch a wink or two before getting up early to participate in the Independence Day celebration at Mt. Rushmore.

On our way back through Custer State Park we encountered another herd of buffalo. After a few moments of gazing at these grazing animals we moved on. Another few miles down the road we saw the next spectacle – a herd of donkeys. This was a complete surprise as I hadn’t imaged donkeys in the wild. Here they were and demanded another stop to take it all in. They were very friendly and seemed to enjoy our company as much as we enjoyed watching them. Finally, we needed to depart for our journey back to Custer to grab a bite to eat and plan the next day’s activities before falling asleep. This was another in a string of very memorable adventures and once again proves that confronting that which you may fear will help you learn more about that fear.

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