Crazy Horse Memorial/Wind Caves National Park

Crazy Horse Monument

Wind Cave

Crazy Horse

Okay, we're down 150 feet.  Now, how do I get back out?

Wow, today is a scorcher...92 at last check...good day to visit the caves.  We passed by the Crazy Horse Memorial but didn't stop to visit the museum. 

We are camping for a couple of days at the national campground near Wind Caves.  The year-round temp inside the caves is 52.  There are 138 miles of mapped routes on three different levels and scientists estimate that this is only 10% of the caves.  This is the 5th largest cave in the world.

We took the Natural Entrance tour that lasted 1-1/4 hours.  The box patterns in these caves are way different than the stalactites and stalagmites we've seen in a cave before.

Deadwood Ain't Dead

Wild Bill Hickock telling his story

The characters in the shootout

Darliss in front of Salloon No. 10

Wow, Deadwood is a bustling tourist town.  We walked around the main streets, watched a re-enactment of Wild Bill Hickock getting shot at the Saloon #10 (Michelle said that when their family went to Deadwood, Jim was selected to play the part of the bartender in the re-enactment) and watched a re-enactment of another shootout up the street.  We ate a nice lunch, found a park with electric to I can update the blog, and will take a route through Sturgis back to our campground.

Robaix Lake

We found a little federal campground, Robaix Lake, to camp at for a few nights while we explore the sights.  We plan to go swimming there later this afternoon.  This is a view from a trail I rode that goes part way around the lake.

Sylvan Lake

We stopped at Sylvan Lake on the Needles Highway.  It was a beautiful lake, full of people, with a dam at one end.  We hiked on the trail that went around the lake.

Needles Highway Custer State Park

Eye of the Needle

Right before Eye of the Needle Tunnel

Little Devils Tower

Wow, this road is narrow---and the tunnels---a couple of them Larry and I could both touch the sides from our windows.  One of our side mirrors brushed the side.  I was driving during this portion, so Larry was nervous.

Mount Rushmore

Side view of Washington

The Hall of Flags has flags of all the states

Night-time view of Rushmore

It must have taken such perseverance to finish this massive project.  Pictures don't let me imagine how enormous Mount Rushmore is.  We walked the Presidential Walk to see all the views of the various faces of Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, and Roosevelt.  After driving the Needles Highway, we decided to stop back and attend the evening ceremony at Mount Rushmore.

Bighorn Battlefield/Connor Battlefield

Monument and graves from Battle of Little Bighorn

Monument to all who died at Battle at Little Bighorn

Camping at Manchester, WY at the Connor Battlefield Campground

We spent a couple of hours walking around the Bighorn Battlehorn sites.  It looks like they're trying to present a more balanced presentation, giving documents and accounts from both sides of this battle.  There is now a monument for the tribe members who gave their lives to protect their families.  I'm glad to see that.

We found this little town off the highway that has a creek and hardly anybody in the campground...much nicer than the rest area last night.